Ella Enchanted

        Ella Enchanted is another spin on the original Cinderella story, though quite different than all the others. I've always disliked Cinderella; she always did everything her stepmother and -sisters told her to, and was always too good, making friends with mice and birds, both of which I personally despise, and singing like a lark while doing the most menial tasks. Ella is nothing like that. The opposite of the meek, dreamy, Disney Cinderella, Ella is strong-willed, and only obeys anyone because she was given a curse at birth, by an idiot fairy named Lucinda. Lucinda gets her kicks by showing up uninvited at weddings and births, and giving unwanted "gifts" to unsuspecting people. Throughout the novel, you'll find discreet references to the original "Cinderella". For instance, the Prince in Ella Enchanted, Prince Charmont. Get it, Charmont, and Prince Charming?