That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. "My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child." I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda's gift and feel that she belongs to herself. For how can she truly belong to herself if she knows that at any time, anyone can order her to hop on one foot, cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom--and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's spirited account of her quest to break the curse is a funny, poignant, and enchanting tale about an unforgettable heroine who is determined to be herself. Eden Riegel provided the voice of Young Miriam in the animated feature film Prince of Egypt, and has appeared in the film Into the Woods. Her television credits include recurring roles on New York Undercover, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. On Broadway, she was one of the original cast members of Les Miserables and performed in The Will Rogers Follies.
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"This is a rich and imaginative retelling of the Cinderella story as a young adult novel. At last readers get a reasonable explanation for Cinderella's meek behavior. Poor Ella isn't a doormat; she is literally cursed with obedience. But she is a strong and intelligent role model, instead of taking her misfortune sitting down, she marches off to rid herself of the troublesome curse. Learning her worries and dreams gives readers a reason to root for her. Prince Charmant becomes more than a name as we read the letters he and Ella write to each other. A cast of fantastic and familiar fairy-tale figures includes the foolish fairy who bestows gifts nobody wants, a wise fairy godmother who refuses to use magic for anything important, and a gnome toddler with a baby beard. Gail Carson Levine casts a spell and manages to remake a classic tale into something completely new." — Heather (4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a rich and imaginative retelling of the Cinderella story as a young adult novel. At last readers get a reasonable explanation for Cinderella's meek behavior. Poor Ella isn't a doormat; she is literally cursed with obedience. But she is a strong and intelligent role model, instead of taking her misfortune sitting down, she marches off to rid herself of the troublesome curse. Learning her worries and dreams gives readers a reason to root for her. Prince Charmant becomes more than a name as we read the letters he and Ella write to each other. A cast of fantastic and familiar fairy-tale figures includes the foolish fairy who bestows gifts nobody wants, a wise fairy godmother who refuses to use magic for anything important, and a gnome toddler with a baby beard. Gail Carson Levine casts a spell and manages to remake a classic tale into something completely new."
" It was O.K. I didn't like it that much but it was good. "
" I love the book and the movie so much even though they're completely different. in fact I love that they're completely different. I love the story and the way its written and its hilarious. I can already see me reading it to my daughter someday "
" This is my all time favorite book I have ever read. I had two copies as a little girl that's how much I loved this book. <3<3<3<3<3 "
" I absolutely loved this book! It had been laughing, crying, and "aww'ing the entire time! "
" A quick read. It's basically the Cinderella story revamped to represent more modern beliefs about women's rights. What's cool is that the old ideals are still in there as a contrast. Ella's curse of obedience is another fun element of the story. Overall, a fun read. "
" Ella Enchanted is a crazy fantasy about a young girl. This tale leaves children with a crazy fantasy world that they can then imagine and add to themselves. This is a very creative and well written book. "
" I first read this book when I was about 13 years old. I loved it then, but I haven't read it in a while. I'll always remember it as a childhood favorite. "
" It's a nice classic, but wasn't my favorite. "
" WAY better than the movie... which I liked a lot. "
" I READ IT AND I LOVED IT !!!!!! "
" Love this book, easy to read. A different kind of Cinderella story. "
" This book is amazing, I can reread it on and on & brings back childhood memories :) "
" I liked the part when she can't decide to give into the curse to marry the prince, or just not marry the prince...:) "
" I read this book when I was younger, and this was a book I could read over and over again. Loved it. "
" Read it after I watched the movie. It was really different from the movie but it was still good. "
" Ella Enchanted is a book about a girl who has a curse that she has to do what ever they told her to do. In the end of the book Ella is free of the curse and marries the prince named Char. "
" An amazing fairy tale! Four stars! "
" I remember reading this book in middle school and loving it! I must read this again to refresh my memory of the details, but I do recall that I really enjoyed it! "
" Great story! Well written. The pre-story to Cinderella. "
" One of the very best books I have ever read!!! "
" if you were to pick up my copy of this book I swear it would fall apart. my all time favorite book ever. even as an adult I still love it "
" Don't judge me. I love this book. "
" Awesome! Read it a while ago though, but it's definitively a children's book though older people can read it. "
" Such a cute story! Too bad they messed the movie up so badly. This book had me laughing out loud in some places and biting my nails in other. Overall, a wonderful read. "
" This is a great book for young girls who have just started reading young adult romances. "
" I loved this book as a child, I read it until the cover fell off. Its still a great read! A nice twist on the typical Cinderella story, Ella has depth and complexity in her character making her more than your typical princess. "
" A book I read ages ago, but it I still remember it warming my heart in the weirdest of ways. :) "
" I thought that it was a good book that made you remember what is was like to be a girl that had a hard time with life. "
" LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Ella is such a great character, spunky, funny and all grrrrrrrl power! Studied this book later with some ESL students and they loved it too! "
" The book was wonderful. When the movie came out i was supper excited, untill i watched it. The book is so much better then the movie. "
" One of my favorite books of all time. I've read this probably 25 times. Never gets old. "
" it is cinderella with a little twist here and there "
" What an adorable book. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The fantasy elements were just perfect, and I loved the personalities of all the characters. What a lovely twist on the Cinderella story. "
" What can I say but this book was utterly ENCHANTING? Everything about it IS enchanting. Ella the main character is Spunky and indeed verry Lovable. I'd recommend this book to almost everyone! -Elianna "
" Loved this book! What a entertaining, sweet, fun read. Enjoyed the detour from the classical Cinderella story, the "back story" that explained the classic Cinderella story. "
" I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters (especially Ella and Prince Char. Oh my word.),the way it's written, all the twists in the plot - it was amazing and enjoyed it so much. "
" I think it was a very impressive story, I like it alot. "
" Fave book from my childhood. It is falling apart it has been read so often. "
" My favorite childhood book. I still read it, and will always love it. p.s. the movie they made is AWFUL and NOTHING like the book. "
" I first read this book as a fourth grader, and fell completely in love with it. It's a great Cinderella story with adventure and romance and it will always be a favorite of mine. "
Gail Carson Levine is an author of bestselling fiction and nonfiction for young adults. Her first book for children, Ella Enchanted, won a Newbery Honor. Fairest was a Best Book of the Year for Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal, and Dave at Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults. She is also the author of two nonfiction books on writing, as well as the picture books.
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