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El Otro Zapato
¿Qué sucedería si Cenicienta no fuera la única que terminara con una zapatilla de cristal la noche del baile?
Cuando Jo encuentra una solitaria zapatilla de cristal la noche del baile real, se da cuenta de que en ese objeto común hay algo más de lo que puede verse a simple vista. La búsqueda de su dueño, la conduce al palacio donde la princesa la envía en un viaje que la lanza de forma inesperada a un mundo de magia y de ilusiones. Pronto estará claro que esta misión encierra mucho más: descubre secretos sorprendentes sobre su pasado y lucha por abrazar su destino.
Cuando Jo encuentra una solitaria zapatilla de cristal la noche del baile real, se da cuenta de que en ese objeto común hay algo más de lo que puede verse a simple vista. La búsqueda de su dueño, la conduce al palacio donde la princesa la envía en un viaje que la lanza de forma inesperada a un mundo de magia y de ilusiones. Pronto estará claro que esta misión encierra mucho más: descubre secretos sorprendentes sobre su pasado y lucha por abrazar su destino.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2011
3 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Kenechi Udogu
24 books96 followersKenechi lives in London, UK and writes contemporary and fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi/horror fiction. She also hates the cold and hopes to one day figure out how to hibernate in winter.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 12, 2012
**When I write a review, I always like to give my very honest opinion because I, as a writer want my readers to review honestly as well, good or bad, so that I know what I can improve on for that particular work or future works.**
The book was an easy read and it kept me interested to find out what happened at the end. I liked the twist on Cinderella's story. It was a very creative plot, although I was not a big fan of the main character, Jo. She went from being this shy, timid, awkward girl one day and the next day she was stubborn, bossy and kind of mean, especially about her brother and how she kept being so surprised that he wasn't a half wit. I understood that she was on a mission but she just never would let up her stubbornness. Then at the end, she did not really go through a change like most characters do by the end of a story. The one small change that I did notice is that she went from having little to no faith in Locke, to putting all her trust in him to solve the conflicts but then still criticized him. She had a confusing personality, but Jo's character was actually well written and developed because the whole time I was reading I was thinking about how much I did not like her, but that did not stop me from reading. I guess it led me to want to find out if she would change by the end. So in essence, her character was written so well that it evoked emotion from me, like she was a real person and was directing it towards me. I was really upset with her behavior. I even went as far as to say that I hoped she and Locke didn't end up together in the end because of how cold she was with him. But I might be able to forgive her in a sequel :)
And even though I did not care for her too much, I was still disappointed that she was sent on this mission but did not turn out to be the heroine in the end. It was kind of strange that Ron turned out to be the hero which seemed like an afterthought.
The end of the book was a little bit of a let down. It left several issues unresolved for me. After all the mention of the Lady of Ould and her wrath, I wanted to find out what it was all about and why everyone feared her. I wanted more from Verne as a villain and also from his punishment. I would have also enjoyed a bit more conflict (other than Verne) on their journey for a little more excitement.
The way the story ended seems like there may be a sequel. I am interested to find out if that is true. Other than the story itself, there were also some grammatical and sentence errors that I came across that were missed in editing.
Over all, it was a fun read and the writer definitely kept me coming back to find out what happened next and how it would end. I would recommend it to other readers. I am also interested in checking out other works by this author.
The book was an easy read and it kept me interested to find out what happened at the end. I liked the twist on Cinderella's story. It was a very creative plot, although I was not a big fan of the main character, Jo. She went from being this shy, timid, awkward girl one day and the next day she was stubborn, bossy and kind of mean, especially about her brother and how she kept being so surprised that he wasn't a half wit. I understood that she was on a mission but she just never would let up her stubbornness. Then at the end, she did not really go through a change like most characters do by the end of a story. The one small change that I did notice is that she went from having little to no faith in Locke, to putting all her trust in him to solve the conflicts but then still criticized him. She had a confusing personality, but Jo's character was actually well written and developed because the whole time I was reading I was thinking about how much I did not like her, but that did not stop me from reading. I guess it led me to want to find out if she would change by the end. So in essence, her character was written so well that it evoked emotion from me, like she was a real person and was directing it towards me. I was really upset with her behavior. I even went as far as to say that I hoped she and Locke didn't end up together in the end because of how cold she was with him. But I might be able to forgive her in a sequel :)
And even though I did not care for her too much, I was still disappointed that she was sent on this mission but did not turn out to be the heroine in the end. It was kind of strange that Ron turned out to be the hero which seemed like an afterthought.
The end of the book was a little bit of a let down. It left several issues unresolved for me. After all the mention of the Lady of Ould and her wrath, I wanted to find out what it was all about and why everyone feared her. I wanted more from Verne as a villain and also from his punishment. I would have also enjoyed a bit more conflict (other than Verne) on their journey for a little more excitement.
The way the story ended seems like there may be a sequel. I am interested to find out if that is true. Other than the story itself, there were also some grammatical and sentence errors that I came across that were missed in editing.
Over all, it was a fun read and the writer definitely kept me coming back to find out what happened next and how it would end. I would recommend it to other readers. I am also interested in checking out other works by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2012
May contain spoilers, but not details.
The Other Slipper by Kenechi Udogu
The story begins with the preparations for the great ball where (Cinder)Ella will meet her prince and live happily ever after. However, this story is not about her. It is about Jo, and to a certain extent, her brother Ron. When Jo stumbles across a pumpkin and glass slipper and takes them home, she alters her destiny. When the slipper starts to hum for its mate, Jo is forced to accept the rumor about Ella and an enchanted slipper. Hoping she can just return the slipper and go back to normal, she seeks out Ella who is now living in the palace. However, Ella's godmother Arla tells Jo that she must now return the pair to their rightful owner, the Lady of Ould. Jo can no longer doubt the existence of magic as everyone has heard of the great and powerful Lady of Ould. So in the company of her protective older brother Ron, Jo begins a journey that reveals truths about her family origins that expand her small world and leaves no doubt that magic does exist.
I was hooked right away. The author presents a good description of Jo as the too-tall awkward teenaged girl. The reader is immediately endeared to her. Although Jo can be frustratingly stubborn at times, her stubbornness does push the story forward. The story is an easy and quick read that keeps you interested. In one scene, Jo and Ron meet a stranger named Locke who offers to accompany them on their journey as protection when they are attacked by someone trying to take the slippers. When Locke reveals who he really is, the passage only explains the symbol he shows them and then the chapter ends. The reader doesn't find out what this all means until several pages later, and by then new surprises spring up to keep you reading.
Some of the explanations of characters' history are a little confusing. Others are long and seem a bit awkward for characters to be narrating them. I would have liked a little more "he said" or "Jo said" because in places it took longer to figure out who was speaking until the end of a long passage of dialog. There are grammar issues but not too distracting.
The description and consistency of prose really involves the reader. Jo's character is really perceptive on facial expressions, letting the reader "see" the reactions of other characters. Also, the humming of the slippers does not end when they are reunited and at first the constant reminder of this fact annoys, which is exactly what it's doing to Jo throughout the book until it just becomes background noise, again like Jo's experience. Great device to bring the reader in.
The ending, although neatly tied up left me desiring a bit more from Jo and the antagonist. There does seem to be room for a sequel. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, or 7 out of 10. Good reading for those who like fairy tale spinoffs. But don't be confused, this is an original story and not a retelling.
