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Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister : A Novel
by Gregory Maguire

Published: 2000-10-03
Paperback : 384 pages
16 members reading this now
15 clubs reading this now
17 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 4 of 4 members

“[An] engrossing story...endearing and memorable.”
—Boston Herald

“[An] arresting hybrid of mystery, fairy tale, and historical novel.”
—Detroit Free Press

“A tale so movingly told that you will say at the end of the first reading, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve read a ...

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Introduction

“[An] engrossing story...endearing and memorable.”
Boston Herald

“[An] arresting hybrid of mystery, fairy tale, and historical novel.”
Detroit Free Press

“A tale so movingly told that you will say at the end of the first reading, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book this good.’” < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Nashville Tennessean

 

Gregory Maguire proves himself to be “one of contemporary fiction’s most assured myth-makers” (Kirkus Reviews) with Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, his ingenious and provocative retelling of the timeless Cinderella fairy tale. Perhaps best known for his dark and breathtaking Oz series The Wicked Years—including the novel Wicked, which inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical—Maguire is a master at upending the ordinary to help us see the familiar in a brilliant new light.

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

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Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
  "fairly easy to read and discussion-worthy"by Laura M. (see profile) 02/12/13

The group liked this book overall. We mostly agreed to some weakness in the writing but felt that after the first 1/3, the book really picked up. We had an active discussion and several members were... (read more)

 
  "Not my favorite - but enjoyed the twist on the Cinderella story."by Beth A. (see profile) 04/30/10

 
  "So much to discuss."by Kara h. (see profile) 02/21/10

Is beauty an affliction? Does it get in the way of the development of the soul? Why do humans equate beauty with good and ugliness with evil so readily? These are all questions that "Confessions" explores,... (read more)

 
  "A lot of fun to read"by Pamela K. (see profile) 02/19/10

I had a great time reading this book and think Greg Maguire is an interesting author. I'm not positive how much discussion could come from it, but it's definitely worth the read.

 
  "The retelling the tale of Cinderella through the eyes of her "ugly stepsisters.""by Carrie M. (see profile) 09/23/08

The most of the members of the book group liked The Confessions on an Ugly Stepsister and the focus of our discussion was attributes of the characters in the book.

 
  "Entertaining...Cinderella from the viewpoint of a stepsister"by Kathy F. (see profile) 01/30/07

I really liked this book and look forward to reading more of this author. It gave Cinderella a real world setting and made me wonder why even today a person's goodness or worth is usually measured by... (read more)

 
  "Difficult reading"by Marie S. (see profile) 05/10/06

I have not read this author’s previous book, so I did not have any preconceived notions and read this like I would any book. I found it very hard going and I'm a fast and voracious reader. Weeks later... (read more)

 
  "Confessions is Confusing..."by Michelle H. (see profile) 04/13/06

If you were to read one Gregory Maguire book...read Wicked. I was greatly dissapointed after reading this book. Unlike Wicked, this book did not keep my attention. I found it hard to conti... (read more)

 
  "the cinderella story from a different view"by margot c. (see profile) 04/13/06

I enjoyed this book. I recommend approaching it with no expectations, either of the story (try to forget it is supposed to be a "Cinderella" story) or of the author (don't compare it to "Wicked"). Leaving... (read more)

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