Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
ReganBooks,U.S. (2000), Edition: 1st Pbk. Ed, Paperback, 383 pages
Description
From Gregory Maguire, the acclaimed author of Wicked, comes his much-anticipated second novel, a brilliant and provocative retelling of the timeless Cinderella tale. We all have heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's exquisite looks? Set against the rich backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, burning all memories of her past, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household--and the treacherous truth of her former life. Far more than a mere fairy-tale, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a novel of beauty and betrayal, illusion and understanding, reminding us that deception can be unearthed--and love unveiled--in the most unexpected of places.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member melydia
Here is the story of Iris and her sister Ruth, famed stepsisters of the Cinderella tale. Like Maguire's earlier Wicked, it is a retelling of a famous story from the villain's point of view. Also like Wicked, the heroine of the canon is portrayed as self-serving and cruel, while the villain is
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merely a social outcast, trying to puzzle her way through the world as best she can. The Cinderella story is nearly unrecognizable for about two thirds of the book, while it discusses Iris's love of painting and Clara (Cinderella)'s bizarre self-imposed seclusion, but in the end there is a prince and a ball and a lost slipper. Despite a general confusion throughout most of the story, I turned the last page feeling at least most of my questions had been answered. I don't know that I will go out of my way to read more Maguire - I grew weary of so much unneccessary use of hundred-dollar words and such impossibly flowery dialogue - but I am glad I read this one. I like fairy tales and all their retellings; hopefully the popularity of Maguire's version will not overshadow others' attempts to show the other side of the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member lecari
This was far, far better. I found it a lot more enjoyable. This is one of my favourite books of the year! Well-written, quickly paced, with interesting twists. I enjoyed finding out how the story of the girls fleeing from England turned into the Cinderella story. Gregory Maguire makes it feel real
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and completely believable; a mix between a historical novel and a fairy tale. I can’t recommend it enough. Show Less
LibraryThing member Xeyra
Reading this book was like finding an old friend after not speaking with them for a while, which is the feeling I have when I read a book after seeing the movie based upon it - at least when I like them both. As it was based on the fairy-tale about Cinderella, there was little surprise about its
I enjoyed it; it is not perfect, of course, and it takes a while for one to get used to the tense it is written in, but it gave us a different point of view to this story, showing us life through the stepsisters's perspective and giving us a portrait of them that shows them not as simple secondary characters that are cruel to their beautiful sister as the fairy-tale, in all its simplicity, shows us, but instead real, breathing characters with their motivations and dreams, desires and personalities. Iris is a delightful character to read about, intelligent and down-to-earth, but I think Margarethe's characterization was the best in the book: cunning, resourceful, with impecable sharpness and vicious in her own way, but never the outright evil stepmother we might expect. In fact, the main difference between this story and the original fairy-tale is that there is hardly any black or white and even this particular Cinderella can be capricious and annoying.
So, no, there is hardly much fairy-tale in this novel. The story is inspired by the original but it retains a uniqueness of its own, and it was a pleasure to read. As far as interpretations go, this one is a very good one, and it shows us that, indeed, those ugly, vicious stepsisters the stories tell us about were only human. I was surprised when I realized who was really telling the story, as I hadn't guessed whom the ugly stepsister in the title was referring to, but I think it was very fitting. And despite there not being any fairy godmother in the book (though there was one in the movie, minus the magic wand!), the tale had a magic of its own.
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ending (we were already expecting her to get the prince, of course), though this particular tale's last chapter does not point to the happy ever after finale we're so used to see in fairy-tales. Perhaps because this story is not a fairy-tale -- it has very little of magic and much more stark realism, a well-thought, engaging and delightful interpretation of the much beloved tale of Cinderella.I enjoyed it; it is not perfect, of course, and it takes a while for one to get used to the tense it is written in, but it gave us a different point of view to this story, showing us life through the stepsisters's perspective and giving us a portrait of them that shows them not as simple secondary characters that are cruel to their beautiful sister as the fairy-tale, in all its simplicity, shows us, but instead real, breathing characters with their motivations and dreams, desires and personalities. Iris is a delightful character to read about, intelligent and down-to-earth, but I think Margarethe's characterization was the best in the book: cunning, resourceful, with impecable sharpness and vicious in her own way, but never the outright evil stepmother we might expect. In fact, the main difference between this story and the original fairy-tale is that there is hardly any black or white and even this particular Cinderella can be capricious and annoying.