Reviews on Smashwords and Amazon https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
The Other Slipper by Kenechi Udogu
The story begins with the preparations for the great ball where (Cinder)Ella will meet her prince and live happily ever after. However, this story is not about her. It is about Jo, and to a certain extent, her brother Ron. When Jo stumbles across a pumpkin and glass slipper and takes them home, she alters her destiny. When the slipper starts to hum for its mate, Jo is forced to accept the rumor about Ella and an enchanted slipper. Hoping she can just return the slipper and go back to normal, she seeks out Ella who is now living in the palace. However, Ella's godmother Arla tells Jo that she must now return the pair to their rightful owner, the Lady of Ould. Jo can no longer doubt the existence of magic as everyone has heard of the great and powerful Lady of Ould. So in the company of her protective older brother Ron, Jo begins a journey that reveals truths about her family origins that expand her small world and leaves no doubt that magic does exist.
I was hooked right away. The author presents a good description of Jo as the too-tall awkward teenaged girl. The reader is immediately endeared to her. Although Jo can be frustratingly stubborn at times, her stubbornness does push the story forward. The story is an easy and quick read that keeps you interested. In one scene, Jo and Ron meet a stranger named Locke who offers to accompany them on their journey as protection when they are attacked by someone trying to take the slippers. When Locke reveals who he really is, the passage only explains the symbol he shows them and then the chapter ends. The reader doesn't find out what this all means until several pages later, and by then new surprises spring up to keep you reading.
Some of the explanations of characters' history are a little confusing. Others are long and seem a bit awkward for characters to be narrating them. I would have liked a little more "he said" or "Jo said" because in places it took longer to figure out who was speaking until the end of a long passage of dialog. There are grammar issues but not too distracting.
The description and consistency of prose really involves the reader. Jo's character is really perceptive on facial expressions, letting the reader "see" the reactions of other characters. Also, the humming of the slippers does not end when they are reunited and at first the constant reminder of this fact annoys, which is exactly what it's doing to Jo throughout the book until it just becomes background noise, again like Jo's experience. Great device to bring the reader in.
The ending, although neatly tied up left me desiring a bit more from Jo and the antagonist. There does seem to be room for a sequel. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, or 7 out of 10. Good reading for those who like fairy tale spinoffs. But don't be confused, this is an original story and not a retelling.
Reviews on Smashwords and Amazon https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
April 28, 2012
The Other Slipper is an interesting concept with a well thought out plot about the slipper that Cinderella’s prince didn’t have. We all assumed that Cinderella had it, however, in this story, Jo, a servant at the palace comes across the slipper on the side of the road when she is walking home from the palace.
When Cinderella’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin, she heard Jo approaching and ran away, leaving the slipper behind. Jo takes the pumpkin home to eat. And the slipper? She doesn’t know why she takes it since it isn’t really any business of hers, butt she does take it.
Of course, the slipper is magical and when it starts to hum in a very annoying way, Jo decides that it wants to get back with its pair. The prince has found Cinderella and asked her to marry him, so Jo visits the soon-to-be princess. The slippers want more than just to be back together however, they want to be returned to the person Ella’s godmother borrowed them from in order to do the spell that turned Ella into someone fit for the ball. This is where the story gets really interesting.
From the blurb
Jo sets out on a journey that thrusts her into an unexpected world of magic and illusions. It soon becomes clear that there is a lot more to her mission as she discovers startling secrets about her past and struggles to embrace her destiny.
It’s a good story with some interesting twists. The characters are well rounded and, apart from Jo’s rather impulsive, paranoiac and sometimes stupid behaviour, likeable. I like the way we come to see the reasons behind the ‘evil’ person’s behaviour and discover another side to him, so that he isn’t just someone that we can dismiss as simply evil. Instead, the author allows us to feel some compassion for him.
I also liked how the revelation of Jo’s family history wove into the action and the characters development was well done, especially that of Ron.
Although, the text was clean in terms of punctuation, grammar and spelling, the writing fell short in that we had point of view confusion, known as head-hopping. Many readers may not notice the problem, but if you feel that the writing is a little ‘fuzzy’, or that you’re getting a little confused as to who the main person is in a scene, or that a scene is slowing down and getting overloaded with information, or that the book simply isn’t holding you as the story suggests it should, then this is probably why.
Head- hopping is when the story is written from one person’s point of view, sharing their thoughts and impressions with us, then suddenly we’re in another character’s head hearing their thoughts for a sentence or two, then we’re back in the main characters head or worse in yet another character’s head. It is confusing and even if you don’t actually notice the specific problem, the overall effect of it is that the reader loses their identification with the main character in a scene. This weakens our engagement with the story since we really don’t need to know what everyone is thinking, so it’s usually completely unnecessary. Their motivations should be clear from their actions. We end up being told the story from inside many people’s heads rather than being shown it in the action as one person sees it.
It doesn’t make this book bad, but it does show that the author needs to study the craft of writing a little more before writing her next book. I give it three stars, but without the head-hopping it would be 4.
When Cinderella’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin, she heard Jo approaching and ran away, leaving the slipper behind. Jo takes the pumpkin home to eat. And the slipper? She doesn’t know why she takes it since it isn’t really any business of hers, butt she does take it.
Of course, the slipper is magical and when it starts to hum in a very annoying way, Jo decides that it wants to get back with its pair. The prince has found Cinderella and asked her to marry him, so Jo visits the soon-to-be princess. The slippers want more than just to be back together however, they want to be returned to the person Ella’s godmother borrowed them from in order to do the spell that turned Ella into someone fit for the ball. This is where the story gets really interesting.
From the blurb
Jo sets out on a journey that thrusts her into an unexpected world of magic and illusions. It soon becomes clear that there is a lot more to her mission as she discovers startling secrets about her past and struggles to embrace her destiny.
It’s a good story with some interesting twists. The characters are well rounded and, apart from Jo’s rather impulsive, paranoiac and sometimes stupid behaviour, likeable. I like the way we come to see the reasons behind the ‘evil’ person’s behaviour and discover another side to him, so that he isn’t just someone that we can dismiss as simply evil. Instead, the author allows us to feel some compassion for him.
I also liked how the revelation of Jo’s family history wove into the action and the characters development was well done, especially that of Ron.
Although, the text was clean in terms of punctuation, grammar and spelling, the writing fell short in that we had point of view confusion, known as head-hopping. Many readers may not notice the problem, but if you feel that the writing is a little ‘fuzzy’, or that you’re getting a little confused as to who the main person is in a scene, or that a scene is slowing down and getting overloaded with information, or that the book simply isn’t holding you as the story suggests it should, then this is probably why.
Head- hopping is when the story is written from one person’s point of view, sharing their thoughts and impressions with us, then suddenly we’re in another character’s head hearing their thoughts for a sentence or two, then we’re back in the main characters head or worse in yet another character’s head. It is confusing and even if you don’t actually notice the specific problem, the overall effect of it is that the reader loses their identification with the main character in a scene. This weakens our engagement with the story since we really don’t need to know what everyone is thinking, so it’s usually completely unnecessary. Their motivations should be clear from their actions. We end up being told the story from inside many people’s heads rather than being shown it in the action as one person sees it.
It doesn’t make this book bad, but it does show that the author needs to study the craft of writing a little more before writing her next book. I give it three stars, but without the head-hopping it would be 4.
