Annals of the Western Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

In the first book of this series, Gifts, Orrec and Gry live in the Uplands where powerful families keep control of their lands and feifs by wielding magical gifts that are inherited father to son and mother to daughter. Orrec's gift is slow to come, but when it shows itself, it is so powerful and uncontrollable that his family ends up blindfolding him to make sure that he does not accidentally kill in anger. His friend, Gry, has the power to call animals but refuses to call them for the hunt. Together, they must find a way to deal with the way that their birthrights conflict with their beliefs.

The second book, Voices, takes place about 20 years later, after Orrec and Gry have become travelers. This book takes place in Ansul - a city that used to be a mecca for learning before the Alds invaded. The desert dwellers have taken over the city and hold the city hostage, destroying all books which they claim are evil. Memer is a 'siege brat' - half Ald and half native of the city. When she learns to read, a new world opens to her and she realizes that her destiny lies in learning about her mother's heritage and the secrets of Ansul. But will she learn enough to save herself and her people?

The third book, Powers, tells the story of Gavir, a slave in Etra. He and his sister were taken from the Marsh people to be house slaves of the Arca family. Gavir has the power of foresight from his ancestors, but his sister, Sallo, tells him that he mustn't ever tell anyone about his visions. Gav lives a happy life - the Arca family treats their slaves well and has all of them educated, Gavir most of all since he will replace the current teacher. His life changes forever when their city comes under seige and he first reads Caspro's poetry. Later events cause him to leave his home and his travels take hime many places, forcing him to reevaluate what it means to be educated, skilled, or free - only he can figure out what he seeks, and then, perhaps, find it once and for all.


This is certainly an interesting series; each of the books is stand-alone, although they are connected. The characters and places are all unique and so well developed that readers can clearly imagine the world and events. Personally, I tend to find Le Guin's style to be a little tedious - I enjoyed these stories, but they did seem rather slow. The third one was the best of the bunch except that the second half of the book or so felt repetetive and a bit longer than it needed to be. All in all, I would still recommend these books to fantasy fans, but just keep in mind that these books aren't for you if you prefer less descriptive, or more fast-paced writing styles.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Keys to the Kingdom, Spindle's End, or Princess Academy

Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey

Etienne de Brabant refuses to have anything to do with his daughter when her birth causes the death of his beloved wife. Instead, he leaves her to be raised by servants and brings a boy, Raoul, to grow up along side her. He says nothing about Raoul's origins and insists that he never leave his land. His daughter, called 'La Cendrillon,' and Raoul live happily as siblings, but their lives change when they turn sixteen and de Brabant's new wife and stepdaughters move into the household. When they receive an invitation to a royal ball, the stepmother's decisions will change the course of all of their lives. Finally, La Cendrillon begins to understand the meaning of family and the way to ensure a happy ending.

This was an intriguing retelling of Cinderella because it challenges many of the inherent conceptions of the story that show up in most versions. Aside from the expected resolution, parts of the plot were rather predictable. The characters are very well developed and likeable, however. Overall, I really enjoyed this book except that the ending seemed a little rushed and would have been better if it were a little longer. Despite that, I would definitely recommend this book - particularly to fantasy fans who enjoy retellings.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Bound, or Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

In this Chinese retelling of Cinderella, Xing Xing lives with her Stepmother and step sister, Wei Ping. She does most of the work around the house because her sister's feet are bound to make them smaller (an old tradition in many parts of China) and cause her great pain. Although Xing Xing has been educated to read and write, she rarely gets to practice her poetry or calligraphy; she has learned to take pleasure in small things - like the beautiful carp that visits her when she goes to the stream to get water. Unless her sister can make a good marriage, their whole family will be in trouble, so Xing Xing does all that she can to help her Stepmother and sister, hoping that perhaps she will find happiness herself, one day.

This is a beautiful story - very close to the Western Cinderella tale despite being set in China. Although written in third person, Xing Xing is definitely the main character and readers see everything through her eyes - and shaded with her sense of poetry and artistic vision. One thing that is different about this retelling is that, although there is a sense of mysticism and Chinese traditions (which feel a bit 'foreign'), there is no real 'magic' in the story; everything that happens is fairly realistic. The ending feels a little unfinished, but overall I enjoyed this book and it's a quick read with short chapters, which is nice when there is only time to read in short bits. I would recommend this book, particularly to fans who enjoy retellings and those who prefer more realism.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: East, The Fire Rose, or Protector of the Small series