Book Review : Ash by Malinda Lo

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, 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.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

*****

Ash was a lesbian version of Cinderella retelling, which I like so so much. The book was not thick, I think 200 ++ pages. The language was simple but poetic. This book was about an orphan girl named Ash who lived with her cruel stepmother and two stepsisters. She loved fairy tales and always dreamed about a male fairy named Sidhean whom she believed will take her away some day. But when she met the King's Huntress named Kaisa, she enjoyed her companionship  and started to fall in love with her, but she was torn between her feelings to Kaisa and her promise to Sidhean.

I think the author did a great job in describing Ash. I love her character ; she was a girl full with curiosity, emotions, feelings and she was not a weakling. She was a rebellious girl and always sneaks out from her stepmother to meet the fairy or Kaisa. Ash did not rely on others to make a decision, she fought for what she believed and what she loved. I love Kaisa as well as I always love stories about huntress and women who fight. I ship them. Ha ha

This book was not an ordinary Cinderella tale where a handsome prince came to save the poor girl. It was about making decisions, fight for what you believe and what you want and of course about love. This was the first book written by Malinda Lo and I am looking forward to read her other books.

I give this book 4.5 stars.