New year, new quest to read all of 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' books, by Abi Longstaff and Lauren Beard.
It's cute. 'Cinderella' shows how exhausted Kittie is by her demanding job. She barely has time for a cup of tea - I can relate! Here, Cinderella voluntarily becomes her assistant - she is used to doing so many chores - and she learns hairdressing and styling just by watching Kittie. It is her and Kittie's job to do the queen's spectacular hair for the Royal Ball at the palace, and this is where Cinderella literally bumps into her prince, called Prince Charming. Kittie acts as Cinderella's fairy godmother in this tale. There is no glass slipper; only a glass hairclip that Kittie gives her assistant and friend (how cute!). Cinderella remains Kittie's assistant even after she marries the prince. She is canonically Kittie's best friend.
What a nice, lovely, friendship-focused take on 'Cinderella'. Kittie really is a dear, kind, caring, wonderful, supportive friend to all. Does she call all her female friends "love" then? She may not have an exciting, action-packed adventure here, but she works very hard at hairdressing (and matchmaking), and the new friendship heart stays beating throughout, and that's an exciting adventure and change on its own.
Wait, why is there no stepmother in this version? Literally the two stepsisters' (who're only referred to as the "ugly sisters") only role is to not give Cinderella her invitation to the Royal Ball - they bin it, and don't do anything else (besides flirting with the prince, as they're seen). They are not punished, not even found out and reprimanded. There are barely any villains in this fairy tale.
Why do the (step?)sisters show up to the ball in a pumpkin driving by a unicorn? Where did they get those? Cinderella doesn't get a pumpkin - certainly not one that turns into a carriage, that in turn is drawn by mice-turned-horses, despite what the book's cover suggests. We can presume she got to the palace for the Royal Ball with Kittie via bicycles, as is Kittie's usual mode of transport.
And are there multiple queens (and kings) in this fairy tale land? Therefore multiple kingdoms? Of what domains? Is every male human character a prince in these books? Aladdin seems to be the only exception. Well, before he marries into royalty, that is.
Prince Charming's royal family seems to love dogs.
I just now noticed that each instalment has a different banner outside of Kittie's salon, Kittie's Cuts, which are funny, punny, and relate to the fairy tale the book is about (as are the hilarious "reviews" by fairy tale characters on the back of the books).
I guess Red Riding Hood and Gingerbread Man show up in every 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' book.
Oh, and we see the inside of Kittie's salon and her home above it in this book. It's surprisingly generic and uncreative, though.
Cameos include: Bo Peep, Goldilocks, Pinocchio, Aladdin, the Pied Piper, Rapunzel, Little Miss Muffet, the Pea Princess, Humpty Dumpty, the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas, the Three Blind Mice, Hansel and Gretel, Jack and Jill, Tom Thumb, the Swan Princess, and so many more.
Well, that was nice, sweet and childlike. Now onto the next 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' book review.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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