In the kingdom of Ayortha, who is the fairest of them all? Certainly not Aza. She is thoroughly convinced that she is ugly. What she may lack in... read full description
reviews
Jul 22, 2008
Riannon
rated it: 
When I read a book, especially when I read fantasy, I find myself mentally putting myself in the place of the protagonist. Which is why my very favorite books of all time are the books that have strongly developed protagonists that I can identify with well in some way or another. I had a hard time enjoying this book at all to start with because the protagonist and I could not be more different.
Superficially, Aza is tall, wide, has dark hair and white skin (I'm short, small, blond, a More...
Superficially, Aza is tall, wide, has dark hair and white skin (I'm short, small, blond, a More...
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Sep 27, 2007
payasa213
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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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Aug 15, 2007
Bonnie Gayle
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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 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 More...
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Dec 07, 2008
Sella
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This book is very good. The story is very sweet. I love how it's based on Snow White, but the author went in-depth with the story, and the plot is much more complicated; Levine took Snow White and revised it, making it a better, more interesting story. She took the flat characters from Snow White and made them round and three-dimensional. For example, instead of making the queen completely evil and power-crazy, she made her insecure, foolish, weak, slightly barmy, and easy to manipulate. Everyth
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(6 people liked it)
May 14, 2009
Rogue Cinnamon
rated it:
I thought I'd just read for a hour or so before bed to make sure my bedtime snack had enough time to settle. Yeah, that didn't work. LOL Six hours after starting, and no sleep later, I finished.
I couldn't put the book down! :) I cried, I laughed, I enjoyed this story. It's a fun read, but not in a 'fluffy' way. When I picked up this book at the library, the summary didn't sound too terribly interesting, but then I saw it said 'set in the land of Ella Enchanted.' (Or something like that.) More...
I couldn't put the book down! :) I cried, I laughed, I enjoyed this story. It's a fun read, but not in a 'fluffy' way. When I picked up this book at the library, the summary didn't sound too terribly interesting, but then I saw it said 'set in the land of Ella Enchanted.' (Or something like that.) More...
Aug 14, 2011
Fairest is a fairly engaging Fairy-tale.
It has the commoner heroine with low self-esteem, the prince with golden looks (and endearing pet/sidekick), the beautiful (and vile and obnoxious and double-dealing) queen, the helpless king, the assortment of good, bad and bl-ehh characters and enough adventure to keep you hooked till the end. There’s a beautiful message ensconced in the tale and it’s something that I heartily approve with.
A passage I especially liked (written by th More...
It has the commoner heroine with low self-esteem, the prince with golden looks (and endearing pet/sidekick), the beautiful (and vile and obnoxious and double-dealing) queen, the helpless king, the assortment of good, bad and bl-ehh characters and enough adventure to keep you hooked till the end. There’s a beautiful message ensconced in the tale and it’s something that I heartily approve with.
A passage I especially liked (written by th More...
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Dec 18, 2008
Needleroozer
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This book is the second that I've read by Gail Carson Levine. Although this one has a storyline similar to Ella Enchanted (teenage girl goes through trials and tribulations, grows wiser, and things work out positively in the end), it was different enough that I was not bored.
The story is set in the same enchanted universe as Ella Enchanted, and halfway through, the reader realizes that this one is loosely based on the Snow White story (or at least the one I learned thanks to Walt Di More...
The story is set in the same enchanted universe as Ella Enchanted, and halfway through, the reader realizes that this one is loosely based on the Snow White story (or at least the one I learned thanks to Walt Di More...
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Feb 27, 2011
In a land where beauty means everything, Aza finds herself lacking in every way possible. Her only redeeming quality is the beauty in her voice. If only her singing reflected what others saw when they looked upon her face. She spends most of her time trying to hide her face from the staring eyes of guests at her parent’s inn. Singing is the only beauty Aza finds in herself, and she sings often while she is working at the inn. She discovers that she can “throw” her voice and make it appear as tho
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(1 person liked it)
May 15, 2008
Natalie
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Apr 15, 2008
Mary
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5 comments
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Mar 26, 2008
Sammy
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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 and below. It 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 and below. It More...
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Mar 11, 2009
Stephanie
rated it: 
This story has a bit of the Snow White story in it, but it had an undertone of evil that was really disturbing. And the audience includes young teenage girls. It could have been building and inspiring to the youth, whereas I'm afraid it ended up being just the opposite.
