Fairest
by Gail Carson Levine
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Read in September, 2007
Once I started to read this I couldn’t stop it took me two days to read it and it was good! Fairest by Gail Carson Levine is a Fiction book and is told in first person. Fairy Lucinda has done it again but instead of having a gift to obey like in Ella Enchanted this time it’s a magic mirror.
Ever since Aza was left on her adoptive parents' doorstep as a baby, she's been a mystery. She is plain-looking, with large bones, pale white skin, ruby red lips, "a big sphere of a face and r...more
Ever since Aza was left on her adoptive parents' doorstep as a baby, she's been a mystery. She is plain-looking, with large bones, pale white skin, ruby red lips, "a big sphere of a face and r...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
fans of Ella Enchanted in specific, and fairy tales in general
It was really hard for me to decide between 4 and 5 stars. I wish I could give it 4 1/2!
Fairest takes place in the same world as Ella Enchanted, and has one or 2 characters from that book, which is excellent, because that book is one of my most favorites. In fact, this world seemed instantly recognizable, after reading Ella Enchanted. It was like revisiting that book, in a way.
It's a take on Snow White, but only in the loosest of ways, and only after 200 pages. That's the area that I wanted ...more
Fairest takes place in the same world as Ella Enchanted, and has one or 2 characters from that book, which is excellent, because that book is one of my most favorites. In fact, this world seemed instantly recognizable, after reading Ella Enchanted. It was like revisiting that book, in a way.
It's a take on Snow White, but only in the loosest of ways, and only after 200 pages. That's the area that I wanted ...more
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recommends it for:
Mostly Teenage Girls
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Read in March, 2008
This book was exactly as I expected it to be. Cliched, light, fluffy and fun, and that's exactly what I wanted. I never read Ella Enchanted but I expect it was written in the exact same style.
Fairest is obviously a new and very unique take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I can't really criticize about the book really because I don't feel there's enough to actually pick apart. It's definitely recommended for younger readers, and I don't mean teen, I mean tween an...more
Fairest is obviously a new and very unique take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I can't really criticize about the book really because I don't feel there's enough to actually pick apart. It's definitely recommended for younger readers, and I don't mean teen, I mean tween an...more
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Read in April, 2008
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Read in January, 2007
YA fantasy, based on the tale of 'Snow White'. This is a companion book to Ella Enchanted. Aza is anything but beautiful. Her voice, however, is pure magic. When she finds herself in the strange and alien environment of a royal court, that voice, and her kind heart, capture the attention of a prince; but Aza also captures the more dangerous attention of the shallow but desperate new queen.
I preferred Ella Enchanted. Ella was a more likable character than Aza: livelier and wittier...more
I preferred Ella Enchanted. Ella was a more likable character than Aza: livelier and wittier...more
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Read in October, 2006
recommends it for:
6th grade + --- fantasy
for an older audience than Ella Enchanted. From School Library Journal Starred Review. Grade 6 Up–In a world in which elegance, beauty, and singing ability are revered, Aza is bulky, awkward, and homely. Her saving grace is that she can sing and has a gift of voice manipulation that she calls illusing. Through a chance meeting at her familys inn, a duchess invites Aza to act as her companion and accompany her to the palace to attend the kings wedding. When the beautiful new queen discovers Aza...more
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Read in September, 2006
recommends it for:
lovers of fantasy 10 years or older
"I was born singing. Most babies cry. I sang an aria."
-Fairest
This is the first book I've finished on the Fall into reading challenge booklist.
Let me tell you-I loved it!
I've loved everyone of Gail Carson Levine's books (except Writing Magic-the one book I'd REALLY love to read right now), and this one was no exception.
In fact, although Ella Enchanted will always be my favorite, this one was excellant-because it was like reading a song. And you don't know how good t...more
-Fairest
This is the first book I've finished on the Fall into reading challenge booklist.
Let me tell you-I loved it!
I've loved everyone of Gail Carson Levine's books (except Writing Magic-the one book I'd REALLY love to read right now), and this one was no exception.
In fact, although Ella Enchanted will always be my favorite, this one was excellant-because it was like reading a song. And you don't know how good t...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Dawn by:
Read the author's first bookrecommends it for: Anyone who loved Ella, Enchanted
I would have finished this book sooner, but it was a BUSY week and I couldn't read as much as I wanted (which for some reason always bugs me!)
"Fairest" is set in the same "land" as "Ella, Enchanted". The main character is "Aza", a young girl who works in her parent's Inn (she was found as a baby on their doorstep and raised as one of their own)where she is treated badly by most of the guests because of her looks (plus Aza also feels she is really ugly ...more
"Fairest" is set in the same "land" as "Ella, Enchanted". The main character is "Aza", a young girl who works in her parent's Inn (she was found as a baby on their doorstep and raised as one of their own)where she is treated badly by most of the guests because of her looks (plus Aza also feels she is really ugly ...more
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Do any of you watch Ugly Betty? What would you think of a Snow White story in which Snow White was ugly?
That is what you will find if you read Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.
You know the story of Snow White. Do you remember what the queen always says to the mirror? "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?" That’s where this title comes from.
Aza is an "ugly Betty" with a beautiful singing voice. When she becomes lady in waiting for the Qu...more
That is what you will find if you read Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.
You know the story of Snow White. Do you remember what the queen always says to the mirror? "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?" That’s where this title comes from.