So, no, there is hardly much fairy-tale in this novel. The story is inspired by the original but it retains a uniqueness of its own, and it was a pleasure to read. As far as interpretations go, this one is a very good one, and it shows us that, indeed, those ugly, vicious stepsisters the stories tell us about were only human. I was surprised when I realized who was really telling the story, as I hadn't guessed whom the ugly stepsister in the title was referring to, but I think it was very fitting. And despite there not being any fairy godmother in the book (though there was one in the movie, minus the magic wand!), the tale had a magic of its own.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
I like this version of the Cinderella story much better than the one we all know.
synopsis:
"Confessions" is set in Holland of the 17th century, and begins with Margarethe Fisher & her daughters Iris who is plain and Ruth who has been referred to her mother as an ox who can't speak well arriving in
Clara suffers from her beauty. She is painted as The Girl With the Tulips by the Master; she is to serve basically as an ad for tulip bulbs that Cornelius and his investors hope to sell. The painting ties her to being the Girl with the tulips; she fears no one will ever see her as she really is. She moves to the kitchen and takes on the persona of ashgirl, cinderling; and will not go out into the world.
A terrible tragedy occurs that brings out Clara's true, transformed nature; indeed, that was this book is about, in part. Transforming, beauty, truth.
I really really enjoyed this book and its characters.
Recommended for people who enjoyed this author's other works (especially Wicked); and also recommended for those readers who enjoy a good fantasy.
synopsis:
"Confessions" is set in Holland of the 17th century, and begins with Margarethe Fisher & her daughters Iris who is plain and Ruth who has been referred to her mother as an ox who can't speak well arriving in
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Haarlem seeking the home of Margarethe's father. Margarethe's husband has died back in England, and the three have to flee to Holland. They are poorer than poor; no one will take them in after Margarethe's discovery that her father had died ten years earlier. Finally they are taken in by The Master, a painter named Schoonmaker and eventually meet with the father of Clara, Cornelius. They live there as domestic help, but when Cornelius' wife Henrika dies, Margarethe, who is the most unpleasant character I've come across in a while, steps in to fill the void left by her death. She ultimately causes the financial downfall of the family.Clara suffers from her beauty. She is painted as The Girl With the Tulips by the Master; she is to serve basically as an ad for tulip bulbs that Cornelius and his investors hope to sell. The painting ties her to being the Girl with the tulips; she fears no one will ever see her as she really is. She moves to the kitchen and takes on the persona of ashgirl, cinderling; and will not go out into the world.
A terrible tragedy occurs that brings out Clara's true, transformed nature; indeed, that was this book is about, in part. Transforming, beauty, truth.
I really really enjoyed this book and its characters.
Recommended for people who enjoyed this author's other works (especially Wicked); and also recommended for those readers who enjoy a good fantasy.
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LibraryThing member kaelirenee
Confessions was my first introduction to Gregory Maguire and it was enough to get me interested in all his other works. This story of Cinderella's unfortunate older stepsisters (narrated by one) is beautifully and touchingly told. After reading his work, I have a hard time reading fairy tales in
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the same way again. Show Less
LibraryThing member tloeffler
Gregory Maguire has taken the Cinderella story and set it in the 17th century Netherlands. An English widow, Margarethe and her two daughters settle in Haarlem, where she takes a position as housemaid to Cornelius van den Meer, his wife Henrikas, and his beautiful but spoiled daughter Clara. The
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story is told from the standpoint of Iris, the younger daughter, a plain but intelligent girl. When Henrikas dies in childbirth, Margarethe wastes no time in convincing Cornelius to marry her. No fairy godmothers, but with a few minor differences, the story progresses as expected. I love the way Maguire transforms fairy tales into historic stories. He did a bang-up job on this one! Show Less
LibraryThing member willowcove
Didn't care for "Wicked" but this one I really liked a lot. Much more believable and entertaining.
LibraryThing member mephistia
As always, Maguire has woven a world that is simultaneously appalling and magical. A world that reveals the failings of the mortal condition and muses on the meaning of beauty, or love. He's a brilliant wordsmith, but his books are often so achingly, beautifully bleak in their representation of the
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world within that I can't handle reading them often. Show Less
LibraryThing member jlcarroll
In this Cinderella redux, set in Holland in the 1600s, Macguire explores several contrasts: beauty and ugliness, wholeness and disfigurement, sight and blindness - both physical and spiritual. The backdrop (or side story) of a "starving" artist's paintings becomes a good canvas where the dark and
Unlike the traditional fairytale with its flat, predictable characters, the author progressively reveals a Cinderella and two stepsisters who are neither wholly evil or completely angelic. The stepmother, somewhat human at first, sinks to the despicable dregs of her ambitions (which, of course, is not altogether surprising).
