Book Ten -- Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
by Gregory Maguire
fantasy
368 pages

Having enjoyed Maguire's look at Oz and since my spouse-person happened to have this book on hand as well, I figured I might as well see if it was any good. The Cinderella myth is not one of my favorites, but then I'm not that fond of fairy tales in general. This version, however, really did pull me in.

Maguire made the decision to set the story in Holland in the 1630s, setting the familiar characters firmly in the emerging middle class. The narrator, Iris--the younger of the two step-sisters--her older but simple sister Ruth and her mother Margarathe arrive in Haarlem from England after Margarathe's husband died. Margarathe finds employment as a housekeeper, first with a painter and secondly with a wealthy merchant who's made a lot money speculating on tulips.

When the merchant's wife dies, Margarathe slides into her place and the familiar story begins to take shape. But of course, this isn't the story of Cinderella (who starts off as Clara); it's the story of Iris, a plain girl who happens to have some artistic talent. It's fascinating to watch Iris struggle to deal with her mother's ambition, her own infatuation with the painter's apprentice, her desire to paint, and, of course, Clara's beauty.

There is no actual magic in the book, although there are a few things that strain the reader's willing suspension of disbelief. I really liked the psychological explanation for Clara allowing herself to be banished to the kitchen, and loved the little details about painting and the lifestyles of the Dutch Bourgeoisie. My main issue with the book is a silly personal one; the other step-sister, the one who is slow and big and clumsy? Couldn't Maguire picked a name other than Ruth?

Oh hey, I'm one tenth of the way there! I'd buy more books to celebrate, but it's the end of the month. Huh...I wonder if my fees are paid off at the library.