amioe's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
arlaubscher's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
m3l89's review against another edition
1.0
This started off so well; the idea of a log standing dispute between philosophy and fey set the scene and gave the plot a back story. But as soon as Ash's father died everything went down hill in my opinion. The book didn't seem to flow very well, with pointless things happening that I think were supposed to develop the relationship between Kaisa and Ash, but didn't.
Overall disappointing.
Overall disappointing.
slimbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
amysutton's review against another edition
3.0
This was a different telling of Cinderella - now named Ash - with more fairies and a huntress to tempt her away from the prince. There was more focus on Ash's character development, and the fairy godmother was replaced by a more sinister fairy man who gives her assistance in exchange for a fateful promise.
I really loved the world that this was set in. The characters were strong and well written and overall it was just a really good book that you could sink your teeth into. The fairy tales and stories that are interwoven in the book are also very interesting.
I really liked this book, and I actually felt like the "romance" was very tame considering how upset some people seem to be. If anything, Ash seemed younger than she was and the relationships she had with both characters (Kaisa and the fairyman) seemed innocent, unbalanced, and immature at times. I really liked how she grew up in the book and became more of her own person. I would have actually liked to have seen more of the romance and love developing between her and the huntress, Kaisa.
3.5 stars.
I really loved the world that this was set in. The characters were strong and well written and overall it was just a really good book that you could sink your teeth into. The fairy tales and stories that are interwoven in the book are also very interesting.
I really liked this book, and I actually felt like the "romance" was very tame considering how upset some people seem to be. If anything, Ash seemed younger than she was and the relationships she had with both characters (Kaisa and the fairyman) seemed innocent, unbalanced, and immature at times. I really liked how she grew up in the book and became more of her own person. I would have actually liked to have seen more of the romance and love developing between her and the huntress, Kaisa.
3.5 stars.
misspalah's review against another edition
3.0
Ash felt her entire body move toward her, as if every aspect of her being was reorienting itself to this woman, and they could not be close enough.
- Ash by Malinda Lo
.
.
Have you ever felt frustrated by the decision made by the main character? Do you wish to enter into the realm itself and give her your piece of mind because what she has decided to do is unacceptable. This is what i felt when i reading this book. How could Aisling or known as Ash in the story decided to just exchange her life over a royal hunt trip with Kaisa (the royal huntress). I know some teenagers can be a bit impulsive but this one is mind boggling to say the least. She granted her self ownership and promised that herself will belong to Sidhean if he granted her wishes. Even If i were to rationalize the price of this wishes and why she gave up her life to the dangerous fairy, the best she could do is to wish for an escape from her miserable life ; to get away from the bondage of an old debt of her father and no longer being a house maid to her step mother’s family. I know i should not be that critical to a book that has already labelled as fairytales retelling but good God, Aisling - your late mother will be rolling in the grave. The story of Aisling does have an elements of Cinderella with the usual stuff happened to her as her mother died, then her father married a nearly bankrupted aristocrat lady, then her father died, then her step mother gaslighting her, and so on so forth. Most of you know how the story goes but i cant help but feels it also has an elements the Snow White and the Huntsman. As the book introduced us to culture of hunting particularly when it revolved royal hunt trip that led by the huntress most of the time. Aisling fell hard for Kaisa the Huntress but she also felt strong connection with Sidhean especially when she found out that He knew her mother. The ending of the book was rushed and i felt that there is no way Sidhean will handle her request calmly (but again, just me overthinking this). Malinda Lo’s updated tales have captivated many people but unfortunately, i am not one of them. Dont get me wrong, this is searing and powerful story telling and i would seriously recommend if if you love fantasy / speculative fiction / young adult genre. It just this time, it is a miss for me.
- Ash by Malinda Lo
.
.
