A Darker Side to Charming

There's a lot of different kinds of books that have been written of late that have to do with fairy tales. There's so many versions and ways that people that present characters for people to enjoy. Cinderella is one of those stories that have been told over and over. But sometimes there's a nice fresh take on the story that helps to add a bit more depth and a few darker points to the happy ending.

Image from Amazon.com

Charming : A Cinderella Prequel
L.R. Briggs & S.E. Steinbrenner
369 Pages

Charming isn't the name of any of the characters in this story. The main character is a boy named Jode, who is in all ways, forgettable and un-noticable. We get to see him evolve through various states of self consciousness.

The story revolves around the idea that in order to become great there are trials and tribulations that one must go through. This is an idea that isn't unknown to most readers. But the extent to which we see this idea used is rather intriguing. It helps to pull you into the story, giving you reason to wonder what's going to happen. And to be honest this one isn't predictable.

But it is a good read. While the cover kind of points a female reader in the direction of this book, I believe it is written in a style that a male audience could find appealing. While it has some adult content, it's not gruesome or erotic, so teens can read it safely. All in all it's a well done book in my opinion. It leaves some things unanswered but not in a manner that leaves the piece unfinished. So if you're looking for a nice fantasy read I think you should check it out.