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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
The moment I put the previous Turgeon book down, I already knew that I truly and totally wanted to read her other work too. So, when my grandparents gave me vouchers for St. Nicholas I already knew that I was gonna get this book. Cinderella is one of my favorite fairytales, so I was really excited to read this one.
And it did not disappoint. Once again Turgeon managed to make a very well known story hers. Her take on Cinderella is original, very original. There was a moment I was getting slightly frustrated, thinking Turgeon had chosen an interpretation I totally hated and then she flipped it and all of a sudden I loved what she did immensely.
What I love most is the focus on Lillian, the good fairy we all know from Cinderella's tale. It's a point of view we rarely get, while there's a lot to tell about her. Turgeon used this opportunity to build an amazing fairy world with rules and a government and huge differences from the human world. The contrast between the two worlds made Lillian's choices understandable.
What I also loved is the fact that the story stays a little vague on one thing: Which story is the absolute truth? Are you going with magic? Or are you going with an interesting coping mechanism from a woman who has endured something no one should ever have endured? I think I eventually go with the first option, although the latter is a possible and totally interesting interpretation too.
I can't wait to dive into Turgeon's other work, because she has more magical stories and I'm really curious to see what she does with those.
And it did not disappoint. Once again Turgeon managed to make a very well known story hers. Her take on Cinderella is original, very original. There was a moment I was getting slightly frustrated, thinking Turgeon had chosen an interpretation I totally hated and then she flipped it and all of a sudden I loved what she did immensely.
What I love most is the focus on Lillian, the good fairy we all know from Cinderella's tale. It's a point of view we rarely get, while there's a lot to tell about her. Turgeon used this opportunity to build an amazing fairy world with rules and a government and huge differences from the human world. The contrast between the two worlds made Lillian's choices understandable.
What I also loved is the fact that the story stays a little vague on one thing: Which story is the absolute truth? Are you going with magic? Or are you going with an interesting coping mechanism from a woman who has endured something no one should ever have endured? I think I eventually go with the first option, although the latter is a possible and totally interesting interpretation too.
I can't wait to dive into Turgeon's other work, because she has more magical stories and I'm really curious to see what she does with those.
rebelkiss's review against another edition
3.0
a lovely fairy tale type of book. But I'm confused with the ending. Was she truly what she said or was it just something she made up to cope with life?
caseymgreer1's review against another edition
5.0
So, so wonderful. Much sadder than expected, but great and so creative.
mrsbear's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pen-pal read for Fiction Fair. Godmother:Full Review Here
beth_diiorio's review against another edition
1.0
I'm so disappointed! I loved the idea of this book and kept trying to like it (still can't pinpoint exactly what made it such a drag to muddle through). Read up to page 144 and just couldn't finish it; as much as I'd love to know how it ends, it felt too painful to push through.
brendaliz08757's review against another edition
1.0
I should have DNF'd. Authors and publishers need to provide proper TW/CW. This book is not a fairy tale. It is dark with a sad ending. Why did I read it? This was a book club pick.
mirable's review against another edition
4.0
SLJ review:
TURGEON, Carolyn. Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story. 288p. Three Rivers. 2009. pap. $13.95. ISBN 978-0-307-40799-3. LC 2008021054.
Adult/High School—Turgeon manages to turn the classic fairy tale into a transcendental apology for the unacknowledged linchpin of the tale: the fairy godmother. Lil is an old woman, spending her days eating, sleeping, and working at a used bookstore in New York City. Her failure to get Cinderella to the ball has haunted her for centuries. No one knows who she is or why she has been exiled from the fairy kingdom to live out her days as a human, strapping down and hiding her beautiful fairy wings. But when the opportunity to once again pair a lovely, deserving woman with a handsome prince presents itself, Lil believes that maybe, just maybe, this is her chance to go home. The story and its characters are unveiled in alternating flashbacks and present time and carry readers along to a jaw-dropping, unexpectedly melancholy conclusion. Is Lil really who she believes she is, or has she created her world out of fairy dust and whole cloth? Teens who expect a fluffy, chick-lit read may be disappointed with the magically pervasive sadness of this story, but those who enter with an open mind will be well rewarded.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI
TURGEON, Carolyn. Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story. 288p. Three Rivers. 2009. pap. $13.95. ISBN 978-0-307-40799-3. LC 2008021054.
Adult/High School—Turgeon manages to turn the classic fairy tale into a transcendental apology for the unacknowledged linchpin of the tale: the fairy godmother. Lil is an old woman, spending her days eating, sleeping, and working at a used bookstore in New York City. Her failure to get Cinderella to the ball has haunted her for centuries. No one knows who she is or why she has been exiled from the fairy kingdom to live out her days as a human, strapping down and hiding her beautiful fairy wings. But when the opportunity to once again pair a lovely, deserving woman with a handsome prince presents itself, Lil believes that maybe, just maybe, this is her chance to go home. The story and its characters are unveiled in alternating flashbacks and present time and carry readers along to a jaw-dropping, unexpectedly melancholy conclusion. Is Lil really who she believes she is, or has she created her world out of fairy dust and whole cloth? Teens who expect a fluffy, chick-lit read may be disappointed with the magically pervasive sadness of this story, but those who enter with an open mind will be well rewarded.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI
lammerman's review against another edition
3.0
3.4 stars
I would have given this a higher rating if not for the last 5-10 pages. It was beautifully written and the story is a unique retelling that I very much enjoyed. The last few pages, however, instead of bringing everything together seemed to convolute the entire story.
I would have given this a higher rating if not for the last 5-10 pages. It was beautifully written and the story is a unique retelling that I very much enjoyed. The last few pages, however, instead of bringing everything together seemed to convolute the entire story.
glitterbomb47's review against another edition
3.0
I was going to give this book two stars, but the last five pages took it up to three.
littlelovelybooks's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this a 3 1/2. I more than liked it but I didn't quite really like it. It is an interesting book that at some points disturbed me. I think that Carolyn Turgeon is a wonderful writer with great characters that are well developed but...
The wings that Lil has are revolting to me. They were pictured in the book as these beautiful snow white things but I couldn't get a nice image of them.
And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure just what happened in the end. I was so wanting to be finished with the book to see what happens that I think I must have missed something.
The wings that Lil has are revolting to me. They were pictured in the book as these beautiful snow white things but I couldn't get a nice image of them.
And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure just what happened in the end. I was so wanting to be finished with the book to see what happens that I think I must have missed something.