Fairest by Gail Carson Levine Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Fairest
Book Review: I met her!
Summary: 5 Stars
hi everybody!
at my school, the librarian is an awesome author, you might recognize her name, Esme Raji Codell. She is great, she got a different job so she left but she will always be in my heart! okay to the point! i actually got to meet Gail Carson Levine! she knew my librarian i also got to meet Amy Timberlake, who wrote that girl lucy moon. I got that girl lucy moon and fairest signed! it was soooooo cool!
Book Review: I was her Lark.
Summary: 5 Stars
"You are not my advisor".
I was her lark.
Aza was born singing. In fact in the land of Ayorthaian village of Amonta Aza means lark. The thing is Aza was born in an inn, by a woman who smuggled herself in and out, leaving Aza behind with the innkeepers. When the woman abandoned her the innkeepers took her in as one of their own. Now Aza lives with Ollo, Yarry, and Areida (whom readers may recognize from "Ella Enchanted").
Aza grows up quite the songbird, but the problem is that she is unattractive. Her cheeks are far to chubby, her skin far too pale, her lips far to blood red, her hair far too black. To top that off she has proportions quite unbecoming to a young woman, her shoulders and neck are too wide, and her height is far from diminutive. She manages her ego until she becomes a young woman of 15, but by then people's stares and rude comments are too much for her and she has developed many quirks to help hide her ugliness. She also has a peculiar gift that she calls illusing. This allows her to throw her voice at various objects and not move her lips. Being an excellent mimic also lends itself well to illusing, as she is able to convince people it was not her whose voice It was.
When she befriends duchess Olixo who frequents the inn she suddenly sees a chance to visit Ontio Castle, where King Oscaro is planning to wed Lady Ivi, a Kyrrian woman of 19 and incredible beauty. Garbed in the hideous castoffs of the Duchess' Aza enters into court as a companion, but quickly befriends Ivi after an accident involving the King renders him near comatose and is elevated to the status of a lady in waiting. She agrees to take this position as a means of providing much needed funds for her family as well as a chance to be near the Prince Ijori. The rub of the matter is that Ivi knows about Aza's talent for illusing and, being a poor singer herself, forces Aza to provide her voice for her at the court's many sings. Aza feels dirty and used, but her developing friendship with the prince encourages her to keep up the charade. Also there is a certain mirror that Ivi has in her possession that has shown Aza what it would be like to be beautiful, and the lure of that vision is far to great for her to resist. What's an unattractive girl to do?
Readers will appreciate the premise of "Fairest", as it is based off of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves". It is also se in the neighboring land of Ayortha, neighbor of course to Frell, whom we all remember from Levine`s Newbery Honor work "Ella Enchanted". This book is a sequel in a very loose sense that the story is set in the same world, but not about all of the same characters. While Areida, who was Ella's best friend, is present she is hardly ever written about, and Ella is only mentioned once towards the very end of the book. Aza, however, is a character worthy of Levine's ability. Whereas Ella found strength in defiance, Aza finds strength in her talent, as uses it to her quiet advantage. The thing I liked about Aza though is that she is far more overwhelmed by her looks than her talent, which most young girls uncertain with there selves will identify with. This is a realistic, everyday problem that we all have dealt with, an uncertainty of ourselves and how awkward and ugly we think ourselves. Now, her voice is sublime, so much so that she is the envy of others for it, and this singular talent allows her to keep her head high, even when she is being used for her abilities.
Levine deftly manages to bring details into this book that were present in "Ella Enchanted". Her lighthearted prose is comic and tragic at the same time, and yet lighthearted enough to not weigh the reader down. She manages to breathe life into some very likeable, and unlikable, characters. And the way that she blends Snow White elements within this world is very interesting. Even though we all know the story she manages to surprise us with some twists and turns we do not recognize as being original elements until later. This is a fantastic add to Levine's universe, a great read... and I hope to see more like it in the future (and, frankly, expect it now that I know she is willing to write sequels).
Book Review: Indeed, the "fairest of them all"
Summary: 5 Stars
Aza ins't just plain; she's plain ugly. In a land where song, grace, and beauty are prized, Aza's large stature, not just in height but also breadth, are deemed appalling and overshadow her amazing abilities in singing. Abandoned at the Featherbed Inn as a newborn, she is lovingly raised by her foster family. But their love can't overcome the low self-esteem Aza develops because of how other people treat her. When an unexpected chance to travel to court for a royal wedding comes, Aza is hesitant but goes to help her family. There, she is "befriended" by the new queen, Ivi, who is selfish and self-absorbed. Soon after the wedding, the king is severely injured and Ivi is claimed ruler in his place. Forcing Aza to use her unusual ability to project her voice for her own gains, the queen quickly becomes a dictator that threatens Aza's honor, her tenuous relationship with Prince Ijori (the king's nephew and heir), and the country in general. Can Aza overcome her own lack of self-assurance to save herself and her land?
Very loosely based on Snow White, _Fairest_ is filled with all of the insightful and humorous writing that made _Ella Enchanted_ so delightful and is sure to quickly become a hit with readers of all ages.
Also recommended: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Ella Enchanted, the Septemus Heap series, books by Shannon Hale
Book Review: Loved it!
Summary: 5 Stars
Even though the storyline of Snow White is well known, this version had twists and turns I did not anticipate and I found it all the more enjoyable because it was not predictable. This will definitely be one of the books I give for birthdays and Christmas this Fall.Book Review: Ok, but not great
Summary: 3 Stars
I waited for four months since I heard this was coming out to buy it. When it finally came I read the second I got it. Needless to say it wasn't all that great. It was more like a cheap spin off of Snow White than a book that could stand on it's own. If you want to read this book, I suggest renting it from the library.