Confessions Of An Ugly Stepsister: A Novel
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Product Description
Product Description
We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave amongst the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks?
Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who is swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household - and the treacherous truth of her former life.
Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who is swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household - and the treacherous truth of her former life.
About the Author
Gregory Maguire is a bestselling author who has earned rave reviews and a dedicated following for WICKED. He received his doctorate in English Literature from Tufts University, and has taught at Simmons College and other Boston area colleges. He has also served as an artist-in-residence at the Blue Mountain Center, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Hambridge Center. Gregory has lived in Dublin and London, but now makes his home near Boston, Massachusetts, with his partner, their two sons and daughter.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
You will fall in love with plain Iris as she lives her life in the shadow of the beautiful, troubled and petulant Clara. The book explores the nature of beauty and love, painting and the early tulip trade in Holland. Full of twists and surprises. Don't miss it.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This review relates to the paperback edition.
During an enforced 3-hour stopover at Los Angeles airport I found this and couldn't resist the cover or the blurb. I haven't read/seen any of his books, so had nothing with which to compare this, and I loved it. It runs alongside Cinderella in a non-parallel line which every now and again curves in to touch the fairy story and remind us of the original, but at the same time keeps very much to its own path. The setting of 17th-century Holland is evocative and atmospheric, including the use of art and the tulip-trade, the machinations of the desperate Margarethe are terrible and at the same time understandable, and Iris is - well, she's lovely. There are comments in some reviews that there is no magic in this book and strictly speaking that's true, but there is definitely more than a hint of something other-worldly and dangerous that lurks in the background and pervades the atmosphere of this book.
The illustrations are lovely - I hope they have been kept in the hardback edition.
During an enforced 3-hour stopover at Los Angeles airport I found this and couldn't resist the cover or the blurb. I haven't read/seen any of his books, so had nothing with which to compare this, and I loved it. It runs alongside Cinderella in a non-parallel line which every now and again curves in to touch the fairy story and remind us of the original, but at the same time keeps very much to its own path. The setting of 17th-century Holland is evocative and atmospheric, including the use of art and the tulip-trade, the machinations of the desperate Margarethe are terrible and at the same time understandable, and Iris is - well, she's lovely. There are comments in some reviews that there is no magic in this book and strictly speaking that's true, but there is definitely more than a hint of something other-worldly and dangerous that lurks in the background and pervades the atmosphere of this book.
The illustrations are lovely - I hope they have been kept in the hardback edition.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
i actually wanted to read this book because i'd seen the film adaptation and i was interested i where the idea had come from. the film itself while intinsically the same varies in a few ways, so dont assume you can skip the book and watch the film. But i'd advise you not to skip the book as it is beautifully written and a joy to read. it's a real page turner of a book. i loved it because i just love that whole reinventing a fairytale concept.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Loved it!
Bought this book after reading 'Wicked', and im so glad I did! Brilliant idea and such a good story, have recommended to everyone I know!
Published 9 months ago by Monghog
A really interesting reworking of the Cinderella story, better for...
Gregory Maguire is an author probably best known for his adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, Wicked. Ifve read the entire trilogy, with somewhat mixed results: Wicked itself I... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Katie Stevens
Overall, it was an okay read
I appreciated the sensory details and descriptions, and the various characters are original. There's a nice twist near the end which gave me a little brain jolt, and I always like... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Rebecca
Good quality product!
Good quality item, i was very impressed with its condition! i would recommend this seller to anyone!!
Published on 31 Aug 2009 by L. Rowley
A dark fairy-tale of old
By turns funny and tragic, this story reads like a fairy-tale, one of the important yet disturbing ones by Andersen for example. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2009 by BookJumper
I Confess better than Wicked!
A brilliant take on the story of Cinderella that I really loved. Very clever and much more human than his other stories as there are no elements of fantasy but its just as magical. Read more
Published on 26 May 2008 by Philip Thompson
Beautiful re-telling
During an enforced 3-hour stopover at Los Angeles airport I found this and couldn't resist the cover or the blurb. Read more
Published on 18 April 2008 by Deborah
confessions yes, wicked no
This is my favourite book in this genre (I'm used to reading Sci-fi) I was pleasently surprised and couldn't put the book down I would definately recommend it. Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2007 by R. Pickersgill
It's not Wicked
Unfortunately, this one is in a very different league, predictable, shallow and disappointing. Read Wicked, its fantastic, .... Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2007 by Jiagi
Strange Take on Cinderella
Confessions is a very strange take on the cinderella story. I enjoyed the plot as Margareath try's to keep her daughters from going hungry and off the streets. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2007 by G. Bruist
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