written by Gail Carson Levine
and published in 1997. The story is a retelling of Cinderella
featuring various mythical creatures including fairies
, elves
, ogre
s, gnome
s, and giants
. In 2006, Levine went on to write Fairest
, a retelling of the story of Snow White
, set in the same world as Ella Enchanted.
At birth, Eleanor (Ella) of Frell was visited by the well-meaning, but misguided fairy Lucinda.
Things change, people change, but that doesn't mean you should forget the past.
Has she gone mad, to speak such falsehood?
That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. pg. 3
"I know you can imitate people just as Lady Eleanor could. Once you imitated your manservant to his face, and he wasn't sure whether he was the servant or you were. You make up your own fair tales and you drop things and trip over things. I know you once broke a whole set of dishes."
"I slipped on ice!"
"Ice chips you spilled before you tripped on them." He laughed. pg. 13-14
"What a clever daughter I have." Mum Olga beamed at Hattie.
"As clever as she is beautiful," I said.
"I don't suppose your eyes ever pop out," I said.
"I don't think so." Hattie smiled complacently.
"They're too small to pop." pg.21