December 17, 2012
JENAI'S REVIEW
When I first read this title I was expecting a continuation of Cinderella and Prince Charming. What I got was so much more. Udogu explores the rite of passage that is growing up in a peculiar but fascinating way. From the moment we get past the Cinderella part of the story, which happens fairly quickly, the characters not only find adventure but themselves as well. Jo is the main character of the story and the unfortunate soul who finds the other slipper. As you all know it is magical but the magic is about to run out. She is left with the task of returning the shoes to Ould, a far away land that proves to be very troublesome to get to.
Jo's brother Ron and Locke, a traveler from Ould, join her to return the slippers to the Queen of Ould, who is not a force to be messed with. As the three make their journey, they discover that they have the ability to trust, lead, and follow with their hearts. Udogu does a great job of exploring each character as they struggle to find their own path to adulthood. There is a really cool twist at the end that took me quite by surprise. I really hope that a sequel is made because I would like for two of the characters to fall madly in love and I'm not talking about incest!
When I first read this title I was expecting a continuation of Cinderella and Prince Charming. What I got was so much more. Udogu explores the rite of passage that is growing up in a peculiar but fascinating way. From the moment we get past the Cinderella part of the story, which happens fairly quickly, the characters not only find adventure but themselves as well. Jo is the main character of the story and the unfortunate soul who finds the other slipper. As you all know it is magical but the magic is about to run out. She is left with the task of returning the shoes to Ould, a far away land that proves to be very troublesome to get to.
Jo's brother Ron and Locke, a traveler from Ould, join her to return the slippers to the Queen of Ould, who is not a force to be messed with. As the three make their journey, they discover that they have the ability to trust, lead, and follow with their hearts. Udogu does a great job of exploring each character as they struggle to find their own path to adulthood. There is a really cool twist at the end that took me quite by surprise. I really hope that a sequel is made because I would like for two of the characters to fall madly in love and I'm not talking about incest!
April 2, 2012
This is a delightful imagining of the "back story" of Cinderella's slippers. It is, I think, more interesting than the Cinderella story itself, involving people gifted with magic and making choices about how to use them. It is difficult to be more specific without spoiling the reader's enjoyment of the story. I will say, however, that the writing can be improved, perhaps by liberating it from the point of view of young adults who are not in full control of their senses and emotions. But it is a wonderful story!
September 8, 2018
This book picks up after the events of Cinderella; Ever wonder what happened to those glass slippers?
This book sounds like it is a promising story, but I was so annoyed with the bratty main character that I didn't enjoy the book much at all. I found myself just trying to get through it because I was hoping she would get better, but nope. I wish the story had focused on her brother Ron who was a better character.
The ending was a bit weird in it seemed to really shift it's focus and go a different direction than one would think but not in a good well planned out way.
This book sounds like it is a promising story, but I was so annoyed with the bratty main character that I didn't enjoy the book much at all. I found myself just trying to get through it because I was hoping she would get better, but nope. I wish the story had focused on her brother Ron who was a better character.
The ending was a bit weird in it seemed to really shift it's focus and go a different direction than one would think but not in a good well planned out way.
March 13, 2017
I received a copy of this book from the author, this in no way influenced my opinions of the novel.
I enjoyed this book. The plot was simple yet intriguing and the characters were very realistic. I enjoyed the whimsical style of the magic system and I found the world building interesting, I only wish there was more of it. This did a good job of telling an alternate version of the cinderella story, I liked how it explored parts of the story I had never thought about before and managed to keep the whole thing in a world that felt similar to our own but much more magical.
The travelling was done really well, often travelling becomes boring due to the lack of action but this book broke it up well with interactions with traders, villains or conflict between the characters. There were a lot of characters, and although it was nice to see them all and get an insight into the character's lives before it made the start of the book a bit slow.
This book felt like a prequel or the beginning of a series as opposed to a stand alone. The writing style involved a lot of head hopping with the third person narrator telling us what characters were feeling and why, to take this book to the next level I would have liked to see more showing and less telling.
I enjoyed this book. The plot was simple yet intriguing and the characters were very realistic. I enjoyed the whimsical style of the magic system and I found the world building interesting, I only wish there was more of it. This did a good job of telling an alternate version of the cinderella story, I liked how it explored parts of the story I had never thought about before and managed to keep the whole thing in a world that felt similar to our own but much more magical.
The travelling was done really well, often travelling becomes boring due to the lack of action but this book broke it up well with interactions with traders, villains or conflict between the characters. There were a lot of characters, and although it was nice to see them all and get an insight into the character's lives before it made the start of the book a bit slow.
This book felt like a prequel or the beginning of a series as opposed to a stand alone. The writing style involved a lot of head hopping with the third person narrator telling us what characters were feeling and why, to take this book to the next level I would have liked to see more showing and less telling.
May 15, 2012
***FINAL RATING: 3.35 STARS***
CATCHALL
I dove into The Other Slipper expecting a light, fun read and that was exactly what I got. It certainly wasn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun and I genuinely enjoyed it. It was fun and fast-paced and a fresh look at what it might be like to see Cinderella from the other side.
THE HEROINE
JO
I actually had some serious problems with Jo. She was far too stubborn for her own good and often bordered in annoying. If she had been real, I would have slapped her and I am not a violent person. She was stubborn and selfish and spent a huge amount of time insisting on having things her way all the time. She was rude to pretty much everyone with no real excuse for it.
THE BROTHER
RON
He was better than his sister, treating her well even though she treated him badly. He generally seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and was sensible but not overly boring. As much as I sometimes wished he would stop being so clichéd, I admit that it could have been so much worse. And I didn't want to punch him, so I suppose I liked him well enough.
THE MEN OF MAGIC
Dude, that is possibly the best header I've ever come up with.
LOCKE
Locke was kind of boring, too. Still, I suppose he could have been much worse. He was sort of annoying, but that didn't give Jo any excuse for being so rude to him. And there was a revelation about him that I think was supposed to be surprising, but really wasn't at all.
VERNE
Most interesting character in the entire book, easily. I liked how he was more than one-dimensional. I understood the motivation behind his actions and even though perhaps they were wrong, how you you fault someone for something they've been taught? So yes, I liked him. And I'd actually want to know more about him.
THE PLOT
The plot was fantastical, fresh, and fun. (Yay alliteration!) I genuinely enjoyed it.
While some things did really disappoint me, I do not believe three-star ratings are bad. I really did enjoy this book. It had an original plot and and interesting look at Cinderella, a fairy tale that pretty much everyone knows.
Some things I though were unnecessary, but perhaps that's just me.
And while I didn't like Jo's stubbornness, she often did drive the plot in good directions. While her choices were often regrettable, they made for an excellent story.
THE ROMANCE
…There was actually not really any. I am simultaneously happy and sad about this at the same time. Well, at least there was no instalove.
THE WRITING
Kenechi has such pretty writing! It's flowy and a but young, but that can easily be fixed with a little time. It matches the style of the story and really gives it a whimsical feel. I found it quite excellent and I didn't have any problems with comprehension. I also got some great imagery, although there were some definite gaps. Still, it was marvelous!
THE ENDING
The ending was a bit too open-ended for my taste, but even so, I enjoyed it. I wish there was more of a promise of a sequel, but I can live with it ending this way. I'd like to know more about this world and what happens next.
WRAPUP
I really, really enjoyed this book. I had an excellent time reading it and barely put it down. it was fast and fun and throughly enjoyable. I think I see myself reading more of Kenechi's works in the future, and I am greatly looking forward to it!
