Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

by Gregory Maguire

Confessions of an Ugly Stepister is an adaptation of the story of Cinderella, as told through the life of one of the stepsisters, named Iris. I fear to tell very much of this story, as any little bit would reveal a portion of the story. It is set in 17th century Holland, in a city called Haarlem. Iris and Ruth are two sisters who accompany their mother to this new town. Without a penny to their name, the threesome finds charity in the home of an artist, and so begins a tale of intrigue and illusion.

This is a lovely story. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end. It was interesting to see the common fairytale of Cinderella brought to life in a somewhat believable adaptation. This was how the story of the little cinder girl could have really happened, before becoming something fantastical and magical. Gregory Maguire writes with a very easygoing tone, and I digested this volume very quickly. It read like a fairy tale, and it didn't take long for me to be rooting for our heroine and for love. My only beef with this book is with the Stepmother, Margarethe. I strongly suspect Mr. Maguire of watching the movie Ever After, and then writing his wicked stepmother, because I was convinced that the stepmother in his book is the same one played by Angelica Houston in Ever After. Despite that one issue, I highly recommend this book if you'd like to read an alternative fairy tale.

I have not read Gregory Maguire's runaway hit, Wicked, nor have I seen the musical, but I fully intend on getting that book to read soon. There was also a TV adaptation of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister with Stockard Channing as Margarethe. After finishing this book, I managed to look up the movie, and I am certain that I saw it, but that it was not a fair adaptation of the novel. I recommend avoiding the movie version and going straight to print.

Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination

by Helen Fielding.

I picked up this book from the library for no particular reason. I was going to pick up Bridget Jones, and decided I wanted to read a new story- so I reached for this one instead. I was not disappointed.

Similar to Bridget Jones's Diary, we are introduced to Olivia Joules, a journalist with an overactive imagination. She thinks she sees danger around every corner. The book began in a British tone, and I could easily find myself in Olivia's mind speaking with that lovely English accent. I was sucked right into her story of imagined intrigue that turned out to be not so imagined. There were funny bits, there were far-fetched bits, but overall it was a simply entertaining read. I found myself rooting for Olivia right to the very end.

One of the best parts of this book is that it could be happening right now, and most of it was believable. This book is post 9/11, so terrorism as at the forefront of Olivia's mind and she thinks she sees Osama Bin Laden more than once throughout the book. The seriousness of today's world is tamed down by the humor that Helen Fielding has managed to lace into the crazy every day life of Olivia Joules. This was a very fun book to curl up with- perfect for a lazy Saturday morning. Definitely a book for the girls though- it's written from the perspective of a woman by a woman, and rightly done. I highly recommend this for a fun light read. It would be perfect for the coming winter nights curled up by the fireplace. The cozy beach scenes would warm a person up in no time.

Chocolat

by Joanne Harris


Let me say right up front that Chocolat, the movie, is one of my favorites. When I am in the mood for a good movie all by myself, Chocolat is my go-to movie. It sort of surprised me when I saw this book on the shelf at my library and realized that I've never read the book. Of course, I brought it home with me and immediately began digesting.


Let me also say, that just as many book/movie combinations, the book and the movie are two very different stories. But both are entirely enjoyable. This book made me smile from beginning to end. There is a bit of mysticism and magic involved, as well as a bit of religion and humor. It's a fantastic story about indulgence. The real point of this story is that life is too short to not do what you want to do. Whether that be to eat a chocolate or escape a bad marriage. It's about recognizing what your deepest desires are, and following through. This was an expertly woven tale about the conflict between two people. We have the chocolate shop owner, Vianne, who moves into a new town under serious suspicion. Up to this point, the Father of St. Jerome runs the town. He knows everyone, and what goes on. Other than a few stragglers, they are all under his control. Not so with Vianne.


I loved how we would get a chapter from the point of view of Vianne, and then a chapter by Pere Reynaud. Vianne was struggling with her past and with memories of her mother throughout, and oddly enough, so was Reynaud- although in a different manner. And of course, by the end of the book, most conflicts have been resolved, and we are left hoping for a wonderful future for this village. Most especially though, we are left with a serious craving for some chocolate. The food descriptions in this book are just heavenly. You can almost taste the apricots as they are being described, and of course, the hot chocolate which is mentioned over and over, you just wish you knew the secret for making the ultimate cup of hot chocolate.


This book is worth it for the chocolate alone. And if you can immerse yourself in a not-quite- 100% believable fantasy, this is the book for you. It was delightful, and now I must make a date with my DVD player to give the movie a viewing as well.