Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery
Amazon prime logo
Buy new:
$7.99
FREE delivery Sunday, March 23 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$7.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Sunday, March 23 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Friday, March 21. Order within 16 hrs 24 mins.
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
$$7.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$7.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$2.30
Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc... See less
$3.98 delivery March 25 - 26. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$7.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$7.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Ships from and sold by glenthebookseller.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Jim C. Hines
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Stepsister Scheme Mass Market Paperback – January 6, 2009

by Jim C. Hines (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 278 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$7.99","priceAmount":7.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0%2FxofP7uX5q2DMHeDi8RB%2BcqGitOmlV5dZ2ERqb9VBBSa%2FKb4g4PNvGvVpPLSq7N3JCueE4fSoXoi%2FoexAZGnIvZJDPZ10uDfs937IY0ZllpZiHGJYVXHotBdPalBFBKHq%2BhJHCcJ2E%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$2.30","priceAmount":2.30,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"2","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"30","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"0%2FxofP7uX5q2DMHeDi8RB%2BcqGitOmlV5BGhEymHdqDfKwHPDGSBU5bCiDePfW8I5dkYMbktvV1DIZPv7Gk2%2FqGG4nmHq4SxdL5MihP7q%2F71Yj%2F0SoDZb%2FB0f2%2BYwvz3ttILLfVXCC4e2h7HAwaS%2FA1oAaOjfTbaR0BXm%2FybyGX%2BRe3YZ1W4VaEgZ5YNLsby0","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

What would happen if an author went back to the darker themes of the original fairy tales for his plots, and then crossed the Disney princesses with Charlie's Angels? What's delivered is The Stepsister Scheme?a whole new take on what happened to Cinderella and her prince after the wedding. And with Jim C. Hines penning the tale readers can bet it won't be "and they lived happily ever after."
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 4
    PRINCESS
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    DAW
  5. Publication date
    January 6, 2009
  6. Dimensions
    4.2 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0756405327
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0756405328
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

The Stepsister Scheme
This item: The Stepsister Scheme
$7.99
Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 23
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Snow Queen's Shadow
$7.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 3
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim C. Hines has been a paid juggler, earned a black belt in two different martial arts, performed yo-yo tricks at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and lived with a brain-damaged squirrel. (Only three of those are true.) One of his earliest stories earned first place in the Writers of the Future contest. He’s published more than forty short stories as well as numerous fantasy novels, including the humorous Jig the Dragonslayer trilogy, the Princess series, which re-imagines traditional fairy-tale princesses as butt-kicking action heroines, and the Magic Ex Libris series, about a centuries-old secret society dedicated to the use and control of book magic. In 2012, he won the Hugo for Best Fan Writer. Jim lives in Michigan with his wife, two children, and an unstable number of pets. He can be found online at www.jimchines.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ DAW; 5th Printing edition (January 6, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0756405327
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0756405328
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 278 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jim C. Hines

Jim C. Hines

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jim C. Hines is the author of the Magic ex Libris series, the Princess series of fairy tale retellings, the humorous GOBLIN QUEST trilogy, and the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse trilogy. His standalone books include the Fable Legends tie-in BLOOD OF HEROES and two middle grade novels. He won the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. His short fiction has appeared in more than 50 magazines and anthologies. Jim lives in mid-Michigan.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
278 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable, with an original fairy tale retelling. They appreciate the well-developed characters with distinct personalities. The humor is witty and heartfelt. Readers praise the good pacing and dark themes. The story is suitable for junior high school students with a taste for fantasy.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

ReadabilityRetellingCharacter developmentHumorPacingDark themeAge rangeEmotion
35 customers mention "Readability"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They appreciate the fun concept and interesting adventures. The plot is solid and keeps readers hooked until the end.

"...It was a lot of fun. It was quirky, original, not afraid to handle dark themes but ultimately powered by selfless bravery and optimism. "..." Read more

"...this book, it wasn't spectacularly awesome...it was just cute and fun. Recommended to those who enjoy fairy tale retellings with some spunk to them." Read more

"...Very real, well drawn characters draw you in to the story, and fantastic descriptions, world building, adventure, and emotion keep you glued to the..." Read more

"...While this is an undeniably fun concept, where this debut in the series falters is in character development...." Read more

31 customers mention "Retelling"27 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the original fairy tale retelling. They appreciate the adventure, twists, and fun fantasy romp through magic and adventure. The book is packed with action scenes, twists, and turns in the plot, and great characters. Readers say the story telling has improved with each book.

