Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (largely a comparison with the movie adaptation, I fear)

Ella of Frell is a normal girl who lives in a normal fairy tale kingdom.  There are ogres, fairies, gnomes, dwarves, elves, terrible people just waiting to be evil stepmothers and stepsisters, and, of course a handsome prince, Charmont, who will soon need a bride.  It's also, unfortunately, cursed with Lucinda, a fairy who gives out horrible gifts that ruin lives, but who is also too powerful for anyone to stop.  Lucinda's gift to Ella was obedience.  No matter what the order is, if Ella is directly told to do something, verbally or in writing, no matter how cruelly or kindly it's meant, she has to do it.

I've seen the movie adaptation with Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy.  A few times.  It isn't the world's best movie, but it's solid fun.  Mock me if you will, but I also love the song and  dance numbers.  The movie, however, pretty much rewrites the entire thing as an adventure, with the confident, collected, driven Ella and her extremely modern sensibilities showing the stuffy but kind and chivalrous prince the beauty of equal rights for all.  (Hey, for two hours, my inner thirteen-year-old thinks it's just great.)  In the movie, the curse is shown to be an inconvenience, and a horrible way to live, but all in all, Ella's life isn't that bad.  In comparison, at least.

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Anyone have opinions on Levine's other books?  I first noticed her when I saw her new book, Ever, st the bookstore, but considering how cruel (in all the best ways) she was to her main character in Ella Enchanted, I almost fear what she'll do in a romancve between a god and a mortal.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (largely a comparison with the movie adaptation, I fear)

Ella of Frell is a normal girl who lives in a normal fairy tale kingdom.  There are ogres, fairies, gnomes, dwarves, elves, terrible people just waiting to be evil stepmothers and stepsisters, and, of course a handsome prince, Charmont, who will soon need a bride.  It's also, unfortunately, cursed with Lucinda, a fairy who gives out horrible gifts that ruin lives, but who is also too powerful for anyone to stop.  Lucinda's gift to Ella was obedience.  No matter what the order is, if Ella is directly told to do something, verbally or in writing, no matter how cruelly or kindly it's meant, she has to do it.

I've seen the movie adaptation with Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy.  A few times.  It isn't the world's best movie, but it's solid fun.  Mock me if you will, but I also love the song and  dance numbers.  The movie, however, pretty much rewrites the entire thing as an adventure, with the confident, collected, driven Ella and her extremely modern sensibilities showing the stuffy but kind and chivalrous prince the beauty of equal rights for all.  (Hey, for two hours, my inner thirteen-year-old thinks it's just great.)  In the movie, the curse is shown to be an inconvenience, and a horrible way to live, but all in all, Ella's life isn't that bad.  In comparison, at least.

( more )

Anyone have opinions on Levine's other books?  I first noticed her when I saw her new book, Ever, st the bookstore, but considering how cruel (in all the best ways) she was to her main character in Ella Enchanted, I almost fear what she'll do in a romancve between a god and a mortal.

Magic Knight Rayearth vol 1

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are eighth graders from different schools who are all on field trips to Tokyo Tower when the ground suddenly opens up beneath them, and they find themselves in a world with floating landmasses, saved from a free fall by a flying fish. After introducing themselves, they meet Guru Clef, a 745-year-old who looks like a 10-year-old that they are the legendary Magic Knights and have been summoned to that world, whose magic works on belief, by Princess Emeraude to save the world from a very familiar looking evil magician whose name I forgot. I do not make this up. This is why people save icons going “manga=crack.”

The book has an extreme RPG feel to it, which is only emphasized by Fuu’s constantly pointing it out, such as commenting that it’s strange to be given weapons when you usually have to pay for them. This is just before they learn they have to collect the minerals for their weapons themselves by going on a mission no one has ever survived. So far, Fuu seems to be our info girl, always piping up with every bit of RPG trivia ever. She’s very nice and polite, but I’m not sure how bright she is outside of her geekhood. Hikaru seems to be a normal 90s Magical Girl Shoujo Manga heroine-tiny and a bit tomboyish and energetic and a real go-getter, but not borderline rabid, like, say, Miaka. She also saves herself by accomplishing things and figuring them out. Umi seems to be the sane one, and is properly freaking out over things that need to be freaked out over. There’s also the original Mokona, which, so far, is neither cute nor annoying, just kind of there.

The characters are also amazingly prone to turning chibi, and I mean at everything. Not even Wallflower or Skip-Beat likes chibi characters as much, I don’t think. But it manages to be more cute than annoying. I’m not completely sure about this one yet. While fun, it is rather normal Macgical Girl Shoujo so far, but I’m interested in seeing where it goes. Also, I must read it to spot the references in Tsubasa and xxxHolic. Clamp has properly brainwashed me.

Even though it’s been out for years, and I’m not sure when I’ll get/read the rest, please don’t spoil me. 

