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Ella
As children, our imaginary friends are there for us when we need them, but what happens to them when we don't?
Isabella would do anything for her little girl, Ella. She loves nothing more than to let Ella cut her hair, or pet the elephants at the zoo. As Ella gets older, however, Isabella can't understand why Ella won't talk to her anymore. Isabella begins to feel as if she doesn't matter, that she doesn't exist.
Unfortunately for Isabella, she comes to realize that this may, in fact, be very close to the truth.
Isabella would do anything for her little girl, Ella. She loves nothing more than to let Ella cut her hair, or pet the elephants at the zoo. As Ella gets older, however, Isabella can't understand why Ella won't talk to her anymore. Isabella begins to feel as if she doesn't matter, that she doesn't exist.
Unfortunately for Isabella, she comes to realize that this may, in fact, be very close to the truth.
57 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2011
12 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Lee Burton
12 books21 followersLee Burton is a Percy Janes First Novel Award winner, and a finalist in The Writers of the Future contest. In 2023, he'll be publishing the first of his Speaker Series stories.
He lives in St. John's, Newfoundland, where for the past ten years he has worked as an author and freelance editor. Though his stories are diverse, they all revel in the music of words and celebrate imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 8, 2012
Ella is a beautiful story of a little girl who copes with the surrounding reality by escaping to her fantasies. Told from the point of view of Ella’s best friend, Isabella Francesca, it paints before the readers’ eyes five scenes of her life from the age of four to her early teens. As she is growing up, things that meant the world to her are forgotten or they change forms. Isabella Francesca finds herself being left behind, struggling to find her way back to the little girl that is no more.
Ella tells the story of all of us, as our childhood fantasies of princesses in lofty castles give way to teenagers’ dreams about boy bands. Few of us look back and wonder what happened to that princess. Burton does, in a wistful homage to childhood’s imagination. I warmly recommend Ella to all readers.
Ella tells the story of all of us, as our childhood fantasies of princesses in lofty castles give way to teenagers’ dreams about boy bands. Few of us look back and wonder what happened to that princess. Burton does, in a wistful homage to childhood’s imagination. I warmly recommend Ella to all readers.
December 24, 2025
Beautifully written and so sad. It’s haunting almost.
January 27, 2026
"Ella?"
Short and bittersweet, this novelette isn't about an imaginary friend, but an invisible friend. You see, just because only Ella can see her doesn't mean that Isabella Francesca isn't real. For the lonely little girl, the difference between imaginary and invisible is easy to see, and the reality of Isabella's existence seems unshakeable. No matter what shape Ella needs her to take, Isabella is there to fulfill her role providing love, comfort, praise, and understanding.
Each vignette from Ella's life, told through the eyes of her invisible best friend, shimmers with sentimentality even as the crumbling shape of the world takes more concrete form around the growing girl. The older Ella gets, the more impatiently the world intrudes upon their playtime. And when Ella begins to outgrow each role her best-friend-surrogate-mother-idol-crush has played, when she begins to shape her to a new and ever-more grown-up world, Isabella stays Isabella at her core. When other friends drift away, Isabella stays loyal and loving. Through tragedy and sorrow, Isabella stays.
The subtle hints of the neglect and tragedy that Ella survives intrude into Isabella's memories like wafts of smoke after the fire has been put out. The implication that the little girl may be repeating a generational pattern is gut-wrenching, but all Isabella wants is for Ella to be safe and loved and beautiful. Until the very end, that's all Isabella will ever want.
Short and bittersweet, this novelette isn't about an imaginary friend, but an invisible friend. You see, just because only Ella can see her doesn't mean that Isabella Francesca isn't real. For the lonely little girl, the difference between imaginary and invisible is easy to see, and the reality of Isabella's existence seems unshakeable. No matter what shape Ella needs her to take, Isabella is there to fulfill her role providing love, comfort, praise, and understanding.
Each vignette from Ella's life, told through the eyes of her invisible best friend, shimmers with sentimentality even as the crumbling shape of the world takes more concrete form around the growing girl. The older Ella gets, the more impatiently the world intrudes upon their playtime. And when Ella begins to outgrow each role her best-friend-surrogate-mother-idol-crush has played, when she begins to shape her to a new and ever-more grown-up world, Isabella stays Isabella at her core. When other friends drift away, Isabella stays loyal and loving. Through tragedy and sorrow, Isabella stays.
The subtle hints of the neglect and tragedy that Ella survives intrude into Isabella's memories like wafts of smoke after the fire has been put out. The implication that the little girl may be repeating a generational pattern is gut-wrenching, but all Isabella wants is for Ella to be safe and loved and beautiful. Until the very end, that's all Isabella will ever want.
