mildmaythecat (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mildmaythecat) wrote2012-05-24 07:58 pm
mildmaythecat) wrote2012-05-24 07:58 pm
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100 Things 七
It's apparently Fairytale Retelling Thursday over in emanga's corner, and now we go from Cinderella to Snow White:
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.
One-Sentence Review If You're Pressed For Time (Or Just Lazy): In a country where beauty is prized, Aza is considered hideous; her land is also one of singers, however, and her gorgeous voice (as well as her ability to "throw" it) makes her friends and enemies in high places--including the stunning new queen, Ivi, owner of a mysterious magic mirror.
Why It's Awesome: This book showcases pretty much everything Levine does so well. The worldbuilding is fascinating, even more so when you realize it's set in the same world (but a different country) as her more famous book Ella Enchanted. Ayortha is a pretty interesting place where people wave instead of clap and have a song for virtually everything; in fact, they sing half of what they say. There are folk songs and local games and customs galore, details that make the place seem very real.
Being a Disney geek and a fan of fairytales in general, my favorite thing to do when reading books like this is to try finding hints and references to the original story in the retelling. Fairest has plenty of those, from the obvious to the surprisingly subtle. As mentioned, it's also set in the same universe as Ella Enchanted, so there are a few references to that to keep the old fans happy--the main character is actually Areida's adoptive sister.
Which brings me to Aza, our heroine. While not a go-getter in the same way as Ella of Frell, Aza is still an interesting protagonist. She suffers from low self-esteem due to her unusual appearance, which has branded her as ugly her entire life. It's gratifying to watch her morph from meek and softspoken to more assertive and strong as the plot moves forward. You can't help but cheer her on.
And then there's Queen Ivi, ostensibly the main antagonist of the book. Get any image of Disney's wicked queen out of your head now; pretty much the only trait they share is vanity. Ivi is beautiful, makes an impression when she marries an Ayorthian king twice her age, and seemingly has no clue or inclination to care when it comes to local customs. Turns out her self-esteem is just as bad as that of Aza, whose lovely voice she covets. There are also two questions that keep you thinking throughout, one being the mystery of the magic mirror, and the other being the question of Aza's true parentage. Oh, and there are gnomes with a language that probably made the author's spellcheck cry tears of blood.
Okay, Fine, Here's The Downside: Remember what I said about Ayorthians singing half of what they say? Maybe half is an exaggeration, but there is still a lot of singing. This can be annoying at times ("JUST SPEAK LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING") or unintentionally funny ("Why is she putting vibrato into this dramatic monologue?"). Also Prince Ijori kind of annoys me, but princes never get good characterization in these things, so whatever.
And Now For Something Completely Different:
No One Does It Better (You Me At Six)
what do I do when I am so in love with you? I forgot what I wanted to say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVoNVekhk1k
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.
One-Sentence Review If You're Pressed For Time (Or Just Lazy): In a country where beauty is prized, Aza is considered hideous; her land is also one of singers, however, and her gorgeous voice (as well as her ability to "throw" it) makes her friends and enemies in high places--including the stunning new queen, Ivi, owner of a mysterious magic mirror.
Why It's Awesome: This book showcases pretty much everything Levine does so well. The worldbuilding is fascinating, even more so when you realize it's set in the same world (but a different country) as her more famous book Ella Enchanted. Ayortha is a pretty interesting place where people wave instead of clap and have a song for virtually everything; in fact, they sing half of what they say. There are folk songs and local games and customs galore, details that make the place seem very real.
Being a Disney geek and a fan of fairytales in general, my favorite thing to do when reading books like this is to try finding hints and references to the original story in the retelling. Fairest has plenty of those, from the obvious to the surprisingly subtle. As mentioned, it's also set in the same universe as Ella Enchanted, so there are a few references to that to keep the old fans happy--the main character is actually Areida's adoptive sister.
Which brings me to Aza, our heroine. While not a go-getter in the same way as Ella of Frell, Aza is still an interesting protagonist. She suffers from low self-esteem due to her unusual appearance, which has branded her as ugly her entire life. It's gratifying to watch her morph from meek and softspoken to more assertive and strong as the plot moves forward. You can't help but cheer her on.
And then there's Queen Ivi, ostensibly the main antagonist of the book. Get any image of Disney's wicked queen out of your head now; pretty much the only trait they share is vanity. Ivi is beautiful, makes an impression when she marries an Ayorthian king twice her age, and seemingly has no clue or inclination to care when it comes to local customs. Turns out her self-esteem is just as bad as that of Aza, whose lovely voice she covets. There are also two questions that keep you thinking throughout, one being the mystery of the magic mirror, and the other being the question of Aza's true parentage. Oh, and there are gnomes with a language that probably made the author's spellcheck cry tears of blood.
Okay, Fine, Here's The Downside: Remember what I said about Ayorthians singing half of what they say? Maybe half is an exaggeration, but there is still a lot of singing. This can be annoying at times ("JUST SPEAK LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING") or unintentionally funny ("Why is she putting vibrato into this dramatic monologue?"). Also Prince Ijori kind of annoys me, but princes never get good characterization in these things, so whatever.
And Now For Something Completely Different:
No One Does It Better (You Me At Six)
what do I do when I am so in love with you? I forgot what I wanted to say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVoNVekhk1k
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