It's a pink-haired Cinderella as a mechanic, on planetoids and in spaceships. She has a robot pet mouse and a fairy godrobot. She's always fixing stuff. What's not to like?
I found the 'Interstellar Cinderella' picture book to be more interesting and inventive (get it?) than the YA novel 'Cinder', which features a cyborg Cinderella who is also a mechanic.
'Interstellar Cinderella' is cute, colourful, fun, and full of good rhymes and bits and bobs on every page. The sci-fi, intergalactic twist on the overused classic tale is executed creatively. It even gives a good reason for why the prince (who is a POC here) doesn’t recognize Cinderella after their first meeting (in this version they never get to the ball; she fixes his ship and they spend time admiring gizmos together) - she was wearing a space helmet and goggles. Her glass slipper is substituted for a sonic socket wrench - the prince will find his dream girl based on her skills as a mechanic!
'Interstellar Cinderella' is rather potholed at points; even for a short picture book, it skips and jumps forward in the story far too much. The fairy godrobot only appears on one page as well.
Still, Cinderella herself is a very likable protagonist. I love how her dream of being a mechanic doesn't change throughout. She studies hard, and always finds opportunities to fix things - even big starships - and in the end she is appreciated and rewarded for her efforts. A great message for everyone to hear, not just little girls who are into what is typically "boy's stuff".
Cinderella in this story is useful to everyone she comes across, and is a joy to be with. She does what she does because she wants to, and she is especially resourceful with her tools.
With this, 'Ella Enchanted', and the film 'Ever After', by broadening my horizons more and more, I'm growing to like what was once my least favourite princess fairy tale. 'Interstellar Cinderella' is a gem all right.
Final Score: 4/5
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