FINE.
Read more of my reviews of Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I dove into The Other Slipper expecting a light, fun read and that was exactly what I got. It certainly wasn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun and I genuinely enjoyed it. It was fun and fast-paced and a fresh look at what it might be like to see Cinderella from the other side.
THE HEROINE
JO
I actually had some serious problems with Jo. She was far too stubborn for her own good and often bordered in annoying. If she had been real, I would have slapped her and I am not a violent person. She was stubborn and selfish and spent a huge amount of time insisting on having things her way all the time. She was rude to pretty much everyone with no real excuse for it.
THE BROTHER
RON
He was better than his sister, treating her well even though she treated him badly. He generally seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and was sensible but not overly boring. As much as I sometimes wished he would stop being so clichéd, I admit that it could have been so much worse. And I didn't want to punch him, so I suppose I liked him well enough.
THE MEN OF MAGIC
Dude, that is possibly the best header I've ever come up with.
LOCKE
Locke was kind of boring, too. Still, I suppose he could have been much worse. He was sort of annoying, but that didn't give Jo any excuse for being so rude to him. And there was a revelation about him that I think was supposed to be surprising, but really wasn't at all.
VERNE
Most interesting character in the entire book, easily. I liked how he was more than one-dimensional. I understood the motivation behind his actions and even though perhaps they were wrong, how you you fault someone for something they've been taught? So yes, I liked him. And I'd actually want to know more about him.
THE PLOT
The plot was fantastical, fresh, and fun. (Yay alliteration!) I genuinely enjoyed it.
While some things did really disappoint me, I do not believe three-star ratings are bad. I really did enjoy this book. It had an original plot and and interesting look at Cinderella, a fairy tale that pretty much everyone knows.
Some things I though were unnecessary, but perhaps that's just me.
And while I didn't like Jo's stubbornness, she often did drive the plot in good directions. While her choices were often regrettable, they made for an excellent story.
THE ROMANCE
…There was actually not really any. I am simultaneously happy and sad about this at the same time. Well, at least there was no instalove.
THE WRITING
Kenechi has such pretty writing! It's flowy and a but young, but that can easily be fixed with a little time. It matches the style of the story and really gives it a whimsical feel. I found it quite excellent and I didn't have any problems with comprehension. I also got some great imagery, although there were some definite gaps. Still, it was marvelous!
THE ENDING
The ending was a bit too open-ended for my taste, but even so, I enjoyed it. I wish there was more of a promise of a sequel, but I can live with it ending this way. I'd like to know more about this world and what happens next.
WRAPUP
I really, really enjoyed this book. I had an excellent time reading it and barely put it down. it was fast and fun and throughly enjoyable. I think I see myself reading more of Kenechi's works in the future, and I am greatly looking forward to it!
FINE.
Read more of my reviews of Sparkles and Lightning!
September 29, 2012
Kindle Version (free via author for honest review)
If you ever wondered what would have happened in the Cinderella story had she lost the other slipper somewhere, this is the book for you. It is an interesting twist on an old time fairy tale. Jo is a mere servant in a palace and is from a lower class family, but something happens to Jo that changes her life and her brother Ron's life forever...she finds a glass slipper that seems to have come from nowhere on the way home from the palace one night, oh along with a pumpkin that worked very well in soup for her family. Jo has no idea why she picked up that glass slipper and didn't just leave it on the side of the road where she found it, and that is something that she will wonder about and wish she wouldn't have done. Jo soon finds out that the pretty glass slipper came off of another young woman who is now engaged to the prince and living in the palace she works at with her family. Jo has hidden the glass slipper from her family and now wants nothing more than to give it back to the soon to be princess. You see the slipper hums, only Jo seems to be able to hear it, but it hums none the less. She soon hears the same hum at the palace from the new woman's room and knows the slipper is hers. When she returns it Jo is told a fascinating and yet very far fetched tale from the young woman. A tale involving fairy godmothers, magic, and fate. Jo soon embarks on a travel with her brother, Ron, to return the slipper where it came from, to a great powerful Queen. Soon Ron and Jo are tangled up in a well spun mess of a trip and have to rely on the help of a stranger to get to where they are going. They don't want to tell him why they are going there though, so they keep that secret to themselves, until it becomes apparent that they need to tell this stranger the truth if he is to help them avoid dangers in their travel. Many twists happen in this story and some are greatly shocking to Jo, Ron, and the reader.
I thought this was a pretty good read. It had action, family, friends, mystery, adventure, magic, and a fairy tale twist. I found the characters to be well described and the plot interesting. I also liked how you got to know all the characters and how they were feeling, but not in a way that made it confusing to read. I liked the bonds that were soon formed between the mysterious stranger and Ron and Jo. They were cautious, but not so out of it to not see they needed him and his protection if they were to bring the slippers back to their owner. The twist of who the owner of the slippers really was and how that all fit in was amazing! I found it very easy to picture Ron and Jo's faces when they made the connection. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a magical twist on an old fairy tale that will suck you in. You will finish the book with a smile on your face.
4/5 Stars!
If you ever wondered what would have happened in the Cinderella story had she lost the other slipper somewhere, this is the book for you. It is an interesting twist on an old time fairy tale. Jo is a mere servant in a palace and is from a lower class family, but something happens to Jo that changes her life and her brother Ron's life forever...she finds a glass slipper that seems to have come from nowhere on the way home from the palace one night, oh along with a pumpkin that worked very well in soup for her family. Jo has no idea why she picked up that glass slipper and didn't just leave it on the side of the road where she found it, and that is something that she will wonder about and wish she wouldn't have done. Jo soon finds out that the pretty glass slipper came off of another young woman who is now engaged to the prince and living in the palace she works at with her family. Jo has hidden the glass slipper from her family and now wants nothing more than to give it back to the soon to be princess. You see the slipper hums, only Jo seems to be able to hear it, but it hums none the less. She soon hears the same hum at the palace from the new woman's room and knows the slipper is hers. When she returns it Jo is told a fascinating and yet very far fetched tale from the young woman. A tale involving fairy godmothers, magic, and fate. Jo soon embarks on a travel with her brother, Ron, to return the slipper where it came from, to a great powerful Queen. Soon Ron and Jo are tangled up in a well spun mess of a trip and have to rely on the help of a stranger to get to where they are going. They don't want to tell him why they are going there though, so they keep that secret to themselves, until it becomes apparent that they need to tell this stranger the truth if he is to help them avoid dangers in their travel. Many twists happen in this story and some are greatly shocking to Jo, Ron, and the reader.
I thought this was a pretty good read. It had action, family, friends, mystery, adventure, magic, and a fairy tale twist. I found the characters to be well described and the plot interesting. I also liked how you got to know all the characters and how they were feeling, but not in a way that made it confusing to read. I liked the bonds that were soon formed between the mysterious stranger and Ron and Jo. They were cautious, but not so out of it to not see they needed him and his protection if they were to bring the slippers back to their owner. The twist of who the owner of the slippers really was and how that all fit in was amazing! I found it very easy to picture Ron and Jo's faces when they made the connection. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a magical twist on an old fairy tale that will suck you in. You will finish the book with a smile on your face.
4/5 Stars!