"...the pacing is good, the ideas are original and the action scenes are tense and exciting...." Read more

"...I loved how the fairy tales were mashed together and how we got to see what happens after the fairy tales we know have ended...." Read more

"...I love fairy tales, retold fairy tales, and twisted fairy tales - and this book tops my list...." Read more

"...This is a fresh, energetic, and oft-times wonderfully snarky take on fairy tale retellings that shows great promise for future volumes." Read more

23 customers mention "Character development"21 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find the female characters strong and capable, with unique personalities shaped by their experiences. The book reimagines the fairytale world and characters with an underdog protagonist and variety of colorful characters.

"...not central to the story-telling The worst and the best characters in this book are all female and they are all formidable...." Read more

"...He does a very good job of making believable characters who have survived living past the tragedies that these classical fairy tales visited upon..." Read more

"...Very real, well drawn characters draw you in to the story, and fantastic descriptions, world building, adventure, and emotion keep you glued to the..." Read more

"...Instead, it's a full-on action adventure that reimagines the fairytale world and characters...." Read more

11 customers mention "Humor"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor and heartfelt retelling of the fairy tale. They find the book cute and engaging, with a predictable plot. The descriptions are fantastic and the text is not too complicated. However, some readers found the violence excessive for its content.

"...Jim Hines presents his Princesses with a wonderful mix of humour, tension, excitement and I-want-to-stand-up-and-applaud originality that is a joy..." Read more

"...This book has a lot of humor and is heartfelt, it was a cute read with a predictable, yet engaging plot...." Read more

"...Very real, well drawn characters draw you in to the story, and fantastic descriptions, world building, adventure, and emotion keep you glued to the..." Read more

"...Adding a healthy dash of modern sensibility, wry humor, and a set-up reminiscent of Charlie's Angels, Hines' princesses are no wilting wallflowers..." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book has good pacing and an engaging world-building. They say it moves quickly and the characters have distinct personalities.

"...The world-building is solid, the pacing is good, the ideas are original and the action scenes are tense and exciting...." Read more

"...The Stepsister Scheme is incredibly fast-paced to the point where it can take some effort to keep track of all the magic and action that whizzes..." Read more

"...or even Bujold's Chalion series in terms of depth, but it is very fast-paced, tightly plotted, and engaging...." Read more

"...The pacing was so well done that I had trouble putting it down. I bought the next book as soon as I finished this one. A great series!" Read more

4 customers mention "Dark theme"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's dark and gothic themes. They find it quirky and original, not afraid to tackle them. The story is full of intrigue, dark magic, evil stepsisters, and tropes that tap into the darker side of familiar stories.

"...It was a lot of fun. It was quirky, original, not afraid to handle dark themes but ultimately powered by selfless bravery and optimism. "..." Read more

"...The plot is well done and full of intrigue, dark magic, evil stepsisters, and even more evil sorcerers...." Read more

"Jim does a good thing here, taking tropes we all think we know, tapping the darker (read NOT Disney) side of the source material, and ending up with..." Read more

"Dark, gothic, with moments of light-hearted celebration..." Read more

3 customers mention "Age range"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's age range. They say it's suitable for junior high school students with a taste for fantasy, and it would be okay for young adults.

"...I enjoyed it alot. It would probably be okay for young adult, but the characters are adults and do discuss adult issues...." Read more

"...than traditional Disney movies, this story is still suitable for junior high school students with a taste for fantasy, or even adults who enjoy ABC..." Read more

"Great for the High School reader..." Read more

3 customers mention "Emotion"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's emotional tone. They find the character voices and conveyed emotions engaging, and the story lighthearted and fun.

"...did an excellent job of doing individual character voices and conveying emotion. Danielle (aka Cinderella) marries the Prince Armand...." Read more

"...fantastic descriptions, world building, adventure, and emotion keep you glued to the pages...." Read more

"I'm so glad I read this book. It is light hearted and fun. It's enjoyable to take something you know so well and give it even more details and life...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mike
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not your Disney Princesses - much, much better.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    "The Stepsister Scheme" is one of the few books recently that I've stayed up until the early hours to finish. It was a lot of fun. It was quirky, original, not afraid to handle dark themes but ultimately powered by selfless bravery and optimism.

