Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory MaGuire

We all have heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty . . . and what curses accompanied Cinderella’s exquisite looks.

Set against the rich backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris’s path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister.

 Book Review

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister begins with Margarethe leading her two daughters, Iris and Ruth, in search of food. They are homeless and poverty stricken until they encounter an egotistical, angry artist by the name of The Master. He takes them in under the condition that Iris poses for a painting. The painting has been commissioned by a wealthy man, Van den Meer, who notices that Iris can speak both Dutch and English.  He agrees to have Margarethe hired as his cook so Iris can teach his beautiful daughter, Clara, English. Eventually Van den Meer’s wife dies and he marries Margarethe, thus becoming Clara’s evil stepmother. But this is where the fairy tale differs from the book.

Iris grows attached to Clara and her sister Ruth is portrayed as simple. We don’t even meet the prince until closer to the end of the book.  Gregory Macguire brings to life complex characters and shows us a different perspective on the differences of beauty and ugliness.  Just when I thought I had the story figured out, Mr. Macguire left me reeling with a twist in the final chapter.  This is a book that changes perspectives and makes you think.  I wish all fairy tales for were so thoughtful.