Cinderella’s Secret Diary (Book 1: Lost)
by Ron Vitale
Summary: What happened to Cinderella after she married the Prince? Set in the late 1700s as Napoleon is rising to power, Cinderella embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to come to terms with her failed marriage and her inability to have a child. Torn between the Queen's insistence that she try all means necessary to conceive and her own desires, she agrees to travel to Paris to consult with a witch to help her become pregnant. Her journey leads her to find her long lost Fairy Godmother and aids her to solve the mystery behind her mother's death. Yet the Fey Lord, the Silver Fox, also takes notice in her and her world is suddenly turned upside down...
Review:
I really enjoyed this book. While I’m not a huge fan of fairy tales, it’s always intriguing to read new takes on them. And of course, who doesn’t wonder what happens after the “happily ever after” moment? As any married person can tell you, the adventure doesn’t END when you fall in love and get married. It BEGINS.
Vitale’s book was clever and surprisingly original, despite stemming from the familiar fairy tale. Written as a series of letters to her fairy godmother, Cinderella discusses her fears and pleads for help. She begins to feel trapped and unloved by her Prince. It only gets worse from there. Once she agrees to go to Paris to consult a witch to help her become pregnant, the story takes an amazing turn. I will not spoil what happens, but it was surprising and unpredictable!
I loved the dramatic turn of events. It is difficult to write this review without including spoilers. I’ll just say that as a woman, the naivety of girls in fairy tales has always irked me as does the advice to follow your heart blindly. Yet it’s that kind of advice these girls get from trusted sources. The turn of events in the book changed that and finally, Cinderella gets the kind of advice I think women can appreciate. Follow your BRAIN! Watching her grow from a young, scared, naïve princess into a wiser and cautious woman was satisfying.
This is the first twist on Cinderella I’ve ever read, so I can’t compare it to others, yet I realize there are a few popular ones out there. I still think this one is worth reading.
Great novel and one I will definitely recommend.Labels: Review
