Donna Jo Napoli

After having lived the perfect life with her daughter in the quiet mountains for so many years, Zel's mother is fearfully worried about Zel's new interest in the beautiful young prince she has met and so devises a plan to keep Zel from ever leaving her. Reprint.

Jeni Enjaian

Halfway through this book I really thought that I liked it. Then I finished it and everything got weird. Let me back up...
I loved the gradual introduction of the known fairy tale elements. Napoli did an excellent job with this. She also capably managed the switches between narrators, at least through the first half. Through the first half I also thought that Napoli's take on the emotional motives behind the characters' actions was intriguing but ... you guessed it ... it got weird.
In fact, the ending was so disconcerting that I almost wished that I hadn't read this book to begin with.
I'm beginning to notice that Napoli has a "unique" take on most stories. I'm not sure that I like it.
I also can't say that I recommend this book.

Celia Adams

An ok fairytale, but I find I prefer my stories with a few more realistic, female-positive messages nowadays. Zel is completely passive as a character, relying on true love and other people to save her. She only really reacts, and the only thing she wants at the ripe old age of 15 is to be married with a child. The prince (sorry, COUNT) was just as bad, obsessing over a girl he met ONCE in the market because she wasn't afraid of his horse, for 2 years, and then proposing marriage on sight. The only really interesting character was Mother, a woman who needed a child to be fulfilled (which, if thats how you are, o=good for you, I don't judge) and after many years of barrenness made a deal with the devil to get one. She was kind of interesting.

Zel

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