Rating: 4 stars (Spotlight Review)

Behind the counter of a small used bookstore, on a side street of downtown Manhattan, you will find Lil; a sweet grandmotherly woman, with flowing white hair and a gentle nature. However, Lil has something most grandmothers don’t – wings. Lil is a fairy godmother, fallen from grace and destined to live her life as an elderly woman; punishment for an unforgivable act committed so very long ago.

Living life as a young, incredibly beautiful fairy, along with her sister and friends, Lil’s days were carefree and full of laughter. One fateful day, Lil was bestowed the special honor of getting Cinderella to the ball, to solidify Cinderella’s destiny of becoming the prince’s wife. In a moment of weakness, Lil allowed herself to be taken in by human emotions, to feel love and desire for the prince.

Although Lil did her best to put her own wants aside, the night just didn’t go as planned. With all the years of abuse, coupled with the endless grief of losing her mother, Cinderella was broken beyond repair. Having previously tried to take her own life she deemed herself unworthy of the Prince’s love, refused to go to the ball and begged her fairy godmother to reunite her with her mother. Lil, concerned she would fail to fulfill her duties and overcome with desire for the prince, left Cinderella and went to the ball – changing history, changing destiny and changing life as she’d known it forever.

Saddened by the reflection of the old woman she has become, Lil grinds her way through each day, counting the minutes until she can get back to her apartment, expand her wings and dream of how life used to be. Now Lil is beginning to see signs that her old world is ready to forgive. If she can just perform one last good deed, she can redeem herself and return home.

Carolyn Turgeon did a beautiful job. The reimagining of Cinderella was incredibly dark and very moving. Cast as a new twist on an old fairy tale, this story is so much more. Undertones of nostalgia, love, hope, heartbreak and desire emanate from the pages, guiding Lil’s frantic search for relief from the crushing guilt and sadness of losing something precious and her desperation for a second chance. Godmother brilliantly reflects two distinct and fluid worlds, proving that dreams can come true, but no matter what, you can’t go home again.
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Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (March 3, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0307407993