I found it in the library a few years ago when I was 12 or 13, and I still vividly remember it, and not, I’m afraid, for good reasons. Past the first few pages, it didn’t read much like a fairy tale: Prince Charming was a real idiot, life in the Palace was a disappointment, etc. But far worse than that, I was horrified by one part where the “Princess” gets put in the dungeon for not conforming to her role as Princess. (Yes, Emily Y, she is very independent and strong-minded!) Her jailer is a demented thug. Ella asks him about his life, and he replies that he was unhappy during his childhood: “Wanted women. Couldn’t get women. Now big. Get what want. Heh.” Ella is determined to get out of the dungeon and finds a way - “digging out through the crap hole,” she says. The whole book is written in what was, to me, a disappointingly morbid flavor. It’s a twist on an old tale, true, but it’s one that really made me shudder! If you are a delicate princess (if you love the rest of this site, that’s a good clue you are), you may not enjoy this story so much.

That said, it’s definitely an imaginative retelling!

~Princess Dani XX

Alina - My favourite retold version of Cinderella is ‘Ella Enchanted’ by Gail Carson Levine, it is a very romantic book and much different to the movie.

Emily Y - What a coincidence! I’m glad you like the book, I think it definitely suits tomboy princesses.

Danielle Claire - Thank you for your thoughts, I agree that there are parts of this book I found very crude and unneccessary, however overall I don’t think the message was a bad one.

Amber - It was a very interesting and modern take.

Sweet Tsuki - you may find parts of the book a little crude and unpleasant, it certainly isn’t a pretty happy fairytale. I thought I might post about it for the less delicate Princesses though, it still has a happy ending!