September 18, 2014
{ I was kindly provided a free Kindle edition of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. }
The Other Slipper is a fairy tale retelling based on a creative idea: what happened to Cinderella's other slipper? Jo works at the palace where the prince has just found his beloved, thanks to some magic glass slippers. On Jo's way home one night, she finds some curious items in the middle of the path, including one of the slippers. She decides to take these things home with her, which turns out to be a life-changing decision.
This is an interesting story based on a very imaginative idea. The Cinderella character is only in the story briefly as a rather minor character; Jo, the palace worker, is the heroine here. Udogu creates a world with magic and far-off mysterious lands that Jo and her traveling partners navigate to get to their ultimate destination, the Land of Ould, where the slippers need to be returned.
The Other Slipper kept me reading to find out where the story was going to go. However, the narration was a little distracting. The narrator seemed to be a bit too omniscient; we're taken into the head of every character, bouncing back and forth at times. Thoughts are shared even when they don't seem necessary to the plot. Also, Locke was a great character, but I couldn't quite tell whether he was intended to be Jo's romantic interest or not. It was like sometimes there seemed to be a little something between them, and sometimes that would fade into the background entirely. I kind of wish that something had happened between them, because it seemed to be slowly leading towards that, and I think the story would have been nicely spiced up with a little romance. I also wish that the meeting with the Lady of Ould had been a little more dramatic; we are told throughout the book how intimidating and powerful she is, and finding her is the ultimate destination on their journey, but when they finally do get there it's just a little anticlimactic.
Otherwise, I did enjoy The Other Slipper and I would read another book by Udogu, as she is clearly very creative and can weave an interesting story. A little editing would take The Other Slipper from good to great.
The Other Slipper is a fairy tale retelling based on a creative idea: what happened to Cinderella's other slipper? Jo works at the palace where the prince has just found his beloved, thanks to some magic glass slippers. On Jo's way home one night, she finds some curious items in the middle of the path, including one of the slippers. She decides to take these things home with her, which turns out to be a life-changing decision.
This is an interesting story based on a very imaginative idea. The Cinderella character is only in the story briefly as a rather minor character; Jo, the palace worker, is the heroine here. Udogu creates a world with magic and far-off mysterious lands that Jo and her traveling partners navigate to get to their ultimate destination, the Land of Ould, where the slippers need to be returned.
The Other Slipper kept me reading to find out where the story was going to go. However, the narration was a little distracting. The narrator seemed to be a bit too omniscient; we're taken into the head of every character, bouncing back and forth at times. Thoughts are shared even when they don't seem necessary to the plot. Also, Locke was a great character, but I couldn't quite tell whether he was intended to be Jo's romantic interest or not. It was like sometimes there seemed to be a little something between them, and sometimes that would fade into the background entirely. I kind of wish that something had happened between them, because it seemed to be slowly leading towards that, and I think the story would have been nicely spiced up with a little romance. I also wish that the meeting with the Lady of Ould had been a little more dramatic; we are told throughout the book how intimidating and powerful she is, and finding her is the ultimate destination on their journey, but when they finally do get there it's just a little anticlimactic.
Otherwise, I did enjoy The Other Slipper and I would read another book by Udogu, as she is clearly very creative and can weave an interesting story. A little editing would take The Other Slipper from good to great.
August 13, 2012
Rating 2.5
This book was a headache waiting to happen. Obviously this book is a retelling of the Cinderella story. But instead of dear Cinderelli telling the story, we meet Jo. Jo is a peasant/worker at the castle who happens to find the other slipper that Cinderella dropped once the clock struck midnight on the day of the ball. Off the bat, I was annoyed with Jo. She was stubborn, spineless, and had no character depth. Her actions and "personality" were all over the place. Even by the end of the book, she keeps telling herself I don't want to be a part of this. I want nothing to do with this. Let me run away!!! Her character was unremarkably flat and her pessimistic attitude made it hard for me to continue reading the rest of the book. Her stubbornness in refusing to actually be the heroine of the story really turned me off.
This light read was very bland. The characters (I almost actually liked Ron) were bland and the plot was bland. I was bored halfway through and actually pushed myself to finish the book. The plot seemed to focus on unnecessary turn of events or thoughts and neglected key issues. I would have liked to have seen more description about the Lady of Ould or what becomes of Verne.
I admit that the idea is very creative. It's interesting to see this unexpected side of the story. I bet I'm not the only one who was suspicious of glass shoes that didn't break under a person's weight (I still don't understand why Jo can't just ignore the humming sound). I wish Udogu added some romance. Romance is the easiest way to spice up such a boring plot with very 2 dimensional characters. If Jo had someone she actually liked/crushed on, I would have been more compelled to actually read the rest of the book eargerly.
Overall: This book is for those who don't mind reading clean, bland cookie cutter re-tellings. I would seriously suggest this book to more elementary or middle school grade children. What makes a young adult book truly for young adults is that the main characters has the mindset of an actual young adult. I felt that Jo acted like a petulant child for the majority of the story.
You can find this review on my blog Hidden Adventures of a Teenage Reader
(book given free in exchange for an honest review)
This book was a headache waiting to happen. Obviously this book is a retelling of the Cinderella story. But instead of dear Cinderelli telling the story, we meet Jo. Jo is a peasant/worker at the castle who happens to find the other slipper that Cinderella dropped once the clock struck midnight on the day of the ball. Off the bat, I was annoyed with Jo. She was stubborn, spineless, and had no character depth. Her actions and "personality" were all over the place. Even by the end of the book, she keeps telling herself I don't want to be a part of this. I want nothing to do with this. Let me run away!!! Her character was unremarkably flat and her pessimistic attitude made it hard for me to continue reading the rest of the book. Her stubbornness in refusing to actually be the heroine of the story really turned me off.
This light read was very bland. The characters (I almost actually liked Ron) were bland and the plot was bland. I was bored halfway through and actually pushed myself to finish the book. The plot seemed to focus on unnecessary turn of events or thoughts and neglected key issues. I would have liked to have seen more description about the Lady of Ould or what becomes of Verne.
I admit that the idea is very creative. It's interesting to see this unexpected side of the story. I bet I'm not the only one who was suspicious of glass shoes that didn't break under a person's weight (I still don't understand why Jo can't just ignore the humming sound). I wish Udogu added some romance. Romance is the easiest way to spice up such a boring plot with very 2 dimensional characters. If Jo had someone she actually liked/crushed on, I would have been more compelled to actually read the rest of the book eargerly.
Overall: This book is for those who don't mind reading clean, bland cookie cutter re-tellings. I would seriously suggest this book to more elementary or middle school grade children. What makes a young adult book truly for young adults is that the main characters has the mindset of an actual young adult. I felt that Jo acted like a petulant child for the majority of the story.
You can find this review on my blog Hidden Adventures of a Teenage Reader
(book given free in exchange for an honest review)
December 3, 2019
We have all known the Cinderella story since we were little kids. Either through our parents telling it to us at bedtime or the Disney classic with Bipity-boppity-bo. And because this story has always been in our lives, we don't question much about it. But what happened in the castle before the ball? What happened after the ball? Where is Cinderella's other slipper? What is the prince like? All of a sudden, as I thought about it, I had so many questions that could be answered if someone else would tell the story. Now thanks to The Other Slipper, the spectacular adventure that we never knew happened.
