Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a novel by the author who draws inspiration from many classical tales, and re-tells them in a new light. This novel is a re-telling of the classic Cinderella, and as the title suggests, focuses on one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters.
Iris, the main character of the novel, is the younger of the two stepsisters. She doesn’t possess a striking appearance, strengthened by the fact that she has lived a hard life despite being young, ranging from displacement to her father’s death. Nevertheless, Iris is a kind person who takes care of her challenged older sister Ruth and her beautiful stepsister Clara. Iris also has an affinity for painting, and takes painting lessons alongside the handsome Caspar.
The novel was published in 1999 and made into a movie with the same title not long after. It explores new perspectives and ideas of the classic tale, and gives more dimension to some of its underestimated characters.
