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Book Summary

Reviewed by Pam Gelman

Left as a baby, Aza is found by a loving innkeeper and wife who raise her as their own. She grows large and homely, causing her shame and low self-esteem. But, she is kind and has a gift for song, making curious guests drawn to her, including a wise gnome and a duchess. She is invited to the castle as the handmaid for the king's wedding to a mysterious young woman from another land. This new queen befriends Aza and learns of Aza's gift of song and the ability to illuse. She threatens to harm Aza's family unless Aza illuses a voice for the queen at the kingdom Sings.

The prince is also intrigued by Aza and much to Aza's pleasant surprise they develop a friendship. Aza learns that the queen has been given beauty through a magical mirror given by the Fairy Lucinda, the same one in the book Ella Enchanted. A creature lives in the mirror who is giving the queen poor advice on running the kingdom while the king is ill.

Aza's illusing is soon revealed, but not before she goes to the mirror and asks for beauty. With physical beauty the problems begin for Aza, including imprisonment and a run-in with a poison apple.

Is It Any Good?

4

Gail Carson Levine has mastered the art of twisting fantasy and creating interesting characters that are likeable and somehow relatable to today's kids. Aza is smart, competent, and gifted in song, a highly honored and valuable means of communication in this society. She can also illuse, a method of throwing your voice to make it appear that someone else is singing. This skill becomes the tool for the newly married, beautiful young queen to win the hearts of the kingdom.

And so follows a story with adventure, love, and fantasy with a common thread to the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and a lesson about recognizing what true beauty is.

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