We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignomniy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks?

SEt against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsisters tells the story of Iris, and unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of welath, artifice, and ambition. Iris' path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household -- and the treacherous truth of her former life.

Far more than a mere fairy tale, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a novel of beauty and betrayal, illusion and understanding, reminding us that deception can be unearthed -- and love unveiled -- in the most unexpected of places.

Ooh, what terrible rumors are started! Gossips can take the most simple stories and spin such tales that true events are shrouded completely in fantasy. Take, for instance, the simple story of Cinderella, certainly a favorite among childhood girls - who wouldn’t like to be the pretty little cindermaid destined to be rescued by her prince from the hard life of servitude?

But this is precisely what I’m talking about - “rescued” indeed. Don’t be fooled by the yarns of exaggerating storytellers! Gregory Maguire has set the records straight with Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and you’d do well to pass the story - the real story - on to everyone you know. Tell them Cinderella was actually the spoiled child, not her sisters; that her stepmother was more crazy with worry and protectiveness for her daughters than a wicked stepmother ever would be; and that the only godmother, fairy or otherwise, involved in the entire tale was the she-elephant Queen Marie.

The story is slow at first, as most *true* stories are, but I’m glad I took the time to learn what “really” happened from a reliable source - one of Cinderella’s ugly, not wicked, stepsisters.

RELEASE NOTES:

I'll be taking this book with me to this month's BookCrossers on the Potomac Meetup. If it's not claimed, I'll leave it on the bookshelves across from the cash register.

Enjoy!

Picked this up from wyldanthem at last night's meetup at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub in Alexandria, VA. I enjoyed Wicked so I'm looking forward to this one. Thanks!

Here is the story of Iris and her sister Ruth, famed stepsisters of the Cinderella tale. Like Maguire's earlier Wicked, it is a retelling of a famous story from the villain's point of view. Also like Wicked, the heroine of the canon is portrayed as self-serving and cruel, while the villain is merely a social outcast, trying to puzzle her way through the world as best she can. The Cinderella story is nearly unrecognizable for about two thirds of the book, while it discusses Iris's love of painting and Clara (Cinderella)'s bizarre self-imposed seclusion, but in the end there is a prince and a ball and a lost slipper. Despite a general confusion throughout most of the story, I turned the last page feeling at least most of my questions had been answered. I don't know that I will go out of my way to read more Maguire - I grew weary of so much unneccessary use of hundred-dollar words and such impossibly flowery dialogue - but I am glad I read this one. I like fairy tales and all their retellings; hopefully the popularity of Maguire's version will not overshadow others' attempts to show the other side of the story.

This is being mailed off to firegirl for a trade.

Arrived safely, thanks! Thanks also for the book labels -- I can always use more of those!

I'd already read this book when I traded for it, knowing it would be valuable for future trades, and I was right! I'll be sending this book off in postal trade for something from my wishlist. Yay!

As far as my thoughts, I remember enjoying this all right, but not nearly as much as -Wicked- or -Mirror, Mirror-.

I received this on 6/21 from firegirl in AZ ... as part of a book trade. I'm about done reading your promised book (Tourist Season) and will mail it to you by the end of the week.

c. 1999 -- 372 pages -- Trade Paperback -- Illustrations by Bill Sanderson -- Reader's Group Guide inside

I got this for my daughter, starwarsfreak. It looks so good, I might have to borrow it from her and read it myself sometime. ;-)

I'm taking this book to read on my trip to CA.

My DD (starwarsfreak) has finished reading this. She gave it to me yesterday to read next.

After I finish reading it then my DD (mistyjoy) wants to read it.