Probably the most difficult thing about this book is what I would describe as elusive language. Frequently, and at critical stages in the story, Macguire hints and subtly implies with poetic words and metaphors, sometimes leaving me longing for clarity. But, the direct approach probably would not have suited this literary metamorphosis.
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light of this story play out.Unlike the traditional fairytale with its flat, predictable characters, the author progressively reveals a Cinderella and two stepsisters who are neither wholly evil or completely angelic. The stepmother, somewhat human at first, sinks to the despicable dregs of her ambitions (which, of course, is not altogether surprising).
Probably the most difficult thing about this book is what I would describe as elusive language. Frequently, and at critical stages in the story, Macguire hints and subtly implies with poetic words and metaphors, sometimes leaving me longing for clarity. But, the direct approach probably would not have suited this literary metamorphosis.
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LibraryThing member bibliojim
Gregory Maguire has re-written several fairy tales as novels. ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’ is his second re-told fairy tale, Cinderella in a different guise. Unlike his first book, 'Confessions' relates events that might have happened in real life, and is thus not a fantasy as much as a
The author’s first novel, ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’, focused on the life of Esmerelda, who became known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It shows, in part, how evil can sometimes come from the best of people, and reflects how little we can know of a person based on news of their deeds. ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’ again takes the viewpoint of one of the original ‘villains’, this time one of Cinderella’s step-sisters. But in ‘Confessions,’ rather than focusing on a person who commits spiteful deeds, Maguire looks through the step-sister’s eyes at the heroine of the original tale and shows how perfection can become vastly exaggerated, that any person we hold up to be perfect is, by virtue of being human, vastly flawed; and yet, even the most flawed of people can perform great good. This is the opposite of ‘Wicked.’
Yet, characterizing ‘Confessions’ as being a reverse of ‘Wicked’ would be incorrect. ‘Confessions’ takes the theme of ‘Wicked’ and carries it further, stressing how difficult it is to perceive the real qualities of a person’s nature. We must look very hard to see what is there – and even then, still we simply cannot see all, cannot even begin to guess at what lies within.
‘Confessions’ is set in Holland of the 1600s. The mother and her two daughters are refugees from England, having been run from their home in the middle of the night by townsmen angry at a failure of the husband’s work, with the understanding the husband was dead. They arrive at the Dutch city where the mother was raised hoping for succor, only to find her parents had died and she and her daughters were destitute on the streets. The most strong-willed of women, she sets out to improve their lives, to survive. She finds hope in the home of a painter, and there a second aspect of the book begins to take shape, an examination of the meaning of beauty and its role in our lives.
The book is many-layered, and the last sentence of the book is likely to reveal yet another layer. You will come to the last page thinking you have perhaps understood what the author has been talking about beyond the simple facts of the story, but, if you are like me, you will find you missed something. You will think long on how to understand the story in the context of that one sentence, and perhaps marvel at the depth of understanding of life that is wrapped ‘round by ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.’
This is a wonderful book, intensely thought-provoking with clear definitions of most unusual characters and a plot I did not want to leave alone for long. The build towards the climax is well-paced. If there is a flaw, I would say there are pages important to the allegorical meaning, but not important to the story itself, and so at times the story stalls a bit. I suppose this is the risk of allegory. But in the end, the experience of the book is very rewarding. I felt it is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. If you read ‘Wicked’ and loved it, you should enjoy this as much, but in a different way. In ‘Wicked,’ one becomes very attached to the protagonist and feels deeply for her and her fate. In ‘Confessions,’ one has a sense of being a little more separated from the protagonist, as though the story is somehow about someone else (and the surprising reason for this slight detachment becomes clear at the very end). Though it is an easy thing to relate emotionally to the protagonist, the main emotional reward comes from a sense of having seen a profoundly moving story about real life enacted before you upon a stage, in the form of, almost but not quite… a fairy tale.
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historical novel. Yet it retains elements of fantasy through the manner of telling, because the parallels to the fairy tale we know are clear and the allegorical content of the story still leaves it with the flavor of a fairy tale that relates much more than the bare text.The author’s first novel, ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’, focused on the life of Esmerelda, who became known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It shows, in part, how evil can sometimes come from the best of people, and reflects how little we can know of a person based on news of their deeds. ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’ again takes the viewpoint of one of the original ‘villains’, this time one of Cinderella’s step-sisters. But in ‘Confessions,’ rather than focusing on a person who commits spiteful deeds, Maguire looks through the step-sister’s eyes at the heroine of the original tale and shows how perfection can become vastly exaggerated, that any person we hold up to be perfect is, by virtue of being human, vastly flawed; and yet, even the most flawed of people can perform great good. This is the opposite of ‘Wicked.’
