Shannon maintains an Earthy palette, reinforcing the theme of a connectedness to the environment. The realism is achieved through the expert use of texture to add visual interest and depth. The depictions are realistic, yet removed from reality as the people appear almost as if they are sculpted out of earthy clay. Shannon’s illustrations do much to capture the mysticism of a traditional tale. Martin’s use of figurative language brings his descriptions to life: “At last she came to the lakeshore just as the sun was sinking behind the hills and the many stars came glittering out like a fiery veil in the darkening sky overhead.” I like this use of figurative language to personify the environment, particularly in telling a Native American tale with themes related to seeking such beauty in nature. According to the Invisible Being’s sister and keeper, “Only the one who can see him can marry him.” As predictable, the Rough Face girl’s ill-hearted sisters attempt to win over the Invisible Being through their false outer beauty, and are one-upped by their kind-hearted, less well-clad slave of a sister. In this Cinderella version, instead of a Prince Charming all of the girls of the village want to marry the one called the Invisible Being. In the story, we learn of a girl who’s appearance has been maimed the ashes and embers from forcibly tending the fire. The Rough-Face Girl is an Algonquin Indian Cinderella story told by Rafe Martin.
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