My FAVORITE book of summer filled with so many fantastic books!
In stories, girls are often stuck in two roles. The perfect princess is the girl who is beautiful, humble, kind, obedient, and who always ends up marrying a prince. The evil stepsister is a physically ugly girl who is mean, spiteful, and jealous, and she always ends up alone and hated. Donnelly's powerful novel Stepsister, explores what happens to a girl who doesn't want either role. For years, Isabelle has been told she is not as pretty or as sweet as her stepsister Cinderella. After her cutting off her own toes in one last desperate act to be what everyone else wants, Isabelle still fails to win the prinace, and instead, her family's cruel treatment of the prince's bride makes them hated. Now struggling to keep her family fed, Isabelle has accepted that she will never be a pretty princess, but she wants to be more than evil stepsister. With an enormous amount of bravery, Isabelle vows to change the ending to their stories and forge a new path where a girl's worth is not based on her features but her bravery. This novel powerfully explores what it means to be a woman, a sister, and a dreamer. You will forever be changed by this new take on Cinderella and her ugly stepsisters. HIghly, highly recommended!