Customer Reviews

Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story

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4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The cover of this book and suggestion of a Cinderella story will lure you in to a false expectation of a romantic fantasy with Disneyesque qualities. No spoilers here, but if that is what you are looking for, you'd do well to look elsewhere. Perhaps it's my own fault for not researching further into what I was reading, but I was immediately taken by the quality of this author's writing style. I kept turning every page, and my own false hopes for a happy ending were dashed.

However, for what it is, Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story is a novel well-worth your time and interest. Brava, Carolyn Turgeon!

Plot Summary: The fairy Lil failed in her duty to get Cinderella to the ball, so the elders banished her to earth in the body of an old woman. The only trace of Lil's former glory is a pair of snow-white wings that she straps down with an Ace bandage. She lives in a tiny, broken down apartment in NYC, and works at a used bookstore owned by an absent-minded wealthy guy. When a vibrant young hair stylist comes in to sell some books, Lil sees a cosmic opportunity to make things right, and play matchmaker between Veronica and her boss, George. Lil is convinced that if this couple finds love at the charity ball, then she'll be allowed to return to her fairy home.

The story flowed beautifully for the first half of the book, but the second half twisted in upon itself several times, and I'm no longer sure what it was about. I thought this would be a straightforward fantasy sweetened with romance, but now I wonder if the entire story was nothing more than dementia punching holes in the soft brain of an old, tormented woman.

This is one of those books that leaves the interpretation up to the reader, and for some reason I'm leaning toward the darker path. Somehow this fantasy persuaded me to turn my back on the magic, which is the last thing I want to do. Was Lil a fallen fairy, or a mortal woman trapped by mental illness? Since this story is told in a first person narrative, I have no one's word but Lil's. It's like listening to my three-year-old insist that she didn't color on the bathroom door, but the evidence and logic are overwhelming (I still need to clean that door, *sigh*).

Lil's fall from grace happened on the night when Cinderella was supposed to meet her Prince at the ball, some 300 years in the past. The flashbacks become progressively more disturbing, until it reaches a conclusion that no little girl wants to contemplate. To balance these bitter memories, Lil latches onto Veronica, whose passionate, creative, larger-than-life personality makes her appealing to anyone who breathes. I didn't really see the match between vibrant Veronica and the lifeless George, and it's a pity that his character wasn't fleshed out more.

This was stranger, darker, and more confusing than I had anticipated, but there were flashes of beauty that almost seemed fay.

Unlike many of the reinvented fairy tale novels published recently, Turgeon's Godmother isn't aimed at young adult readers, but adult readers, with its edgier and more enigmatic handling of the content. It reminded me more of Gregory Maguire's work in the genre than any other author's although Donna Jo Napoli and several short story authors have lots of sharp corners in their stories, too. I found myself thinking about Napoli's masterpiece "The Magic Circle" every so often while reading this novel since both offer similar themes of older women seeking redemption from past mistakes.

Godmother is the story of Cinderella's godmother, banished to the mortal world after her bad handling of Cinderella and the prince. This godmother, Lil, barely resembles the usual fairy godmother imagery. She is not a benevolent, rather flighty, bringer of good fortune. Well, at times, yes, she is, but not in the expected ways. Lil is bereft from her losses and lonely although blessed with friends and people who care about her in the mortal world. Now that she is banished, stuck living in New York City and working in a small rare bookstore, she desperately wants to return home. She is desperately trying to re-earn her wings to borrow the cliché of angels. She finds a new woman, Vivian, she hopes to help and thus redeem herself. The story unfolds, mixed with flashbacks to 300 years earlier when she first tried to help Cinderella win her prince.

There are a few surprises and twists and an ending that will most likely either satisfy or frustrate the reader. This book explores the psychological side of the character while still telling an interesting story. It's a fairly easy read, not an overly heavy or long one--it's considerably shorter than anything by the above mentioned Maguire, for one thing. I'm still digesting it, not adoring it, but enjoying it all the same, more intrigued than anything.

