Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
by Gregory Maguire
reviewed by Melissa Bautista
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire, the same author of the popular book, Wicked, is a fairy tale written about the “lesser known” backstory of Cinderella’s step-sisters. The delightful novel focuses on Iris, the younger of the two step-sisters, but the wittier. Though set in omniscient third person, Maguire’s choice in focusing on Iris throughout the book enforced his theme of always having another side to a story, which is prominent in his other books.
Gregory Maguire keeps his reader interested by using descriptive words and phrases to create an image of events or places in the book. For example, when Iris saw tulips for the first time, Maguire details them so clearly, writing, “The flowers are bright and intensely colored, a maroon -red shade striped with white. Richer than cloth, as rich as light.” (p. 72, Gregory Maguire) The reader can picture them as if they were a real memory. Placing these moments of explicit descriptions creates a magnificent story that entertains the mind.
In short, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is an enticing and thought provoking fairy tale following the clever, but “painfully plain” (p.50, Maguire) Iris Fisher, her mentally challenged sister, Ruth Fisher, and the strikingly beautiful changeling, Clara van den Meer. Together, they provide an interesting twist to the classic Cinderella story. From the charismatic characters to the interesting plot line, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a book I’d recommend to any reader who likes Cinderella and Wicked.
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
by Gregory Maguire
reviewed by Marta Maynes
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire is a tale about life, love, and adaptation. As a clever retelling of the age-old story “Cinderella”, Maguire weaves ideas and obstacles from the book we grew up reading into her own story. Although there is no magic, fairy godmothers, or glass slippers, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is sure to grab readers’ attention and strike them with nostalgia from their youth.
Maguire’s novel is set in the perspective of the “ugly stepsister”, Iris. Iris’ mother, Margarethe, and sister, Ruth, escape from England and venture to Holland. They arrive in Holland indignant and are left to scrounge the streets for morsels to tide their hunger. They soon meet the Master who agrees to let them stay if they work for him. After staying with the Master, Iris, Ruth, and Margarethe take residence with the Van den Meer family. After serious problems occur within the household, and Mrs.Van den Meer dies, Margarethe becomes the mother to a beautiful teenage girl, Clara. Because of the death of Clara’s mother, the status of the family greatly decreases, and the fortitude of the girls is put to the test. With a promising ball approaching, will one of the girls be able to marry the Prince and regain stability for the family?
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a realistic fable that ties life and love together and empowers women to overcome the hardships they endure.
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
by Gregory Maguire
reviewed by Daniela Gurrola
Gregory Maguire’s novel, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, tells the story of Iris, Ruth, and Clara. Maguire puts a twist on the story of Cinderella, making it more realistic and darker. The main protagonist, Iris, although intelligent, lacks physical beauty. Mentally challenged Ruth burdens her mother, Margarethe. Clara, Iris and Ruth’s newly acquired stepsister, is exceedingly beautiful; however, she does not possess proper manners whatsoever. The story begins with Margarethe, Ruth, and Iris escaping from England and moving to Holland, with no wealth or connections. They then meet the Master and his apprentice, Caspar. After staying with them for some time, Iris, Margarethe, and Ruth become residents of the Van den Meer Household, where Clara resides. At first they do not get along, but Iris, Ruth, and Clara become closer once they begin speaking and spending time with one another. Life in the Van den Meer household worsens when numerous problems begin occurring. These problems force Margarethe to take drastic measures. She becomes Clara’s new mother after Clara’s mother passes away, which Clara does not approve of and the wealth of the household diminishes greatly. In order to secure the family, one of the three girls must marry the prince. Luckily, a ball has been announced and they have a chance to save their family. Overall, this novel contains obstacles, paintings, and magic that cannot be explained in one paragraph. One must read this breath-taking book to find out the truth of “Cinderella’s” story.
