REVIEW – CINDER AND ELLA

 

 

Publisher: Bluefields

 

Date Published: 15th August 2014

 

Pages: 254

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.

…

Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There’s major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won’t make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he’s left his wild days behind and become a mature adult. In order to douse the flames on Brian’s bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn’t thrilled with the arrangement—or his fake fiancée—but decides he’ll suffer through it if it means he’ll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

 

WRITING STYLE:

 

This book is written in first person from the perspective of Ella and Cinder. This book reads extremely quickly and flows really well.

 

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

 

I really liked the concept of Ella going through so many issues through the book and working through this and the major changes in her life. In contrast, Cinder is going through his own issues with regards to his public image. The connection these two share over a mutual like of a book series that is being developed into a movie is something all book lovers can understand.

 

THEMES:

 

Friendship – After a major incident Ella is relocated and loses her friends, her home and her mother. Her online friendship with Cinder is a lifeline for her and as she builds herself up and gains more friends.

 

Bullying – There are bullying scenes in this book that were very sad to read. However, these scenes were also very powerful.

 

Family – As per the Cinderella fairy-tale Ella goes to live with her father, step-mother and step-sisters. The concept of family is addressed and what exactly it means to be a family.

 

Overcoming Hardship – It is great to see a book that focuses on a girl who has lost so much and has to build herself back up.

 

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

 

I wasn’t too sure what to expect going in to this book. I was pleasantly surprised. This was a loose retelling of the fairy-tale Cinderella. I loved the contemporary story that had elements of Cinderella but translated them into a modern time. The characters were three dimensional and very relatable. This was an extremely quick read and I finished it within hours of starting.

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

 

Kati