Princess of Glass

Princess of Glass
By Jessica Day George

I picked up this book because I love fairy tales! I love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, and Jessica Day George is very good at writing these.  The first book I read of Jessica Day George was Princess of the Midnight Ball which was a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale. It was fantastic. I then picked up her next book Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow which retold the fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I finished that particular story in one day and loved every minute of it. I also have been reading Jessica Day George's original story called Tuesdays at the Castle about a magical castle. This one I've been reading to my boys and they love it just as much as I do.  So reading Princess of Glass was an easy choice.

This retelling of Cinderella is set in a imaginary medieval country. It follows about 3 years after Princess of the Midnight Ball left off.  In that story, the main character is the oldest sister, Rose, and her 11 other sisters (all named after flowers). In Princess of Glass, the story's main character is Poppy, one of the other sisters. She's a spunky 16 year old girl who's never been away from her family, especially her twin sister Daisy. 
All the royal families in the country have decided to have an exchange program, sending their daughters and sons around to the other kingdoms to visit and possibly find a spouse. Poppy has been chosen to go to Breton where she meets Prince Christian, a prince from a different kingdom who is also visiting. The King of Breton wants Christian to marry someone from his kingdom and secure the friendship, but Christian is not sure he's ready to marry. He's just enjoying Poppy and other friendships he's made.
Enter Eleanora. Eleanora was the daughter of a wealthy man who lost all his forture and died. Eleanora is left penniless and homeless, and she is hired as a maid. Except Eleanora is a terrible maid. A terrible, terrible maid. She can't fold, she leaves scorch marks when she irons, she spills tea (usually on people), and she breaks heirlooms. She's been fired from 2 places already and is on her last. She is approached through a puddle of water by the Corley. The Corley tells Eleanora that she's her godmother and wants to help her. Eleanora, who has nothing and no one, jumps at the chance. It helps that the Corley is wealthy and has a palace of glass. The Corley convinces Eleanora to woo Prince Christian and get him to propose. Three balls are planned within two weeks where Eleanora will have her chance. Her dresses are spectacular and her exquisite shoes are hot glass poured right on her feet (ouch!). At the dance, everyone is mesmerized and doesn't know who she is. Even people whom she works for don't recognize her. Everyone wants to know this Lady Ella, as she wants to be called. The men fight to dance with her, and the women want to claw her eyes out because she's stealing all the men's affections. Poppy is the only exception. She can see through the enchantment.
Poppy, along with another character who happens to be in love with Eleanora, work to free the others of the enchantment. After the second ball, Eleanora's feet start to turn to glass and she's afraid. Poppy and her friends, now free of the enchantment, hatch a plan to help. Poppy decides to take her place, as the last ball will be a masquerade ball. The plan starts off well, but in the end, she and Eleanora are captured by the Corley. Prince Christian comes to the rescue and there is a happily ever after in the end.

What I liked: I liked the twist in the story, the fact that it was told from what would be considered one of the ugly stepsister's points of view. It also was told in varying points of view, sometimes Poppy, sometimes Christian, and sometimes Eleanora. You know what 's coming, but because it involves some evil magic, you are left wondering how it will all be solved. It is a sweet story with a happy ending, which is one of the things I love.

What I didn't like: Eleanora was not a likable character until she needed help near the end. Maybe she's not suppose to be, but it would have been nicer if I could have rooted for her a little earlier. She did receive a happily ever after as well (which is another thing I like). 
I also was confused at the end. How did they break the Corley's spell? All they did was break through glass wall after glass wall until they got back to their house (magically) and then it was all over.  How does that break the supposedly powerful magic spell?
Also, the love story was a little lacking. Prince Christian goes from thinking that Poppy was odd to wanting to spend time with her to being in love with her. But there are no emotions involved with it. And Poppy doesn't show many emotions either towards Prince Christian even though she loves him. 
Also, she keeps dreaming of the King Under Stone (from Princess of the Midnight Ball) and how he wants her to come back but that's not really resolved either. What is the meaning of those dreams? 

Overall, this was a good book.  I would recommend it to my fairy tale loving students.