Before I continue, I wanted to share a conversation I had just yesterday. Do we need to know the answers to questions? Yesterday at the Scholastic Warehouse sale, we got talking about prequels and if you should read them before the first book or after like the author wrote it. I really like prequels and sequels because even though I love having my own opinion on a book and predicting what I think is going to happen, but I also love hearing what the author had in mind. [And if you were wondering my opinion, I think you should read the prequel in the order that the author published it.]
So, if you are like me, you love fairy tale retellings because it goes deeper into the fairy tale. The Other Slipper takes the very story of Cinderella that we know and shows us what is happening behind the scenes. Kenechi Udogu's story, though, is not just a story to live in Cinderella's limelight- it is a story that stands on its own feet and is actually a fun, fantastical adventure.
Read Together: Grades 6 to 10
Read Alone: Grades 7 and up
Read With: Cinderella, Chinese Cinderella Adeline Yen Mah, Bound by Donna Jo Napoli
Snatch of Text: "The girl who stepped down from the carriage was simply beautiful, a delightful combination of flawless skin and delicate features. Her hair was held up at the top of her head with strings of shiny pearls and her gown, like the carriage, was exquisitely detailed and in a unusual style." (Kindle Location 161)
Mentor Text for: Allusion, Point of View, Predicting
Writing Prompts: Take an object from a fairy tale that has some unanswered questions (Sleeping Beauty's spindle, Rapunzel's tower, etc.) and write your own fairy tale explaining what happened to them.
Topics Covered: Choices, Cinderella, Family, Evil, Tradition
Before I continue, I wanted to share a conversation I had just yesterday. Do we need to know the answers to questions? Yesterday at the Scholastic Warehouse sale, we got talking about prequels and if you should read them before the first book or after like the author wrote it. I really like prequels and sequels because even though I love having my own opinion on a book and predicting what I think is going to happen, but I also love hearing what the author had in mind. [And if you were wondering my opinion, I think you should read the prequel in the order that the author published it.]
So, if you are like me, you love fairy tale retellings because it goes deeper into the fairy tale. The Other Slipper takes the very story of Cinderella that we know and shows us what is happening behind the scenes. Kenechi Udogu's story, though, is not just a story to live in Cinderella's limelight- it is a story that stands on its own feet and is actually a fun, fantastical adventure.
Read Together: Grades 6 to 10
Read Alone: Grades 7 and up
Read With: Cinderella, Chinese Cinderella Adeline Yen Mah, Bound by Donna Jo Napoli
Snatch of Text: "The girl who stepped down from the carriage was simply beautiful, a delightful combination of flawless skin and delicate features. Her hair was held up at the top of her head with strings of shiny pearls and her gown, like the carriage, was exquisitely detailed and in a unusual style." (Kindle Location 161)
Mentor Text for: Allusion, Point of View, Predicting
Writing Prompts: Take an object from a fairy tale that has some unanswered questions (Sleeping Beauty's spindle, Rapunzel's tower, etc.) and write your own fairy tale explaining what happened to them.
Topics Covered: Choices, Cinderella, Family, Evil, Tradition
January 28, 2013
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am ashamed to say I actually recieved this a long time ago. My request pile didn't seem to shrink and I stopped reading my e-books for a while. So sorry for the delay, especially as it was a good book and easy to read. In the end I read this in about 5 hours total.
This is the story of Jo, she is awkward and a bit of an outcast. She works doing odd jobs around the palace, only really tolerated because of her mother and brothers. Then on the night of the royal ball she finds a glass slipper left on the side of the road along with a pumpkin. She then has to discover who the owner of the slipper is and is led back to the castle and the new Princess - Ella. But the journey doesn't end there, Jo must go o a mission filled with magic and mystery to return both slippers to their original owner.
On her journey she is accompanied by her brother Ron and they meet a stranger on the road who becomes their companion, Locke, but he's not all he seems either.
I liked Ron, he was quiet, thoughtful yet strong and protective. Locke was mysterious and quite interesting, probably my favourite character. Jo is very headstrong and actually prone to whining, she would ask for help then not want to listen to what anyone had to say. She annoyed me in places, but I didn't find myself disliking her much, just wish I could reach through and shake her a bit sometimes.
It was a good twist on the idea of Cinderella and I liked the fresh angle. Ella herself doesn't feature much but the story is still tied to her and brings the fairytale to life from this new angle.
The pace is fairly fast paced, it kept me turning pages and wanting to know more, there was a good mix of description and action and turning of events. It felt a little bit slower towards the end, but ultimately it was easy to read and held my interest.
If you are a fan of fairytale retellings like I am then you will really like this book.
The only thing that would really disappoint me with this book would be it's cover, it just doesn't live up to the awesome story inside. But that is a minor grievance.
I am ashamed to say I actually recieved this a long time ago. My request pile didn't seem to shrink and I stopped reading my e-books for a while. So sorry for the delay, especially as it was a good book and easy to read. In the end I read this in about 5 hours total.
This is the story of Jo, she is awkward and a bit of an outcast. She works doing odd jobs around the palace, only really tolerated because of her mother and brothers. Then on the night of the royal ball she finds a glass slipper left on the side of the road along with a pumpkin. She then has to discover who the owner of the slipper is and is led back to the castle and the new Princess - Ella. But the journey doesn't end there, Jo must go o a mission filled with magic and mystery to return both slippers to their original owner.
On her journey she is accompanied by her brother Ron and they meet a stranger on the road who becomes their companion, Locke, but he's not all he seems either.
I liked Ron, he was quiet, thoughtful yet strong and protective. Locke was mysterious and quite interesting, probably my favourite character. Jo is very headstrong and actually prone to whining, she would ask for help then not want to listen to what anyone had to say. She annoyed me in places, but I didn't find myself disliking her much, just wish I could reach through and shake her a bit sometimes.
It was a good twist on the idea of Cinderella and I liked the fresh angle. Ella herself doesn't feature much but the story is still tied to her and brings the fairytale to life from this new angle.
The pace is fairly fast paced, it kept me turning pages and wanting to know more, there was a good mix of description and action and turning of events. It felt a little bit slower towards the end, but ultimately it was easy to read and held my interest.
If you are a fan of fairytale retellings like I am then you will really like this book.
The only thing that would really disappoint me with this book would be it's cover, it just doesn't live up to the awesome story inside. But that is a minor grievance.
June 4, 2012
I received this book for review from the Author. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for them.
Review:
The Other Slipper chronicles the tale of Cinderella's infamous glass slippers. I found this to a very intriguing plot and was immediately hooked. Sadly this book fell short of my expectations.
The Good
The Concept- I really liked the concept of this book. As far as I can remember I have never read a book based solely on Cinderella's slippers, so that was certainly fresh and unique.
Ron- I loved Jo's brother throughout the majority of the book. He was sweet, kind and caring and encapsulated everything Jo wasn't.
Locke- I liked his character and his story arc. While he wants to help Jo in her travels he also realizes that she is stubborn and could very well not accomplish her task because of this. I felt his frustration because that is how I felt as well.
The Bad
Jo- I really didn't like her character. I spent more time being irritated at her behavior than enjoying the story itself. Jo was stubborn,pig headed and just downright rude at times. Even at the end when all was revealed I still felt a lack of joy from her character.
The Pacing- This book was only 300 pages but because of the horrible pacing felt like it took an eternity. I feel most of the beginning of the book could be cut and it still probably wouldn't help. While some scenes did work many just felt long winded like the Author didn't quite know how to fill the page.
