Review: Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget. (Goodreads)

My Thought

When someone mentions Cinderella, I will straightly remember about her wicked step mother and sisters, a fairy godmother, the glass shoes, a great ball, and a prince charming with his castle. It is so easy to retell the story. But when I saw Cinder and Ella, I got no clue. I wondered what the author brought to the surface. How much it was related to the original story was the main question.

In the beginning Mellisa Lemon, the author, has warned the reader that in Cinder and Ella, there would not be any fairy godmother who could grant any wishes. There was not any prince charming. She told us to left the entire tale behind. Cinder and Ella brought a different story. It’s about two sisters who used to have a happy life with their parents and two other sisters in Willow Top. But everything changed when the prince came and met their father. Few days after, their father disappeared. A comfortable dwelling suddenly turned into hell. Quarrelling between the siblings happened almost everyday. Nasty words were in the air. Two of them just could not stop screaming or whining. If Katrina was the most demanding, Beatrice, the youngest, become much more spoiled. Adelle, their mother did not do anything but sat at an spinning wheel. She could no longer care her four daughters. So all things related to household was run by the remaining one, Cinder and Ella.

Cinder did everything without any complaint. Ella, herself, stayed in the house because Cinder was there. So when her sister decided to work at castle to get more money for the family, Ella chose to leave the house. Because she found no more reason to stay with her family who has totally forgotten her. After sometimes, the destiny brought Ella to the castle. Not only met Cinder, but she also found some revealed facts about her long lost father. She had nothing with her but she knew that she had to move fast or the evil prince would win everything.

The idea in Cinder and Ella was unique. I like the adventure inside. Almost all characters were  interesting.  Ella was my favorite. Her strength made me like her. Although they were so annoying, Katrina and Beatrice played a good role. Some knights were also in a great shape. The plain Cinder even took a part that made this book become special.

However I did not enjoy all of the part of the story.  I almost lost my interest in the end of the book. Especially when it connected to the vicious prince. I was glad that  I was not lost and could finish the book. But I still recommend this book to anyone.

Cover

If you have read the book, you will understand why they put the tree in the front. But I wish I could see Cinder or Ella, even both of them. 

3/5

Author: Mellisa Lemon| Facebook fan page | Twitter |  Blog |  Goodreads

Paperback: 208 pages

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (November 8, 2011)
Language: English  
ISBN-10: 1599559064
ISBN-13: 978-1599559063  
Source: Net Galley
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