Customer Reviews

My Fair Godmother

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Janette Rallison has produced a wonderfully fractured fairy tale here with enough twists to surprise and delight even the most jaded and cynical of readers. The surprises begin with the choice of protagonists. You'd think it would be Jane Delano, the shy, studious older sister who has long loved Hunter Delmont from afar, not Savannah Delano, the flirtatious, air-head, shopaholic younger sister whom Hunter is dating and taking to the prom. But no, a furious Jane sets out to do a total makeover, with the help of a delighted and clueless Savannah, in order to punish Hunter for ignoring her. Instead Jane accidentally wins Hunter's heart, and a devastated Savannah is the one who gets a fairy godmother, one Chrysanthemum Everstar, Chrissy for short, to grant her three wishes ensuring that she AND Jane lived happily ever after....

Of course it isn't QUITE that simple.

Problem number one is that Chrissy is about as flighty and immature as Savannah is. As a result, two half heard wishes have Savannah experiencing the Middle Ages up close and personal in decidedly unromantic and disturbingly realistic versions of the Cinderella and Snow White stories, which feature Savannah learning how to cook and clean the peasant way. A sadder but wiser Savannah makes a very careful third and final wish, which results in a boy who had expressed some interest in dating her being sent back to the Middle Ages with orders to come back a prince... or not at all. So with the help of a disgruntled leprechaun a horrified Savannah must figure out a way to be sent back as well in order to help Tristan Hawkins complete his assignment.

Hilarity and chaos ensue.

The first half of the book with Savannah bemoaning her fate, then making a hash out of Cinderella and Snow White drags a bit because her whining, even accompanied as it is by considerable humor, begins to grate, but hang in there. Lessons are being learned, character is being built, and as Howard R. Garis would have put it, pipes are being laid. The last half, in which Savannah desperately tries to help Tristan, whether he wants her help or not, is much better. Besides a brilliant job of tying all the loose ends into a perfect bow, I also appreciated Rallison's delicate balancing act. This is neither the traditional male hero saves useless heroine nor the modern PC female hero saves useless male heroine. Rather, to their considerable surprise, the efforts of BOTH are needed to save the day.

Ms. Rallison has produced a sequel: My Unfair Godmother, in which Chrissy Everstar returns to nearly blow another assignment; I'm very much looking forward to reading it!

I can't help it; I have a weird addiction to fairy tales. Which is pretty much the only reason I got this book. While I loved fractured fairy tales, the entire teeny-bopper aura of this book was a little nauseating.

How happy I am to report that if one can put up with the nauesating sweetness she will be in love with this book! It's cutesy, it involves annoying teenagers, and it's a freakin' fairy tale on top of everything. If that is your thing, you will love this book and fortunately I was sucked in.

And all the aforementioned compliments are not to suggest Rallison isn't a gifted writer (I am aware that the aforementioned adjectives can be "bad".) On the contrary, Rallision has a gift with words. She has a fun, simple, and fluid style that is brimming with personality and charm. I'm sure some will complain that her characters are not the tragically three-dimensional heroes and heroines of drama, but for the nature of this adorable little romantic comedy, they were perfect.

I love the approach of the story. It's probably been done before, but I don't care and neither will readers. The "fair"y godmother is nothing but a might-as-well-be modern-day ditz who would rather shop than complete her education in magically assisting poor damsels. What I liked, however, is that this fairy happened to be a reflection of the main character Savannah, who upon observation of her disaster-causing godmother begins to change for the better. I like stuff like that.

And as a fairy tale fan, I love how Rallison knew her tales and was able to offer some hilarious-yet-keen insight into them (of course a poisoned apple would be tempting in the winter when no fresh fruit is available!). It does wonders for the plot.

"My Fair Godmother" is clever, fresh, and romantic with a great plot and endearing characters. I will recommend this to any girl I meet.

