emily

I cannot believe how underrated this book is. Stepsister is a hauntingly beautiful story about a young girl finding herself in a society that is built for men. Not only is this a tearjerker of a book, but it is also a feminist commentary on the patriarchal roles of a woman. This sends a much needed message to all young girls who read this. Don't let anyone tell you who you are, what you will do, and what you'll be. Be brave, courageous, and beautiful, even if other people tell you that you are anything but. To be beautiful is to be yourself. True beauty comes from inner happiness. Furthermore, I also love that this book also covers female friendships. Under society's remarks and their mother's cruel parenting, Ella and her stepsisters were made to hate each other even though they shared a lovely childhood together. It shows that although the original "Cinderella" paints them as if they were born cruel, they were actually just raised under the scrutiny of their mother who wrongly taught them that a woman's only worth was her beauty and grace. This book is definitely one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. I read this when I was in middle school and I didn't understand the message until I reread it just now in high school. Big respect to the author, Jennifer Donnelly.