Literally Leander discussion

Our featured book for the month of May was Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly. There will be spoilers within this thread, so if you haven't read the book yet, you've been warned!

This month our discussion prompts were written by a staff member. As always, these are just prompts to get the discussion going. Don't feel like you have to use them if you don't want to! We look forward to seeing what you have to say about this fairytale retelling!

1. Did you like the interludes featuring the Fates, Chance, and the fairy queen, Tanaquill? Why do you think the author chose to include them in the story?

2. What kind of heroine is Isabelle? How would you describe her? Did you like her?

3. How did societal norms affect Isabelle’s view of herself? In her process of overcoming them, how did she change the views of those around her?

4. Describe Isabelle’s relationship with her mother, her sister Tavi, and her stepsister Ella. How did these relationships change over the course of the novel?

5. In the story, a person’s life is written on a map, and can be influenced by the ink used—things like Doubt, Fear, Defiance, Inspiration, etc. If you were able to see a map of your life, what would it look like?

6. Isabelle comes to rely on women leaders and warriors from history. Do you have any role models that inspire you?

I loved this book! It was a little slow going in the beginning but it really did pack a strong message with a fairytale story that feels familiar yet new at the same time.

This is the kind of feminist plot that I adore; it's rather subtle. It's not super overt or overly done, it just is, and it's done well. I loved how authentic Isabelle felt, complete with good qualities and bad.

1. Did you like the interludes featuring the Fates, Chance, and the fairy queen, Tanaquill? Why do you think the author chose to include them in the story?
To be perfectly honest, in the beginning I didn't think I would be a huge fan. It seemed too black and white when it came to the Fates vs. Chance. It's the same old destiny vs. free will argument people have been arguing about for centuries. But the Fates, especially the Crone, seemed to align with "evil" while Chance aligned with "good," and I wasn't a huge fan of the clear lines drawn. Destiny should have the same ability to be a promised gift, while free will should have dangerous consequences.

I did like Tanaquill quite a bit, though. She was fierce and strong, a far cry from the usual soft and gentle fairy godmother we tend to think of. She also had no interest in playing the games of fate and chance, of good and evil, she just was, and that was a power in itself.

I think that they ended up enhancing the story by showing that while you may feel alone, the world can very much be invested in the direction your life takes. People care about you, even if you think they don't. Isabelle did not see herself as a hero, but she was one, and that's important to remember.

3. How did societal norms affect Isabelle’s view of herself? In her process of overcoming them, how did she change the views of those around her?
I wrote down no less than three quotes that talked about Isabelle feeling whittled down and rounded off by who she was supposed to be by the standards of others. This one delivers the idea nicely:

All her life, everything she’d wanted, everything she loved… they were always the wrong things. They got her into trouble. They broke her heart. They weren’t for her; the world had said so. So why ask for them? They’d only bring more heartache.

Isabelle grew up in a rigid household, where her mother expected her and her sister, Tavi, to become fancy women one day. They were not as beautiful as Ella, a fatal sin according to society, and so they were expected to shore up all of their whims and fantasies if they wanted to survive in the world.

I don't think that Isabelle was ever truly ugly. This is the kind of book that shows you the power of words; a child who was once happy and adventurous becomes withdrawn and cruel because the world deems her as ugly... and why try, if you'll never be good enough? Fortunately Isabelle discovers that she is enough over the course of the novel. She overcomes the harsh judgments of those around her by showing them exactly what she's worth.

4. Describe Isabelle’s relationship with her mother, her sister Tavi, and her stepsister Ella. How did these relationships change over the course of the novel?
I think one of the more interesting familial relationships for Isabelle was that of her mother. Given that this is a Cinderella retelling, it is inevitable that we would think of Isabelle and Tavi's mother as "the evil stepmother." And indeed, Isabelle does resent her mother in some capacity. She blames her for the reason that she has no self-confidence, and she's probably not too far off.

It had often been hard living with Maman. Hard coming up against her constant approval. Her anger. Her rigid rules. But no matter what, Maman had seen to it that the bills were paid. Widowed twice, she’d still managed to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Now, for the first time, Isabelle had to do it. Sometimes with Tavi’s help, often without it. That was hard, too.

But, like in real life, as you age you begin to understand your parents in different ways. You understand their reasons and their logic, even if it wasn't what you wanted when you were younger. You understand that they are human too, and that they make errors that they regret. Isabelle comes to understand that her mother loved her daughters dearly, but she was frightened that they'd live hard lives. If it meant quelling their freedoms to ensure a comfortable life, she figured that would be safest. I wouldn't agree with her, and I doubt Isabelle did, but you can understand it. When her mother begins to fall apart, Isabelle does as a filial child does, and she cared for her mother. She, too, was forced to make decisions that she didn't want to make, in the name of survival and happiness.