This is a really delightful modern fairy tale with some very clever parallels to the classic Cinderella story. What I loved even more were the subtle differences which set it apart from the older version and made it a truly modern incarnation of the old story.

Joe has been neglected and verbally abused for years, his only real supporter is his equally suppressed father. While Joe has managed to build his own life to some degree, he has not managed to fight back against his awful mother and two dreadful older sisters. Meeting an author he has admired for years, and being accepted by him, finally gives Joe what he needs to stand up for himself.

This was fun to read, with lots of humor. Very entertaining. ( )