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Enchantment
I liked this book. :) It may be fluffy, it may ask you to believe in Baba-Yaga, the hideous witch, and even more, bring her to the present day, and it may have a couple of minor things in the plot which make you ask "Okay, what's the point of this?" but overall, it was fun, and for those of us who still believe in true love, it made me want to know how Ivan and Katerina were going to 'hold it all together', so to speak, as this is an American fairy tale, and not a Russian one, where everybody would probably die instead of live 'happily ever after'.... It is, however, a more 'realistic' 'happily ever after', which suits the book well, and which I particularly liked.The only thing that annoyed me just a little was the position that Card seemed to take on religion (it doesn't matter) and the Orthodox Church (which he doesn't seem to think too highly of, although it plays quite a role in the book.) Coming from where I am, this should perhaps bug me more, but it wasn't too bad, and it's nice to read a 'fun' book from time to time.
Enchantment
This was a good variation on Sleeping Beauty and was an entertaining read, I had a hard time putting it down until I finished it, but at the end it kind of awkwardly jumped to a happily ever after ending.
Enchantment
This books asks you to believe that magic is real, that Baba Yaga was a part of Russian lore, and that Sleeping Beauty was really a Russian pricess named Katerina that waited 1000 years for a former Russian named Ivan to kiss, awaken and save by promising... But, that would give the start of the story away. If you can suspend your disbelief, you too will enjoy this tale. You will sympathize with Ivan, and find that you too believe.
Enchantment
Enchanted is the story of Ivan, a modern day language scholar and Katerina, a princess from a long forgotten kingdom in what is now present day Ukraine. Ivan finds the enchanted Katerina in ageless sleep being guarded by a giant Bear. Ivan wakens the princess with a kiss and then hastily promises to marry Katerina as the flee the angry bear. Ivan and Katerina cross a time bridge into Katerina's world and that's where any similarities with the classic fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, end. Ivan is thrust into a world and culture that is unknown to him. Katerina is less than impressed with her rescuer and finds his strange ways unmanly. From this point on our couple engage in constant bickering that is neither entertaining or witty. Ivan comes off as whiny and Katerina as immature and mean spirited. What should be a time of growing for Ivan, as he learns the ways of Katerina's people, and Katerina,as she ponders the fact that he continues to try and win her affections, turns into a time of Ivan whining to get back home and Katerina avoiding Ivan or berating him. I found very little to like about either one of them.In order to escape the witch, Baba Yaga, Ivan and Katerina cross over the time bridge into modern day Ukraine and then the United States. Now it is Katerina's turn to play odd man out and the reader gets to witness her charmless cultural bumbles. Ultimately Ivan and Katerina's story never seems believable. I could not understand why Ivan fell in love with her despite her constant mean spited treatment of him. Like wise I never found the "magic moment" where Katerina found anything lovable about Ivan. In addition supporting characters fail to add depth to the story. Even the wicked witch Baba Yaga failed to impress. She reminded me of the witch in Hansel and Gretel running around and cackling in suburban America. Ivan's modern day fiance is so shallow and one dimensional she's just begging to be dumped for the super beautiful Katerina.Finally, Card's attempt to blend Ukrainian lore and history with a modern day fairy tale is disjointed and uneven. I often felt like one minute I was reading a book called "Enchanted" and then the next a book on obscure Slavic history and legend.In the end incomplete shallow characters make for a dull and irritating read.
Enchantment
If I was looking for a book to read and I heard someone say, "Old Ideas", I would most likely not wish to read it. However, Orson Scot Card easily uses old ideas as if they never were, and in fact this book's premise is that those old ideas only exist because of this book's new ideas. Yes, this is the story of Sleeping Beauty, and of Baga Yaga and of so many more fairy tales. But, this is also a story you have never heard before, the true story of those fairy tales. It is this that makes Enchantment great; you think you know the characters, but you don't; you think you know the story, but you don't; however, do not fear this book will teach you them.If you are looking for a book to read this book has romance with conflict (not overwhelming grief), magic (not to little or too much), and it is great for younger readers (16-30 years of age), however, I feel some older readers might not identify.This book has a good ending, a comment I only make because I feel most books do not. It seems popular for storytellers to end with a bittersweet conclusion, not card he ends his books well. Enchantment ends with a touch of reality, but an overall good feeling in the readers gut and maybe even their eyes.If you are wondering if you should get it, do so, it is one of my favorite.
Enchantment
The first OSC book I read was Treason. After falling head over hills in love with it (currently on my 10th copy of the book - they keep disappearing), I was pushed to move on to the Ender's Quartet. I loved his style and the stories he drew in my mind, and when I read the back cover of Enchantment, I admit I was sceptical. It did not seem to fall into the same "sci-fi" category as the following books, but I figured I would give it a try.I must say, after reading Enchantment, I was so excited that OSC was not only brilliant at "sci-fi", but equally brilliant with a more fantasy fiction medium as well. I actually went on to read the entire Alvin Maker series and am here today to order myself a copy of Enchantment (been borrowing from the library up until now) and Hart's Hope, which I am eagerly awaiting as a self-bought Christmas present.My sister will be recieving a copy of Enchantment from me for Christmas as well, after all she made me promise to read Jitterbug Purfume by Tom Robbins (the entire first chapter was about beets - YES ... BEETS!!!). The fantasy in Enchantment was just as, if not more so, spellbinding as that of Jitterbug Purfume (and no beet torture to get to the meat of the story) that I made her swear she would return the favor by reading Enchantment. I know she is going to love it, and I promise that any one who is a fantasy fiction, OSC, or literary fan in general will as well.This is deffinately a top notch book and I highly recommend clearing your schedule for a day or two ... as you will not want to put it down.