Magic Knight Rayearth vol 1

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are eighth graders from different schools who are all on field trips to Tokyo Tower when the ground suddenly opens up beneath them, and they find themselves in a world with floating landmasses, saved from a free fall by a flying fish. After introducing themselves, they meet Guru Clef, a 745-year-old who looks like a 10-year-old that they are the legendary Magic Knights and have been summoned to that world, whose magic works on belief, by Princess Emeraude to save the world from a very familiar looking evil magician whose name I forgot. I do not make this up. This is why people save icons going “manga=crack.”

The book has an extreme RPG feel to it, which is only emphasized by Fuu’s constantly pointing it out, such as commenting that it’s strange to be given weapons when you usually have to pay for them. This is just before they learn they have to collect the minerals for their weapons themselves by going on a mission no one has ever survived. So far, Fuu seems to be our info girl, always piping up with every bit of RPG trivia ever. She’s very nice and polite, but I’m not sure how bright she is outside of her geekhood. Hikaru seems to be a normal 90s Magical Girl Shoujo Manga heroine-tiny and a bit tomboyish and energetic and a real go-getter, but not borderline rabid, like, say, Miaka. She also saves herself by accomplishing things and figuring them out. Umi seems to be the sane one, and is properly freaking out over things that need to be freaked out over. There’s also the original Mokona, which, so far, is neither cute nor annoying, just kind of there.

The characters are also amazingly prone to turning chibi, and I mean at everything. Not even Wallflower or Skip-Beat likes chibi characters as much, I don’t think. But it manages to be more cute than annoying. I’m not completely sure about this one yet. While fun, it is rather normal Macgical Girl Shoujo so far, but I’m interested in seeing where it goes. Also, I must read it to spot the references in Tsubasa and xxxHolic. Clamp has properly brainwashed me.

Even though it’s been out for years, and I’m not sure when I’ll get/read the rest, please don’t spoil me. 

Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

Sandry is a young noblewoman who was recently orphaned, and sent to Winding Circle community for her education.  Briar is a street rat on his third strike who is given the choice of the monks of Winding Circle, or the docks.  Tris is a merchant's daughter who is followed around by freak events of nature.  Daja is a young trader turned outcast because of her fascination with metalcraft.  Before long, each does something to cross the other students and teachers at Winding Cross, and gets sent to a house called Discipline, where they live together under the watchful eyes of a handful of teachers with specializations in different areas.

The book was good, and I like the whole "problem kids forced to work together who become friends" trope, especially when, as here, it's eventually revealed that there was another purpose in bringing them together.  I like Sandry.  A lot.  I'm glad that the wellbred noble girl wasn't made to be rude or bitchy or shallow or dumb, but smart and nice, and the emotional center.  I like Briar, though I suspect at least part of that is because he used to be a street rat, and still thinks in the context of street gangs.  I don't particularly like Tris and Daja.  I don't dislike them, but I don't really like them, either.  Both are of the "needed and well off working class young character with pride who doesn't get along with others" character type.  Though I usually grow to like the character type (once they get over not liking everyone and wallowing in self-pity) a series really only needs one of that type, not two.  Hopefully, they'll grow apart in characterization as the series continues.

Also, even though she's the titular character, Sandry isn't much more prominent than the other three.  Even though each of them is a titular character in subsequent books, I hope they remain ensemble books, instead of focusing on the title character.  Otherwise, I'll likely get distracted by being annoyed that my favorite character (so far) didn't get to be the main focus of her book.

Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

Sandry is a young noblewoman who was recently orphaned, and sent to Winding Circle community for her education.  Briar is a street rat on his third strike who is given the choice of the monks of Winding Circle, or the docks.  Tris is a merchant's daughter who is followed around by freak events of nature.  Daja is a young trader turned outcast because of her fascination with metalcraft.  Before long, each does something to cross the other students and teachers at Winding Cross, and gets sent to a house called Discipline, where they live together under the watchful eyes of a handful of teachers with specializations in different areas.

The book was good, and I like the whole "problem kids forced to work together who become friends" trope, especially when, as here, it's eventually revealed that there was another purpose in bringing them together.  I like Sandry.  A lot.  I'm glad that the wellbred noble girl wasn't made to be rude or bitchy or shallow or dumb, but smart and nice, and the emotional center.  I like Briar, though I suspect at least part of that is because he used to be a street rat, and still thinks in the context of street gangs.  I don't particularly like Tris and Daja.  I don't dislike them, but I don't really like them, either.  Both are of the "needed and well off working class young character with pride who doesn't get along with others" character type.  Though I usually grow to like the character type (once they get over not liking everyone and wallowing in self-pity) a series really only needs one of that type, not two.  Hopefully, they'll grow apart in characterization as the series continues.

Also, even though she's the titular character, Sandry isn't much more prominent than the other three.  Even though each of them is a titular character in subsequent books, I hope they remain ensemble books, instead of focusing on the title character.  Otherwise, I'll likely get distracted by being annoyed that my favorite character (so far) didn't get to be the main focus of her book.