Yet, characterizing ‘Confessions’ as being a reverse of ‘Wicked’ would be incorrect. ‘Confessions’ takes the theme of ‘Wicked’ and carries it further, stressing how difficult it is to perceive the real qualities of a person’s nature. We must look very hard to see what is there – and even then, still we simply cannot see all, cannot even begin to guess at what lies within.
‘Confessions’ is set in Holland of the 1600s. The mother and her two daughters are refugees from England, having been run from their home in the middle of the night by townsmen angry at a failure of the husband’s work, with the understanding the husband was dead. They arrive at the Dutch city where the mother was raised hoping for succor, only to find her parents had died and she and her daughters were destitute on the streets. The most strong-willed of women, she sets out to improve their lives, to survive. She finds hope in the home of a painter, and there a second aspect of the book begins to take shape, an examination of the meaning of beauty and its role in our lives.
The book is many-layered, and the last sentence of the book is likely to reveal yet another layer. You will come to the last page thinking you have perhaps understood what the author has been talking about beyond the simple facts of the story, but, if you are like me, you will find you missed something. You will think long on how to understand the story in the context of that one sentence, and perhaps marvel at the depth of understanding of life that is wrapped ‘round by ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.’
This is a wonderful book, intensely thought-provoking with clear definitions of most unusual characters and a plot I did not want to leave alone for long. The build towards the climax is well-paced. If there is a flaw, I would say there are pages important to the allegorical meaning, but not important to the story itself, and so at times the story stalls a bit. I suppose this is the risk of allegory. But in the end, the experience of the book is very rewarding. I felt it is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. If you read ‘Wicked’ and loved it, you should enjoy this as much, but in a different way. In ‘Wicked,’ one becomes very attached to the protagonist and feels deeply for her and her fate. In ‘Confessions,’ one has a sense of being a little more separated from the protagonist, as though the story is somehow about someone else (and the surprising reason for this slight detachment becomes clear at the very end). Though it is an easy thing to relate emotionally to the protagonist, the main emotional reward comes from a sense of having seen a profoundly moving story about real life enacted before you upon a stage, in the form of, almost but not quite… a fairy tale.
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LibraryThing member michaelskelley
This book was Maguire's follow-up to the wildly popular Wicked. This book is far superior to Wicked. It is a much more researched book; and it is a story which is much more grounded in the real world, not a fantasy world.
LibraryThing member im-imagined
Really rather enjoyable. I know some people found it 'dry' but I thoroughly enjoyed it...
LibraryThing member invisibleinkling
One of my favourites by Maguire! His portrayal of Cinderella is absolutely wonderful!
LibraryThing member jolee
Interesting take on Cinderella. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. More realism than fairy tale, and I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. However, I did like how the book was set in 17th-century Harlem. Being an art historian, I also liked the inclusion of the painters and the art of painting.
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I have a friend who studies Dutch art, so I feel like I read this one for her. Also, I appreciated how this book was very character driven, which is not necessarily what you would expect with a fairy tale plot. Show Less
LibraryThing member SJDanko
A retelling of the Cinderella story from the point of view of one of the stepsisters. Set in Holland during tulipmania, Confessions is an engaging, sensitive, and believable story. There's no magic in Maguire's version, but Cinderella's story is all the more compelling this way.
LibraryThing member mighteq
See my reivew for Wicked. Same type of thing here. Although this book is a lot better than Wicked, but I still think I haven't finished it yet.
LibraryThing member sarathena1
Thus far, my favorite of Maguire's books. This is a retelling of the Cinderella story. It reminded me of Girl with a Pearl Earring. Excellent tale, superbly written.
LibraryThing member ktptcruisin
A friend lent me this novel after deciding she just couldn't read it. Its an adjustment to get used to Maguire's language and writing style, espeically when you have the notion that this is supposed to be based on another character from a well-known fairy tale. The key to Maguire's books...forget
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what you know about the fairy tale, try and look at the story thru new eyes. Show Less
LibraryThing member the1butterfly
This retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale is excellent and highly recommended. Seen from the point of view of one of the stepsisters, Cinderella's not completely perfect, the stepsisters aren't completely evil, and everyone's basically human. It takes place in the Netherlands during the tulip
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times and involves romance not only with a prince, but also with an artist. Show Less
LibraryThing member HollyMS
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister was my introduction to Gregory Maguire and his books. I actually saw the made-for-tv movie of this first back in 2000 and first read the book from the library a few years later. Last week my dad bought it for me, and I read it again.
