2023 Book Review: Stepsister

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

YA Fantasy, 2019 by Scholastic, 352 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

  • Slow start. It felt like it was trying too hard to rely on the story we know and give this character a similar character ARC. 
  • Rushed ending. After a slow build up and slow start, I wanted to revel in the part of the story that felt so different. Instead, this is the part that felt rushed. 
  • Dry characters. For the most part, I didn’t find anything to love about Isabelle or Tavi. I wanted more. I wanted something that felt genuine and the glimpses we were getting weren’t enough. 

What I Did Like:

  • Fates and Chance. Great idea to introduce Fates mapping out a life and Chance as a character who wants to change fate. I loved everything they brought to the story. 
  • The story takes an interesting path and arcs away from the original story around the middle. From here, this becomes a unique and interesting story that I thoroughly enjoyed! 
  • The epilogue leaves things open enough to make it interesting. I like that! 

Who Should Read This One:

  • Fans of the Cinderella story who enjoy retellings and want something a little different!

My Rating: 3 Stars

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