Alex Flinn (2012)
Genre
Fantasy / Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
12 Minutes
Key Themes
See below
Sign in to track this book
An immortal witch, whose attempts to help others often backfire spectacularly, finds herself drawn into a high school drama involving a conniving stepsister and a brewing curse.
Emma, a seemingly ordinary high school girl, introduces her best friend, Kendra. Kendra is an ancient, immortal witch who looks like a teenager, constantly moving to new schools to avoid suspicion. Kendra recounts her past attempts to meddle in fairy tales, often with disastrous and unintended consequences. For example, she was temporarily killed by hanging after an incident with Hansel and Gretel, and she failed at matchmaking for a French prince. Despite her history, Kendra is drawn to Emma's situation, sensing Emma is being mistreated. Kendra believes she can help Emma navigate her difficult home life, especially concerning her beautiful and manipulative stepsister, Lexa. Kendra wants to intervene, even with her past failures, setting the stage for a new magical intervention.
Emma's home life is difficult. Her father, a kind but often absent-minded professor, has remarried. This brought Lexa and Lexa's equally unpleasant mother, Madame Dubois, into their lives. Emma is relegated to a small, attic-like room and is burdened with chores, while Lexa enjoys a life of luxury and attention. Lexa is not just spoiled; she is actively cruel, constantly belittling Emma and sabotaging her opportunities, including tearing up an application for a prestigious scholarship. Emma's father is oblivious to the mistreatment, making Emma feel isolated and helpless. Kendra observes this with growing indignation, convinced that Emma is a modern-day Cinderella in need of a fairy godmother. Kendra's protective instincts are fully engaged, despite her history of making things worse.
Witnessing Lexa sabotage Emma's scholarship application, Kendra decides to act. She uses a minor spell to ensure Emma's application is found and looks exceptionally impressive, hoping to give Emma an advantage. However, the spell's effects are more dramatic than intended. The scholarship committee is so overwhelmed by Emma's 'perfect' application that they become obsessed with her, creating an awkward and intense situation. Emma does get an interview, but the experience is unnerving, and she feels uncomfortable with the undue attention. This incident highlights Kendra's recurring problem: her magic, while well-intentioned, often has unforeseen and exaggerated consequences. This makes Emma question the true benefit of Kendra's help. It's a classic example of Kendra's 'help' going wrong.
The school announces a masquerade ball, a highly anticipated event. Lexa plans to attend and intends to sabotage Emma's chances, preventing her from getting a suitable dress or even attending. Kendra, seeing this as another opportunity to play fairy godmother, decides this is the perfect moment for Emma to shine. She subtly manipulates events, ensuring Emma finds a beautiful dress and a ride to the ball. Kendra also learns about the new student, Prince Charming, who has transferred to their school under a pseudonym, and sees him as the ideal match for Emma. Kendra plans to create a magical, unforgettable night for Emma, mirroring the classic Cinderella story, hoping that Emma will capture the Prince's attention and escape her miserable life. She is confident that this time, her magic will work perfectly.
Emma, against all odds and Lexa's schemes, attends the masquerade ball in a stunning gown, thanks to Kendra's subtle interventions. She meets and dances with Prince Charming, who is captivated by her. The night is magical, and Emma feels a connection with him. However, as the clock approaches midnight, Kendra's magic, in its usual unpredictable fashion, begins to unravel. Instead of simply turning a carriage into a pumpkin, the effects are more chaotic. Emma's beautiful dress starts to transform in an embarrassing way, and she flees the ball in a panic, leaving behind a single, enchanted shoe. The Prince, determined to find his mysterious dancer, begins his quest, unknowingly aided by Kendra's continued, albeit clumsy, magical guidance. The classic fairy tale elements are present, but with Kendra's unique, slightly unhinged touch.
Prince Charming, having found the enchanted shoe, searches the school for its owner, hoping to reunite with the girl who captivated him at the ball. Lexa, ever opportunistic and conniving, sees this as her chance to snag the Prince. She attempts to force her foot into the shoe, even resorting to extreme measures, and tries to convince the Prince that she is the girl he danced with, weaving elaborate lies. Kendra, observing Lexa's blatant deception, is furious and uses her magic to subtly expose Lexa's trickery, causing humorous and embarrassing mishaps for Lexa during her attempts to mislead the Prince. The Prince, though initially confused, begins to see through Lexa's facade, slowly realizing that she is not the girl he is looking for. Kendra is determined to ensure Emma gets her rightful recognition.
