Synopsis: 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.
Review: Ash was a re-read for me. I read it long ago and I fondly thought of it as one of my favorite fairy tale retellings, but I've read a number of retellings since then and I wanted to see if it still held up. Good news, it definitely does. From the start, Ash is compassionate and watching her deal with her mother's death is hard. One of the strengths of this particular story is seeing Ash come to terms with her sexuality. She's definitely attracted to Sidhean, but she also harbors an attraction for Kaisa. It's always great to see people figure out their own sexuality, but I especially enjoy it in fantasy based stories. Beyond that, Ash is a retelling of Cinderella. If you like that story, then you will probably enjoy this one.
What makes this book stand out above the rest is that it feels like its own fairy tale. Yes, it is a retelling of Cinderella, but it is lyrical and has its own voice which makes it feel fresh. Malinda does a beautiful job of weaving fae lore with the original Cinderella story. Characters also share their favorite fairy tales within the scope of this world. I always appreciate moments like that because it makes the world feel more rich and developed. This is one of the few books where the ending felt wrapped up, but also a bit open-ended and it worked really well for this particular story.
Even if you aren't a fan of retellings, Ash is worth checking out. It isn't long, but has a beautiful, rich world with fun characters and a well done romance.
5 howls
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