Have you ever felt frustrated by the decision made by the main character? Do you wish to enter into the realm itself and give her your piece of mind because what she has decided to do is unacceptable. This is what i felt when i reading this book. How could Aisling or known as Ash in the story decided to just exchange her life over a royal hunt trip with Kaisa (the royal huntress). I know some teenagers can be a bit impulsive but this one is mind boggling to say the least. She granted her self ownership and promised that herself will belong to Sidhean if he granted her wishes. Even If i were to rationalize the price of this wishes and why she gave up her life to the dangerous fairy, the best she could do is to wish for an escape from her miserable life ; to get away from the bondage of an old debt of her father and no longer being a house maid to her step mother’s family. I know i should not be that critical to a book that has already labelled as fairytales retelling but good God, Aisling - your late mother will be rolling in the grave. The story of Aisling does have an elements of Cinderella with the usual stuff happened to her as her mother died, then her father married a nearly bankrupted aristocrat lady, then her father died, then her step mother gaslighting her, and so on so forth. Most of you know how the story goes but i cant help but feels it also has an elements the Snow White and the Huntsman. As the book introduced us to culture of hunting particularly when it revolved royal hunt trip that led by the huntress most of the time. Aisling fell hard for Kaisa the Huntress but she also felt strong connection with Sidhean especially when she found out that He knew her mother. The ending of the book was rushed and i felt that there is no way Sidhean will handle her request calmly (but again, just me overthinking this). Malinda Lo’s updated tales have captivated many people but unfortunately, i am not one of them. Dont get me wrong, this is searing and powerful story telling and i would seriously recommend if if you love fantasy / speculative fiction / young adult genre. It just this time, it is a miss for me.
bellatora's review against another edition
3.0
A very loose retelling of Cinderella, where the prince is basically non-existent and instead Cinderella falls in love with the King’s Huntress. Disappointingly, I found the chemistry between Ash (Cinderella) and the Huntress to be sorely lacking. I only knew they were in love because the book told me so. It was doubly disappointing because of the fiercely positive reviews I read about the love story in this book. I don't know what others saw that I missed.
I did think that Lo really captured the emotion in the struggle between Ash and her evil stepmother. Their relationship felt more real than anything else in this book.
I'm open to trying more Lo books in the future. I just hope that there is more steam in the romance. And more drive in the second half of the book.
I did think that Lo really captured the emotion in the struggle between Ash and her evil stepmother. Their relationship felt more real than anything else in this book.
I'm open to trying more Lo books in the future. I just hope that there is more steam in the romance. And more drive in the second half of the book.
emmacatereads's review against another edition
4.0
I noted and passed over this book many times while prowling the library as a Teen - likely in part because I hadn't come around to the idea yet of queer people existing in fiction, let alone entertained the thought that I myself might be queer. Flash forward many years later, and I'm tackling this as part of my ongoing project to real more seminal queer SFF. While this failed to spark the strong emotion in me I hoped it would, I can see how it was revolutionary for the genre at the time. It plays with a lot of the same tropes typical for girl-lead YA at the time - fairy tale retelling, faerie princes, downtrodden but lovely protagonist - but with the twist being the that the love interest is also a woman. I'm sure there is plenty of speculation about Ash's sexuality, and I'm not sure it was every explicitly confirmed in one way or another, but as a bisexual women it was refreshing to see a portrayal of YA protagonist admiring both men and women, and having it not be a made an issue of. In that same vein, I also liked that Lo avoided the easy trap of making Ash's conflict with her stepsisters and stepmother be a product of homophobia - it would have added an interesting element to the story, but allowed Lo to bring in issues of class and wealth more typical a Cinderella retelling. This also made sense with the society that Lo envisions: not necessary post-homophobia (in the sense that it is still expected that Ash will marry a man) but it is also never framed as an issue that the Kaisa is only attracted to women, and this seems to be fairly normalized within the huntress' generally.
wisenerdyduck's review against another edition
2.5
I had high hopes for this one, which might have been my downfall really. The set-up and setting were interesting, but overall didn't live up to it for me. Just a bit disappointed really.