Customer Reviews

Ella enchanted

5 star:		(1,007)
4 star:		(137)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Rarely does one find a children's book that is as potentially appealing to adults as it is to children. 'Ella Enchanted' kept me up at night till the wee hours of the morning--I wanted to see what would happen!

The first-person narrative is immediately endearing, capturing the personality of the main character in just a few lines. All the major characters are drawn and handled with care. My personal favorite was Ella's father--so heartless, yet so likable at the same time. Such a complex character rarely makes an appearance even in adult fiction.

The romance between Ella and Char made me laugh and sigh by turns. While a deep romance featuring a fifteen-year-old girl is not exactly believable, if one succeeds in suspending disbelief there is a beautiful depiction of the relationship, yet without ever becoming overdone or sappy.

I also liked the way Levine draws on elements from the original fairy tale while giving them a new twist--such as the obedience spell.

The only problem I had with this book were the occasional logical gaps that detracted somewhat from the plot's believability. Yet this is a minor detail, and one that I would probably not have noticed at age nine--which is, after all, the ideal age to read this book. But a teenager or an adult who is interested in fairy tale re-tellings should enjoy this hilarious new spin on 'Cinderella'.

Gail Carson Levineis the most brilliant and best author I have ever read, and everyone I know agrees! I guarentee that you'll love it. If you have never read this book, a quick summary: This book is another version of Cinderella, but the best version. Ella's much loved mother dies and her father is an unloving greedy merchant. Ella, her mother, and her cook Mandy (Ella's fairy god-mother) are the only ones who know about the spell of obedience put on Ella at her birth by Lucinda, a crazy fairy. Ella is sent of to finishing school with her evil soon to be step-sisters, but really wants to get rid of her evil spell. Her friendship with the prince, Char, grows throughout the book. There are a couple of parts that were really sad, but it ended up happy! I recommend this book to who ever I can, but mostly to 10-16 year old girls! This was the first (and favorite book) my sister read over 200 pages. If you are thinking of buying this for someone, please, buy it, you won't regret it!

This book was so cool! The first time I read it the beginning was a little confusing because of all of the introduced languages and stuff, so I thought that was kind of strange. But Ella is so well described by Gail Carson Levine that you can feel the emotions as she struggles to overcome her wicked stepsisters' commands. I was so mad when her stepsister took Ella's necklace after she found out about her curse. It was all very suspenseful in the middle when she was with the ogres and I rejoiced at the end when...well, you'll have to read it to find out. I loved to book so much! I'm reading it right now for the fourth time and all of my friends are interested in reading it and asked if they can borrow it. This book is so beautifully written and the characters in it come alive just like Agulen's masterpieces! I loved the elves and d the ogres and I soon found myself worrying over the ending - whether Ella would break the curse and if she would get her wish of being with Char. This book is so awesome and I'd recomend it to everyone - in fact, I already have!

Imagine the story of Cinderella and her awful step sisters. Ella Enchanted is about a girl named Ella who is extremely close with her mother. When her mother becomes ill and dies, Ella's father must come home to take care of her. The father is an evil man and gives any young child the chills to think how unfair he can be. The rest of the book is for you to find out. I recommend Ella Enchanted for girls in the age range of 10 and 12. It is a page- turning novel that you can sit down and read for hours. This book has mystery, love, and magic. I loved this novel because it always made me look forward to reading it. Also, I was amazed in how the author, Gail Carson Levine, turned a simple childish story into a enchanting novel.

At first I was not sure if I wanted to read Ella Enchanted. My friend told me so many time to read it but I thought it looked stupid. Then, my teacher started to read it to my class. I loved it SO much I went out, bought my own copy and finished it before my class. Ella Enchanted is about a girl who lives in the country of Frell, Ella. Ella is very close to her mother and her cook, Mandy. But also, Ella is cursed. When she was born, the horrid fairy Lucinda put this curse on her, and she is always obediant. I mean, if someone told her to never take her hand off her head, he hand would always be on her head. Likewise, if someone told her to slash herself through the heart, that she would have to do. So, this book is about Ella and her adventures to break the curse.