February 29, 2012
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This book is really a novella, so I am most likely not going to review it in the same kind of length as I do for full size books, to do so would give to much away. To be completely honest I am not entirely sure about how I feel about this novella. It was kind of a bizarre to be completely honest.
Right from the beginning you start off with the story being told from Isabella's point of view, and to be honest I couldn't tell who was more the child and who was more the adult. Isabella seems to be under some kind of spell of Ella's and is willing to do anything this young child says. The child Ella seems to live in some kind of fantasy work of her own creation, which knowing a couple of four years old myself isn't to off.
That being said in the progressing chapter the same thing is also present. What Ella says, is what happens. It doesn't really matter what anyone else says or does including Isabella, who is suppose to be the adult in the situation. I have to say that through the entire first half of the novella I felt like Ella was a giant brat who needed a good time out.
At some point during the book I started getting the feeling that there was more going on here than meets the eye, and I thought that because of the relationship between Isabella and Ella. Especially when Ella starts talking to a bear for advice, I started to believe that the whole thing was happening in Ella's head and that's it, but if that was the case then why is the story being told from Isabella's point of view.
So needless to say, I think most of you are going to need to make your own mind up about this book, as well as see if you understand it better than I did. I will say I found it a bit on the annoying side that the book was told from Isabella, mostly because she sounded like she was a two year old, or a young child, and basically that got old for me really quickly. More than that I felt way more confused and lost throughout the entire novella so for that reason and that reason only I am going to give the book a "so-so" rating. But once again I want to mention that this is my opinion and only my opinion, it's very possible that someone else might enjoy this book or not be as confused as I was. So if you would like give it a go!
This book is really a novella, so I am most likely not going to review it in the same kind of length as I do for full size books, to do so would give to much away. To be completely honest I am not entirely sure about how I feel about this novella. It was kind of a bizarre to be completely honest.
Right from the beginning you start off with the story being told from Isabella's point of view, and to be honest I couldn't tell who was more the child and who was more the adult. Isabella seems to be under some kind of spell of Ella's and is willing to do anything this young child says. The child Ella seems to live in some kind of fantasy work of her own creation, which knowing a couple of four years old myself isn't to off.
That being said in the progressing chapter the same thing is also present. What Ella says, is what happens. It doesn't really matter what anyone else says or does including Isabella, who is suppose to be the adult in the situation. I have to say that through the entire first half of the novella I felt like Ella was a giant brat who needed a good time out.
At some point during the book I started getting the feeling that there was more going on here than meets the eye, and I thought that because of the relationship between Isabella and Ella. Especially when Ella starts talking to a bear for advice, I started to believe that the whole thing was happening in Ella's head and that's it, but if that was the case then why is the story being told from Isabella's point of view.
So needless to say, I think most of you are going to need to make your own mind up about this book, as well as see if you understand it better than I did. I will say I found it a bit on the annoying side that the book was told from Isabella, mostly because she sounded like she was a two year old, or a young child, and basically that got old for me really quickly. More than that I felt way more confused and lost throughout the entire novella so for that reason and that reason only I am going to give the book a "so-so" rating. But once again I want to mention that this is my opinion and only my opinion, it's very possible that someone else might enjoy this book or not be as confused as I was. So if you would like give it a go!
May 23, 2014
I came across the e-book "Ella" while I was looking for Canadian emerging writers on Goodreads.
The title and cover picture captured my attention, the author's bio and affordable price convinced me to buy it.
L.S. Burton has a gift with words, his style is fluid and his vocabulary is enviable.
"Ella" is a short story that challenge the readers to find out what the book is about. Unfortunately I lost the challenge and I have no idea what the real deal is. I can tell the author wants to say something by not saying it and letting me see it. I wish I could.
My opinion on reviews is that there is no bad review, just more visibility. Emerging writers need reviews more than they need coffee, so while I give "Ella" one star out of five, I suggest other readers disregard my opinion and try this peculiar, unique read.
The title and cover picture captured my attention, the author's bio and affordable price convinced me to buy it.
L.S. Burton has a gift with words, his style is fluid and his vocabulary is enviable.
"Ella" is a short story that challenge the readers to find out what the book is about. Unfortunately I lost the challenge and I have no idea what the real deal is. I can tell the author wants to say something by not saying it and letting me see it. I wish I could.
My opinion on reviews is that there is no bad review, just more visibility. Emerging writers need reviews more than they need coffee, so while I give "Ella" one star out of five, I suggest other readers disregard my opinion and try this peculiar, unique read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews