My contact at Harper Collins Canada sent me Ogre Enchanted to be a possible book choice at the children’s book club I am starting at school. Fantasy novels are of interest to a number of the members and I thought this one would be a perfect choice.

Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fantasy

Blurb:

In this prequel to Ella Enchanted, which can stand on its own, young healer Evie is transformed into an ogre by the meddling fairy Lucinda. She’ll turn back only if someone proposes and she accepts!

Returning to the land and many of the characters from her beloved Newbery Honor–winning Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine has written a delightful tale about a clever and endearing heroine who is determined to defy expectations.

Evie is happiest when she is healing people, diagnosing symptoms, and prescribing medications, with the help of her devoted friend (and test subject) Wormy. So when Wormy unexpectedly proposes to her, she kindly turns him down; she has far too much to do to be marrying anyone. And besides, she simply isn’t in love with him.

But a certain meddling fairy named Lucinda has been listening in, and she doesn’t approve of Evie’s rejection. Suddenly, Evie finds herself transformed from a girl into a hideous, hungry ogre. Evie now has only sixty-two days to accept another proposal—or else be stuck as an ogre forever.

My thoughts:

Ogre Enchanted makes one think of the fairy tales we read as young children. The story includes fairies and fairy magic, ogres, and the people who inhabit this magical world. The main character of this novel, Eve, is a young woman who is certain of who she wants to be and who wishes to remain true to herself even though she has been cursed by a fairy. She goes on an adventure in order to lift the curse and while travelling meets up with people that help her realise a little about herself, and what her relationship with her best friend means.

Levine’s storytelling drew me in and I forgot that I was pre-reading the novel for a group of much younger readers. I think that the grade 5s in my book club will love Evie and her independent spirit; that they will enjoy her cleverness in trying to outwit the fairy and her curse; and that they will shout out “Yes!” when they read the ending. I look forward to hearing their thoughts on this story. Ogre Enchanted is a beautifully written story about self-realisation and the growth of friendship.

I give this novel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2019

(This novel was the 21st in my book pledge for 2019)