I thoroughly enjoyed the book, Just Ella by: Margaret Peterson Haddix. It is about a girl, named Ella. She has a tough life and doesn’t want to be in this whole “prince charming, love story, fairy tale” type thing. She yearns for the life she once had with her father. She was living with her father when you know the story, she gets a step mom, dad dies, lives in misery cleaning the mansion, fairy comes, poof pretty dress, dances at the ball, loses her shoe, prince comes with shoe, and marriage. Now she lives in a castle with loads of lessons and no time alone with her prince charming. That’s what they don’t tell you.
After one of her dreary lessons had ended abruptly by the instructor collapsing. Ella had been running around and about the castle trying to find someone to help her. She found a little girl named Mary. She told Mary of the happening and Mary ran for help. Ella is never told why the instructor collapsed, until Mary told her the reason. He was ill and had been getting better when he collapsed, he is now recovering fully.
After the instructor had been gone for a while, a new instructor got sent in. his name was Jed, and Ella found her self talking very easily to Jed and finding herself farther away from Prince Charming. Ella talked to Jed more and more and Prince Charming less and less. Pretty soon Ella didn’t know if she even loved Prince Charming anymore.
Ella is the true reason I loved this book. She gives the book spice, passion, and from the real Cinderella, she has more attitude, like me. I also loved this book because; it was a nice twist from the original story.
She tells the story of how the ball really happened and how she got the slippers and the shoes. I think the realistic version of the story was very nice and a great break from magical fairy made things. I mean Let’s not pretend that glass slippers are just like clear bunny slippers shall we? Yes, glass hurts your feet, it’s true. Dresses don’t appear out of thin air either nor do coaches. If you want to know how the ball really happened and how she got the slippers and the shoes. If you want to read the real story, it’s in Just Ella.
When you feel like curling up with a good book some hot chocolate or tea or maybe even coffee and sitting for a while. Pick up Just Ella and Plan on not hearing anyone while you’re absorbed in the wording and truthfulness written by Margaret Peterson Haddix.