I genuinely enjoy the magical qualities of fairytale literature and the practical qualities of Amish fiction. I never dreamed that I would find an inspirational series that has both until I read this Amish fairy tale series that takes place in an Amish community called Echo Creek. Sarah Price retells the stories of the fairytale heroines Belle, Cinderella, and Snow White. The main characters are not victimized by witchcraft, mentored by fairy godmothers, or rescued by young men of noble lineage. The three books contain the traditional fairy tale events but with an Amish adaptation. These are the differences to expect in each of these series:
Belle
The beast character in Belle: An Amish Retelling of Beauty and the Beast is not a human being transformed into an animal. The Echo Creek community unjustly gives Adam Herschberger this label because of his childhood disfigurement and gruff behavior. Belle Beiler's father does not lose his livelihood in a sinking ship, but an overturned buggy. The Beiler's face an economic disaster as a result of this accident. Adam Herschberger takes ownership of the farm the Beiler's lose. He does not humbly beg Belle to marry him but demands that she marry him. Belle is afraid that her family will not have a home if she refuses to marry Adam. How can a marriage with this type of beginning possibly have a fairy tale ending? Will Belle's sweet kindness melt the heart of this seemingly cold man? Read the first book in this series to see what happens.
Ella
Ella Troyer in Ella: An Amish Retelling of Cinderella is an orphaned young Amish lady who is at the mercy of her vicious stepmother and two vicious stepsisters. Ella does not sweep cinders but has to do everything else in the household. Ella is an excellent baker, but her shiftless stepsisters cannot distinguish salt from sugar. Echo Creek community does not host elegant balls, but church meetings and local auctions are community social events. Ella and her stepsisters notice a young man named Hannes whom they have never before seen in Echo Creek. Hannes seems to have eyes only for Ella and partakes of one of her delicious pies that she brings to the church meeting. Ella may not have a fairy godmother, but she has a friend in the bishop's wife. The bishop's wife wants to help Ella to attend a local pie auction by helping her with her stepmother's extra-long laundry list of household chores. Ella will have no use for glass slippers but will need to bake a pie with her unique touch. Will Ella's stepsisters claim Ella's pies as their own, and will Hannes recognize the pies as Ella's pies? Read the second book in this series to see if Ella will receive her due credit as an excellent pie maker.
Sadie
Sadie Whitaker in Sadie: An Amish Retelling of Snow White is a motherless Amish young lady whose widowed father Jacob eventually remarries. Rachel Sadie's new stepmother has no magic mirror that tells her who is the fairest in Echo Creek, but she has an irrational fear of losing her beauty to eventual aging. She cannot stand the sight of Sadie and would love to see the last of her. Rachel tries to force Sadie to marry an older widower and railroads her father into agreeing to the arrangement. The widower is rude and crude, and not at all like Frederick Glick who calls her his "Little Songbird." Sadie has no choice but to flee home. Sadie eventually finds refuge in the home of 7 men who all have dwarf-like appearances. They are recluses who live deep in the forest due to the rejection of the Echo Creek community. They also happened to be related to Frederick Glick. Sadie's father and stepfather eventually learn of Sadie's refuge. Rachel does not need to poison any apples, but she is aware that Sadie is deathly allergic to apples. Rachel can make killer fruit pies. What will happen to Sadie? Will her princely fellow save her in time? Learn what happens by reading the last but not least member of this series.
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