Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior - Maureen McGowan - Blog Tour Review

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!
Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior
Author: Maureen McGowan
Genre: Young Adult, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, Adventure, Create Your Own Adventure
Publisher: Silver Dolphin
Publication Date: April 1, 2011
Format: Softcover
Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Teddy for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository
My rating: 4/5

Cinderella's had a tough life. She's had to slave away, toiling hour after hour as her stepsisters think up cruel and unusual jobs for her to do. What's worse though, is that her stepmother not only encourages them, she also makes life miserable for Cinderella. All is not lost for Cinderella though, as she has been training and teaching herself how to be a ninja. Her stepmother would be livid if she found out, so Cinderella practices only when she knows there is no one around. One day soon she hopes that she will break the spell cast on her, and will be able to live a life free from her step-mother's constant reign. 
Cinderella: Ninja Warrior is an extremely cute and fast-paced read. Reminiscent of the tale we all know, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior carries on with the basic premise from the original fairytale. There is a prince, there is a ball, and Cinderella is at the mercy of her two step-sisters and their evil mother. There is something different in this retelling though. Cinderella is depicted as a strong character balking at her stepmother's tyrannical rule. She isn't going to wait for anyone to come sweep her off her feet, let alone a prince. She reads in secret, and trains to be a ninja warrior. Someday she will be able to free herself. Magic abounds, and Cinderella herself has talents that have gone unnoticed.
I think my favourite part of this novel is that the reader chose what Cinderella did next, making it seem like the reader was right there with Cinderella, acting out her part. She's a determined, strong young woman who wants to find a way out of the situation that she is currently in. You have to hand it to her, prince or no prince, she's bound and determined to get what she wants. 
All in all, I think this is a cute read, and I believe many tweens and teens will enjoy this read. With a message that combines strength and girl power, I think many will enjoy this retelling of the classic Cinderella. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, and am curious to see just what McGowan has in store for the rest of the fairytale princesses.

2 comments:

Teddy Rose said...

I really like how strong this Cinderella is as opposed to the meek one from Disney. I think it's important for girls to see strong female characters.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that this is a stronger Cinderella because the Disney version annoys me. I'm curious about why she she wants to be a ninja warrior and what it does for the plot though.