Just Ella
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Read in June, 2006
recommends it for:
ella enchanted lovers; bella at mignight
Like it, but wasn't blown away. Would recommend to 7th grade and up... dies talk about periods, sex, death. In Just Ella, Margaret Peterson Haddix puts a spin on the traditional tale of the glass slippers. In her version, Ella (sans "Cinder") finds her own way to the ball (there was no fairy godmother, despite the rumors) and wins the heart of the prince. But now she is finding that life at the palace as Prince Charming's betrothed is not as great as she thought it was going to be. In ...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
fans of 'what follows happily ever after' stories.
This book caught my eye as I was checking it in because I thought the cover was torn. Ended up, it's the way the cover is supposed to look, but by then I was intrigued by the premise of the story.
Cinderella, or Ella as she goes by, is engaged to Prince Charming, living in the castle, but unhappy with what royal life has in store for her. After a life of fending for herself, living in a castle that believes that women should do nothing more taxing or mentally stimulating than embroidery begi...more
Cinderella, or Ella as she goes by, is engaged to Prince Charming, living in the castle, but unhappy with what royal life has in store for her. After a life of fending for herself, living in a castle that believes that women should do nothing more taxing or mentally stimulating than embroidery begi...more
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This book started out in the middle of the traditional Cinderella story. Ella is engaged to the prince. However, she soon finds out that her "fairytale ending" may not be what she really wants.
At first I tried to like this book. But it was so obvious with the character cliche. I quote a review on amazon:
"Even the "I am woman, hear me roar" attitude might have been tolerable if the other characters weren't so obvious! Charming, being a handsome member of the upper-...more
At first I tried to like this book. But it was so obvious with the character cliche. I quote a review on amazon:
"Even the "I am woman, hear me roar" attitude might have been tolerable if the other characters weren't so obvious! Charming, being a handsome member of the upper-...more
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Read in May, 2008
A retelling of Cinderella story, without fairy Godmother and the magic pumpkin. I like the author's imagination in putting this story with a more reality touch.
In this story, Cinders Ella, mistaken by Cinderella, or Ella Brown (her real name) lives in the palace, engages to Prince Charming, and waiting for her wedding day. While she's waiting she is supposed to learn everything she needs to know to be a worthy wive and a mother of their kids. Ella gets bored. And one night, when she was alon...more
In this story, Cinders Ella, mistaken by Cinderella, or Ella Brown (her real name) lives in the palace, engages to Prince Charming, and waiting for her wedding day. While she's waiting she is supposed to learn everything she needs to know to be a worthy wive and a mother of their kids. Ella gets bored. And one night, when she was alon...more
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19 comments
Read in May, 2005
I can't help comparing this book to Ella Enchanted. Both are YA retellings of the Cinderella story. While I prefer Gail Levine Carson's version, I have to appreciate Margaret Peterson Haddix's injection of reality into the traditional fairy tale. No magic, no fairy godmothers, no magic pumpkins. Rather, this is the story of Ella who got to the ball under her own perseverance, and then gets herself out of the palace the same way. It was enjoyable and a good read for all ages. However, I would hav...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
fairy tale fans
In this Cinderella retelling, the happily ever after is not so happy and the tales of magic and fairy godmothers have been greatly exaggerated. Ella is bored to tears by all the "princess lessons." When she finally finds the courage to tell the idiotic Prince Charming that she does not intend to marry him, things go from bad to worse. After a daring escape from the castle dungeon, Ella finally finds her true happily ever after.
What I liked best about this retelling was the fact ...more
What I liked best about this retelling was the fact ...more
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Read in July, 2008
Haddix explores what happens after Cinderella agrees to marry Prince Charming and moves into the castle. And of course, the author of the Shadow Children series adds a bit of suspense and intrigue when Ella decides to escape from the castle.
