Fairest: By Gail Carson Levine is an enchanted novel about an ugly
adopted girl who would do anything to become beautiful. The story is a
marvelous tale, that could be passed from generation to generation. In this book
review I will give you a summary, a theme, a character profile, and the
writing style of the author. Read, and I hope you enjoy my review, almost as
much as you enjoy Fairest when you read it!

The book starts off with Aza an adoptee working with her foster
family at an Inn. Things take an unusual turn when a royal duchess takes
a fancy to young Aza. A Few days later she is invited to the kings marriage to
a beautiful peasant girl from outside the country. The queen also takes a
fancy to young ugly Aza, and she makes her, her lady in waiting, but with an
illegal condition. Soon things start to go Aza’s way when she finds a magic mirror
that will make even the ugliest people beautiful, a beauty potion to change
your appearance, and even though she is ugly a friend, Prince Ijori. Prince Ijori likes her for who she is , even though she is ugly, and it seems like Queen Ivi also
wants her to be beautiful. She is tied, will she take the potion and risk it all,
or will she stay ugly and have her close first true friend? This book is filled with
plotting Queens, ogres, and gnomes. Just think, what does beauty really
mean

“True Beauty is Within” is the message/ theme I received after I read the novel
Fairest: By Gail Carson Levine. Throughout the book Aza is portrayed as an
ugly girl with a beautiful heart. She is kind and caring, it is almost as if she
is wearing a mask to cover her true beauty with-in. I believe this because in
the book on page 3 it says” I was an unsightly child” her opinion of beauty
changes when she hears someone on says (page 304)

“ ‘if she looks like she behaves, she’ll have the face of a viper’ says Ijori

‘I whispered ‘people don’t look like they behave”

This shows that Aza knows that she is kind and caring, and it has no effect

on her appearance. This is a good message to convey to someone, because
the world is becoming more and more superficial, and people need to
remember that “True Beauty is Within”.

Gail Carson Levine’s writing style is not the most unique, in fact she
uses the same writing style throughout the book. The book, like many others
is written in the opinion of only the main character, in this case Aza. I would
have liked to see the opinion of the king, the queen, and maybe even prince Ijori; if Levine had done this it may have changed the whole outlook of the book. Although Gail could have been more creative with her writing style, she did a great job with the
details in the book.

Queen Ivi, a young woman who only wants to be beautiful, and
loved. She was very cleverly thought out character, a queen of no royal blood, plus
a foreigner, given the opportunity to be queen, with no idea on how to
be a ruler. The idea of evil queens, seems a bit odd, but calls for a great
story. Gail Carson Levine made this book unique by having the bad guy(or
gal) in some parts of the book seem decent, not a complete wicked witch.
Therefore the character was very well thought-out.


In conclusion Fairest by: Gail Carson Levine is an enchanting novel
for readers who enjoy a fractured fairytale , with a twisted ending; adventure, and a heartfelt story. While the writing style was dull, the characters were lively. If you’re looking for a book that’s full of adventure,
romance, and wicked queens, then Fairest is your book. Watch out
Cinderella because Fairest is coming through.