    "The Stepsister Scheme" tells the tale of three Princesses who set out to rescue a handsome Prince. These are not Disney Princesses with phenomenal hair, over-large eyes and chart-topping singing voices. These are Princesses who have survived the appalling abuse handed out to them in the original Grimm fairy tales and have gone on to become resourceful, talented, dangerous women who won't necessarily get to live happily ever after.

    You'll recognise the three Princesses as the story unfolds, but you won't have seen this side of them before. Jim Hines presents his Princesses with a wonderful mix of humour, tension, excitement and I-want-to-stand-up-and-applaud originality that is a joy to read.

    This is a story that seldom went where I expected it to go. It was humorous, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but the humour was a gloss on a tale about the strength it takes for young women to survive the things that people do to them.

    The Fairies in this book are the stuff of nightmare rather than bedtime stories. There is violence and cruelty and more violence. There are men in the story but they are necessary to the plot, not central to the story-telling The worst and the best characters in this book are all female and they are all formidable.

    The world-building is solid, the pacing is good, the ideas are original and the action scenes are tense and exciting. And all of this is has a big bow of humour tied around it to make you smile even when blood is being spilt.

    Reading Jim Hines, I feel I've found another talent as original and energetic as Terry Pratchett, only with all the books still ahead of me. I read his trope-twisting Sci-Fi novel "Terminal Alliance.- Janitors of the Post-apocalypse " and enjoyed it. I only discovered his fantasy novels when I was searching for something to read for the "Grimm Tales" square in Halloween Bingo over on BookLikes. Now I'm hooked. I've already started the second book in the series.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Karissa Eckert
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, witty and heartfelt fairy tale retelling
    Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first of four Princess books written by Hines. Previously I read Hines Jig the Goblin series and enjoyed it. This book has a lot of humor and is heartfelt, it was a cute read with a predictable, yet engaging plot.

    I listened to this on audiobook and it was well done. The narrator did an excellent job of doing individual character voices and conveying emotion.

    Danielle (aka Cinderella) marries the Prince Armand. Things are going dreamily for them until Danielle's stepsister tries to murder her and Danielle finds out that Armand has gone missing into Fairy Town. This is the point where Danielle finds out that the Queen has some secret agents of a sort in Talia (Sleeping Beauty) and Snow White. Both are have their own special abilities and are going to assist Danielle in rescuing Armand.

    This was a fun read of a mishmash of fairy tales. I enjoyed it alot. It would probably be okay for young adult, but the characters are adults and do discuss adult issues. For example Danielle talks a bit about how much fun her and Armand had on her wedding night. There is also some subtle discussion about the rape about one of the female characters.

    Danielle is admittedly not trained in rescue missions. I liked that she was caring and loving but determined to help rescue her husband. I also love that she had to undergo some training to use her sword (and wasn't instantly proficient with it).

    Snow White and Talia are also engaging characters who have their own heart-wrenching pasts and tales. Hines doesn't shy away from the dark side of these fairy tales. He does a very good job of making believable characters who have survived living past the tragedies that these classical fairy tales visited upon them.

    The characters have a lot of heart and I loved the idea of our favorite fairy tale heroines being the active rescuers. The whole book tips these fairy tales on their heads a bit. As a reader we are forced to think about how someone might actually deal with the fallout from these crazy fairy tales.

    The plot is well done and full of intrigue, dark magic, evil stepsisters, and even more evil sorcerers. It is a fun and engaging read that doesn't take itself too seriously. Everything is nicely tied up at the end of this book.

    Overall a fun read. I really enjoyed it. It is a fun and light fairy tale retelling for adults. The characters have a surprising amount of heart and depth to them as well. I loved how the fairy tales were mashed together and how we got to see what happens after the fairy tales we know have ended. I am uncertain right now if I will read the remaining books in this series. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't spectacularly awesome...it was just cute and fun. Recommended to those who enjoy fairy tale retellings with some spunk to them.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • C. Cameron
    5.0 out of 5 stars Adult/teen fairy tale with a bite
    Reviewed in Canada on January 19, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I'd read Jim's Goblin books and enjoyed them enormously, so I picked up this one. It starts slowly, but builds as the grittiness of the characters develops. These aren't the Disney versions of Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, but rather the original un-Bowlderized Grimm's version. Yet the story is gentle.