When i read this book, I couldn't put it down, litterally. I'm a school student, and i was spending my recess reading this book. I was also so moved by the ending, that I wanted to turn the page and keep on reading about their marrage and their children. I really think the author should write a second part to this book. It was the best book I've ever read in my entire life.

I think that this book is fantastic! I could read it 1,000 times and still want to read it again. Every time I finish reading it, I feel good. It's a wonderful version of the Cinderella story, yet it's got more adventure to it, more things happening than just being a slave, having evil stepsisters and going to balls.

When I first borrowed this book, it was purely to kill time. Little did I know that this book was to be one of the most interestiing, humorous and enchanting book I have ever read. Ella or Eleanor is the daughter of a shrewd but rich merchant. When she was a baby, a fairy, Lucinda, cast a silly obedience spell on her. Ever since, Ella had to obey every single command given, regardless whether or not it was appropriate, and most of the time, against Ella's wishes. Luckily, Ella grew up in a household which loved her dearly, espeacially her Mother and her cook cum fairy godmother, Mandy. However, after her Mother dies, her father, a man which had never cared much for Ella, decides to send her to finishing school. Much as Ella hated it, she had to obey. Worst of all, she could tell no one of the spell cast on her, a promise to her dying mother to prevent Ella from being exploited. From there on, she meets wicked and greedy step-sisters, a downright horrid step mother, some orgres and of course, her good friend turned loved one, Prince Charmont, as Ella ventures to find Lucinda to remove the silly obedient spell from her. This stories spans a few years as Ella struggles to maintain her dignity and wits while searching for a solution and sacrificing her own love and feelings for her Prince and her country, with hilaious results and touching scenes. This book is a definite must-read.