I am a lover of all things fairy tale, so the cover of this book grabbed me from the get-go. I have to say that it started off a bit slow but after about the fourth chapter it became very interesting. In short, the story is about a high school sophomore, Savannah, whose boyfriend dumps her for her sister, who basically becomes her smarter look-alike after she gives her a makeover. Her "fair" (not fairy as this godmother didn't do well in fairy school) godmother comes along to grant her wishes, only she doesn't pay attention and Savannah's wishes become more like nightmares than happily ever afters. While they are not quite as awful as Grimm's fairy tales (there is no blood, no feet cutting, etc.) she learns some humbling lessons a bit like the epiphanies Ebeneezer Scrooge gets only without the ghosts. The story reads a bit like fairy tales, the Odyssey, Arthurian legend and A Christmas Carol all rolled into one.

The book is very well written and quite funny at times. If you enjoy fairy tales you will most certainly like this book. I actually want to give this book five stars but I cannot edit the review now. I would most definitely like to read more from this author.

If only Savannah Delano's beautiful but stupid boyfriend hadn't broken up with her for her sister - she wouldn't be in this mess. Instead of planning to go to prom with Hunter, in the gorgeous $350.00 dress she'd bought specifically for the event, she's stuck with a frustrating and inexperienced Fairy - excuse me, FAIR - Godmother. When Chrysanthemum Everstar gives Savannah three wishes, Savannah thinks she's got it under control - I mean how hard can it be to use three wishes to wish your life back to the way it was? (A.K.A. perfect.) A lot harder than you think. Especially if Chrissy is in charge. Savannah gets stuck in the Middle Ages in two fairytales she never wanted to be a part of - and then has to turn around and rescue (again, from the smelly Middle Ages) a boy from school she told herself she was going to avoid (because he's the last person she wants to take her to prom). Can Savannah save him in time and regain control of her life? Or will these events alter her life in a way that can never be changed?

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MY THOUGHTS -

You know those books that you pick up thinking you're getting into a light and fluffy read that may or may not be good literature? When I pick up a book like that, I try not to expect too much from in in character development, story line, originality, etc. MY FAIR GODMOTHER by Janette Rallison was exactly one of those books. I planned to read it, enjoy it for what it is, give it three stars, and move on.

I was WAY wrong! This book began surprising me from the first pages - how Rallison introduced her characters was amazingly intriguing. Instead of starting from Savannah's perspective, she dives into her sister Jane's. What does Jane think of this whole "boyfriend stealing" thing? Does she really mean to steal Hunter from her sister? Is it her fault? Is she just a mean sister with a cold heart, waiting to prey on Savannah at any moment, as Savannah thinks?

After we get that side of the story (the first chapter), we get Savannah's heartbreak and her attempts to make amends on her own. But even when her Fair Godmother Chrissy shows up, Savannah can't seem to get things under control. But all these mistakes turn out to be a blessing in disguise as Savannah realizes what it means to be responsible and strong and to truly love someone - and to have someone truly love her in return.

There were a couple of really awesome statements in this book about love and what it does to even the most responsible people. The story was original and fun and, while it had a light-hearted tone, the danger was real and peril was inevitable. There were so many twists and turns in the last half that I couldn't help but drop my jaw in amazement. There was mystery and magic and intriguing battles with dragons and ogres and knights. The mystery had me guessing until the end, when I had narrowed it down to two suspects but still couldn't decide! The Black Knight creates a very old-fashioned atmosphere, with challenges and mystery and chivalry.

There is so much packed into these few pages that it made me wonder how Rallison did it so masterfully. There's Jane and hunter's story, followed by Savannah's attempts to get a prom date by herself, then Savannah being transported to different fairytales - and then to the middle ages for the third time to save Tristan, her un-wanted prom date.

