Ash - Caskey-Demaret Reads

304 pages

Published May 14, 2019 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

ISBN:: 978-0-316-53131-3

(1 review)

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Their friendship, as delicate as a new bloom, reawakens Ash's capacity for love--and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing and empowering, Ash beautifully unfolds the connections between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can …

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Their friendship, as delicate as a new bloom, reawakens Ash's capacity for love--and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing and empowering, Ash beautifully unfolds the connections between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

6 editions

Aaron reviewed Ash by Malinda Lo

Review of 'Ash' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A really entertaining read, let down by being cut way too short.

The differences with the classic Cinderella were fun, and the pacing was really good.

Ash is a really likeable character, but the two main characters, Sidhean and Kaisa are much less developed. Kaisa could have been a guy and it would have had zero effect on the story. Apart from the pronouns there is nothing about her that is described as feminine. That might have been the whole point, but the world they live in is male dominated, and most women are expected to find good husbands and settle down. There is no examination of the role of the Huntress and why it is an exception. (I hope, however, that a lot of this is covered in the prequel [b:Huntress|9415946|Huntress|Malinda Lo|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KNROR-lEL.SL75.jpg|13022195])

Sidhean is slightly more characterised, but again, while his motives are clear, his emotional drive …

A really entertaining read, let down by being cut way too short.

The differences with the classic Cinderella were fun, and the pacing was really good.

Ash is a really likeable character, but the two main characters, Sidhean and Kaisa are much less developed. Kaisa could have been a guy and it would have had zero effect on the story. Apart from the pronouns there is nothing about her that is described as feminine. That might have been the whole point, but the world they live in is male dominated, and most women are expected to find good husbands and settle down. There is no examination of the role of the Huntress and why it is an exception. (I hope, however, that a lot of this is covered in the prequel [b:Huntress|9415946|Huntress|Malinda Lo|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KNROR-lEL.SL75.jpg|13022195])

Sidhean is slightly more characterised, but again, while his motives are clear, his emotional drive is never explored. There is a conflict within him, but not enough time is spent examining his character to really grasp what he is grappling with.

The problem seems to be because the whole book is chained to Ash's point of view, and Ash is predominately concerned with her own dilemmas. This is a real problem at the end of the book, and makes Ash's final decision seem arbitrary.

So, overall, I really enjoyed most of the book, I was just let down by the sudden and empty ending.