Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
What a cute, wonderful little story. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levinewas another book I read as one of my life goals to read all of the Newbery books. Ella Enchanted is a 1998 Newbery Honor book (see entire list here). Plus, I recently found it for 25 cents and I can’t beat that. Plus, I have just discovered (well, new to me) this whole genre of twisted or retold fairy tales and I seem to be reading quite a few of these lately. Quite by chance really. But of course, ignorant as I am, I was halfway through the book before I realized that this was a Cinderella story. Ella as in Cinderella? Duh! But I seem to be having a case of da-ju-vu because I wrote this exact same thing when I realized that Zel was short for Rapunzel in Zel by Donna Jo Napoli. I’d like to think that I’m smart about some things but I’d like to think that I’d start catching on at some point.
Anyways, back to Ella Enchanted. We have the fairy godmother, evil step-sisters and step-mother, glass slippers, orange pumpkins and mice being turned into carriages and footmen, a royal ball and, let’s not forget the prince. But we also have elves, ogres,bandits, and a magical book among other things. And as I’ve never read the original Cinderella, who knows, those may be in there too. My only familiarity with the Cinderella story is the animated Disney version, which I’m sure as all Disney movies are, is way off base of the real thing.
Ella, at birth, is given a fairy’s present. The gift of obedience, or as Ella calls it the curse of obedience. She says,
Anyone could control me with an order. It had to be a direct command, such as “Put on a shawl,” or “You must go to bed now.” A wish or a request had no effect. I was free to ignore “I wish you would put on a shawl,” or “Why don’t you go to bed now?” But against an order I was powerless.
If someone had told me to hop on one foot for a day and a half, I’d have to do it. And hopping on one foot wasn’t the worst order I could be given. If you commanded me to cut off my own head, I’d have to do it.
I was in danger at every moment.
As you can see, Ella’s life is one of constant turmoil and we, as the reader, are taken on many adventures as she tries to fight her curse, find the fairy to ask her to take the gift back, takes orders from her step family, and falls in love with the prince.
Oh, and Ella is quite sassy. I loved her character. Strong, independent, willing to do the right thing but follows her heart.
I enjoyed Ella Enchanted so much that I decided to rent Ella Enchanted, the Disney version. Ha, ha! It’s nothing like the book, so don’t even expect to compare the two. Different storyline, different mood, everything. But if you have kids at your house, they’ll love it. In fact, I watched it with my seven year old niece who said she loved it and asked to watch it again (which she’s doing at this exact moment as I type this).
Here’s a clip to show you just how silly it is:
Have you read this book, seen the movie? Tell me what you thought.
P.S. Stay tuned! I’ll soon be announcing a HUGE giveaway that you don’t want to miss.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Middle Readers
Tags: book to movie, E-H Title, giveaway, I-L Author, Newbery, twisted fairy tale
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I can see that the movie is not much like the book.
It’s still a fun book. It’s been farily popular with my students over the past few years.
on June 10th, 2008 at 2:22 pmYou know, I have never read the book or watched the movie but I really should because every time I tell someone what my daughter’s name is they say, “ohh, like the movie.”
on June 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pmIf you’re interested in reading more retellings of fairy tales, a friend recently told me about Juliet Marillier, whose book Wildwood Dancing is loosely based on The 12 Dancing Princesses, and Daughter of the Forest is based on The 6 Swans. I think these are both parts of series, I haven’t read them, but check her out if you want.
on June 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pmI really liked the book, but not the movie so much. I haven’t liked her other books as much, either. Ella really enchanted me, though (ha ha).
on June 10th, 2008 at 3:14 pmI saw the movie and enjoyed it. I might give the book a try now.
on June 10th, 2008 at 3:35 pmI saw the movie first and really liked it. Then read the book and thought it was ok. I should never do both. I’m always dispointed in one of them.
on June 10th, 2008 at 3:36 pmI’ve enjoyed the movie (which is very silly) and I see I need to read the book! Thanks for the review.
on June 10th, 2008 at 4:15 pmI didn’t know this one was a Newbery winner! I dragged hubby and my little brother to see this a few years ago. I must have tricked them because I can’t imagine how I pulled it off. The movie was cute, but the book sounds like it has a little more substance…
on June 10th, 2008 at 6:13 pmI loved the movie. Never read the book.
