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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Novel or self-help book?, May 31, 2010
This review is from: The Cinderella Society (Hardcover)
Jess Parker thought her worst problems were avoiding Lexy Steele's bullying and finding a friend. But when she is inducted as a member of the Cinderella Society, she learns about real problems. Sure, a fabulous makeover is part of the package, but catching the eye of her popular crush also invites stress about the real nature of their relationship. Then there's the fact that Jess isn't quite sure how to fit in with her new more popular friends. To top that off, as a Cindy, Jess is now involved in a battle against the Wickeds, girls who target and bully others. How is Jess supposed to prevail against the Wickeds when she can see herself being defeated so easily?
I suppose The Cinderella Society is a cute idea, but the problem with it is that it's too simplistic. In addition, all the fairytale and various goddess metaphors are misleading or ill-used. The Cinderella Society is supposed to be a hub for girl power, but as I recall, Cinderella wasn't exactly the most self-empowered woman. The naming of their enemies, the Wickeds, is rather generic, and I thought it unrealistic that a group of girls, no matter how mean, would ever call themselves that. Furthermore, the Wickeds' parent organization was named for Athena just because she is the goddess of war. Cassidy seemed to forget that Athena is also the goddess for wisdom and weaving, which isn't quite consistent with the Wickeds' message. The actual story is not very engaging; it involves a lot of shopping, wanting to go shopping, and freaking out about boys. Sometimes I wasn't sure if The Cinderella Society was a novel or a self-help book with all the empowering advice it was pushing. I mean, there's nothing wrong with loving the skin you're in, but its placement in this story made the entire thing rather unrealistic.
The Cinderella Society may be enjoyed by fans of the It's All About Us series by Shelley Adina.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and empowering!, April 13, 2010
This review is from: The Cinderella Society (Hardcover)
Jess Parker is a go-get-em type of person. She's always around to volunteer her time to worthy causes and charities, but when it comes to her social life, she flies under the radar. Her family is constantly moving, so she never really makes any friends. And when her family moves to her mom's hometown, Mt. Sterling, her social status plunges even farther due to Jess taking the meanest and one of the most popular girl's spots on the cheerleading team.
Bullied and miserable, Jess never expects an invite from one of the most exclusive secret societies, The Cinderella Society. But before she knows it, her fairy godmother of a cheerleading captain has transformed her from shabby to chic, and she's learning how to lead a more positive life. But it won't be easy--the Wickeds (including her archenemy) aren't about to let the Cindys win, nor are they above using regular, innocent people to do it.
Kay Cassidy's The Cinderella Society is a divine, delightful read that's just as much about empowering yourself and sticking up for what's right as it is about the romance and fun stuff. What makes this book so fun is the Cinderella Society, a secret group that is surprisingly extensive and super secretive, which is an element that will certainly attract readers who are also fans of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl's series. Cassidy also populates her book with realistic, down to earth characters, many who are popular and nice, and genuinely care about doing the right thing, not the latest designer item or the juiciest bit of gossip. These positive role models are a breath of fresh air, a relief from the numerous catty and snarky popular girls that tend to be popular in YA.
The message in this book is also genuine. Cassidy doesn't have any skewed perceptions of perfection, or tell readers you have to change yourself in order to be a better person; instead she focuses on showing readers that by being yourself and discovering who you want to be, you can become the best that you can be. Full of fun secrets and some surprising twists, The Cinderella Society is a novel about choices and their affects and about being positive and true.
Cover Comments: The cover is fun and pink and flirty, and it fits the title well, but not so much the book. Still, it is one that will stand out, and it works!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cute title, cute idea, but not sure if it was a cute delivery, March 20, 2011
This review is from: The Cinderella Society (Hardcover)
The message behind The Cinderella Society is a positive one that should be shared with all girls. It encourages self-esteem, character, love for self and others, and hard work with a promise of a happily-ever-after (boyfriend not included). While the concept for The Cinderella Society is attractive and undeniably wonderful, the characters and story left me wanting. I thought there was too much emphasis in the details of the Cinderella Society and not enough time spent on interactions between the characters to move the story along. I hope that the sequel will flesh out Jess and the other characters since the stage has been set.
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