Review: When is Cinderella Unlovable?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 17, 2013
Fairy Tale: The Prince is looking for Cinderella. Woman after woman tries on the glass slipper, but the shoe fits no one. And then steps forth the unthinkable candidate, the lowly Cinderella, and guess what? Yes, the shoe fits. "Will you marry me?", the Prince asks Cinderella. Before she can say, Yes, of course", the King and Queen say in unison, "OVER MY DEAD BODY." You are NOT marrying a servant girl, and that is final."What?Let's cut to the chase: social status and wealth matter, especially to those who have managed to attain it. As a result, Author Clarissa Cartham makes the reader deal with the concept of morality and money when she poses the hypothetical: "If Cinderella were a prostitute..." In raising this issue, the central theme of this book has been transparently planted.Is true love possible under such circumstances?Don't answer that question, not yet. Our author does not let us make a simple choice of good and bad here. She ups the ante by bestowing upon our Cinderella, Kate Ripley, some highly admirable qualities. Kate, you see, is doing what she has to do in order to take care of her family. Kate has come to this morality play not by choice, but through necessity. Nowhere on the planet is life free, not even in a fairy tale or a romance.Living must be paid for, it exacts a price. Consequently, Kate Ripley is faced with some tough choices to make. In reality, her choices are the exact same choices which have always faced women since time immemorial in moments of economic crisis and hardship: do I sell my human dignity, and survive, or retain my dignity, and die of starvation?Again I ask, under such circumstances, can true love be found? If one miraculously finds true love, can it be trusted?Clarissa Cartham has done a magnificent job in setting up the parameters for this novel to play out in, and I commend her on her cleverness. It makes this book a real page turner, engaging, stimulating even. Further, the cover artwork clearly defines the "hotness" to be found within the covers of this book. If you are looking for an adult read, you have come to the right book. I recommend this book, as it is a psychological roller coaster ride, a very intriguing central theme,  I have but one caveat: FOR ADULTS ONLY.I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I must admit that it was a pleasurable read, and would gladly accept more from this author to read and review. As I said before, Author Clarissa Cartham is quite clever. She makes you think, even when it looks like you don't need to think...Reviewed by Thomas Jerome BakerAuthor ofLooking For Catarina: A Love Story From Santiago de Chile to Florence, Italy