Ash

ASH

By: Malinda Lo

FIRST SENTENCE

“Aisling’s mother died at midsummer.”

SUMMARY
from goodreads

Cinderella retold.

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother.  Consume 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, as they are said to do.  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.  Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it 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.

REVIEW

Fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite books.  Ash is no exception.  What I like is that it relates back to Cinderella, but it has enough different that I couldn’t predict what would happen.  Score!

Ash is living every kid’s nightmare when both of her parents die and she is sent to live with a mean stepmother.  What Ash does when she finds herself in this predicament is what makes her special.  At first, she is an emotional wreck, but then she falls for Kaisa, a huntress.  These two have a friendship that turns to a romance that brightens up Ash’s life.  Forget the fact that it’s a girl and girl romance – what matters is that they are good for each other.

There is one male figure who plays an important part in Ash’s new life.  This is faerie Sidhean.  He would be similar to the fairy godmother in Cinderella, trying to take care of Ash.  I loved his character and I wish he had been mentioned more. 

I really enjoyed this magical retelling.  Malinda Lo is an expert writer who paints beautiful scenes and isn’t afraid to be a little different.

RATING

5        Plot

4        Characters

5        Attention Grabbing

5        Girlie Meter

4        Ending

23      TOTAL

5        STARS