#disenchanted: the trials of cinderella

[writergracethepanda]

[theviolettulip]

I hc Jack as Korean. My little sis thinks he's half White cuz of his mother & sister's descriptions, tho I'll have to check that.

Edit: yup, his mom's Asian like him but Tess is described as having glossy black hair and wide, long-lashed bright blue eyes, probs like their dad

Also as I was rereading Disenchanted I picked up some more descriptions.

Dash: veeery tall, same as his dad; green eyes; definitely White; probs messy hair; after the time skip his hair has some patches cuz of his burns

Lariat: (she's so pretentious it's unreal--her sleeve is definitely transparent so she can show off her jewelry -_-) also my sis told me to take a Pic and draw her immediately so she could picture her better and be able to hate her more XD

I think it was Dimity Paisley (one of Lavaliere's friends): Black (I'm pretty sure never outright stated, judy a hc of mine based on a description) and had a pretty & complex hairdo made up of braids (doesn't beat Tiffany's XD)

Jasper's Grandma (Opal?): small; appearance of a little girl; giggle-sobs; very creepy and can see thru to ur soul 😵‍💫🫥

OH and idk if i told u @alwaysanovice but the title of this book is also a pun cuz not only does Ella face trials aka obstacles, she also HAS A TRIAL at the end of the book XD

[fairytale-poll]

ROUND 2A, MATCH 6 OUT OF 8!

Propaganda Under the Cut:

Queen Cinderella Charming:

She's kind, she's funny, she learns to use a sword, and she's related to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Red Riding Hood. She helps the protagonists any chance she gets and even hosts their mother and step-father's wedding. She never gives up and  never lets her fear stop her. Absolute queen (literally) <3

While she isn't hugely relevant in the story itself, she is always down to help out the protagonists where she can. When they need one of her slippers, she sneaks it into their bag without them noticing. She calls them family. She loves her daughter too, and is a badass mom.

When the main characters need her glass slipper for a spell, she snuggled it into their bag, and she has a daughter named Hope <3

I think she’s a minor character in the first book, but she’d really nice and stuff!

Because I LOVE HER!! also she has a daughter called Hope who got kidnapped by rumplestiltskin at one point but that is besides the point. She is a strong independent woman and we love those she was NOT about to sit around doing nothing and i love her for that

Vote Land of Stories Cinderella because she's the best!!!

Elegance "Ella" Coach:

Ella fights for labor reform! I just reread the book intentionally so I could make propaganda for her but now my head is empty only LOVE FOR ELLA. She has two (gay) fairy godfathers, she worked in a sweatshop where her mother died, she has a well-developed with her prince, Dash Charming. The glass slippers are a very important motif even though she doesn’t actually get a pair herself because she was a secret fairy godparent case because the fairy godparent organization had become corrupt and wasn’t helping needy children, only the rich. It’s a sequel to Grounded which is a Rapunzel story, but Disenchanted stands alone in the same world and it’s my most favorite of the two!! She’s so kind and helps institute kingdom wide labor reform and ahhhhhhhh

Former child laborer who wants to use her family's newfound privilege to fight for workers' rights. Brave, smart, and compassionate, although she can also be reckless, because she's just a kid and she deserves BETTER. Actually has a good relationship to her step-family, who are badass and Black like her, and there's this really touching moment at the end that recontextualizes things a lot and it's very sweet and cool worldbuilding. Her fairy godmother is two gay contractors who overthrow their boss for being complicit in a corporate espionage/coup scheme. She has a nice and believable relationship with her prince, who is a fucking dork that learns to be less of a privileged idiot and would absolutely put his ass on the line for her in return. She's just so GOOD and Disenchanted is UNDERRATED, everyone go read it.

Her goal is to improve workers rights, directly inspired by the 19th century textile industry, right down to child labor and workers getting locked in factories. Her mother died working in a sweatshop. She struggles with her working class upbringing and her new upper class status after her father's invention made them rich. Not afraid of breaking the law. She's so cool and her book is so good.

[alwaysanovice]

First Tyme fanart I've posted in a long time; my favorite faires!

[kanerallels]

Top 6 Reasons You Should Read the Tyme trilogy by Megan Morrison

Reread a fantasy series I love and appreciate, so now it's time for you guys to love and appreciate it too

It's a fairy tale retelling series. Which is always an endorsement in my mind, but here are some more reasons that's great in this series. The takes on the fairy tales are so cool and refreshing, and well executed-- Cinderella fighting for the working class, the Frog Prince going through a redemption arc where he becomes a better person, and the absolutely shaped storyline that Rapunzel has. And most of them (particularly books one and three) combine multiple fairy tales in such a smooth, natural way.

The world building is INCREDIBLE. The tiny details and the way the different countries are introduced are so cool!! And they really go into smaller details, like the main exports that keep the country going, or the traditions of each country when it comes to dealing with loss. The magic systems are SO COOL, too!!

