What I liked best about Ella though, was her relationship with Char - or should I say Prince Charmont. But she still managed to be an every-girl despite that. And she was pretty and confident and funny. Yes, she had a genius for languages and some kind of magical ability to charm ogres that was never properly explained. I also liked that she came across as the age she was supposed to be (fifteen) rather than precocious or wise beyond her years.

Or she asks her to pick up a dust ball from the floor, so she crushes it in Hattie's face.) She never just gave in to make it easier on herself, she always kept fighting. I liked the way she dealt with the curse (e.g when Hattie asks her to kneel and remove her shoes for her, so she takes them and throws them out of the window. I thought she was fun and nice but not too good to be true. It follows the basics of the Cinderella story loosely, but the obedience thing is a great concept, allowing Ella to have a rebellious nature and not making us think 'why doesn't she stand up for herself?' In fairness, I'm not usually in the camp that says Cinderella is a pushover - because what else could you do really in her situation? - but it's nice to see her with a bit more fight. Ages 8-12.Levine's Ella Enchanted is the story of a young noble girl living in a fairy-tale kingdom, who is cursed from birth by a socio-pathic fairy who bestows on her the 'gift' of obedience. Although the pace of the story flags in spots, and the author never wholly engages a suspension of disbelief (Ella's escapes often come too easily-for example, when she tames ogres who want to make a meal of her), Levine provides a winning combination of memorable characters and an alluring fantasy realm that will leave readers with hopes of future tales of Ella and Prince Char. After a humorous and inventive re-enactment of Cinderella's three appearances at the royal ball, the action concludes with a slightly skewed but happy ending. Young readers will be charmed by the budding romance between Ella and her prince and touched by her crippling fear of hurting the prince via the curse. Levine ably creates tension between the good and evil characters, throwing in an assortment of ogres, elves and gnomes.

Although Mandy won't use what she calls ''big magic,'' she does give Ella a magical book that, through glimpses of other people's correspondence, lets her see what is going on in the lives of her new friend, Prince Charmont, her soon-to-be stepsisters and her greedy father.

Before her death, Ella's mother commands her daughter to keep the curse a secret-only the cook, Mandy, who is also a fairy, knows the truth. Ella is burdened with a curse (she cannot disobey a command), bestowed at birth as a gift from an addled fairy and this-plus the loss of her beloved mother-causes all sorts of troubles. Levine's artful debut novel features a spunky heroine whose trials, all faced with admirable steadiness, give new twists to the classic Cinderella story.

Ella enchanted full book