Fairest, a fantasy novel set in a far off land called Ayortha, is a fantastic read by Gail Carson Levine. For anyone who loves medieval themed stories, fairy tales, or is a hopeless romantic, this will be a favorite. It’s about a girl named Aza who has a lovely voice (which is important, since in her kingdom, song is highly valued) but an ugly face (not good – her people also highly value beauty). Through a series of events, she finds herself in the king’s palace, where she is soon appointed as the queen’s lady-in-waiting. In time, Aza falls in love with the prince, Ijori, and is faced with trials beyond her wildest dreams, and challenged to see herself in a way other than through the eyes of others. She destroys her imagined image, the way that she predicts people see her, even before they have met. She begins to see herself in a manner that compliments her. Well, even if I don’t have the prettiest face, at least I have a great voice. And, Ijori loves me, even if my stature isn’t exactly lady-like.
Described in vivid first person detail, this is a wonder of a tale. A five star read, at least! It was especially engaging because of the character depth. The queen in particular is a fascinating character. Despite her unparalleled good looks, Queen Ivi is plagued by a horrible insecurity, and as a result, is intensely jealous of everyone, especially Aza. This creates an interesting paradox because Aza is also quite insecure (particularly in the way of her appearance), and so it seems silly that they are both secretly envious of one another. Throughout the course of the story, Aza begins to see herself in a new light – through the eyes of her lover, Ijori, and her feelings change from envy to pity for Ivi.

Also very interesting is the world that this fairy tale takes place in. Ayortha is a gorgeous land topped off with fairies, gnomes, ogres, and magic. It totally pulls the reader in with its completeness. Anyone devouring this jewel of a story will be entranced with the descriptions that Levine has put into the book, and just the way that she has thought through every little detail, every toadstool, every magic wand, of this mystical land known as Ayortha. One particular place the author did this is when Aza goes into the Gnome Caverns. Levine describes the bath-house, gems, and clothing so well, the reader feels as if they are there.

Again, with its deep characters, fantastic first person viewpoint, and vivid descriptions, this is a great read for anyone who wishes to look at their world and self-image in a bit of a different light. With complete certainty, Fairest is a jewel in the eye of any beholder.