Lucy one night, was so fed up and tired of always getting in trouble with Mara (her stepmother), that she didn't hold her tongue. She didn't cringe or wince from Mara's contemptuous stare after Lucy shouted back. And she certainly didn't let Mara get to her father so easily. That night, her and father discussed what had happened. He once again accused Lucy of lying, and told her to tone down the dramatics. Without hesitation, Lucy spilled out everything. She found it much easier to say what she was feeling considering she didn't really have much to lose anymore. Lucy told her father about how neglected she felt, and how much she missed her biological mother. And about how she didn't really have a place in this specific family. About how she thought everything revolved around how Mara and the twins (her stepsisters) were feeling, and if they weren't happy, no one should be. Lucy explained how far he and her have drifted apart, to the point were he was accusing her of lying, which he's never done before. She spilled how drain and tired she was of having to put up with all of this, and she wasn't sure if she could do it for much longer. Lucy said that he could give her whatever punishment he wanted (even though he was going to anyway), because he'd never believe her. Finally she could breathe again, without all those things lodged inside her chest.
Her father had realized how much he was pushing his daughter away, and tried to make up for it. He told Mara and his stepdaughters how much Lucy was suffering from his new marriage, and how they should make as much as an effort as Lucy did in trying to make this family work. In the end, he got them to understand and made them apologize, but he also made them mean it. He apologized as well, much more fervently. Lucy was overwhelmed, but she accepted all their apologies. She realized that it was over, she could finally have her happily ever after.
I found that while I was reading about the exchange between Lucy and her father, I felt as relieved as Lucy felt. She has much more self control than I do. Therefore, I would have never been able to shut my mouth when the first opportunity of talking back to Mara presented itself. When Lucy got in trouble time after time, I wanted to yell at Mara and the twins just much as she did. But she didn't. So when she finally did, I was almost proud of her. Timid little personality-less Lucy grew a backbone, and gained some wit. Or she already had them, and we found out that she did, when she did. The reader grows as Lucy does. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be intentional or not, but I felt like I was strangers with Lucy the first three-fourths of the book. Then she eventually started speaking up for herself and forming solid opinions. Which made me appreciate her character, and the story so much more. Yes, Lucy still is pretty cliche, but at least she is a stronger person. And the story line was a bit too happily ever after, but isn't that how all Cinderella stories are supposed to end? Yes, yes it is.