As the story progresses, Kendra shares more about her long past, revealing her direct involvement in various famous fairy tales. She often acted as the 'fairy godmother' figure, but with her usual unpredictable results. She recounts her interactions with characters from 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Little Mermaid,' and other well-known stories, explaining how her attempts to help often led to unexpected twists in their narratives. These flashbacks provide context for Kendra's current approach to Emma's situation, highlighting her good intentions despite her history of accidental chaos. Emma begins to understand the depth of Kendra's experience and the burden of her immortality, as well as Kendra's genuine desire to make things right for her, even if her methods are unconventional and sometimes disastrous.
Kendra, tired of Lexa's constant cruelty towards Emma and her attempts to deceive the Prince, decides to escalate her magical intervention. She orchestrates a series of events that expose Lexa's true, wicked nature to Emma's oblivious father. Through subtle spells and carefully timed 'accidents,' Lexa's lies and manipulative behavior are brought to light. Emma's father, finally seeing the extent of his new wife and stepdaughter's mistreatment of Emma, is horrified and deeply regretful of his blindness. This revelation marks a turning point in Emma's home life, as her father begins to take action to protect her and rectify the situation, creating a visible rift within the family dynamic. Kendra feels a sense of triumph, believing she has finally achieved a truly positive outcome.
Following the exposure of Lexa's cruelties, Emma's father confronts Madame Dubois and Lexa directly. The confrontation is intense, with Madame Dubois attempting to deny everything and Lexa trying to manipulate her way out of trouble. However, the evidence is undeniable, thanks to Kendra's persistent magical nudges. Emma's father, now fully aware of the abuse, makes the difficult decision to separate from Madame Dubois, effectively removing Lexa and her mother from their home. This resolution brings a sense of peace and justice to Emma's life, as she is finally free from the constant torment. Kendra observes with satisfaction, confident that she has finally managed to orchestrate a happy ending, or at least a significant improvement, for her friend.
With Lexa and Madame Dubois gone, Emma's life takes a turn for the better. She is able to pursue her interests without sabotage and enjoys a more harmonious relationship with her father. The Prince, having finally found Emma and realizing she was the girl from the ball, pursues her with genuine affection. They begin a sweet romance, and Emma finally gets her 'happily ever after,' at least for the moment. Kendra, witnessing Emma's newfound happiness, feels a rare sense of accomplishment. She reflects on her long history of botched interventions and realizes that, despite the chaos, her intentions were always pure. She acknowledges that sometimes, even with good intentions, magic can be unpredictable, but in Emma's case, the outcome was ultimately positive, making her consider her future as an immortal 'fairy godmother'.
The Protagonist
Kendra learns that while her magic can be unpredictable, her pure intentions can still lead to positive outcomes, and that direct intervention isn't always the best approach.
The Protagonist
Emma transforms from a downtrodden and overlooked girl into a confident young woman who finds happiness and stands up for herself, largely due to Kendra's help and her own resilience.
The Antagonist
Lexa's true, wicked nature is exposed, leading to her downfall and removal from Emma's life.
The Supporting
The Prince successfully navigates deception to find his true love in Emma, affirming his good judgment and romantic ideals.
The Antagonist
Madame Dubois's cruelty is exposed, leading to the dissolution of her marriage and her removal from Emma's life.
The Supporting
Emma's father finally opens his eyes to the abuse Emma endures and takes decisive action to protect her, becoming a more attentive and effective parent.
This theme explores how even the best intentions, when coupled with unpredictable power, can lead to unforeseen and often chaotic consequences. Kendra, despite her centuries of experience and her genuine desire to help, consistently finds her magical interventions going wrong, creating more problems than she solves. The narrative highlights the delicate balance between helping others and allowing them to navigate their own paths, suggesting that true assistance might sometimes mean stepping back or offering support in less overt ways. It questions whether a 'happily ever after' engineered by magic is truly authentic or sustainable.
“I want to help, but things just go awry in ways I could never predict.”
