Silver Woven in My Hair

By Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Book Overview

This vivid retelling of Cinderella set in a medieval European village tells of a spunky and inventive heroine as she escapes her unfortunate life into a romance sure to be enjoyed by YA readers as... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689305583
• ISBN13: 9780689305580
• Release Date: January 1977
• Publisher: Atheneum
• Length: 121 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Age Range: 9 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 6

Customer Reviews

Wonderful story

I remember the exact day I went to the library and found this book. I remember the week. I remember what other books I checked out, and mostly this is because this book was so important to me. And I almost didn't want to pick it up because of the terrible cover on the edition I found. Silver Woven in my Hair is Shirley Rousseau Murphy's take on Cinderella and a fresh, new perspective at that. It follows the tale of Thursey, who has all the classic elements of the Cinderella tale: no father, wicked stepmother, evil stepsisters, never-ending chores, and a ball to try and get to. Thursey has a love for fairy tales and collects them in a book. In this way, other characters are introduced. BUT, if you're looking for fairy godmothers with sparkling wings or pumpkin coaches or magic, you aren't going to find them in this version of the story. Her character is sweet and kind, and although the plot is very easy to figure out, I didn't really mind. The story is simple and the secrets revealed are obvious, but it's absolutely perfect that way. Along with Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted, this is another favorite retelling of Cinderella. It might be hard to find. I was really lucky because I just happened to come across it to buy when I wasn't even looking or thinking I would be able to find it. If you like fairy tales this is a perfect book to read. My one complaint is that it ended, and I wish that the writer had drawn the story out. I would have liked for it to have been longer.

Changed my life...

That may be an odd thing to say, but it's actually true. When I was in 4th grade (needless to say, many years ago) I read this book and fell in love with it and with reading. I remember being riveted by the characters. It taught me about empathy, somehow. I've never looked back. Books are what get me through long plane rides (and short ones for that matter!), childhood family fights, long days on the beach in SoCal, and any number of moments throughout my life. Books- fiction mainly- are a constant in my life. And I owe it to this book!

A charming retelling of Cinderella

This book, though rather juvenile in appearance, is pure magic. Shirley Rousseau Murphy is adept at creating sympathetic characters with a few, well-placed descriptions. Thursey is a spirited and intelligent Cinderella who enjoys defying her greedy stepmother and hideous stepsisters who use her as a slave for their inn. Loving stories and fairy tales of all sorts, her own begins when she meets a kind goat boy named Gilly returning with the queen and prince after the war. But is he really who he seems? And though he partly plays the role of the beneficial fairy, it's ultimately up to Thursey to make her own magic come true. Simply and beautifully told, Silver Woven in My Hair was one of my first fairy tale retellings (along with Beauty by Robin McKinley) and remains one of my favorites. A pleasant companion to the equally excellent Ella Enchanted, this book is definitely worth the effort it will take to find.

*Cinderella at Her Greatest*

This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes the classic story of Cinderella. Though it may not be the exact story you may know, it is a very finely crafted version of the timeless fairytale. Shirley Rousseau Murphy captures the true spirit of the classic tale of a poor girl who dreams of a life other than her own where she is forced by her wicked step-mother and step-sister to clean, cook, and serve them after her father dissappears. Even if you aren't a fan of Cinderella, if you do like magic, adventure, surprises, and descriptions so real you feel like you're in the story, then this could be the book you've been looking for.