Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine ★★★★☆

Fun and Whimsical

Fiction – Juvenile – High Fantasy

Reading Level: Age 8 and up  Grade 3 and up

240 pages

Publication Date: 1997

Enchanted #1

Literary awards:  Newbery Honor (1998), Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature (1999), Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (2000), Grand Canyon Reader Award for Teen Book (1999), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1999) Iowa Teen Award (2000)

Cursed with the “gift” of obedience on the day of her birth by an interfering fairy, spunky Ella Varner refuses to be cowed by the orders of others.  When her beloved mother dies Ella begins a quest for freedom from her “gift”.  With the help of a magic book, her Fairy Godmother and her friend Prince Char, Ella can take on anything; even an absent Father, finishing school, Ogres and a horrible stepmother and nasty stepsisters.  Through it all Ella uses her sass and intelligence to carry her through the worst till she can get her happily-ever-after.

A fun, whimsical take on the Cinderella story, Levine breathes fresh life into the familiar characters, giving them depth and a new world to live in.  This breezy read takes us to the fanciful kingdom of Frell, where it is not unusual to fall prey to silver-tongued ogres or to attend a giant’s wedding.  Elves live among the trees, Gnomes can see into the future and Fairies in disguise show up for weddings and births.

Ella our heroine is a character worth admiring.  She is strong, competent and independent, all of the characteristics that attracts Prince Char to begin with (and even her self-centered absentee father can’t, help but admire her for it to).  Prince Char, future ruler of Frell, is tired of fawning courtiers and stuffy manners.  He finds Ella very refreshing and sees the value in her authenticity and intelligence. 

There is no love at first sight in this book – thank goodness.  Instead, Ella and Char have a very balanced relationship and I appreciate how in creating a strong character in Ella Levine doesn’t fall into the trap -that a lot of writers or TV shows do- of making Char weak or an object of ridicule who needs Ella to take care of him and save him from his own incompetence.  Their relationship is what it should be, filled with mutual respect and admiration, the forgiveness of each other faults and the willingness to put another’s need before your own.

While I’m usually not into the idea of happily-ever-after (yeah, I will resist the urge to go on an unrealistic expectations rant) Levine is a very gifted story teller and I look forward to when I can share Ella’s story with my girls.

ISBN  0590920685 (ISBN13: 9780590920681)