Speaking of Tristan... I totally adored this guy. And even though he was amazing from the first time his name is mentioned, Rallison manages to take him from a cute, sweet, gentle but strong guy and add greater integrity and a whole lot more confidence (the kind of confidence you get from slaying dragons) to his character. And all the while she manages to keep him consistent! And he and Savannah are exact opposites in such a way that makes you go, "DUH! They're so meant for each other!"

FAVORITE CHARACTER -

I don't have a favorite character. (Shocker!) While I liked Chrissy and Savannah a little less than I liked Jane, Hunter and (duh!) Tristan, it wasn't enough so that I can choose. I am at a stand-off here, but it really doesn't matter. Everyone was wonderful and they were all so perfect for the story!

FAVORITE ASPECTS/SCENES -

The originality of the two fairytales at the beginning was amazing. If you can make Cinderella and Snow White original and incorporate those two stories into the end of the story, you've got amazing talent. The switching of potions and enchantments was something I hadn't thought of/read before and found it added a more serious tone to the story. The way the love story is built is so smooth and wonderful... The innocence in this story is hard to ignore - and so easy to like.

A favorite scene would be the ball. And all the scenes after the ball... But I can't say another word or I'll ruin the surprise!!

ONE WORD TO SUM UP THIS BOOK (AND FINAL THOUGHTS) -

ILLUMINATED is the word I think best describes this book. The whole thing shines and is filled with treasures. If you haven't read this book - what the heck are you waiting for?! This is a matter of serious importance! I hope that everyone who reads this review will find the time to read this book...and I hope everyone finds it as incredibly wonderful as I have! Now all I have to do is get my hands on a copy of MY UNFAIR GODMOTHER which is released April 12th. More more more! I'm already dying to read MY FAIR GODMOTHER a second time!

If you're into fractured fairy-tales and light-hearted teen fiction, then this would be a good choice for your next read.

High school sophomore Savannah has it all: great looks, popularity, an awesome senior boyfriend, Hunter. But her world begins unraveling when Hunter breaks up with her for her sister, Jane, a shy, studious older version of Savannah. To add insult to injury, Jane and Hunter want to set her up on a pity prom date with another student, Tristan. And then Savannah humiliates herself very thoroughly in front of her entire school. Yeah, it's not going well. So when fairy godmother-in-training Chrysanthemum Everstar ("Chrissy") comes along to make Savannah's princely prom dreams come true (and also try to gain extra credit for her Godmother University classes), Savannah jumps at the chance to use magic to get her out of the doldrums. But Chrissy is rather inept at fairy godmothering, and when she sends Tristan back in time to become a prince, Savannah must travel to the Middle Ages to save him.

"My Fair Godmother" is a quick read that will have broad appeal to a youthful audience. It's full of humorous situations (Savannah's embarrassing moments at a school pool party, or dealing with life in the Middle Ages), but is light on characterization. Much of the story is driven by the fact that Savannah is dealing with the dual betrayal of her sister and her ex-boyfriend, but once Savannah is hurtled into the past, she suddenly gets over that situation pretty quickly. The author could have chosen to make it a deeper read with Savannah and her sister Jane learning about the meaning of sisterhood through misspoken wishes; but instead the focus of the story is on Savannah's growing relationship with Tristan and her (sort of) growing up from the experiences they share. While the romance element is fun and well drawn, I would have liked to see more tension and interaction between Savannah and Jane before they came to their reconciliation. If anything, I thought Savannah got over everything too fast to be believable, while Jane was being kind of rude about it instead of apologetic (which would have made sense with her character).

Overall, this would be a fun, if not terribly deep, book to while away a Saturday afternoon. If you're looking for kids' books that are well-written and also have some depth to them, I recommend Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted" or "Two Princesses of Bamarre." But if you're just looking for something bubbly and light, "My Fair Godmother" is definitely a good choice.

I saw this at the book store and picked it up because it sounded cute. I love anything remotely connected to time travel but this sounded like a new and creative twist.

I read this quickly and thought it was one of the cutest books I had read in a long time. I am a teacher and I enjoy reading young adult fiction that is good, well written and clean, which is somewhat hard to find these days. This books fulfills all of the above criteria.