    It's rather a cross between L. Frank Baum (Wizard of Oz) and Neil Gaiman (Coraline) or Charles de Lint (Moonheart). I'm looking forward to the next one about the Mermaid. I gather the third one was hinted at in this one, about Red Riding Hood. "An event like that will change a girl," says one of the characters about Red, now an assassin for hire. Wow. Good stuff, yet safe for kids to read.
    Report
  • mr charles n priestner
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm told that this is a good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    bought as a present for one of my daughters who so far has not managed to put it down since opening it on christmas day
    Report
  • HawkerBooks
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not a regret
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    The light hearted tone lulls you into not expecting much more than a fun adventure, and while it definitely is that, there is real heart in the book. You end up loving all the characters for different things and at the start Danielle did have the tendency to come off as the boring 'straight man' of the group but she soon grows on you and watching her find her place in the Snow/Talia dynamic is really satisfying.

    Definitely a good start to the series and just having finished the sequel can thoroughly recommend it.
    Report
  • Erinome
    4.0 out of 5 stars Und sie lebten glücklich bis ans Ende ihrer Tage... Oder auch nicht
    Reviewed in Germany on April 7, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    Danielle Whiteshore hat es endlich geschafft. Glücklich mit ihrem Prinzen verheiratet hat sie ihre Vergangenheit als Aschenputtel hinter sich gelassen. Die traute Zweisamkeit nimmt jedoch ein jähes Ende, als Danielles Stiefschwester Charlotte einen Anschlag auf ihr Leben verübt und ihr geliebter Prinz Armand entführt wird. Danielle will nicht untätig herumsitzen und schließt sich Talia (aka Dornröschen) und Snow (aka Schneewittchen) an, die zu Königin Beatrices persönlichem Geheimdienst gehören und den Prinzen befreien sollen. Die drei Prinzessinnen machen sich nun also auf, den vermissten Armand aufzuspüren, und stoßen dabei auf eine magische Verschwörung, die sie direkt ins Reich der Fairies führt.

    +++

    "The Stepsister Scheme" ist in erster Linie eine Abenteuergeschichte, die zwar mit einer guten Portion Humor gewürzt wurde, aber trotzdem nicht lächerlich oder harmlos ist, was zum Großteil an den gut gezeichneten Charakteren liegt. Talia und Snow sind keine unbedarften Prinzesschen, sondern zwei starke Kämpfernaturen, die ihr Leben in die eigene Hand genommen haben. Mit Kampfkunst bzw. Spiegelmagie sind sie für fast alle Eventualitäten gerüstet. Danielle ist liebenswert, um andere besorgt und kann mit den beiden anderen Prinzessinnen so nur schlecht mithalten, im Verlauf ihrer Suche entdeckt jedoch auch sie ihre Stärken. Auch die Bösewichte haben glaubwürdige Motive und können den Prinzessinnen durchaus Paroli bieten. Jim C. Hines schafft es, aufzuzeigen, dass sich hinter den Märchen tragische und oft auch düstere Schicksale verbergen, wie zum Beispiel hinter der Geschichte, die Dornröschen umgibt. Die Gefahren, die die Prinzessinnen im Verlauf ihrer Quest zu bestehen haben, sind nicht ohne und keineswegs märchenhaft einfach zu bestehen. Auch die Welt, durch die sich Danielle, Talia und Snow schlagen müssen, ist sehr gut durchdacht und ansprechend gestaltet.

    "The Stepsister Scheme" ist nicht nur für Märchenfans empfehlenswert, sondern auch für Fantasyliebhaber, die Wert auf glaubwürdige Charaktere legen und Freude an einer spannenden Quest haben.
    Report
  • chaim klein
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun fables
    Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A lively adventure with nice humor. Excellent interplay of the three protagonists. Anyone that enjoys the TV series Once Upon A Time or the comic book series Fables and / or fairest would enjoy this. Would make for a fine mini-series on TV
    Report