Dec 20, 2008
Anna
rated it:
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! This is a really great book and I recome it to all of you!
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Mar 05, 2009
Angela
rated it:
This was a really pathetic book - a sad departure Levine's other fantastic novels. The idea was interesting (a take on the story of "Snow White" where her desirable trait isn't beauty, but instead is her singing voice), but the execution was horrible.
The book staggered under one major inconsistency: the main character is horribly ugly, but the prince falls in love with her very quickly anyway. Hopelessly romantic? Perhaps. But I call it an inconsistency because Aza was More...
The book staggered under one major inconsistency: the main character is horribly ugly, but the prince falls in love with her very quickly anyway. Hopelessly romantic? Perhaps. But I call it an inconsistency because Aza was More...
Jan 23, 2009
Ang
rated it: 
I enjoy Ms. Levine's unusual versions of classic fairy tales. I enjoyed this one because the main character had to decide that she liked herself no matter what she saw in the mirror. I hope more girls and women will come to love their body image. This is a good book to recommend to friends and young girls.
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Feb 03, 2012
Lin
rated it:
Full disclosure: I didn't finish this. Not because I found it unbearable, just because my interest waned. I might finish it some day, but I did get far enough through it to give it a decent review, I think.
I found this tough to read in a lot of ways. And it's a shame, because a ton of elements are really interesting on their own. I like the singing culture, I like the heroine's power, and I'm all for creating female protagonists who aren't beautiful or slim. All of those things, plus L More...
I found this tough to read in a lot of ways. And it's a shame, because a ton of elements are really interesting on their own. I like the singing culture, I like the heroine's power, and I'm all for creating female protagonists who aren't beautiful or slim. All of those things, plus L More...
Jan 04, 2012
Shweta's Book Journal
rated it:
Fairy tales in their numerous retellings never fail to impress me. Such was the case with Fairest. I loved it from the word go. It’s not that there haven’t been better books in this genre. This one was beautiful. It also had a message and more importantly it imparted the message in the most melodious way. Songs are incorporated in this book which makes it rather unique.
Ok, so my adjectivitis is definitely taking over my review. I will try to say this without adjectives. Fairest compe More...
Ok, so my adjectivitis is definitely taking over my review. I will try to say this without adjectives. Fairest compe More...
Dec 20, 2011
Emily
rated it:
Why I picked it up: I read a description somewhere that mentioned that in this land, Ayortha, singing is very important. And then I realized there was an audio version. Where the characters sing. And I thought to myself, “I must listen to that!”
Aza was discovered as a baby, abandoned, at an Inn. The innkeepers adopted her and raised her as part of their family. Aza is not pretty. She is large and does not like her face. However, in Ayortha signing is very highly valued, and s More...
Aza was discovered as a baby, abandoned, at an Inn. The innkeepers adopted her and raised her as part of their family. Aza is not pretty. She is large and does not like her face. However, in Ayortha signing is very highly valued, and s More...
Nov 18, 2011
Pandora
rated it:
I was disappointed with this book after reading Ella Enchanted and seeing the movie Sydney White. I was expecting to see more of Snow White in the story but, the Snow White elements seemed to be pasted on and not central to the story. Sydney White did a much better job of retelling the Snow White story. In Sydney White there were the seven drawfs now dorks, the mirror (internet), the rivaliry between heroine and villian, the posion apple, etc.
In Fairest one is hard press to see a More...
In Fairest one is hard press to see a More...
Oct 24, 2011
CekMoNSter
rated it:
My brother bought this book for me, when he went to Big bad Wolf sale..And i`m happy that he chose this one! I always love Ella Enchanted, so reading another GCL was great.
I really enjoyed reading this one..It was an exciting and easy read. This book is quite a twisted retell version of Snow White, but with a maid who sings better than she looks.
I really loves the characters being portrayed here..The kind-hearted Aza, the clever Prince, the wise king, the loving foster parent More...
I really enjoyed reading this one..It was an exciting and easy read. This book is quite a twisted retell version of Snow White, but with a maid who sings better than she looks.
I really loves the characters being portrayed here..The kind-hearted Aza, the clever Prince, the wise king, the loving foster parent More...
