Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Amaranth Enchantment

The Amaranth Enchantment
By Julie Berry
Bloomsbury, 2009. 308 pgs. Young Adult

Lucinda Chapdelaine, orphaned when she was five years old, lives with her uncle and her malicious step-aunt, assisting them in their floundering jewelry shop. When the prince, the Amaranth witch, and a strange gem all enter the shop on the same day, Lucinda's life takes off on an unexpected path. Lucinda finds herself on a quest to help the witch and improve her own fate, but she ends up facing forces darker than she dreamed.

This book has some Cinderella elements--Lucinda's fall from fortune, the prince, the ball, and the fairy godmother figure--but it falls flat compared to other fractured fairy tales. Lucinda is a likable enough, but her connection with the prince is undeveloped. The quest element has some interesting twists and turns, but the story just doesn't have enough depth to make it a truly great story. Fairy tale fans looking for a quick read may still enjoy it, though.

AE

1 comment:

ALC said...

This is my most favorite variation of the Cinderella theme I've read since Gail Carson Levin's "Ella Enchanted.". I enjoyed the main heroine's spunky character and her comedic bickering with the local swaggering street thief, as well as her innocent flirting with the Prince Charming of the novel. I thought the story had enough plot twists to make it a fresh and appealing read. It would be fun to see a follow-up.