The characters are all really well done-- they're beautifully developed, both as characters and their relationships with each other. Syrah (main character of book three) has one of the best redemption styles arcs I've ever seen where he goes from unlikeable jerk to a caring, kind individual. Even the villains have well thought out motivations and in depth backstories

The romances in each of the three books are PERFECT because you have a slow burn, a couple that get together in the same book but help each other grow in powerful ways, and a book where the main character doesn't get the girl. The trope breaking! The following of the tropes but in just the perfect way! The level to which I am obsessed with Jack and Rapunzel! It's INSANE

All of the books and their stories are deeply intwined. There are cameos and small details in each book that lead you back to the other three, details that pop out and blow your mind at a reread or even the first time around!

It's really funny and charming and delightful writing. And There are these fascinating implications of other stuff going on in the world you're reading about-- stuff that we'll probably never find out about, since the last book was released in 2019 and there's no sign of another, which is really sad

Anyways, this is a super good series, you won't regret it if you read it! Oh my stars and I didn't even mention SERGE MY BELOVED FAVORITE CHARACTER FOR SURE THE FAIRY GODFATHER LEGEND HIMSELF listen just. read this series. Good talk

[internetgiraffekid1673]

YES I AM STILL DOING OC-TOBER! I DON'T CARE THAT IT'S MID-NOVEMBER, I'MMA FINISH THIS DAMMIT!

By the way. Remember when I told you I did prompt 21 last time? Yeah that was a lie, that was prompt 20. TODAY is prompt 21, draw your OC with your favorite character

I have a lot of favorite characters from a lot of favorite medias, but I have firmly decided that my favorite book of all time is Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison. It's the second book in a series, and it is SOOOOOOOO good.

Anyway, my favorite character from that book is the blue fairy Serge. He's a fashionable model of professionalism who is waiting for his asshole boss to retire so that he can fix the fairy-godparenting business to help children in need instead of just rich brats. All of his carefully laid plans are abruptly hijacked when he gets an apprentice in Jasper, the crimson fairy who RADIATES dramatic theatre kid energy. I refuse to spoil anything else though.

In the Land of Tyme (the world where this book is set), witches are created by selling their souls to the Great White Fairy in the Sky (who's an asshole, but not explicitly a satanic allegory). To maintain their lives and powers, they have to consume innocence, usually accomplished by eating children. Witch and fairy magic do NOT mix, don't play nice with each other, repel each other, and make the users of both physically weakened and ill. It's like poison.

While Hazel's done some heinous stuff, she's not a cannibal, and she only preys on other evil people. Serge has no way of knowing this, and would be absolutely horrified in a number of ways if he met a child witch, while Hazel would just be confused.

Everybody go read The Land of Tyme series by Megan Morrison, it's been intricately worldbuilt to a degree that I would actually describe the books as lessons on civics, ethics, and politics disguised as fractured fairytales. They're REALLY REALLY good. Anyway.

[ladyelainehilfur]

[haunting-hufflepuffs-basement]

Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison.

(It's the second book in a series, so also any of the other books in that series if you're bored).

tell me your fav book and i'll say what marauder it reminds me of (if i don't know it, i'll just read a summary quick online)

[droo216]

my bookshelf → disenchanted: the trials of cinderella by megan morrison

he kept track of wherever ella went in the ballroom; her bronze curls picked up the light. when it finally came time for the tenth dance, he made his way to her. his father wanted him to choose lavaliere for prince’s preference, but he had to talk to ella.

[ladygeekgirl-and-friends]

After a long couple months of YA books that I couldn't wholly get behind, I went back to the library to return them and then just wandered the aisles for a while. I didn't have any other recommendations from friends or websites, so I ended up in the children's section, picking out, somewhat at random, what looked like a fairy tale adventure with a Black protagonist. The back cover told me it was the second in a series, so I grabbed the first book, as well, and went home to see if they were any good. As it turns out, they were incredible. Not only are they some of the best revisionist fairy tales I've read, the book I picked up, Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella, was also centered on social justice and the ills of child labor. Did I mention I found this in the children's section?

Minor spoilers to follow!

Read More

[writergracethepanda]

[theviolettulip]

Some Disenchanted Character Descriptions, mostly the Quints

Mostly for my own use. Quickly combed through the book for this. When I have my own copy I'll try to find more details.

@alwaysanovice this isnt really that interesting but could be useful to have 🤷‍♀️

Ella - Black; bronze bouncy "unfettered" curls, free at first then in a pretty twist later

Dash - White; VERY tall; green eyes; most likely blond hair

Dimity Gusset - White; "complicated sweep of red hair"; green eyes

Tiffany Farthingale - White; "limp blond hair"; "big blue eyes"

Lavaliere - sleek dark hair; "pale-slender face"; "large Grey eyes"

Paisley Pannier - "said Paisley, patting her intricate braids"*

Loom Batik** - coarse blue-black hair in spikes, kinda like Jasper's (for the ball, it "grew long, straight, and shiny, hanging in artistic, jagged lines around his face and past his shoulder, with one thick lock that was not white but actually clear as glass")