So yes, I recommend it. I admit the book sat on my stack of "to be read" books (always an overwhelming stack) for a while since the reviews had been mixed and I was reluctant. Consequently, I ended up liking the book much more than I expected to. If the subject and themes interest you, try it and don't put it down until the end which will hopefully make it all worthwhile for you.

Carolyn Turgeon's "Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story" is a magical and very original novel that turns the conventional tale of the much abused Cinderella, her wicked stepmother, evil stepsisters, prince charming, etc., upside-down. The heroine here is the girl's Fairy Godmother, Lil.

In another time and place, Lil was a beautiful fairy - "a perfect creature." She, her sister Maybeth, and their friends Gladys and Lucibell flitted and floated through their days, filled with eternal sunshine, to the lake, to sleep and play among the water lilies. And in the evenings, they would fly, their wings whirring beneath the moon, with starlight reflecting their tiny images on the water. Lil, in her human form, had auburn hair, the color of fall leaves, lovely milk-white skin and emerald-color eyes. There was one major difference, however, that distinguished Lil's anatomy from the others of her kind. Her wings were not like the delicate wings of hummingbirds or butterflies. To mark her special "sensitivity," she was given wings made of feathers, beautiful silken white feathers. She was made "different" because she had been chosen by the elders for a special mission. A mission that was her future and her fate.

Lil was to cross over to the kingdom of humans to make Cinderella a queen. This is the very same Cinderella of folklore that we are all familiar with...with a few minor but important changes. Our Cinderella is a human being who experiences a real person's feelings, longings, and pain - not a cartoon character. She is very lovely, and possesses extraordinary glamour, which she is not aware of. Cinderella also does not know that she is half-fairy. And, Godmother Lil certainly does not sing, "Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo." Her magic is much more subtle. Handsome Prince Theodore is planning to throw a ball, and it is the Godmother's job to make sure Cinderella attends, at which point destiny will take over, the Prince will fall in love with her, and visa versa. Then the couple will wed. Voila! Cinderella will be queen. Mission accomplished! But the author's version is...well...different. The Godmother winds up going to the ball in human guise, leaving Cinderella behind, and is expelled from the kingdom of fairies for her transgression.

In the real world, (not fairyland), at the present time, Lil is an old woman with "wrinkled, hanging skin, dull white hair that spirals out of control, and sunken dark eyes." She hates catching a surprise glimpse of herself in a mirror, "this is not who I am," she thinks on these occasions. She resides in New York City, and every evening, after work, she walks home to "undress, unwrap the bandages from around her chest, and draw a bath. She pours in a mixture of herbs...eucalyptus and wintergreen oils, rosemary and thyme, and dried mustard." As the warmth seeps into her skin, her wings unfurl.

Daedalus Books, a kind of magical bookstore, is Lil's place of employment, and probably her favorite hang-out. The bookstore is owned by George, and generations of his family before him. He is a handsome, young man, recently divorced, quiet, with a love of books, rare and otherwise. An old, ornate copy of "Cinderella" is his favorite. It is Lil's also. On the books fly leaf someone had scribbled, "Tous mes anciens amours me revenir." The English translation is, "All my loves will be returned to me." This is a theme which echoes throughout the novel.

When a vivacious, eccentric, red-head from the east Village walks into the store one day, and shows Lil a book about the Cottingley Fairies, the old woman sees a chance to redeem herself and perhaps earn her right to return home...a place she has longed for over a period of three centuries.

The narrative switches back and forth between the magical world of Cinderella, and the busy streets of the Big Apple. I love Carolyn Turgeon's lyrical descriptions of the beauty, light and lush colors of the fairy world. However, as a New Yorker, I must say her detailed portrayal of the city, its streets and neighborhoods, are lovingly composed, and describe my hometown better than many other writers have - and that's a major accomplishment! There is also a psychological component, important to the storyline, and the author uses this very effectively to give her characters, especially Lil, more depth.

