Fairest in Into the Forest

Apr 25, 2013 Melanti rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, 2013, library, fairy-tales-folklore-and-mythology

All the way through this novel, I kept wanting to read Shinn's Summers at Castle Auburn. I'm not sure exactly what in this novel reminded me of that one -- maybe it's the poorer child being brought into a castle and becoming friends with a prince? Whatever it is, Fairest didn't fare well in comparison to that book.

Overall, it's a very shallow book, with thin character motivations and some serious plot holes and loose ends. Granted, the intended audience is middle school kids, so some shallowness ...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Gemma rated it really liked it

Shelves: i-own-it, retellings, fantasy

This one won't replace Ella Enchanted for me, but I loved it all the same.
Ms. Levine is doing another retelling here, this time of "Snow White", and again she's telling her story from a rather inventive angle. This book inspires more in-depth thinking than Ella does: What would you do to become "beautiful?" Several things are addressed here, such as how we view ourselves, how focused society is on appearances, what truly makes a person beautiful, and my personal favorite, how even mirrors tell l ...more

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Nov 06, 2010 Bitsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, fairy-tales

In this, very loose, retelling of Snow White Gail Carson Levine spins a tale set in the world of Ella Enchanted about a young girl with an amazing voice, and unamazing looks. Ava was abandoned at an inn when she was just a baby. The innkeeper took her and raised her as his own and she grew into an amazing singer but had to put up with people’s stares, slurs and abuse concerning her appearance which was not inline with what the kingdom thought of as beauty. She is often described as being ugly bu In this, very loose, retelling of Snow White Gail Carson Levine spins a tale set in the world of Ella Enchanted about a young girl with an amazing voice, and unamazing looks. Ava was abandoned at an inn when she was just a baby. The innkeeper took her and raised her as his own and she grew into an amazing singer but had to put up with people’s stares, slurs and abuse concerning her appearance which was not inline with what the kingdom thought of as beauty. She is often described as being ugly but when a more frank description is given their main complaints are that she is large, both tall and broad, and that her coloring is odd, having pale skin, dark hair and red lips.

Her voice overpowers all of that though and she is ultimately considered one of the best singers in the kingdom, and that matters very much in Ayortha the kingdom of singers, where people sing all day, every day. Singing is an intrinsic part of their culture, they have Sings and singing contests, and songs for every occasion. When, by chance, she is taken by a duchess to the King's wedding and the Queen overhears her singing she covets the voice for herself. Queen Ivi discovers that Ava can not just sing but can also use mimicry to mimic other people's voices and can throw her voice without moving her lips, a talent Ava calls illusing. Ivi threatens Ava's family unless the commoner uses her voice to replace the Queen's during major singing events so that, combined with the Queen's otherworldy beauty, the Queen could capture the hearts of her people.

When the King is injured the Queen comes into power and uses her new influence to create a dictatorship with Ava as the unwilling tool to help it come about. Things turn dire for the kingdom and ultimately Ava has a lot to learn as she chooses between the beauty she craves and the kingdom she loves.

I loved this book as I thought it had a lot of powerful messages about looks in a thin obsessed and beauty obsessed society. I loved how this heroine was not above saving herself when need be and also accepted help from others when she needed it, not too far one way or the other. I also liked having a prince that looks beyond skin deep when he falls in love. Highly recommended young adult novel that takes a fairy tale and spins it into something even a modern day teen can relate to without ever leaving its magical kingdom. ...more

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Jul 13, 2013 Andrea rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookcrossing, 2013-reads

Like Ella Enchanted, this isn't great literature, but it's a fun story and an interesting take on an old fairytale. I love that Levine has placed the two tales in the same world and that there are a few connections, even though the stories aren't directly related. ...more

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