Name: Stepsister
Rating: 3.989010989010989 (91 reviews)
ISBN: 9781471407970

Jennifer Donnelly

A stunning and shocking retelling of the Cinderella fairytale from a Carnegie Medal novelist

Stepsister

A startling, fiercely feminist re-imagining of Cinderella from the bestselling, award-winning author Jennifer Donnelly.

Anna 

Bohužel na tom nejsem úplně nejlépe, a knížku jsem četla asi 3 měsíce, takže mi většina děje a důležitých věcí asi vypadla, proto bude tato recenze jen velmi stručná, že což se moc omlouvám. 
Knížku jako takovou bych si asi užila víc, kdybych se dokázala odhodlat ke čtení.. rozhodně nebyla špatná, pro mladé dívky byla perfektní, a to v tom, že ukazovala vnitřní krásu každého z nás. nemusíte být nejkrásnější zvenku, důležité je kvést zevnitř, stále se zlepšovat a vyvíjet. jsem moc ráda, že se knížka nepletla jen okolo princezen a bálů a krásných šatů (jako např. selekce, která se mi ale taky moc líbila, ale víte co, žádné poselství to nemělo). děj jako takový byl pohádkový a pro mne asi nudnější, ale pořád si moc vážím té zprávy v tom... že ženy mohou dělat cokoliv.
✩
3*/5*

Rachel Kanyid

*4.5*
There are very few books that I read that make it onto my list of all time favorites, and only a very small percentage of those are fairytale-remakes/continuations, but I must say, this was one of those for me. I LOVED this book. The story and character development, the way it felt like a classic fairy tale but yet something so much more, and the tie in with out real world were all wonderful. I will definitely be buying this and keeping it on my favorites shelf in the near future.

Charmaine

Such a lovely story! A priceless exploration of all the human heart’s emotions: jealousy, loss, love, courage, compassion, and bravery. A toast to defying fate herself, because all you need is a dash of chance. ❤️❤️❤️

Maria

Stepsister Дженнифер Доннелли начинается с того, что сводная сестра Золушки Изабель сидит с ножом в руке и готовится отрезать себе пальцы, чтобы влезть в туфельку и стать женой принца. Делает она это не по своей злой воле, а потому что мать заставляет – считает, что это единственная возможность для некрасивой дочери удачно выйти замуж. А нога... ну что нога. Если станешь королевой, ходить тебе не понадобится, справишься.

Замуж принц её, конечно, не берет – во-первых, кровь наполняет туфельку и пачкает платье Изабель, а во-вторых, с чердака сбегает Золушка, и да будут жить они долго и счастливо. Изабель, её сестра Октавия – тоже с изуродованной ногой, и их мать остаются в деревне, где теперь все в курсе, как отвратительно они обращались с новой королевой, и как хотели обмануть принца.

Что ни говори, а заход в историю мощный. И продолжения ждешь такого же – жесткого и кровавого. Но тут Дженнифер Доннелли не выруливает, и мы довольно быстро выясняем, что Изабель и Октавия не злые, просто задолбанные. Октавия обожает математику и целыми днями решает уравнения. Изабель мечтает вести в бой армии и даже научилась владеть оружием. Но в 18 веке женщине не стать ни ученым, ни полководцем, поэтому мать пытается пристроить их замуж – а никто не берет, потому что внешностью не вышли. Так что их отношения с Эллой – Золушкой – это по сути отношения с сыном маминой подруги. Элла конвенционально красива, мила и послушна, какой и надлежит быть женщине. В принципе, любой бы на месте сводных сестер не выдержал.

Истории злобной завистливой сестры у Доннелли не получилось. Получилась история про feminist issue – немножко нарочитая, даже картонная. Вот так, дорогие дети, плохо живется, когда общественные стереотипы не дают тебе воплощать мечты. Спасибо, Дженнифер Доннелли, мы знаем.

Отмечу еще, что Stepsister понравилась бы мне больше, если б не побочная линия борьбы Судьбы и Шанса. Судьба – вредная старуха, которая нарисовала карту жизни Изабель, а Шанс – экзальтированный повеса, который хочет дать девушке возможность что-то изменить. Оба постоянно вмешиваются в ход событий, и это просто невыносимо читать. Как будто после каждой сцены в фильме на экране появляется специальный человек и объясняет тебе, что сейчас произошло, почему оно произошло и к каким последствиям может привести. И это разжевывание вообще не дает тебе ни шанса отрефлексировать события. Я так злилась, что в итоге даже начала пролистывать эти главы. Впечатление от книги, впрочем, уже было испорчено.

Micol Scalabrino

The Neverending fight between destiny and will, the power of a choice and the simplicity of a change. This book starts with Cinderella finally able to prove she is the girl who danced with the prince during the royal ball. That's easy, the happy ending. But what about the villains of the story? What about the stepsister who made Ella's life hell?

I thought I would never read a book about the stepsister, but I'm glad I did. A powerful study of introspection, friendship and strength, I was able to feel the distress, hate and love, grief and loss. Isabelle and Tavi are not who everyone thinks, they are flawed, feel emotions and just want to live their life. I loved their relationship, but most of all, I loved how the author decided to depict the constant fight between fate and the power of will. 

Final vote: 4/5

Alice

I don't know where to start.

Boy, am I glad I read this book.

"Stepsister" definitely has some "Caraval" vibe in it, mixed with some "The Night Circus" enchantment and sprinkled with a good dose of "Alice in Wonderland" style. Also, bits of "Mulan" in the dynamics.

