Just Ella (original 1999; edition 1999)

This was a really cute and interesting retelling of Cinderella... a kind of what-happened-afterward story... A what if all was not as awesome as it seemed... I really liked how Ella took charge of her own life and was a strong woman, even when all the women around her totally sucked.... :) ( )

Ella is the luckiest girl in the kingdom so why is she so unhappy?
Her prince is handsome but boring, and the castle has every comfort but she feels imprisoned. This book presents Cinderella as smart, adventurous girl who isn't satisfied with life inside a fairy tale. ( )

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson is a really FUN READ! It is an amazing twist on the real Cinderella story! ( )

Honestly, I genuinely liked this. It kind of had a "Mulan" feel to it. Can I say that? Is that such a thing? Anyway, it's a retelling of the Cinderella story we all grew up with, in that CInderella has to come to terms with the fact that her Prince Charming... Not so charming. Instead, he's kind of a sluggish lark who does whatever his parents tell him to do. Unintelligent. Meek. Lame-o. Anyway, Ella defies the odds. She bucks the system. No fairy Godmother required. This is a very quick read but a nice respite of a read. It's simple storytelling at its best. It's not life-changing by any means but it is a good afternoon. And we all need that sometimes. ( )

RGG: Boring - plot and prose.