Comment

Mar 31, 2014artemishi rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is, thus far, my favorite Gregory Maguire novel. It melds a compelling story of adolescence and coming of age with Dutch history (including the boom and bust of the tulip market). Through the eyes of Iris, a fanciful and artist child who grows into an independent woman, we see both a version of the Cinderella fairytale and a realistic sampling of how parents affect children, and their outlooks. Iris is a generous narrator, and although she is sometimes jealous and petty, she's a very likeable character. Her dull-witted sister, Ruth, creates an element of compassion for the very spoiled, too-protected stepsister, Clara (aka Cinderella). Although I know the Cinderella story well, like most other folks, I was still surprised at the twists and turns this tale took. Maguire does an excellent job creating characters who are entirely three-dimensional. Even when I was despising Iris and Ruth's mother, I understand her actions, her reasoning, her fears, and her prejudices. Even when I was cheering Iris on, I was shaking my fist at her naivety, and the way she started becoming much like her mother. I found myself unable to put it down. I recommend it for fans of fairytale retellings, Renaissance history, Gregory Maguire books, and coming-of-age novels.