Levine, Gail Carson. Fairest.LEVINE, Gail Carson. Fairest. HarperCollins. 328p. c2006. 0-06-073408-6. $16.99. JS Over 300 pages of rather challenging fantasy, with motifs we all recognize: a mirror that reflects beauty and talks; gnomes Gnomes The 15-year pass-through securities offered under Freddie Mac's cash program. Notes: Investors sell their mortgages through Freddie Mac's cash program. The 15-year mortgages sold to Freddie Mac form the pool of mortgages that back the securities referred to as who live in caves; a king, a prince, a girl who doesn't know who her real parents are; a shallow but beautiful queen. Levine adds many original ideas, especially that of the importance of singing. The main character is NOT the fairest. She is Aza, with intelligence, a kind heart and a beautiful voice, but she looks awkwardly different from everyone else. When the king falls ill, his young wife grabs as much power as she can grab, threatening to turn a benevolent be·nev·o·lent adj. 1. Characterized by or suggestive of doing good. 2. Of, concerned with, or organized for the benefit of charity. kingdom into a tyranny Tyranny Big Brother omnipresent leader of a totalitarian nightmare world. [Br. Lit.: 1984] Creon rules Thebes with cruel decrees. [Gk. Lit.: Antigone] Gessler Austrian governor treats Swiss despotically; shot by Tell. . She pulls Aza in with her, holding over Aza the well being of the parents who lovingly raised Aza as their own. Throughout is the question of who exactly Aza's true parents True Parents is a term used by the members of the Unification Church, referring to a perfect man and perfect woman blessed in marriage by God. According to church teaching, Adam and Eve should have become the first True Parents, but because of the Fall of Man, they became are; she looks different from everyone else, and she has gifts no one else has. For instance, she knows how to throw her voice like a ventriloquist would, and when the evil queen learns of this talent, she forces Aza to make it seem that the queen has a lovely voice, when in fact it is Aza's voice projected from the queen's mouth. The choirmaster is suspicious and arranges for the two to sing a duet, which of course would expose the fraud since it is only Aza who can sing. Inventive and original; readers who like Ella Enchanted en·chant tr.v. en·chant·ed, en·chant·ing, en·chants 1. To cast a spell over; bewitch. 2. To attract and delight; entrance. See Synonyms at charm. will be primed to try this fairy tale fairy tale Simple narrative typically of folk origin dealing with supernatural beings. Fairy tales may be written or told for the amusement of children or may have a more sophisticated narrative containing supernatural or obviously improbable events, scenes, and personages as well. Claire Rosser, KLIATT J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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