020 What’s most intriguing about the Cinderella story?

To me, it's not really the glass slipper or the "love at first sight" that confuses me. What confuses me is what on earth Cinderella's dad was doing while his precious daughter was scrubbing floors and braiding hair. It kind of seems like he gets married to the stepmom and then whoosh... he's gone. I don't really know about you, but to me, that seems kind of sketchy. Would he really not notice the mysteriously spotless house and his wife's mysteriously darned socks or whatever?

I guess that's what makes Cameron Dokey's Before Midnight (from the Once Upon A Time series OF BOOKS) so appealing to me, besides the super pretty cover. She actually brings the dad back as a central figure (albeit the bad guy).

I love this series. It makes fairytales, you know, ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE, all while giving lessons and morals and all that. Mostly, they have cute endings and they make me happy on sad days.

According to the back:

"Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. But before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised alongside her, a boy whose identity he does not reveal.

The girl, La Cendrillon, and the boy, Raoul, pass sixteen years in the sevants' care until one day, a very fine lady arrives with her two daughters. The lady has married La Cendrillon's father, and her arrival changes their lives.

When an invitation to a great ball reaches the family, La Cendrillon's new stepmother will make a decision with far-reaching effects. Her choice will lead La Cendrillon and Raoul toward their destiny - a choice that will challenge their understanding of family, test their loyalty and courage, and, ultimately, teach them who they are."

So the synopsis is kind of cheesy. But the plot was kind of brilliant (spoiler: Raoul is the twin of the prince??) (spoiler: Cendrillon marries the prince) (spoiler: Anastasia marries Raoul) (spoiler: the stepmother/sisters aRENT ACTUALLY THE VILLAINS!) (spoiler: the dad is).

And I'm getting a little off track and I have to eat dinner but the main point of this post is that THE ONCE UPON A TIME SERIES IS COOL. CHECK IT OUT.

- Quibbles 8/6/14

PS: Nargglesssss when are you coming baaaaaack... :(