Make no mistake, this is not a tale full of sweetness and light. There are some real surprises here, especially at the end. However, I like "edgy," and always preferred the Brothers Grimm to Walt Disney. What a terrific and most curious read!!
Jana Perskie

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister: A Novel
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Harper Fiction)
The Eyre Affair
The Solitaire Mystery: a novel about family and destiny

Ok. There are plenty reviews on here but I've just got to say the obvious which is: WHAT THE HECK?! The moments of beauty in this book were nothing short of rhapsodic. All the way through I was honestly enchanted, mesmorized, lost in ways you just can't get lost in fairy tales anymore. And then, it all came to a crashing halt. This book is marketed and packaged designed to lure the reader in promising one kind of story and delivering another. Instead, this is a bait and switch. Art? Maybe. But I don't care. It was so intrinsically beautiful on the surface, adressing the premise, I can't help but wonder what would have been created if she would have had the courage to see it all the way through. I have never been so hypnotized by "faeries, Cinderella" and the like. This was dark and sensuous, thick with magical dust and possibility. And then, suddenly, it crashed to earth, made fools of us all and may satisfy the intellectuals but crushed the rest of us. And the all important question still lingers: If she was able to establish something this beautiful (in the beginning) if this is possible, who is going to pick up that torch and finally complete the grown up fairy tale we never knew we needed?

If you are looking for a sad depressing story that will probably make you cry, then this is the book for you. If you want an uplifting Cinderella story, keep looking. THIS IS NOT A CINDERELLA STORY! This book is very well written. It pulls you into the story and keeps you reading. When you get to the end and finally understand what it is about, you will be sorry you read it. If I could scrub this story out of my brain, I would. As long as I remember this book, I will regret reading it.

This book does for Cinderella what Maguire's Wicked did for the Wizard of Oz. I love to read books where a minor character tells an alternate tale of a well known story. It is beautifully told with every word counting just where is should. It did leave me with a lot of questions about the ending, was Lil really Cinderella's fairy godmother or was she just a delusioned old lady?

Dark fantasy, beautifully told.

First, the dark fantasy: Dark fantasy has an edge, and doesn't always have a happy ending. In this case, Cinderella's fairy godmother is a fully fleshed-out character with emotions, desires, and flaws. The whole book, told in first person, is an exploration of those aspects of her character, and the impact her emotionally-driven actions have on those around her.

Beautifully told: The author has an amazing talent for narrative. When we are inside the title character's head, watching events unfold, you can literally feel what she is feeling, the prose is so descriptive. Put another way, if you have ever experienced intense emotions pulling you into a situation, or had strong emotional reactions, you will feel those feelings again as you read this book. The author is that good.

Ultimately, however, the ending left me unsatisfied. I wanted resolution, but got nothing more than unhappy consequences. I've read the original Brothers Grimm tales, I can handle unhappy endings, but something needs to be wrapped up satisfactorily.

Summary: if you enjoy alternative fantasy with wonderful prose, try the book. Read the first chapter if you can, it gives a good flavor of the narrative style, if not the intensity of the best parts. But don't expect happy endings all wrapped up with a bow.

Finally, a recommendation for another alternative fairy tale done better: Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card. It's an alternative retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and I found it wonderful. Not quite the emotional tour de force, but ultimately more satisfying.

Do yourself a favor, click the buy button and prepare to be engrossed in Carolyn Turgeon's re-imagining of the classic Cinderella story. But this is not some simple modification of a childhood tale. Her writing genius takes us in an entirely new direction that is both thought-provoking and slightly perplexing. "Godmother" is the kind of book that creates an intriguing blend of fantasy and reality, with an ending that will leave you wanting more. For those who love New York City, Carolyn will walk you through the streets in a way you've never experienced, and for those who love fantasy, she will create a world that does the same. - Diana S. Zimmerman, "Kandide and The Secret of the Mists"

Well, at first, I really loved this book - the beauty and romance of it all was initially intoxicating. But the crushing reality of its ending ruined the whole book for me. It really did. Too many questions were left hanging... and for all that magic to be stomped away, it really left a reader wanting to read something else. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wanted to be disappointed. This one retold fairy tale that really lost the magic of its medium.