In a world filled with superfluous novels, ancient tomes, and convoluted texts aren't we all grateful for an amazing book that can be finished in one or two sittings? And when a marvelous book crosses your way that's less than 250 pages and captures your attention on every page, it is truly something out of the ordinary. In Gail Carson Levine's charming tale Ella Enchanted, the use of a confidante, the appeal of a rebel, and an atmosphere of the surreal coexisting with the real are effectively used to create a character and a story that are both appealing and engaging.
Ella is introduced immediately in the book who, as a baby, was cursed by a fairy with the "gift" of obedience. This curse forces her to do whatever somebody tells her. From a simple order of "hold this for me" to "jump up and down", Ella has absolutely no control once told to do a task. Throughout her constant dilemma though, Ella has a friend and confidante--Mandy. Mandy is Ella's cook and subsequently her fairy god mother. When Ella goes off to finishing school Mandy gives Ella a magic book that comforts Ella and keeps them connected. The character of Mandy offers Ella someone with whom she can confide in, a person whom Ella can truly convey all her heartfelt emotions and deepest thoughts. When Ella relates her fears of attending a finishing school, her feelings toward her step family, and her love for the prince, Ella's thoughts are revealed to be smart, funny, and charismatic- a character with whom the audience can connect. Through having a confidante, Ella is able to have an ally against all the evil that is going on around her. Mandy doesn't completely shield Ella from harm, but lets her deal with life independently coming to her aid when necessary, transforming Ella into an independent character yet also one who knows when she needs the assistance of others. Through having Mandy, the cook, be Ella's confidante, Ella's sensibility and good character are revealed as someone who transcends the normal societal bounds between a wealthy girl and the hired help. This attests to her unassuming and non-judgmental nature. The character and role that Mandy plays gives Ella an avenue to display her best qualities which truly captivates the reader, and makes the reader want to absorb further into the novel.
The book and consequently Ella are also engaging as it has the appeal of a rebel to obedience. The target audience, usually young to preteen girls are the chief individuals who have so many figures that they are forced to obey. Whether it is parents, teachers, older siblings or the popular crowd, there's a level of obedience that rules a girl's childhood and teenage years. Even adults have to answer to some line of command. Thus, the idea of rebelling and becoming one's own master has universal appeal. Ella's rebellion to her forced obedience also portrays a consistency of will. She becomes endearing to our eyes as the girl who never simply succumbs to her fate--rather works tirelessly to try and change it. Her rebellion to her obedience also attests to the excellence of this book as it creates a situational irony where the reader knows that she will have to obey and succumb, but they never stop wishing that maybe this time or maybe after this next order she will finally have the strength to break the curse. Her strength is present throughout the entirety of the novel and it is that drive that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat- constantly wishing that Ella will finally be able to, through force of will, be able to break the curse that has been laid upon her. Her resistance to her obedience also makes her an entertaining character, one who constantly surprises the reader by how willful she can be even after being put into the worst of circumstances. Ella is simply a fun character to read about and her rebellious nature helps to further establish the relationship the reader has with her and the entirety of the book.
The book is also appealing and Ella engaging as it portrays the atmosphere of the surreal or magical in coexistence with that of the real or every day. There is a general appeal to this by large audiences. One needs to look no further than the box office earnings of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to see that the general public is attracted to this sort of environment. The world enjoys a level of magic that can be seen as acceptable and usable along with the ordinary and mundane. Most people wish in some way to have a little bit of magic incorporated into their own lives, and wouldn't mind having magical powers or knowing someone who had the ability to control some form of magic. The use of the surreal in the real also adds a mystical aura that enchants the audience. By now, young girls and adults alike are used to living in a real world, accustomed to everyday disenchantments such as being told that Santa Claus and the tooth fairy do no not exist. In Ella's life, magical situations are still prevalent, and one is appealed to this prevalence as one wants to be able to hold on to some form of the impossible. It's the idea of enchantment- and the wish that it could be held onto forever. Through having the surreal represented equally with the real, the book is transformed into one of transcendence, one that is raised from the mundane and ordinary to a world where acceptance and understanding is given to all creatures- elves and giants, centaurs and gnomes. They are all joined into what is commonly accepted by society. It is a testament to the book that this acceptance of such a strange and marvelous world alongside a "normal one" is involuntary and automatically falls into and engages the mind of the reader.
Ella Enchanted is truly a "spellbinding" tale that is not only engaging but a fun and enjoyable quick read. Through Gail Carson Levine's masterful employment of the role of a confidante, one can truly understand Ella's inner thoughts and feelings. These feelings lead the reader to realize the depth of Ella's character. Ella's rebellious nature is also a quality that entertains and creates a bond between the reader and Ella. Through having a surreal and magical world displayed as coexisting with a normal society, the book is made even more entertaining and Ella is even more charming as both portray a level of acceptance and type of atmosphere that the audience wishes on some level could happen in their own lives. Ella Enchanted truly is enchanting tale, and though it is a short novel and takes little time to finish, you will want to read it again and again.

In this retelling of the Cinderella story, a girl named Ella works to remove a curse of obedience placed on her since birth. The story contains remarkable characters of every shape and kind. Speaking as one who's a fan of any book with a strong female at the story's helm, I couldn't help but be impressed that Levine made certain that her heroine, Ella, never become defined solely by her curse. All in all this novella is well written, if a bit too reliant on stereotypes. One such example involves the girls that eventually become Ella's step-sisters. You know that they are evil because they are fat and stupid. I had little difficulty disliking them when they were cruel, but at the same time it was hard not to object to the constant references to their eating. Apparently such gluttony is a sign of pure wickedness. Sorry, but aren't there ways to display evil in slightly more malicious ways? All in all I liked the story's moral and Ella's unique method of breaking the curse. Now with a potentially popular movie on the way, expect to be hearing a lot more about this little story as girls everywhere discover it.