Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

          Okay, Jennifer Donnelly is a completely new write to this reader but I am fast becoming a fan of the reworking of classic Fairy Tales so was eager to give this one a try.  I've read quite a few now and the best ones always keep the darkness of the original story and Step Sister is no exception to this; in fact the first time we meet Isabelle and Octavia is when they mutilate themselves to try and get the Glass Slipper to fit - something that oftentimes gets missed from the Cinderella story and was always one of my favourite bits as a child.  Throw in a dollop of Greek Mythology with The Fates and the handsome Chance and you know from the opening chapters that you are in for a great story.  Let me tell you it does NOT disappoint.

This book is all about Isabelle, one of the ugly sisters.  We do get to meet her sister Octavia but only see her through Isabelle's eyes and I think she may have been my favourite character - bookish and irascible though she is.  we also meet Ella, however briefly, and she does not come across well - self satisfied and smug is probably the best way to describe her but nobody else seems to see that.

Things aren't going well for the sisters after Ella is swept away by Prince Charming.  Their mother has descended in to madness, they are running low on funds and the townsfolk have ostracised them.  Even worse Chance has a bet going with The Crone from The Fates that Isabelle can choose her own path in life and not be dictated to by them and they are both interfering with her life.  Throw in the Fairy Godmother (more like a Fairy Nightmare) and her bizarre gifts - a jawbone, a seedpod and a walnut shell - and you just know this is going to be good.

The world built is rich in detail and the war ravaging the French Countryside ads just the right touch of dire peril.  From wagonloads of moaning wounded to the horrors of Madame Le Benets hayloft there is genuine danger for the sisters.  The characterisation is empathetic and multi-faceted and even tiny bit part players feel real in this literary world (yes, I went there - literary!).  There is even a nice touch of anthropomorphism thrown in with Mother Mouse and the horses Martin and Nero.  Although, I have to admit that calling a horse Martin gave me so much pleasure I grinned every time he got a mention.

As with all good fairy tales there is a moral to the story.  In this case a rather uplifting one - be yourself and you can achieve anything.  It may take guts, it may take determination but follow your heart and who knows where it will lead.

This was a fantastically good read and although I only finished it 4 days ago I am already looking forward to picking it back up again as I rushed through at such a gallop that I'm sure I missed things.

I think I just found myself another YA author to follow - although I am definitely way outside the target audience (and, I'm not entirely sure that I am an adult even though my age would give lie to that).

THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM READERS FIRST.