Book One: Ella Enchanted

A book from my childhood.

I remember reading Ella Enchanted for the first time. I can't remember my age (third grade?), but I remember sneaking the book out of my sisters bedroom (it belonged to her) and hiding it under my pillow to read at night. Once the rest of my family went to sleep I would read it. Obviously it wasn't worth the risk to just ask my sister if I could borrow the book to read. Besides, staying up to read a book in secret was part of the fun. 

Incase any readers have not read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine or seen the movie (which is nothing like the book) here is a brief/quick synopsis. Don't worry I won't include any spoilers.

Ella Enchanted is an untraditional retelling of the classic fairytale Cinderella. However this Cinderella has a twist. The heroine of our story, Ella, was given the gift/cruse by the fairy Lucinda to always be obedient. The result of the curse is that Ella must obey every command that is given to her despite any harm it might cause to herself or to others. 

There are many reasons why Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite books. I definitely encourage everyone to read it. If readers love a book thats is a page turner, has wit, cleverness, magic, friendship and happily ever afters, than Ella Enchanted is the perfect book. For starters, this book is filled with great role models for young girls. Ella is not the typical fairytale, good princess who sits around and waits for the handsome prince to take charge and save the day. The novel is narrated in Ella's voice, so it is easy to see how strong her character is. Ella is a real, live and spunky character. Her personality is rebellious yet down-to-earth. She uses her playfulness to endure the torment and abuse she receives from her step family. Mandy relates to the mother like figure in everyone's lives. She is caring, bossy, wise, and motherly. Prince Char is goodhearted and charming (of coarse).

In addition to the lovable characters, Levine created an authentic, magical, and compelling world with in the pages of Ella Enchanted. Levine paints a vivid picture of magical land where magical creatures live (elves, giants, centaurs, and gnomes). She also gives the reader a vivid description of the different languages spoken by each creature, or a detailed description of customs of each magical creature. An example is, the reader receives background knowledge on the customs and ceremony of a giant's wedding. After completing the book, the reader feels as if he/she has just returned from vacationing from the magical land of Kyrria. The readers are satisfied when Levine has beautifully brought the story a close. And they all lived happily ever after.

For each book I read and blog about I am going to pick one or some of my favorite lines from the book. I will discuss why I liked, disliked, or how I interpreted the line.

For Ella Enchanted my favorite lines were written in Ella's words in a letter addressed to Char. Char confined in his friendship with Ella about a mistake he has once made. A mistake he fears makes him not a worthy future king.

Ella's words read: "Mandy says there are two sorts of people in the world: those who blame everyone else and those who blame only themselves. I place myself in the third category: among those who know where the blame really lies."

As a child this line really had no affect on me and I continued reading without thinking twice. As I got older I stopped to ponder Ella's words. I was surprised by how much truth I found in a children's book. We are all human and we fear of things that make us weak. I feel that many adults struggle with pointing fingers to dodge the blame for their own actions. It is simpler than coming to terms with where to blame really lies. Which in some cases is with themselves. Then there are the people who always feels as if they are never good enough and only ridicule and blame themselves. That if only they would have done something different in a situation the outcome would have been altered. Some people feel obligated to take the blame for others. They feel that it is their duty to watch after others. And when something bad happens they had failed their responsibility. Everyone becomes a victim of each type of blaming at one point or another. After reading Ella's letter to Char I want to strive to be placed in Ella's third category. To know where the blame really lies. Whether is it lies with myself or another.

Some stories stay with you forever. Here I am. Twenty years old still staying up at night to finish Ella Enchanted. When I am fifty I will still read it. When I can no longer read from failing eye sight and old age someone will read it aloud to me . "I am to old for fairytales" will never be words I will say. 

As Ella would say: "Iqkwo pwach brzzay ufedjeE." Which translates as "until we dig again" in Gnomic.