Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon a Time) | 
| Author: Cameron Dokey
Creator: Mahlon F. Craft
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Category: Book
List Price: $5.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 17294
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 208
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 1416934715
EAN: 9781416934714
ASIN: 1416934715
Publication Date: March 6, 2007
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Product Description
"ONCE UPON A TIME"IS TIMELESS Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. But before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised alongside her, a boy whose identity he does not reveal. The girl, La Cendrillon, and the boy, Raoul, pass sixteen years in the servants' care until one day a very fine lady arrives with her two daughters. The lady has married La Cendrillon's father, and her arrival changes their lives. When an invitation to a great ball reaches the family, La Cendrillon's new stepmother will make a decision with far-reaching effects. Her choice will lead La Cendrillon and Raoul toward their destiny -- a choice that will challenge their understanding of family, test their loyalty and courage, and, ultimately, teach them who they are.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 An interesting, albeit dull retelling of the classic fairytale... April 23, 2008
After he loses his wife in childbirth, Eitenne de Brabant abandons his home, leaving his newborn daughter behind. But before he leaves his home to serve the king, he brings home a child, a boy, who is raised along with his daughter. The boy is named Raoul and the girl is named Constanze, after her mother, but is nicknamed after the cinders, La Cendrillon. Years later, three women arrive -- her stepmother and two stepsisters. Cendrillon's father hasn't mentioned Cendrillon to the three women, so they are under the mistaken impression that she is a servant. So she endures the treatment of someone beneath them, especially from Anastasia, who appears to have feelings for Raoul. Everyone tells Cendrillon that she should let the women know that she is the real mistress in the home, but will such a revelation endear her to them or make things worse?
Before Midnight has a unique take on the classic fairytale in that it paints a more sympathetic portrait of Chantal, Anastasia and Amelie. What if these women aren't evil? And if they were, what if they had reasons for the way they'd treated Cinderella? More important, who is Cinderella's father and what role did he play in this women's lives? I like that the stepmother and stepsisters are more three-dimensional in this retelling. The romance between Anastasia and Raoul is more interesting than Cinderella's. This retelling is actually well written and quite interesting. Why am I giving it three stars? Because, in spite of the brief 193 pages, the novel has a slow beginning and is kind of boring throughout. I don't know if the reason to this is due to Cinderella's first-person narrative style or simply that I'm too familiar with the fairytale, but reading this felt like a chore at times. However, as said earlier, this version is interesting and some people might enjoy it. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be reading Cameron Dockey's fairytale retellings in the future.
 A Charming Tale of Cinderella By the Best Once Upon a Time Author February 19, 2008
When his beloved wife dies in childbirth, Etienne de Brabant never again wants to see the baby he blames for killing his wife. He abandons the girl, Constanze (nicknamed Cendrillon) in his remote mansion to be raised by her godmother Old Mathilde. He also drops off a baby boy, Raoul, who is to never leave the de Brabant estate. As Cendrillon and Raoul grow up together, they both make the same wishes on their birthdays year after year: Cendrillon wishes something would grow on her mother's grave and Raoul wishes that he will learn who he really is. One year, however, Cendrillon makes a new, impulsive birthday wish: she wishes for a mother to love her and two sisters, so at least one of them will like her. Since wishes have power in the world of this story, Cendrillon's wish is granted in an unexpected way, when Cendrillon's father marries a beautiful noble lady, Chantal de Saint-Andre. Since Etienne de Brabant seems to care as little for his new wife as he does his own child, he sends her and her two daughters to his isolated estate while he remains at court. Etienne has not even told his wife that he has a daughter of his own and when Chantal and her daughters, Anastasia and Amelie, arrive they, in their ignorance, take Cendrillon to be a servant girl. Cendrillon doesn't know how to correct this assumption and so plays along in the role.
Cameron Dokey is my favourite author in the Once Upon a Time series and although BEFORE MIDNIGHT doesn't quite rank up there with what I consider her best (Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time) and Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time)), it is still quite good. In this book Dokey, as per usual, does a fine job of writing a sweet, charming fairy tale with some interesting twists on the original. In this story, the stepmother and stepsisters are given more depth than usual and aren't like their evil counterparts in most versions of the Cinderella tale: only selfish, bratty Anastasia really fits the "evil stepsister" role, but even she is lashing out more from hurt than from being a genuinely bad person. Furthermore, Dokey gives the reader a Cinderella that is not a doormat, some fun twists on the usual Cinderella motifs of pumpkins and fairy godmothers, and a dash of political intrigue. I would have liked a bit more interaction between Cendrillon and her prince, as their time together was much too short, as well as a better display of Anastasia when she is not being a brat, as proof that she is worthy of the guy who falls in love with her. However, overall this is a great addition to the pretty well-covered Cinderella tale (Ella Enchanted, Ever After - A Cinderella Story, etc) and another fantastic Once Upon a Time book by Cameron Dokey.
 Cinderella With a Twist October 25, 2007
When the author first started this project she checked out some of the oldest version and found that in them Cinderella's father is alive. She puzzled over how to reconcile that fact with the story and came up with this book.
When Cinderella was born (here called the original French Cendrillon) her mother died. Her father held her responsible for the death and refused to accept her. Years later a new marriage caused the arrival of a step-mother and two step-sisters. Since they dis not know of her existence, the automatically assume her to be a servant.
How this issue is resolved is a major part of the story. Politics, family, loyalty, and oodles of love all play a part in this entertaining tale. Many know Cinderella as a love story but this version has even more than the popular versions (Rogers & Hammerstein, Disney, Etc.). For a very original take on a classic tale you would be hard pressed to find one that beats BEFORE MIDNIGHT. Check it out.
before midnight October 9, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Before Midnight
Before Midnight is a wonderful retelling of Cinderella. Constanze or Cendrillon was born at midnight and her mother, Constanze died. Her father was away and when he found that his wife was dead. He was very sad.When he got to the big stone house he had a baby boy with him the same age as Cendrillon. He was so sad he didn't come back for a long time.
I found this a very good book! The ending you would never expect but if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!
Entaining, just a little slow to get pulled in September 28, 2007
I am a huge Cinderella fan, and so this book seemed a perfect fit. But the first part of the book was slow reading, and it could have lost slower less dedicated readers. In the end it was worthwhile as a retelling of the classic fairytale, I just doubt that this will become a classic on its own.
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