So I’ll have to try the book.
on June 10th, 2008 at 6:18 pmLol I loved the book. The movie not so much… although it wasn’t terrible. Mostly I just had trouble with Cary Elwes. I just keep thinking of him in “The Princess Bride” !
on June 10th, 2008 at 8:01 pmI loved the book and thought the movie was just OK. Like another commenter said, I couldn’t get into any of Gail Carson Levine’s other books though…
on June 10th, 2008 at 10:23 pmI saw the movie first, then listened to the book, and had a nasty bit of cognitive dissonance, since Anne Hathaway is playing ~18 in the movie, Ella in the book is ~15 (I think?), and the audiobook narrator sounded like she was 12, tops.
I loved both of them, though. The movie is silly but it’s a very good tired/sick/lazy weekend morning movie.
on June 11th, 2008 at 6:22 amWhat a great review (and book!). I’ve been poking around your blog for about twenty minutes and I LOVE it. . .can’t wait to see more!
on June 11th, 2008 at 1:23 pmRead the book, seen the movie, love them both!
on June 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pmThis one has been on my list to read for a while. Thanks for the review! It will probably be on my daughter’s reading list in the future as well, since her name is Ella.
I thought the movie was pretty cute too.
on June 12th, 2008 at 4:39 amI’ve acquired two copies of this book (lost one) and still haven’t read it yet. I’m hoping there will be another “Twisted Fairy Tale Challenge” next year and I’m saving it for that. Great review.
on June 14th, 2008 at 7:55 amElla Enchanted is a fairy tale classic! I really love the book and didn’t care for the movie too much. I think this book is still Gail Carson Levine’s best book, though I haven’t read all of them. Her book Fairest, which is also a fairy-tale retelling, revisits the same world that Ella Enchanted is set in. So, if you want more you should probably go read that one first.
on June 14th, 2008 at 11:34 amMy daughter’s were watching the movie one day and I sat down and watched it too. I thought it was kind of a funny retelling of the ‘Cinderella’ story. I saw that it was based upon a book and decided to give it a try. I like to pick a chapter book to read to my girls outloud in addition to them reading to me. We all really enjoyed the book. SO much better than the movie. We also found that Gail Carson Levine wrote the Tinkerbell story “Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg”, which was our next read.
I read the Gregory Maguire books, ‘Wicked’, ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’, and ‘Mirror, Mirror’. Much to adult for my children, but very interesting fairy tale retelling. We are going to try his children’s story ‘Leaping Beauty’ next.
I’m adding ‘Fairest’ now based upon Gamila’s recommendations and I think we will try ‘Zel’ as well.
Thanks for the review and recommendations.
on June 23rd, 2008 at 9:26 am[...] have two books to give away! I recently reviewed Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and The Baby Owner’s Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble Shooting Tips, and Advice on [...]
on July 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 amMy aunt gave me this book about six years ago and it became my favorite book. I read it all the time, so much that I didn’t need to read it anymore because I could recite it. I should really get a new copy since mine has pretty much fallen apart.
on July 4th, 2008 at 6:19 pmokay so i finally read this book and i loved it! it has many differences compared to the movie which was also good. but i still love the book more. i mean come on! who doesn’t want to slide down banister rails and be caught by a prince!!?!?
on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pmThe book was my sister’s favorite book. She finally got me to read it as well, and I also fell in love with it. Then the movie came out…
It practically mocked Gail Carson Levine! It was so stupid and childish. I mean if everyone loves the book, and they do, because it is a Newberry book, then why the heck did the director decide to ruin the whole thing?!
Perhaps I’m simply sounding much too critical, but movies not following the books they are SUPPOSED to be based on, makes me just shake with rage. The book is so wonderful, I hope that it can be redone into a movie that gives it the respect it deserves.
And…end rant
on January 11th, 2009 at 10:04 pmIs this a post where I really haven’t responded to anybody’s comments? Oh dear. Please excuse my absence. Thanks for your comments, I love hearing everybody’s opinions.
on January 12th, 2009 at 6:15 pmHi fellow Ella Enchanted readers,
I have a question and I hope you can help me… is Frell the kingdom and Kyrria the town/hamlet/village… or is it the other way around? I’m a bit confused. I think Kyrria is like a country (kingdom) and Frell is the municipality. I’m trying to work it out as an activity for setting.
Thanks in advance!
on March 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pm(Kathy F: You’ve got it right. Kyrria is the country/kingdom, and Frell is the town or whatever.)
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