Confessions is an entertaining
Clara, or 'Cinderella', seems to also be misrepresented. In the book Iris (and therefore the voice of Maguire) calls her very cold, this coldness isn't seen often. In fact, Clara, by the end of the book, is much nicer to Ruth than Iris is, a fact which Iris notes as Clara's one act of kindness. Maguire's message seems to be that while Cinderella may be beautiful, she isn't beautiful on the inside, but because of how his characters are, this message rings false.
All in all, the book is well-written and the descriptions of 17th century Dutch life are lovely, but this book hardly made me rethink the story of Cinderella. Maguire does make his characters human, but in doing this the stepfamily is still wicked, albeit in different ways, and Cinderella is still sympathetic, which I doubt was his intent.
Confessions is an entertaining
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book, but the premise of retelling fairytales from a 'villain's' perspective isn't new, and as Cinderella is one of the most popular fairy tales, Confessions isn't exactly groundbreaking. And though the story tries to show us how the stepmother and stepsisters aren't really so wicked, the story mostly preaches that to us rather than displaying it. While Margarethe's (the stepmother) motives are fully explained, that doesn't make her character or her actions any less evil. And while the Maguire assures us that Iris, though very plain, is intelligent & kind, neither of those traits really shine through. As Iris says, she is uneducated and her supposed inherant intelligence is never really seen. Iris shows some kindness to her sister, Ruth, but by the end of the book Iris is hardly interacting with Ruth at all and there are no other displays of this kindness throughout the book. Indeed, Iris is very much like her mother, Margarethe, which is actually a theme of the book, but it does disservice to Maguire's notion that the stepfamily isn't so bad.Clara, or 'Cinderella', seems to also be misrepresented. In the book Iris (and therefore the voice of Maguire) calls her very cold, this coldness isn't seen often. In fact, Clara, by the end of the book, is much nicer to Ruth than Iris is, a fact which Iris notes as Clara's one act of kindness. Maguire's message seems to be that while Cinderella may be beautiful, she isn't beautiful on the inside, but because of how his characters are, this message rings false.
All in all, the book is well-written and the descriptions of 17th century Dutch life are lovely, but this book hardly made me rethink the story of Cinderella. Maguire does make his characters human, but in doing this the stepfamily is still wicked, albeit in different ways, and Cinderella is still sympathetic, which I doubt was his intent.
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LibraryThing member bookwormteri
The other side of the Cinderella story. A really interesting look at a classic fairy tale's minor characters. Although I sometimes found the book a little boring the resolution made it a worthwhile read.
LibraryThing member mccin68
The story of Cinderella told from the point of view of her stepsister. I prefer Wicked to Confessions as it was a bit more magical. this story has pieces of the original classic fairy tale but just pieces, a loose prequel to the fairy tale. as a story itself it was stark and gloomy at times but an
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engaging read. Show Less
LibraryThing member the.ArtWench
Slit your wrist depressing. There is too much that is horrible in the world today... Why add to it by reading this?
LibraryThing member oracleofdoom
This was a great book. That said, I absolutely hated it. It's strange, being able to recognize that something is very good but still to hate it. I feel the same way about Steinbeck and the movie 21 Grams.
The characters were vivid and deep and interesting, which is greatly important to me. The
The characters were vivid and deep and interesting, which is greatly important to me. The
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story was very dark, and I guess I may need to consider the possibility that such a dark story is simply not to my taste. I found this book to be one of the most draining I've ever read, with Wicked still up there as number one. I still have Mirror Mirror on my shelf waiting to be read, because I keep thinking that as talented as this author is, maybe I'll like other pieces of his work, but isn't the definition of insanity to do the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result? Maybe I'll give that other book to a friend. Show Less
LibraryThing member drpeff
Weak—didn’t like it. Not very deep & strays too far from Cinderella to make sense.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1999-10-06
Physical description
383 p.; 9.26 inches
ISBN
0060987529 / 9780060987527
Local notes
Iris is an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, burning all memories of her past, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household--and the treacherous truth of her former life.
Fully illustrated boards under the dustjacket.
Fully illustrated boards under the dustjacket.