A review by infogdss29
Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine

4.0

Part of Gail Carson Levine's new "Princess Tales" series, this title in the series is just as much about the prince. Cinderellis, boy inventor, is lonely because his brothers have bonded and exclude and discredit him at every turn, while Princess Marigold confides to her cat how lonely she is, because her father is always off on quests. Their stories are told in alternating chapters as the years pass. On the year the king is determined to quest for a son-in-law, he is cursed by an imp and the suitors must come to the palace. Cinderellis, who has captured 3 magnificent horses that conveniently come with a suit of armor, enters the contest to climb a glass hill to get to get the Princess.

The story is charming, and Levine's unique blend of humor (in one scene, the king quests for a goose that lays golden eggs, but returns with a turkey that lays tin ones) and practicality (Cinderellis' horse treats contain horse chestnuts, among other things) make a powerful invention.
The volume is attractively packaged in a slim petite butter yellow library bound book, with delicate scrollwork decorating the cover. The cover picture looks too "Disney" for my taste, and the prince inside is a Leonardo DiCaprio look alike.

Readers familiar with fairy tales will get the most out of Levine's twisting of common fairy tale elements. Although not as stellar as her awarding-winning Ella Enchanted, this is a fun book that will find an audience in fans of fractured fairy tales.