Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella

Starred review from July 15, 2016
The second Tyme fantasy features dark-skinned Ella, whose journey of self-discovery--and perhaps true love--dovetails with her eventually becoming a champion for workers' rights. The remarriage of Ella's widowed father has catapulted them into elite status among other business owners in the garment industry. Ella and her stepsiblings attend a posh school, but Ella resists the trappings and the attitudes. Meanwhile, Prince Dash Charming--recent breaker of the 150-year-old spell rendering all males of his line charming but unfaithful--is resisting attempts by his father to betroth him to a member of the Jacquard dynasty. More resistance brews at the National Academy of Fairy Godparenting due to a corrupt leader. The third-person narrative alternates perspective among Ella, Dash, and fairy godfathers Serge and Jasper, all endearing and believable characters. Their tales are as deftly interwoven as the vying houses' fine garments, even as they reveal to young readers such dark, contemporary issues as enforced child labor, difficulties faced by working-class families, and the harm that is caused by grim factory conditions. Balancing such strong stuff as a graphically depicted garment-factory fire are liberal infusions of magic and humor, which includes a government with a House of Mortals and a House of Magic. Casual references to different skin colors and to LGBTQ characters are also commendable. The book stands alone while also complementing Grounded (2015), the first in the series. Great, smart fun. (maps) (Fantasy. 10-14)

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August 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Morrison returns to the land of Tyme (Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel) and continues the story with a few of the first novel's characters. Prince Dash Charming, no longer frozen in stone and free from his family's perennial curse of unhappiness in love, is now safely back home in Quintessential, the capital city of Blue Kingdom. But the return is far from joyful. His mother, Queen Maud, has disappeared; his father, the king, struggles to maintain his rule under pressure from prosperous citizens who want to topple the monarchy; and Prince Dash is forced to return to his elite school, where all the students eagerly anticipate his reentry. All except Elegant Coach (Ella), a smart, gifted seamstress from a poor, hardworking family who, for years, toiled in one of the kingdom's factories. Ella is at the school only because her widowed father married a wealthy businesswoman. She finds life unbearable there with classmates who consider her beneath them. When Prince Dash and Ella become partners on a business project, romance blossoms along with plenty of trials for both of them. Morrison has created another fast-moving and vibrant story filled with colorful descriptions of a magical place. Readers who enjoyed the first installment will relish the chance to learn more about Serge, the Blue Fairy, Prince Dash, and other characters from Tyme. New readers who like a fresh approach to traditional fairy tales will appreciate how the author blends themes of magic and modern-day economic justice. VERDICT A fine addition to most middle grade collections and a must-have for fans of the first in the series.-Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH

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