I loved “Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister”, Gregory Maguire’s version of Cinderella. It was enchanting and a joy to read. Then I read “Wicked”, which was much more in-depth and just as enjoyable (and now a hit Broadway musical!). “Wicked” is his version of The Wizard of Oz, as told by the Wicked Witch of the West. I still preferred “Confessions” though. And I just finished reading “Mirror Mirror”, which is Maguire’s version of “Snow White”.
What a load that book was. My pal Ace warned me about how bad it was, and he was right. I almost gave up on the book at some point, but doggedly continued and finished it. I’ve never been so glad a book is over. That was torture.
Maguire has a great imagination – I admire it. I love how he turns our popular fairy tales around and completely reinvents them. But it’s helpful to have characters that you actually like. In “Mirror Mirror”, I’m supposed to care for Bianca de Nevada, but for the most part I couldn’t care less if she lived or died.
Weird book. Best left unread.