GEEKERELLA

released 4 april 320 pages | paperback

Author ashley poston Publisher Quirk Books

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case, the title alone tells you everything you need to know. It’s Cinderella, Jim, but not as you know it.

Seventeen-year-old Elle lives with her mean stepmother and even meaner stepsisters, finding solace in writing a blog about the low-budget sci-fi TV show she used to watch with her dad. When a spin-off movie is announced, she’s unimpressed with the casting, but nonetheless enters a competition to try and win tickets to the premiere – plus a meet-and-greet with the movie’s star. Will she get to go to the (convention) ball?

Despite the familiar plot, Ashley Poston wrings plenty of suspense from Elle’s plight. She also subverts the Cinderella story’s superficiality, giving the prince a personality and her princess just as much of a claim on the palace and the party as him – maybe more. But you know the inevitable happy ending is still coming, which makes this a warm hug of a book. And it’s not just that the central love story is endearing, either. Several supporting characters, including Elle’s vegan taco-toting fairy godmother stand-in, get their own happily-ever-afters, while the final chapters are a tribute to the best parts of fandom: enthusiasm, loyalty, and the joy of finding people who love the same things that you do. Cosplay has never sounded so magical. Sarah Dobbs