I don't want to spoil the plot but one of my favorite parts was when Savannah went back in time to be Snow White. I actually laughed out loud. I enjoyed the back story and personal touch the author gave to the fairy tales; Snow White was especially enjoyable.

The main character grew and matured through the book which had a happy ending, of course. The twists and turns were funny and took some thought to keep track of. I loved the authors sense of humor in the book. (I checked out her website and her sense of humor is evident there as well.)

This is one book that I highly recommend and I would use it in a Literature class; it would have a fun tie in to History as well. Highly recommended as a book a mom and daughter can read, share and discuss.

If, after looking at the cover and reading the book jacket, you decide this might be a fun, modern take on the usual high school angsts with some fairy tale highjinks thrown in, well, you'd be right. Rallison writes an enertaining, well-imagined romp that is both light-hearted and deceptively thoughtful. After a little bit of living, or at least reading, we all learn to be careful what we wish for, but as we follow Savannah on her adventures through love and time, the lesson is learned all over again. This one is fun and should satisfy readers looking for modern fantasy with some fairy tales thrown in for good measure.

I fully expected to hate it. It's about a teenaged girl, the boyfriend she wants to get back from her sister, high school, teen angst, misery, and all that shudder-inducing stuff I hated as a teen and I don't wish to relive in story (or song) today. The writing is breezy, lightweight, and rather frothy. So I put on my sneer face and prepared to whip through the book in no time flat and write a review that would either be scathing or flippant, I hadn't decided yet.

And then I laughed. And then I laughed again. And I read a brief excerpt aloud so that other people could enjoy the laugh with me. I giggled. And my sneer face went away and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

It's not a timeless literary classic that will be read a hundred years from now- maybe not even ten. But given the themes, the writing style, and this modern era, it ought to be purely twaddle and it isn't, and I really cannot put my finger on exactly why.

I think it's because the author manages a very delicate balancing act with aplomb. She manages to show that she understands that teens take all this angsty stuff very, very seriously without actually taking it seriously herself. She doesn't dismiss it, either, but she does add a healthy dose of proportion, the saving grace of laughter, and just enough reality to keep things, well, real. Sort of. As real as a book with a shopping diva of a fair godmother, a dragon, a wizard, and an ogre can be, anyway.

There's more kissy faced stuff than we usually like in our books for young people. There's more high school drama than my 12 year old will ever know in her life. There's silly boy-girl nonsense, likewise. There's the sort of thing like a scene where a girl defiantly buys herself a bikini (her father prefers his daughters to wear wetsuits if they must swim), and realizes why that was a very, very bad idea when she dives in the water and has a major wardrobe malfunction.

And yet, embarrassed as I am to admit it, I enjoyed this book.

The main character has a Fair Godmother- because she hasn't done well enough in Godmother School to be a Fairy Godmother. She's only fair. And she keeps insisting on interpreting the wishes her charge utters with a too strict attention to the letter of the law. This results in a boy who is largely an innocent bystander being sent back to the middle ages of a fantasy world where he must slay dragons and ogres in an attempt to become a true prince. The main character (Savannah) goes back to try to rescue him, since it's her fault he's there, and her sister and the sister's boyfriend go back as well, to try to rescue her. Hilarity ensues.

Part of the story is told through letters exchanged between the Fair Godmother and her superiors, who feel she needs to explain herself, and these letters are so amusing I hope that she Rallison uses these characters again in another book. This book would also make a deliciously amusing movie.

My Fair Godmother begins almost in a Its A Wonderful Life way. The opening begins with Jane who likes Hunter who is dating Savannah, Jane's sister.

Jane is the elder sister, the smart one, the one who likes math. Hunter is the popular boy who likes math too but thinks he likes the pretty sister, Savannah.

At this point, I wondered, "Is this a story about Jane or Savannah?"