Final Thoughts
While I did enjoy this book, I was definitely left frazzled and frustrated by the end. Jo's attitude and the pacing of the story really brought this book down for me. I certainly commend the Author for creating such a unique take on a very beloved story, that just wasn't enough to over power the negatives in this book. It's a real shame.
Overall if you have some time, pick this book up and give it a go. I am only one opinion and you might not feel the same way as I did. Therefore, I am rating The Other Slipper by Kenechi Udogu 3 Stars.
June 7, 2012
NOTE: I received this book to review by the author.
At first, I thought that "The Other Slipper" would be a retelling of Cinderella. But it turned out that it was the story behind Cinderella's slippers. Which sort of surprised me a little, though I was glad I wasn't reading something I'd read so many times before.
So, this is the story of Jo, an ordinary girl living in an ordinary world, where nothing out of the ordinary happens. Until the night of the ball, when she finds herself in the middle of the road, this weird crystal slipper just a few feet away from her. This was seriously one of the funniest moments in this book, and there were several, where I honestly laughed out loud at Jo's reasoning. Anyway, the fairy godmother sends Jo on a mission to return the slippers to their rightful owner. Little does Jo know that her path to the mysterious Lady of Ould would be full of unanticipated adventures that would take her further away from home.
I mostly liked the voice of this story. It was slightly ironic, and quite funny in certain places. But sometimes it was much too irritating. The inner dialogues of the characters were sometimes ridiculous and way too unrealistic. Some things were repeated numerous times and if I wasn't interested in the development of the story itself, I might've just abandoned the book altogether.
About the characters: I can't say they were oh so deep and all consuming. Umm, no. Sometimes they were just plain dull and shallow. They did have their sparkly moments, but on the most part they weren't anything spectacular.
What I did like about them however,was that they developed over time. Jo became more considerate and understanding; Ron became sure of himself and quite reasonable; Locke turned into a caring guy, ready to offer his services.
All in all, I liked the story, so the three stars are a very reasonable rating. I'd recommend this book to you if you're into fairy tales and such.
At first, I thought that "The Other Slipper" would be a retelling of Cinderella. But it turned out that it was the story behind Cinderella's slippers. Which sort of surprised me a little, though I was glad I wasn't reading something I'd read so many times before.
So, this is the story of Jo, an ordinary girl living in an ordinary world, where nothing out of the ordinary happens. Until the night of the ball, when she finds herself in the middle of the road, this weird crystal slipper just a few feet away from her. This was seriously one of the funniest moments in this book, and there were several, where I honestly laughed out loud at Jo's reasoning. Anyway, the fairy godmother sends Jo on a mission to return the slippers to their rightful owner. Little does Jo know that her path to the mysterious Lady of Ould would be full of unanticipated adventures that would take her further away from home.
I mostly liked the voice of this story. It was slightly ironic, and quite funny in certain places. But sometimes it was much too irritating. The inner dialogues of the characters were sometimes ridiculous and way too unrealistic. Some things were repeated numerous times and if I wasn't interested in the development of the story itself, I might've just abandoned the book altogether.
About the characters: I can't say they were oh so deep and all consuming. Umm, no. Sometimes they were just plain dull and shallow. They did have their sparkly moments, but on the most part they weren't anything spectacular.
What I did like about them however,was that they developed over time. Jo became more considerate and understanding; Ron became sure of himself and quite reasonable; Locke turned into a caring guy, ready to offer his services.
All in all, I liked the story, so the three stars are a very reasonable rating. I'd recommend this book to you if you're into fairy tales and such.
June 21, 2012
A very unique take on the Cinderella story that spins off in an unexpected direction. Cinderella, or Ella, is only a background character that disappears almost completely from the plot as the story goes on--and this is just fine. They story is about "the other slipper" after all. What if Cinderella lost, not only the slipper on the steps of the palace, but also the other slipper on the road as she rushed home?
The Other Slipper is in part a behind-the-scenes explanation of the glass slippers and Cinderella's fairy godmother (though not so fairy in this version), but more so the story of the girl who finds the other slipper, and her journey to the heart of the mess that started the whole fairy tale in the first place.
The pacing in this story is slow overall with many sentences and scenes that could have been made more concise to move the story along. I found myself frustrated with the main character's personality and internal dialogue. She complains so much and also didn't feel consistent to me in her emotions and actions. The point of view is third person, past tense, with the sense that it should be limited to the main character, but it jumps into the heads of many other characters with no transition or warning. ((I think things like this stand out to me because I've been to so many writing workshops!))
Aside from these things, the story line is clever and there are mysteries woven throughout which I was curious to see revealed. The conclusion is unexpected and really throws the doors open to the original fairy tale, and likewise, instills a great "what-if" of wonderment toward other traditional tales.
The Other Slipper is in part a behind-the-scenes explanation of the glass slippers and Cinderella's fairy godmother (though not so fairy in this version), but more so the story of the girl who finds the other slipper, and her journey to the heart of the mess that started the whole fairy tale in the first place.
The pacing in this story is slow overall with many sentences and scenes that could have been made more concise to move the story along. I found myself frustrated with the main character's personality and internal dialogue. She complains so much and also didn't feel consistent to me in her emotions and actions. The point of view is third person, past tense, with the sense that it should be limited to the main character, but it jumps into the heads of many other characters with no transition or warning. ((I think things like this stand out to me because I've been to so many writing workshops!))
Aside from these things, the story line is clever and there are mysteries woven throughout which I was curious to see revealed. The conclusion is unexpected and really throws the doors open to the original fairy tale, and likewise, instills a great "what-if" of wonderment toward other traditional tales.
February 7, 2016
Review on blog: The Other Slipper Review on Tumbling In Books
Well, don’t let the cover deceive you! Self-published books ought to get more attention. More credit! Sometimes, self-published books are better than the company-published(is that what they call it?) books. Intangible by J. Meyers and ReVamped by Ada Adams proved that.
The Other Slipper is more of a Cinderella twist than a Cinderella retelling. Instead, of focusing on Ella(yes, she’s Cinderella), The Other Slipper focused on Jo, one of the palace’s kitchen cleaner.
The main character Jo, sets off on a mission to return Ella’s glass slippers to the Lady of Ould. It’s the aftermath that she has to pay for picking up the slipper when Ella left it behind and ate the enchanted pumpkin that was once Ella’s carriage to the ball.
Jo isn’t a character who believes in magic, enchantments, illusions and stuff. Jo was an awkward teenage tomboy girl. Jo sets off to Ould with her brother, Ron and on their way fulfilling their mission, they met someone and soon, both of them found themselves thrusted into the world of illusions and enchantments.
The Other Slipper is more of a MG than YA. And I don’t usually read books that isn’t all swoony and cute but The Other Slipper just kept me going and going. The writing and story just keep getting better and better with every page. With each page my curiosity grows. The Other Slipper is definitely a page turner! People really ought to give this a try.
Well, don’t let the cover deceive you! Self-published books ought to get more attention. More credit! Sometimes, self-published books are better than the company-published(is that what they call it?) books. Intangible by J. Meyers and ReVamped by Ada Adams proved that.
The Other Slipper is more of a Cinderella twist than a Cinderella retelling. Instead, of focusing on Ella(yes, she’s Cinderella), The Other Slipper focused on Jo, one of the palace’s kitchen cleaner.
The main character Jo, sets off on a mission to return Ella’s glass slippers to the Lady of Ould. It’s the aftermath that she has to pay for picking up the slipper when Ella left it behind and ate the enchanted pumpkin that was once Ella’s carriage to the ball.