Quite enjoyable. I loved the way Ella comes to realize the difference between love and infatuation and is truly a model of a strong young woman. I didn't particularly care for how quickly she determined she loved Jed, and his own declaration of love fell...more
Quite enjoyable. I loved the way Ella comes to realize the difference between love and infatuation and is truly a model of a strong young woman. I didn't particularly care for how quickly she determined she loved Jed, and his own declaration of love fell...more
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*spoiler alert!* i loved the version of the night at the ball that ella tells in this book. sure, there was no fairy god mother, no magical pumpkin or mice turning into horses, but that just makes the story better i think. if she had been able to get help from her fair god mother she wouldnt have been strong enough herself to take care of her own problems. like, prince charming for instance. and this version shows what happened to her father and why he married sucha wicked woman in the first pl...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone
The novel is written after Cinderella and Charming are engaged and life isn't what Cinderella invisioned. Charming and his family aren't good, the kingdom is in war, and Cinderella isn't the palace type. I really liked the idea behind the story- it seemed fun. The book though had a negative tone- which I did not like. The writing wasn't very "period"- there were a few cliches and words that were "modern" and seemed out of place and sort of made it sound like a teenager wro...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
people who enjoy Sherwood Smith or Tamora Pierce
An attempt at a more realistic Cinderella story. After all, the new Princess would have to get used to court and her newfound power, and is it really possible to fall in love at first sight? Unfortunately, Haddix is not the person to address these questions. Everything is wildly simplified. I think if I'd read this as a preteen, I'd have liked it more--but there are some oddly dark and adult moments in here; Ella is threatened with rape on a daily basis for a stretch of the book, for instanc...more
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She went to the ball, she won the princes heart, and now she will live happily ever after. right? wrong! Ella decides that happily ever after isn't for her if that's what this is. she can never go outside, she must never raise her voice and the most exciting thing she dose everyday is needlepoint! now the task isn't finding so called "true love" it's getting away from it! this is an exciting twist on the old classic cinderella.
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Read in January, 2005
recommended to Megan by:
I don't rememberrecommends it for: Teens
Ever wondered what happened to Cinderella after the ball? Me too! Margaret Peterson Haddix tells the story of Cinderella and her not so happily ever after in "Just Ella". I loved this book not only because of my curiousity in the possibility of what happens after the ball, I loved it because it showed that "Happily Ever After" isn't always what it seems. So pull up a chair and crack open "Just Ella".
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
People who like humorous/romantic/adventuruos stories
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3 comments
Read in June, 2008
This is a fun young adult novel that takes place after the Cinderella fairy tale. Ella is now engaged to the Prince and is finding out he isn't all that charming after all and she does not like castle life. I found this book very fun and I enjoyed the take on the fairy tale. However, it is not as good as Ella Enchanted which I loved. It is still a fun read, and I reccommend it.
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Read in June, 2008
I really liked this spin on the Cinderella story. It really pulled you into the story and showed you what might have happened if Cinderella realized her "Prince Charming" was nothing but a dull and boring prince. The only thing that bothered me is the ending. It was left wide open and far as a know there is no sequel so you never know if Ella ever found her happily ever after.
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in May, 2008
An interesting retelling of the classic Cinderella story in which the protagonist is an intelligent, independant girl who got to the ball without any help from a fairy godmother. I found the book a bit crude in places, although the hardcover edition is a very pretty book with lovely designs stamped at the top of each page. It was a nice, light read but nothing fantastic.
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Read in January, 1995
This is a very cute young adult novel that makes an excellent bedtime story for the college student. Told in the first person, Ella (formerly known as Cinderella) describes her new found life at the palace with mister not quite that charming. Just Ella is funny and a worthy read for those who enjoy fairy tales with strong female leads.
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Read in June, 2006
Loved this. Such an original and more 'modern' take of Cinderella, who didn't have much of an happy ending than the tale implies nor. In fact, the whole tale seems not to be as it is told in this wonderful little story about Ella after the promise of a happily ever after... which isn't quite so happy nor so eternal.
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I really like how the author takes this story and makes it entirely her own. It's really a very good book and helps you to get a different understanding that fairy tales really aren't good kid's stories and don't all end well. You should know the person before you decide to marry them.
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