The story is really focused on Savannah, but the lead-in is from Jane's PoV and it is neat little trick too because we see how it is that Jane and Hunter end up together so that when it switches to Savannah, we can actually admire how she handles it and how she ends up being thrown into a medieval time with a Cinderella/Snow White twist.

Savannah does have growing up to do but she is no ditz and she isn't a selfish little diva who needs to grow up. She is a teenager who is doing what more than a few teenager girls do: slack off, think about clothes, and slack off some more.

How she maneuvers her way in the messed up medieval time and deal with her sister and her sister's new boyfriend who was her old boyfriend and then another guy who might just be her prince who ends up getting dragged into her adventure is a delight even if the fractured fairytale plot device has become used to the point of overdone.

Janette Rallison's writing is confident and her Savannah was a pleasant surprise. If I had to complain about anything, it would be two things: 1) the Fair Godmother herself, Chrissy, who wasn't in it enough for me to like or dislike and 2) there should have been more interaction between Savannah and Jane because I felt a little cheated, especially given how good the lead-in of the novel was, that the two sisters only got a page or two for a reconciliation and not much else.

Other than that, I found the novel to be a very enjoyable read.

Sixteen-year-old Savannah develops a case of serious sibling rivalry when her boyfriend dumps her for her geeky big sister. Soon after, Savannah is fantasizing about how great it would be if her life were like a fairytale, with herself as a princess attending a ball with a handsome prince at her side, when her fairy godmother, Chrysanthemum Everstar, suddenly appears and offers Savannah wishes. Savannah is thrilled at this amazing, magical opportunity, but she nevertheless exercises caution while making her wishes so that nothing will go wrong. Unfortunately, Chrissy is not a full-fledged godmother--hence the moniker, "fair" godmother. Her incompetence lands Savannah in a series of wild adventures within multiple fairy tales, including Cinderella, Snow White, and the Middle Ages in general. Along the way Savannah discovers a romantic interest she would never have considered in her own era, when Chrissy tosses Tristan, a boy from Savannah's class, into fairytale land with Savannah.

I am a huge fan of Janette Rallison. I've read everything she's ever written, and many of her books several times. In my humble opinion, nobody does YA romantic comedy better than her. Normally Rallison does not include fantasy elements in her contemporary romantic comedies, but her venture into fairytale retelling in My Fair Godmother is extremely well done. Chrissy is a wonderful antagonist, a colorfully slapdash fashionista who can't be bothered to thoroughly listen to Savannah's wishes. As a result, Chrissy fulfills them in the worst possible way for Savannah as the wacky godmother abruptly flings Savannah and Tristan into arduous situations, which are conveyed by the author in laugh-out-loud scenes of comic mayhem.

Rallison's stories are always character-centered. She excels at creating compelling growth arcs for her protagonists, believably moving her heroines from an initial perspective that is endearingly passionate and determined--but drolly skewed in its view of life and relationships--toward a hard-earned appreciation of a bigger picture of life by the end of her stories. This is especially true in the heroines' attitude toward the boys they collide with in Rallison's rollicking romance plots. That approach is terrifically in evidence in My Fair Godmother.

Another theme that Rallison deals with in many of her YA novels--and which she also does really well--is sisterly competition. It is definitely on display here in Savannah's humorously troubled relationship with her sister.

Finally, if you'd like a break from the "gritty" and "edgy" fiction dominating the YA market these days, Rallison is just the ticket. You can always count on her YA novels, including this one, to provide a G-rated story suitable for all ages, but which is sophisticated enough in its execution to hold the attention of older teens and adults, as well. This novel, in particular, is filled with enthralling action without resorting to overt violence, in-your-face sexuality, swearing, or wild parties with drugs, alcohol, and smoking.

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine 5
Subcharacters 5
Fantasy World-Building 5
Writing 5
Comedy-of-Errors Plot 5
Romantic-Comedy Plot 5