While postmodern takes on fairy tales aren’t usually my thing, I was impressed by the clean prose, dry wit and well-realized characters in this retelling of Cinderella. Several days after reading it, I was struck by how revealing it is of contemporary culture: our fixations on irony and anger, our need to remake everything or deconstruct it, our struggle to find a place for ourselves in a world where places are coming apart.

I read it to an ending that was perfectly appropriate. This is an author with a deft touch and a lot of skill. If you’re into romance, fairy tales turned on their heads and in the "voice" that is popular now, this is a must-read. The fact that I read it completely through even though it wasn’t my thing should tell you all you need to know about the quality of the storytelling.

(An aside: I found the coarse language in-character but disappointing, but that’s a personal taste thing.)

3 of 3 members found this review helpful.
Help us improve!  Register or log in to rate this review.