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Ever After
A Cinderella Story
192 pages
A sweeping, nostalgic fairy tale retelling that champions kindness, wit, and the radical act of saving yourself.
What it feels like
Reading this novelization feels like wrapping yourself in a warm, nostalgic blanket. It captures the sweeping, cinematic romance of the beloved film while maintaining a brisk, accessible pace that makes it incredibly easy to devour in a single sitting. The mood is hopeful and triumphant, steeped in a historical fairy-tale atmosphere where wit and kindness are the ultimate weapons against cruelty. The prose is straightforward and dialogue-heavy, focusing on the sparkling chemistry between the leads and the heroine's journey toward self-actualization. It is a deeply comforting read that delights in its earnestness, perfect for anyone who loves a fiercely independent protagonist who does not wait around for a prince to rescue her.
- Mood
- sweeping
- hopeful
- fairytale-esque
- nostalgic
- Tone
- earnest
- romantic
- triumphant
- lighthearted
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- finding one's voice · overcoming cruelty with kindness · the power of self-rescue · destiny and choice
- The writing
- Accessible, cinematic, and straightforward, prioritizing dialogue and forward momentum over deep introspection.
- The arc
- Moves from the quiet endurance of grief and mistreatment to a joyful, empowered reclamation of self-worth and true love.
- Who it's for
- Readers looking for a comforting, nostalgic, and feminist spin on a classic fairy tale where the heroine saves herself.
Content notes
- parental death
- emotional abuse
- bullying
About the book
Based on the screenplay by Susannah Grant. A prince in search of a princess, a domineering baroness and her two daughters, and an orphaned servant girl who sleeps in the ashes by the fireplace....
By the time Danielle is eight years old, her mother and father have died and she has been left in the care of her new stepmother, the Baroness Rodmilla of Ghent. Twelve years later, the baroness and her two daughters have made Danielle their servant, giving her the nickname Cindersoot and ordering her every day to chop firewood, tend the grounds, and clean the manor house.
When Prince Henry of France begins a search for a wife, the baroness intends to make sure her beautiful daughter Marguerite becomes his bride. But when Danielle and the prince meet by chance one day, sparks fly. The baroness will do everything within her power to keep her servant from becoming the Queen of France.
Based on the classic story of Cinderella by Charles Perrault, Ever After is a historical romance that is certain to charm and delight modern readers.
Description from Open Library.
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