The novel recontextualizes classic fairy tale tropes within a contemporary high school setting. It explores how timeless narratives like Cinderella's can appear in modern life, complete with cruel stepsisters, oblivious parents, and a charming prince. By placing an ancient witch like Kendra, who has lived through and influenced these original tales, into this modern scenario, the book offers a commentary on the enduring power and adaptability of these stories. It examines how the core elements of good versus evil, true love, and transformation resonate across different eras, while also adding humor and self-awareness to the familiar narratives.
“Bewitching can be a beast. . . .Once, I put a curse on a beastly and arrogant high school boy. That one turned out all right.”
This theme is central to the Cinderella story and is explored through the contrast between Emma and Lexa. Lexa possesses stunning outward beauty and popularity, which she uses to manipulate and deceive, revealing an ugly inner character. Emma, though initially overlooked and plain due to her circumstances, possesses kindness, intelligence, and resilience, which constitute her true beauty. The Prince, despite being surrounded by beautiful and ambitious girls, is drawn to Emma's genuine spirit, reinforcing the idea that true worth lies beyond superficial appearances. Kendra's magic often highlights this contrast, sometimes humorously, by exposing Lexa's true nature or enhancing Emma's hidden qualities.
“Her gorgeous stepsister is conniving to the core. I think I have just the thing to fix that girl—and it isn’t an enchanted pumpkin.”
Kendra's immortality is not presented as a pure blessing but also as a burden. While it grants her vast knowledge and magical abilities, it also means she constantly witnesses suffering and feels compelled to intervene, often with frustrating results. Her centuries of life have given her perspective but haven't necessarily made her wiser in the practical application of her powers. The theme highlights the loneliness of being immortal, constantly moving and seeing generations pass, and the weight of carrying so much history and so many past failures. It questions whether endless life truly leads to perfect wisdom or merely a longer list of mistakes.
“I’m not still here because I’m stupid; I just don’t age. You see, I’m immortal. And I pretty much know everything after hundreds of years—except for when to take my powers and butt out.”
Provides an immortal, self-aware, and often humorous perspective.
The story is told from Kendra's first-person point of view, allowing readers direct access to her ancient wisdom, her often-misguided intentions, and her humorous self-awareness regarding her past magical mishaps. This perspective creates an intimate connection with the protagonist, making her relatable despite her extraordinary nature. It also allows for a meta-commentary on fairy tales, as Kendra recounts her direct involvement in their original tellings, adding depth and a unique voice to the modern retelling. Her internal monologues provide both exposition and comedic relief, shaping the overall tone of the novel.
Reimagines classic fairy tale elements in a contemporary setting.
The novel heavily relies on and playfully subverts classic fairy tale tropes, particularly those from 'Cinderella.' Elements like the cruel stepsister and stepmother, the oblivious father, the magical transformation for a ball, the charming prince, and the lost shoe are all present but are given a modern, often humorous twist through Kendra's interventions. The allusions extend beyond Cinderella, with Kendra referencing her past involvement in 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'The Little Mermaid,' enriching the narrative with a sense of established magical history and demonstrating how these timeless stories continue to resonate and adapt.
Kendra's magic often has unintended and exaggerated consequences.
Kendra's magic serves as a key plot device, driving much of the conflict and humor. It is consistently portrayed as powerful but unpredictable, rarely delivering the precise outcome Kendra intends. This unpredictability creates tension and comedic situations, as Kendra's spells often go 'awry' in unexpected ways, forcing her and Emma to deal with the exaggerated consequences. This device highlights the theme of well-intentioned meddling and ensures that even seemingly straightforward magical solutions lead to complications, making the resolution more earned and less magically instant.
Reveals Kendra's long history and past magical failures.
Throughout the narrative, Kendra intersperses her current story with flashbacks to her past, detailing her involvement in other well-known fairy tales. These flashbacks serve to establish Kendra's character, her long history, and her consistent pattern of well-intentioned but flawed magical interventions. They provide context for her current approach to helping Emma and underscore the theme of the burden of immortality. These snippets from her past also add a layer of intertextuality, connecting 'Bewitching' to a broader canon of fairy tale literature and reinforcing Kendra's role as a perpetual, albeit clumsy, fairy godmother.
Ready to see how well you understood this book? Take our interactive quiz with 10 questions.
Alex Flinn is a best-selling author known for her captivating young adult fantasy novels. Her notable works include "Beastly," a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and "Bewitching," which explores themes of magic and romance. Flinn's imaginative storytelling and relatable characters have earned her a dedicated readership in the fantasy genre.
