Mechanica

by Betsy Cornwell

[Beth C.]

Cinderella. It's the fairy tale that has been done to death in just about every form possible. But every once in a while, even with a tale that has been retold so many times that it's burned into the brains of most of modern society, you find something pleasantly different. 'Mechanica' is one of those times.

Mechanica, well - that's not her real name. It's a nickname the hated Steps have foisted upon her. With her mother long dead and her father killed not to long after remarrying, Nicolette is stuck as a servant in her own house, looked down upon by her new "family". But then, on her 16th birthday, a letter is delivered to her and her mother's secret workshop - long thought destroyed - is discovered. Can Nicolette re-write her future? Or will she be stuck living out her present?

The book mostly follows the basic Cinderella outline, but author Betsy Cornwell manages to shake things up a bit. We learn quite a bit more about Nicolette's mother, and Nicolette has more adventures than the Disney princess manages. The best part of the book, for young adult readers, is that the hero of the story is not the Prince who rescues the girl - it's the girl who works to overcome huge odds in an attempt to rescue herself.

Yes, the book can seem a little bit...convenient...at times. But I still quite enjoyed it overall and will happily keep this on my bookshelves for my daughter to read. And the ending, well...I don't do spoilers, but I will say that I *much* prefered it to the typical "sweep-her-off-her-feet" love story that Cinderella has. Overall, it's a sweet story with a good message, and would be suitable for audiences even as young as 10 if their reading skills are up to it.