Aza is an "ugly Betty" with a beautiful singing voice. When she becomes lady in waiting for the Qu...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in March, 2008
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This re-telling of Snow White is set in the world of Ella Enchanted in the neighboring kingdom of Ayortha. In Ayortha, singing is of the utmost importance, and a beautiful voice is prized as a tool of beauty, of healing, and of power.
Aza, who was left at an inn because of her ugliness, discovers that she has a gift called "illusing" - a type of ventriloquism and a beautiful voice. These gifts are put to use at court when the new queen threatens Aza into singing for her. Aza strugg...more
Aza, who was left at an inn because of her ugliness, discovers that she has a gift called "illusing" - a type of ventriloquism and a beautiful voice. These gifts are put to use at court when the new queen threatens Aza into singing for her. Aza strugg...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Dave by:
youngest daughterrecommends it for: people who like repackaged fairy-tales.
We listened to a full cast audio production of this book during a road trip last week. Both my youngest daughter and my wife had enjoyed Ella Enchanted by the same author so we took this one along.
I didn't care for the singing in the production. I didn't like that the author assumed readers were familiar with Ella Enchanted and didn't include any background information on the geography and cultures of her fairy-tale kingdoms. In my opinion the story is probably most appealing to middle sc...more
I didn't care for the singing in the production. I didn't like that the author assumed readers were familiar with Ella Enchanted and didn't include any background information on the geography and cultures of her fairy-tale kingdoms. In my opinion the story is probably most appealing to middle sc...more
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Read in November, 2007
I really enjoyed this book, even if it was a little strange. Although I've never read the book Ella Enchanted (I've seen the movie, but I'm aware that it's totally different from the book), I plan to find it and read it now that I know how cool this author is. I could really identify with Aza, considering the fact that she has an extremely low self-esteem. And after reading a depressing (but awesome) book like Copper Sun, it was nice to read a book that made me laugh.
There are only two things...more
There are only two things...more
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Read in April, 2008
Gail Caron Levine's clever retelling of Snow White was not what I expected. Mainly, this is because the Snow White character is NOT lovely. At all. She has many lovely qualities (she sings like a maniac, she's kind to dogs and handsome princes...) but beauty is not one of them. And throughout this version of the fairy tale, we not only get a unique version of the familiar tale (studded with ogres, gnomes, crazy spiders living in mirrors and tragic ring tossing accidents) but we get to spend some...more
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Read in November, 2006
Did you like Ella Enchanted? Good. You'll like this one. Like Ella, this is a very loose retelling of a classic fairy tale; in this case it's Snow White.
Aza is not pretty. All of her life, people at her inn have made fun of her because her cheeks are too chubby, she is too wide, her hair is dull black, and her lips are too red. Although she is not pretty, Aza has a beautiful voice and in a country of singers, it sets her apart. Not only does she have one of the best voices in the country, bu...more
Aza is not pretty. All of her life, people at her inn have made fun of her because her cheeks are too chubby, she is too wide, her hair is dull black, and her lips are too red. Although she is not pretty, Aza has a beautiful voice and in a country of singers, it sets her apart. Not only does she have one of the best voices in the country, bu...more
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Read in November, 2007
This novel, a retelling of Snow White by the author of Ella Enchanted, is sure to become a favorite to preteen girls. Set in a magical, musical land inhabited with humans, gnomes, fairies, and ogres, the story explores the varying perceptions of beauty and the dangers of vanity. The underlying moral of the story is meant to encourage the reader to embrace her own unique talents and be satisfied with your outward appearance but not obsessed over it. Personally, I wish that could have been discuss...more
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Gail Carson Levine's Fairest will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Like Ella Enchanted, this book is based on a fairy tale - "Snow White," in this case - and the author demonstrates an uncanny ability to stay true to the original story while introducing new and unexpected elements to make it completely unique and original. Aza, the novel's heroine, is refreshingly imperfect - she's deeply self-conscious due to the fact that she's considered ugly by other people, whi...more
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Read in March, 2008
I normally love Levine (particularly the Princess tales), but this one was disappointing.
First-- a "how dumb am I?" confession. I was two-thirds of the way through the book before I really got the Snow White connection. Sure, I noticed the title and the cover art with the mirror, and thought of the fairy tale, but when I started reading, the story was so very different that I forgot all about it.
Somewhere in the gnome caverns, I slapped my palm to my forehead and thought &q...more
First-- a "how dumb am I?" confession. I was two-thirds of the way through the book before I really got the Snow White connection. Sure, I noticed the title and the cover art with the mirror, and thought of the fairy tale, but when I started reading, the story was so very different that I forgot all about it.
Somewhere in the gnome caverns, I slapped my palm to my forehead and thought &q...more
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Read in April, 2008
I read Ella Enchanted and The Two Princesses of Bamarre about five years ago and loved them. So when I saw Fairest in the library I snatched it up and took it home. But, you can only imagine my disappointment when I actually read it.
The story, like Ella is loosely based on an old fairy tale, in this case Snow White, and contains all the same quirky characters and gentlemanly princes, etc, but has neither the charm, wit, or literary quality of Levine's other work. ...more
The story, like Ella is loosely based on an old fairy tale, in this case Snow White, and contains all the same quirky characters and gentlemanly princes, etc, but has neither the charm, wit, or literary quality of Levine's other work. ...more
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