Of course you know the story of Cinderella, but you’ve never heard it told like first-time novelist Barbara Ensor’s chatty, witty version. She bases this Cinderella on Frenchman Charles Perrault’s 1697 tale, but enlivens it with a modern setting and lingo. For instance, while the ugly stepsisters ( the truth is, they were nice enough to look at ) whine about moving into a new home ( what a dump ) and their weirdo new sibling, Cinderella finds that . . . to be honest, and don’t repeat this to anyone, they seem a little stuck up. Throughout this fractured fairy tale, Ensor interjects heartfelt letters written by Cinderella to her deceased mother. In them, Cinderella reveals her grief, meekness and instant attraction to a prince she meets at a ball one evening. The author also continues Cinderella’s saga beyond its traditional ending. Sure, Cinderella and the prince have a whirlwind romance, but it is only after marriage that they realize that they possess many differences and that love can grow between them. With this love comes self-confidence, the key to changing the world and living happily ever after.
Ensor not only pens this Cinderella tale, but skillfully illustrates it with cut-paper silhouettes. Like the story itself, they blend 18th-century images with more modern, abstract figures. For anyone interested in Cinderella stories, Ensor concludes with brief descriptions of similar tales from China, Denmark, Zimbabwe and other cultures.
Grown-ups will appreciate the humor in Ensor’s yarn. The root of many chuckles is the prince, who, with a rock star-like ego, requests no yellow sprinkles on his desserts and can’t help but admire himself in his armor. No saccharine Disney character, this mature Cinderella is to be enjoyed and even admired as a young woman who takes control of her destiny, but still believes in a little magic.
