In this Algonquin rendition of Cinderella, The Rough-Face Girl lives with her father and two beautiful yet cruel sisters in a village on the shores of Lake Ontario. On the outskirts of the village lives the Invisible Being; a rich, powerful, and supposedly very handsome man who every woman in the village has set her sights on. However, to win his hand the women have to get past his sister and the tests she places in their paths. When her stepsisters fail, can the Rough-Face Girl, so called because of the burns she has suffered from sitting so close to the fire, succeed in their stead?
I love how many different renditions of Cinderella there are, and how each one puts a different spin on the tale. Apparently there is something universal about a woman striving through adversity to get the happily ever after she desires, usually involving fantastic fashion and a dashing prince or prince-like figure. This one changes it with the fact that it’s not stepsisters, that are so horrid to Cinderella, it’s her biological sisters. Which in some ways makes her father’s favoritism of them even worse; you can’t say no to your two oldest to better the life of your youngest?
The Rough-Face Girl is comfortable in her own skin; she knows who she is and makes no excuse for it. There is no fairy godmother here; everything she accomplishes is because of her inner lights and her sense of self. Which is a nice change from a lot of Cinderella versions; rarely does the lead take control of her own destiny.
The art is absolutely gorgeous; David Shannon says his work is heavily influenced by Disney villains and you can see that in the art. It’s very darkly colored, and yet that makes the contrast between the shadows and the people pop, for lack of a better word.
I would definitely recommend this book in a child’s collection for a different take on Cinderella, and a beautifully illustrated one at that.