Jo isn’t a character who believes in magic, enchantments, illusions and stuff. Jo was an awkward teenage tomboy girl. Jo sets off to Ould with her brother, Ron and on their way fulfilling their mission, they met someone and soon, both of them found themselves thrusted into the world of illusions and enchantments.
The Other Slipper is more of a MG than YA. And I don’t usually read books that isn’t all swoony and cute but The Other Slipper just kept me going and going. The writing and story just keep getting better and better with every page. With each page my curiosity grows. The Other Slipper is definitely a page turner! People really ought to give this a try.
June 3, 2012
Long story short, this is an alternate story to Cinderella. What if the other glass slipper went missing? What if a not-so-ordinary girl found it? This event changed both lives forever. This book is about Jo, a girl who works at the palace where they’re making a ball where the prince may choose his bride. Sometimes she even dreams about having a life in the court. After the events that take place in the book, she may reconsider her wishes. ..
She has to travel to the kingdom of Ould to return the slippers to their rightful owner, the Lady of Ould. Jo makes this journey with Ron, her dreamer of a brother, and Locke, who at first is a stranger but you get to know and love him (and his cheeky grins) very much. :D In this journey, she learns a lot about herself, about her family and her companions. Somehow, she discovers her true self and her brother’s, and that’s really something! :)
I love a lot of things about this book. Every character has slight changes that you can recognize if you look closer. Also, the hints the author gives the reader about the events that take place are quite perfect to look for. I also enjoyed the fact that the protagonist wasn’t the only character that grew in the story. You get to know and actually get the actions and the points of view of the other characters and that’s one of the things I love in a book. We don’t get only to know Jo, we get to know both Locke and Ron.
Like I said earlier, it was really good and I can’t wait for the sequel… <3
She has to travel to the kingdom of Ould to return the slippers to their rightful owner, the Lady of Ould. Jo makes this journey with Ron, her dreamer of a brother, and Locke, who at first is a stranger but you get to know and love him (and his cheeky grins) very much. :D In this journey, she learns a lot about herself, about her family and her companions. Somehow, she discovers her true self and her brother’s, and that’s really something! :)
I love a lot of things about this book. Every character has slight changes that you can recognize if you look closer. Also, the hints the author gives the reader about the events that take place are quite perfect to look for. I also enjoyed the fact that the protagonist wasn’t the only character that grew in the story. You get to know and actually get the actions and the points of view of the other characters and that’s one of the things I love in a book. We don’t get only to know Jo, we get to know both Locke and Ron.
Like I said earlier, it was really good and I can’t wait for the sequel… <3
March 21, 2012
This was a fun, light, easy read and a creative twist on the Cinderella fairytale as told from the point of view of a palace servant girl after the famous ball. Jo's and Ron's journey to visit the Lady of Ould held my attention and kept me guessing as to what would happen next.
Speaking of Jo, I started out liking her at the beginning when she was shy, timid and awkward, but, as her journey progressed, she became very stubborn and nasty. I thought she was unnecessarily mean to Locke and couldn't really understand how his behaviour warranted such treatment from her. Sure, he might have acted a little smug at times, but his ultimate goal was to help her and Ron and yet she insisted on belittling his efforts every step of the way. She changed her attitude a bit at the end, which redeemed her somewhat in my eyes.
The ending was a bit anticlimatic. I guess I was expecting a little more drama and action, but it was all rather tame.
There were also some editing and grammatical errors, but, for the most part, the writing was quite well done. Although one thing that bothered me--and it's one of my pet peeves in other books as well--is the way the POV switched unexpectedly in places. The point of view started out mainly as Jo's, but somewhere in the middle of the book, it suddenly switched briefly to Ron or Locke and then back again to Jo.
All in all, a commendable effort from Ms. Udogu, and I would be more than willing to read more of her books in the future.
Speaking of Jo, I started out liking her at the beginning when she was shy, timid and awkward, but, as her journey progressed, she became very stubborn and nasty. I thought she was unnecessarily mean to Locke and couldn't really understand how his behaviour warranted such treatment from her. Sure, he might have acted a little smug at times, but his ultimate goal was to help her and Ron and yet she insisted on belittling his efforts every step of the way. She changed her attitude a bit at the end, which redeemed her somewhat in my eyes.
The ending was a bit anticlimatic. I guess I was expecting a little more drama and action, but it was all rather tame.
There were also some editing and grammatical errors, but, for the most part, the writing was quite well done. Although one thing that bothered me--and it's one of my pet peeves in other books as well--is the way the POV switched unexpectedly in places. The point of view started out mainly as Jo's, but somewhere in the middle of the book, it suddenly switched briefly to Ron or Locke and then back again to Jo.
All in all, a commendable effort from Ms. Udogu, and I would be more than willing to read more of her books in the future.
June 7, 2012
Originally posted at: Reviews A La Tiffany
This book was okay in my opinion. I don't know why I didn't love it, I guess I don't like many books written like a fairy tale retelling as I originally thought. The book was very, very slow. It picked up a bit on the journey to return the slipper to it's original owner, but it was still very slow.
One thing that I liked about this book was the characters. I loved Ron, he kind of reminded me of Ron from Harry Potter. I don't know maybe it was the name, but his character personality reminded me of J.K. Rowling's Ron. Onto Jo, she was kind of annoying, she was too stubborn. I like to think that there is a line between stubborn awesome and stubborn annoying and Jo crossed it. Locke was kind of boring.. he didn't really add much to the story. This is one of those books that I actually really loved the villain. Verne was a lot less one dimensional than the other characters.
In the end this was a okay read with just a few things that weren't that great. I don't like to write reviews like this, but this book was just a little bit hard to get through, I think that is why it took so long for me to read it.
This book was okay in my opinion. I don't know why I didn't love it, I guess I don't like many books written like a fairy tale retelling as I originally thought. The book was very, very slow. It picked up a bit on the journey to return the slipper to it's original owner, but it was still very slow.
One thing that I liked about this book was the characters. I loved Ron, he kind of reminded me of Ron from Harry Potter. I don't know maybe it was the name, but his character personality reminded me of J.K. Rowling's Ron. Onto Jo, she was kind of annoying, she was too stubborn. I like to think that there is a line between stubborn awesome and stubborn annoying and Jo crossed it. Locke was kind of boring.. he didn't really add much to the story. This is one of those books that I actually really loved the villain. Verne was a lot less one dimensional than the other characters.
In the end this was a okay read with just a few things that weren't that great. I don't like to write reviews like this, but this book was just a little bit hard to get through, I think that is why it took so long for me to read it.
July 26, 2012
I enjoyed The Other Slipper by Kenechi Udogu because it took a classic fairy tale and put a spin on it that had me guessing throughout the book. I love that Jo was an onlooker at the ball and that she ended up with one of the glass slippers that I have read about my whole life. The magical elements of the story will appeal to those who like fantasy. I think kids between third and eighth grade will fall into this book if they like fairy tales, wizards, and mystery. The three main characters are all different, so readers will be able to relate to one or more of them. It is so fun to read a book based on a story you know so well and to have surprises along the way. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading another book by this author.
February 5, 2013
This book was an interesting twist on the Cinderella story. I love this genre. However. The book just didn't grab and captivate me. It's not bad, and I did enjoy it. It just wasn't great.
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