Ogre Enchanted

> Was being angry part of being an ogre?
>
> Evie

***Ogre Enchanted*** is a 2018 fantasy adventure novel by Gail Carson Levine. The prequel to *Ella Enchanted*, it details the story of Evie, a healer who is transformed into an ogre and can only break the curse if she accepts another proposal within two months. It is based on the tales "Beauty and the Beast" and "The False Prince and the True."

## Official Synopsis

Evie is happiest when she is healing people, diagnosing symptoms, and prescribing medications, with the help of her devoted friend (and test subject) Wormy. So when Wormy unexpectedly proposes to her, she kindly turns him down; she has far too much to do to be marrying anyone. And besides, she simply isn't in love with him.
A certain meddling fairy named Lucinda has been listening in, and she doesn't approve of Evie's rejection. Suddenly, Evie finds herself transformed from a girl into a hideous, hungry ogre. Evie now has only sixty-two days to accept another proposal—or else be stuck as an ogre forever.

Returning to the land and many of the characters from her beloved Newbery-Honor-winning *Ella Enchanted*, Gail Carson Levine has written a delightful tale about a clever and endearing heroine who is determined to defy expectations.

– *Official Book Description*
## Dedication

*To my friend Joan, who proves that some transformations leave the essence unchanged.*

## Plot

15-year-old Evie is a healer. Her best friend Wormy unexpectedly proposes to her, which she rejects, causing the fairy Lucinda to place a curse: she must accept a proposal within 62 days from September 24. If she doesn't, she will remain an ogre forever. Along with her horrific appearance, she also takes on the mannerisms, the smell, and need for meat. After an angry mob surface on her family's home, Evie realizes she needs to seek out fellow ogres to learn how to stay alive.

Eventually she finds a band of ogres and learns their language and customs. She compromises stealing meat for them so they will not eat any creatures. Upon meeting the merchant Peter, she hopes that he will be the one to break her curse, falling for his charms. Eventually Evie proves herself to be a "good" ogre, rescuing a giant from their clutches and killing the ogres. Afterwards, she is taken in by The master, who recognizes her good nature. Using "zEEn", the ogre's gift of persuasion, Evie discovers that the master's greatest secret is his grandson, Jerrold, being the king's son, unbeknownst to the king and Jerrold himself. While Jerrold initially mistrusts Evie, eventually they become friends.

Heading into Frell to cure people using purpline (dragon urine), they are welcomed by the royalty. Evie meets King Imbert, Lady Eleanor, and sees Peter once more. Evie knows that Peter took credit for slaying the ogres and was awarded nobility status, despite lying. When Evie confronts Peter, she realizes how manipulative and power-hungry he is. Peter courts Eleanor in hopes to move up, despite not actually holding affection, while Eleanor is blind to this.

Jerrold attempts to expose Peter in court, though is not believed despite being the rightful heir. At a dinner, Peter proposes to Eleanor, to which she accepts. Lucinda appears and places the following "gift," "Neither of you will ever break your promises to each other, beginning with your consent. He has sworn to love you as much as he does right now, and you pledged to marry him."

When a formal ball comes around to honor Evie, she tries her best to blend in with Mandy and Eleanor helping. However, Evie feels out of place and leaves the scene, ending up having a dance with Wormy. When Evie is selected to teach how to combat ogres, she is tested against the opponents Jerrold, Peter, Wormy, and others. During one of the fights against Peter and Jerrold, Peter intentionally stabs himself to look like the victim, and Jerrold is threatened to be imprisoned. Evie quickly says for Jerrold to propose to her, and the curse is briefly lifted. Lucinda appears and the truth is known, with Evie's curse and Jerrold being the prince, along with Peter's deception. However, Peter manages to flee the scene and Evie turns back into an ogre.

When Evie tries to find Wormy to marry, it turns out that he's nowhere to be found. Mistress Chloris had proposed to him, and Lucinda witnessed the rejection and turned him into a squirrel. Evie tries to round up all the squirrels and asks for their hand in marriage. When Wormy is found, they both transform into human. Prince Jerrold and Princess Daria get married, Eleanor and Peter are forced to, and Wormy and Evie are quickly married.

## Characters

##### Humans

* Evie
* Wormy
* Lady Eleanor
* Sir Peter
* King Imbert
* Queen Aveece
* Princess Daria
* Prince Jerrold
* Mistress Dosia
* Titus
* Evesby
* Rupert
* Sir Stephan
* Sir Owen
* Dame Kezia
* Mistress Chloris
* Lord Niall
* Trunk
* Master Kian

##### Giants

* Udaak
* Oobeeg
* Aeediou

##### Ogres

* EEnth
* SSahlOO
* AAng
* ShuMM
* FFanOOn
* IZZ

##### Fairies

* Lucinda
* Mandy

## Trivia

* **Levine said of Evie:** "Physically, she becomes all ogre, a pretty one by ogre standards. Mentally, she's half and half. Among other things, she's hungry all the time, and humans and dogs and everything that moves looks tasty. The novel is a romcom, so Evie embarks on a search for love and also for ways to remain in the company of humans and heal them, since healing is her calling. Her human side is able to control her appetite. She doesn't eat the family cat or her mother or Wormy, but if I were writing horror, she'd eat the cat for sure and probably a human or two whom the reader cares about. The horror would be strongest in her distress at her own actions and her inability to control herself. The persuasiveness of an ogre would make it all worse. She could charm Wormy into offering parts of himself, while her human side is in torment."
* **Levine commented about Ogre Enchanted back in 2016:** "I'm dealing with this in my WIP, *Ogre Enchanted*. Fee (short for Phoebe) says no to Wormy (short for Master Warwick) in the first scene. As I kept writing, I realized that even I didn't like her, and part of the reason was that I identified with Wormy, who felt terrible, and she caused his unhappiness. So, I worked on him and made him less appealing. Now, because I'm embracing complexity, I've doubled back and made him more appealing again, although I'm hoping her reasons will still be clear."
* Evie's birthday is November 3rd.
* She was cursed on September 24 and the end of the curse was set for November 22.

## References

1. ↑ "Horrors" (blog post). July 29, 2020.
2. ↑ "The Love Express" (blog post). October 26, 2016.

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