If you're looking for a complex, intricate story, then this is probably not the right read for you. But if you enjoy light books with eccentric characters, bits of humor here and there, and a considerable display of positive and feminine (feminist) messages, then absolutely pick up "Stepsister". Please. You have to.

And, goodness, I'm weak for retellings. I'm looking forward to reading "Lost in a Book" by Donelly as soon as life will allow me.

Warning: the beginning is a little gruesome as it's a retelling of the original Cinderella tale (the one in which the stepsisters- er, adapt- their foot size to- the slipper... There's blood.)

Full review.

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'In an ancient city by the sea, three sisters - a maiden, a mother, and a crone - are drawing maps by candlelight. Sombre, with piercing grey eyes, they are the three Fates, and every map is a human life . . .' Stepsister takes up where Cinderella's tale ends. We meet Isabelle, the younger of Cinderella's two stepsisters. Ella is considered beautiful; stepsister Isabelle is not. Isabelle is fearless, brave, and strong-willed. She fences better than any boy, and takes her stallion over jumps that grown men fear to attempt. It doesn't matter, though; these qualities are not valued in a girl. Others have determined what is beautiful, and Isabelle does not fit their definition. Isabelle must face down the demons that drove her cruel treatment of Ella, challenge her own fate and maybe even redefine the very notion of beauty . . . Cinderella is about a girl who was bullied; Stepsister is about the bully. We all root for the victims, we want to see them triumph. But what about the bullies? Is there hope for them? Can a mean girl change? Can she find her own happily ever after?

Aisha Sandyck

It’s an amazing way of writing. The way it’s written already swooned me in the introduction and prologue. The story itself is also amazing. It talks about beauty being more skin deep and not everything is what it seems. About finding yourself when you’ve lost your way and standing up for what you believe.

Zoe Murphy

I really like the message in this book and the POV of the "ugly" stepsister. The only think I didn't like was the battle between the two "god like" people, Chance and Fate. It didn't seem that important and the story could've done with only Tanaquill's interference. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the perspective of Isabelle and getting to see Tavi's side too. It really shows the problems with society and how it creates its own expectations for women. I also enjoyed seeing some rep for anger issues. Isabelle's character could have been written off as just a mean and cruel girl, but because of everything that was pushed on her, I felt like her anger management problems really helped represent a different sort of mental illness and created more room for her to change and grow as a character. I totally would encourage everyone to try this book out!

Annabelle Lamont

Well, well, well. What do we have here? A not so fairytale retelling? A slant on Cinderella that barely includes its namesake, Cinderella? 

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly gets 3/5 stars from me. Inventive, heartbreaking, romantic - it was a joy to read! I'll be honest, in the beginning this was slightly slow and tricky to immerse myself within. I'm going to put that down to the fact that I had two very BIG and very high-profile YA fantasy books being released imminently when I picked this up.... I think I was just watching my time to make sure I could read them when they came out. 

When I actially began to let myself enjoy this I REALLY enjoyed it. The messages within this novel are so much more than meets the eye - Isabelle is a symbol of not only overcoming the pigeon-holing and categorising that society has deemed for you (fitting that this is being posted on International Women's Day 2020...) but also showing that, it's okay to dream and want to achieve more for yourself. Books provide me with an escape, as I'm sure they provide most readers with, and that's why I am consistently picking them up and delving into their pages. But another reason why the underlying themes of this book resonated so deeply with me were because I saw my own desires reflected in Isabelle - desperate to be liked (shamefully), but wanting to also not just conform to that which is expected of me to BE liked and wanted. This story features Fate and Chance as secondary characters and I thought this was a really clever idea to personify elements of the human condition and experience that are fantastical and mystical within themselves. It also helped to assign blame to the right people when it was due. 

I would say that this book is more fantasy than historical fiction, and I would used that term extremely liberally. The author has obviously taken what she wants and what she doesn't from the world she has created to resemble known historical facts on society and nationality within France. Cinderella and her Prince (The King and Queen of France) feature very little within this. That was one of the things I enjoyed most. I loved this alternative telling of the Cinderella story with the frame shifted to focus on the ugly stepsisters, and an offering of redemption for them through highlighting WHY they are so 'ugly'. It became clear that this 'ugliness' was a reflection of their personality, rather than their looks (a theme that is apparent within the Disney and Grimm tales but is often accomponied by physical features that some associate with being unattractive). Because really, who is to say what is and isn't ugly/pretty?

I highly recommend anyone to read this with an open mind and heart towards the characters and to be willing to view the renowned fairytale from the villian's POV. It is definitely worth it. 

P.s. Anyone else who has read this - did you not want more of Tavi??! She is an ultimate force to be reckoned with. I would read a second installment of this just to get her individual story too.

Jawahir M

Review to come but I give this five stars! So happy to pick this book by mistake during a bookstore run, one of the best Cinderella retellings and a hidden gem!

Score:5/5

Chelsea Breher

You know, this book is one of the few books I've read with truly kick ass female characters lately, a book where they truly don't need a man to take care of them. It's full of smart, witty, well rounded women. I'm so happy I read this gem.

Manon van Heumen

I thoroughly enjoyed it! The world-building was precious to me, it was so amazing.

Liz Griffin

Cool concept, but I struggled with the execution. The blend of multiple categories of lore (Fates, fairy queen, wolf-heart-thing) was confusing, and a couple other style issues just weren’t my preference.

Stepsister

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