Garb Garter - probably White cuz "his face turn[ed] red, then very pale"; currently bald and it doesn't suit him

Maud Poplin - White; dark curly hair THAT WAS HER WIG OOPS shes actually blond; "clear blue eyes"

Clement Charming - White; "piercing blue irises"; also tall (him and Dash are the same height)

Clover Gourd - Black; "handful of years older than Ella, shockingly tall and angular, with close-cropped white curls on one side of her face and a blast of black frizz standing straight out on the other"

Linden Gourd - Black; head shorter than his twin; "he sported spectacles and a floor-length leather coat with one sleeve sliced off to expose his right arm" which is "dark purple from shoulder to fingertips with the Kiss of magic"

Chemise Shantung - Chinese; "dark, glossy lock"/hair; plump, cupid lips (one could say that theyre "succulent" XD (poor Dash)); according to cursed!Dash: "satin skin, graceful hands, eyes that hypnotized his heart"

Nexus Maven - Black, so her son Mercer Garrick is too

*this is why I think she's/hc her as Black (thx for correcting me @goob505, I mixed her up with Dimity)

**I hc him as Indonesian cus batik has Indonesian origins

Also isn't it funny how literally ALL of their names are clothing/jewelry/fabric-related-crafts?? I mean who in the world is named GARB?? Bro should be the one getting bullied...

[fairytale-poll]

ROUND 1A, MATCH 12 OUT OF 16!

*The image being used for The Wide-Awake Princess is the book cover, though neither of the characters on it are Eleanor / Cinderella. There is no official art of her that I could find and am using the book cover as a place-holder. If you have found OFFICIAL art of the character that I did not feel free to send it in.

Propaganda Under the Cut:

Eleanor:

She’s a pretty typical Cinderella, but her magic falls apart early because she bumped into the protagonist who has anti-magic >:3

Elegant "Ella":

Ella fights for labor reform! I just reread the book intentionally so I could make propaganda for her but now my head is empty only LOVE FOR ELLA. She has two (gay) fairy godfathers, she worked in a sweatshop where her mother died, she has a well-developed with her prince, Dash Charming. The glass slippers are a very important motif even though she doesn’t actually get a pair herself because she was a secret fairy godparent case because the fairy godparent organization had become corrupt and wasn’t helping needy children, only the rich. It’s a sequel to Grounded which is a Rapunzel story, but Disenchanted stands alone in the same world and it’s my most favorite of the two!! She’s so kind and helps institute kingdom wide labor reform and ahhhhhhhh

Former child laborer who wants to use her family's newfound privilege to fight for workers' rights. Brave, smart, and compassionate, although she can also be reckless, because she's just a kid and she deserves BETTER. Actually has a good relationship to her step-family, who are badass and Black like her, and there's this really touching moment at the end that recontextualizes things a lot and it's very sweet and cool worldbuilding. Her fairy godmother is two gay contractors who overthrow their boss for being complicit in a corporate espionage/coup scheme. She has a nice and believable relationship with her prince, who is a fucking dork that learns to be less of a privileged idiot and would absolutely put his ass on the line for her in return. She's just so GOOD and Disenchanted is UNDERRATED, everyone go read it.

Her goal is to improve workers rights, directly inspired by the 19th century textile industry, right down to child labor and workers getting locked in factories. Her mother died working in a sweatshop. She struggles with her working class upbringing and her new upper class status after her father's invention made them rich. Not afraid of breaking the law. She's so cool and her book is so good.

[alwaysanovice]

I drew a regal Ella from Disenchanted, and I'm tagging @theviolettulip because let's be honest, it's just you and me in this fandom and this is practically posted for you lol

[booksandbricks]

Just finished Disenchanted, The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison and I'm so thankful that I've read it!!! My heart is brimming from the goodness and honestly after a series of really poorly written/unengaging books I just want to throw my hands up and weep in happiness.

Already, I had some apprehension about the book given that I simply, wholly loved Grounded, The Adventures of Rapunzel. I was fairly sure that if she wrote again it wouldn't be able to beat it, but this book really stood its ground against such an exemplary story.

Clear, discerning characterisation, wisdom in such realistic dilemmas, and realistic and graceful endings. Every part of the plot was relevant, no character wasted for the lol of it, and okay honestly I'm very pleased and impressed by the sheer wisdom that Morrison is gifted with. It is evident in her writing. For example, the lessons Ella learns...criticism of Ella as well to show that no protagonist is completely without fault. There is a great growth, a maturity, a character progression here not only in Ella but in the prince as well, and in the relationships of characters in the book.

And!! For once, a fairytale/ fantasy novel that doesn't revolve around reclaiming a throne (I've never seen that as a noble thing, more of a selfish thing, really)- instead, it's about doing the right thing, providing fair rights and opportunities to the people. Good governance! A great model for us, this book is indeed satire of the world.

You can tell I'm gushing can't you but I really love this I simply must! Read grounded again!!! I really hope Morrison publishes another book soon ❤️