"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine is one of my all time favorite books! I first read this book when I was in middle school and have read it numerous times since. It's a Cinderella story with a twist, and if any of you have seen the movie don't judge the book because the book is a thousand times better. This is a quick over view of the book. When Ella was born she was given the 'gift' of obedience by the fairy Lucinda. This gift is really no gift at all but is a curse, because Ella must do everything she is told. No one knows about this curse except Ella's mother and her fairy godmother Mandy. Ella was also given the order to never tell anyone about her gift because they don't want anyone to use it against her. When Ella is fifteen her mother becomes very ill and passes away. At the funeral Ella meets Prince Char who has come to pay his respects, and they later become friends. Later Ella's father remarries and Ella and her two step sisters are sent off to finishing school. Ella's stepsister Hattie figures out about Ella's curse and uses this knowledge to make her life miserable. After Hattie gives Ella an order that is truly horrible she runs away from finishing school to go find Lucinda to take back the curse. One adventure leads to another and the relationship between Ella and Char continues to develop. You find yourself cheering them on in a relationship which seems will never work out, as one problem after another comes their way. This book is a MUST read! Gail Carson Levine is a master story teller as she twists this story of adventure, love, humor and much more.
