friend #8: Ella Enchanted

            I think it’s safe to say that Gail Carson Levine is my absolute favorite YA author, and one of my primary influences as a writer. Her first novel, Ella Enchanted, is a re-imagining of the Cinderella story, and a Newbery Honor book. I’m always wary describing this book to people, because when I name it most people think of the 2004 movie with Anne Hathaway. Now, that movie is “based” on this book, but (must…contain…rant…) it’s really not. I mean, it’s just not. Not even close. (I’m seriously having to remind myself not to go too much into this, but in my defense, the movie took one of my absolute favorite books and made it into a silly piece of fluff.) Ok, I’m done talking about the movie. Promise. I’ll review the book now.

Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted, HarperTrophy, 1997.

            Ella begins the narrative of her life by telling the reader about her curse: at birth, she was “blessed” with obedience by Lucinda the fairy. This means that when given a direct command, Ella literally must obey. If she does fight the urge to give in, she experiences aggravating physical symptoms such as loss of breath and extreme dizziness. Ella reminisces about her childhood, in which she discovered the hard way that telling others about her curse led to being cruelly manipulated. Returning to the present, Ella’s mother dies from an illness despite the best efforts of the family’s fairy godmother (and cook), Mandy.

            At her mother’s funeral, Ella meets Prince Charmont, or Char, who is friendly to Ella and grieves with her over her mother. Also attending the funeral is a Dame Olga and her two daughters, Hattie and Olive. Lady Olga is a friend of Ella’s father, and attempts to comfort Ella with a sickening sweetness. Hattie attempts to make conversation with Ella and comes across haughty and snobbish, while her sister Olive is rather dull and appears to only care about the food. As this is a Cinderella retelling, these three characters practically stink of stepmother and stepsisters. However, before they become Ella’s relations, her father decides to send her to the same finishing school as Hattie and Olive. At finishing school, Hattie discovers Ella’s obedience, although she doesn’t know its cause. This doesn’t stop her from using it to her advantage, and she makes a slave out of Ella.

            Once the girls are home, Ella’s father announces that he plans to marry Dame Olga. At the wedding’s reception, Ella leaves the party to explore the upper floors of the old castle used for hosting such events. There she meets Char, and the two spend the afternoon avoiding Ella’s new family and dancing to the music of the orchestra below. In a long-forgotten room, they discover a beautiful pair of glass slippers, which happen to fit Ella perfectly. Soon after the wedding, Char leaves to spend a year in the neighboring kingdom, and Ella’s father leaves to travel as his being a merchant demands. Dame Olga wastes no time in making Ella a servant in her own house. She too becomes aware of Ella’s obedience and uses it to her own advantage. During this time Ella spends most of her time with Mandy, her only friend and comfort.

            Over the course of the year Char is gone, he and Ella exchange a multitude of letters, and their affection for each other grows. Finally Char declares his love, and Ella, ecstatic, pens a passionate reply. However, before she sends the letter, she realizes with horror that she cannot in good conscience risk attaching herself, such a willing slave, to the future ruler of the kingdom. She knows that should an enemy of the royal family discover her curse, she would be a weapon in their hands. Mournfully, she writes to Char as Hattie, explaining that Ella was never really in love with him, and treated his affection as a silly game.

            When Char returns, his parents give a ball in hopes of finding him a wife. Ella, desperate to see him despite having given up his love, attends the masked ball and watches him from afar. Unfortunately she is discovered by both Char and Hattie, and rushes home in tears. There she makes hasty plans to run away with Mandy, but her stepsisters and Char show up before she can leave. There her curse is practiced on to the utmost as Char urges her to marry him (little realizing that he is giving a command), Hattie commands her to go to her room, and Dame Olga tells her to accept to connect the family with royalty. It is in the midst of this chaos that Ella discovers how sacrificial obedience must be, and whether she can of her own will break this tyranny that has ruled her since birth.

            Maybe it’s pedantic to say it in so few words, but this book is just really, really good. Levine’s writing style is upbeat and fun, and exactly descriptive enough to place the reader right there next to Ella. The heroine herself is plucky and determined, with just enough imperfection to make her realistic. The fact that she narrates her own story makes it easy for the reader to empathize with Ella, mourning her hardships and rejoicing in her triumphs. Virtually every character in this book has a full personality and is easy to imagine as an actual person instead of merely a name and a face. This skill for characterization is one of the many reasons I admire Levine as a writer. She sets her reader right in the middle of a beautiful fantasy world, and gives a familiar story a great twist. I know I say this about every book, but I literally can’t recommend this one enough. Please, please read it (and don’t bother comparing it to the movie). You won’t be sorry. Happy reading!

**Ok, just to clarify, I do somewhat enjoy the movie as its own entity. If it would just not pretend to be associated with this wonderful book, I could enjoy it that much more.