Oct 07, 2011
Kathryn
rated it:
Despite my advanced years, I’m still quite fond of little kids’ books. I have an ever-growing collection of Nesbit, Burnett, Alcott, Montgomery, etc. Gail Carson Levine is also an author I enjoy (and one of the few in this category who is not from the 19th century). Ella Enchanted is probably her best book, and Fairest is set in the same world.
Fairest shares several elements with the tale of Snow White, including magic mirrors and the fact that the heroine has skin as white as snow, More...
Fairest shares several elements with the tale of Snow White, including magic mirrors and the fact that the heroine has skin as white as snow, More...
Sep 24, 2011
Jill
rated it:
By the author who wrote "Ella Enchanted", this book tells the story of another commoner-turned-princess. The story takes place during the same time and in the same world as Ella's, although in another kingdom: Ayortha. Aza, the heroine, is an adopted innkeeper's daughter of unknown birth. She has a beautiful singing voice (singing is very important in Ayortha), but a rather gangly appearance. In several plot twists, she ends up in danger and travels throughout the world, staying with g
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Aug 19, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
A quasi-retelling of Snow White, this book is heavy on message and light on story and characters. Aza is the adopted daughter of innkeepers and, while blessed with a beautiful voice, is a bit hard on the eyes. She ends up at the palace for the king’s wedding, where she meets a handful of people, including the beautiful but vain new queen and the handsome and perfect prince. Dramatic events ensue (although not as dramatic as perhaps intended). I have no quibbles with the message Ms. Levine wanted
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Jul 28, 2011
Katie
rated it:
This book was somewhat charming in that typical YA way, except I couldn't help compare it to Ella Enchanted, and it didn't measure up. The main character (Aza) is very ugly and unlike most YA where ugly isn't ugly, she's described as actually not attractive. And then she spends the whole book obsessing about how ugly she is and wanting becoming pretty. I knew almost nothing about her character other than that she hated being ugly.
One of the awesome things about Ella Enchanted was th More...
One of the awesome things about Ella Enchanted was th More...
Jun 30, 2011
Jessie
rated it:
Fairest is marketed as a companion book to Ella Enchanted and while there is some overlap in characters and place, there are also some inexcusable errors.
In Ella Enchanted, Prince Char is sent to live in the court of Ayortha (the setting of Fairest) for a year. This tradition is entirely left out of Fairest. While it would be too early for Char to be in Ayortha, this relationship between the two kingdoms does not seem to exist.
Furthermore, in one of his letters, Char explai More...
In Ella Enchanted, Prince Char is sent to live in the court of Ayortha (the setting of Fairest) for a year. This tradition is entirely left out of Fairest. While it would be too early for Char to be in Ayortha, this relationship between the two kingdoms does not seem to exist.
Furthermore, in one of his letters, Char explai More...
May 04, 2011
Lesley
rated it:
Since Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite children’s books of all time, I had high hopes for this companion novel. Unfortunately, Fairest was a bit of a let down. The main character, Aza, is obsessed with becoming beautiful. I can understand and sympathize with her feelings, but it seems like beauty is all Aza thinks about 24/7, and it gets a bit annoying. Also, Aza doesn’t possess the kind of inner strength that I tend to associate with Levine’s heroines. Perhaps I am being too harsh beca
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Mar 03, 2011
Emily
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This is one of those books that I have read before, but didn't love the first time, so I gave it another go.
A novel length retelling of the classic fairy tale Snow White, (OK, so maybe I like these novel-length fairy tales) however the story line bears little real resemblance to the well know story. It is the characters that are so very interesting and captivating in this tale. The characters (both human and otherwise) are very well written making the reader drawn to the characters More...
A novel length retelling of the classic fairy tale Snow White, (OK, so maybe I like these novel-length fairy tales) however the story line bears little real resemblance to the well know story. It is the characters that are so very interesting and captivating in this tale. The characters (both human and otherwise) are very well written making the reader drawn to the characters More...
Feb 06, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
Fairest is a Sleeping Beauty tale about an inn-keeper's adopted daughter with the most beautiful voice and the ability to change her voice to sound like whoever she wants and also to throw that voice to any spot she wishes. It is about a girl who has the apparently good fortune of being invited to the castle as a personal guest to a regal Lady. The trip seems only to improve as the girl is then made servant to the new queen and befriends the handsome and slightly awkward prince. Things are not a
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Feb 05, 2011
Eppie
rated it:
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 Azas gift for throwing her voice and for mim More...
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 Azas gift for throwing her voice and for mim More...
