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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Ash by Malinda Lo







Ash opens with a funeral. Ash's mother has just died, and she is being buried according to the ancient rites and rituals that have generally fallen out of favour.

Ash is just a young girl, and flounders without her mother. She visits her grave every night, unaware of being watched.

Ash's world is a prosaic one, but there's another, secret world overlaying that, that humans have largely separated from.

But it's that world that will prove a threat to Ash in the long run.

Sigh. That summary feels a little bit inaccurate, but there's not much more of substance I can grasp on to.

Ash is one of those books, where you read the whole thing and kind of think "but where's the story?"


It's well-written, and the premise is excellent: it's a re-telling of Cinderella, wherein Ash is Cinderella, and her handsome prince is actually the King's Huntress, which is a more than welcome twist to the tale.

I enjoyed Ash while I was reading it, because as I said, the writing is very good. But it felt like there was no ... point to hang the story on. Ash sort of went from one crisis to another and another, until the rather cinema-like climax at the end.

There is, I believe, a companion novel coming, and I liked Lo's writing enough to look forward to it, but now that I've finished Ash, and I'm reflecting on it, I didn't like it as much as I thought I did.

So:

7/10 Someone else cooks dinner – yay! - because the writing IS strong. I just wanted a better story, with a stronger core.

6 comments:

Renay said...

I read and reviewed this book and definitely vomited my issues all over it, ha ha. I had almost the exact same experience, except my big want was MORE SEXY TIMES WITH THE LADIES, LESS MYSTERIOUS MANPAIN. I am so hard to please.

I didn't know about the companion book, though. That might be interesting.

chrisa511 said...

I still have not read this one...but I do have it on my shelf!! It sounds like most people who have read it have had the same issues with it, though still really liked Lo's writing style. I'm looking forward to it. And no I still haven't listened to the CD T_T I'm a failure Maree!!! It's still waiting by my keys for when I finally get unsick and get in my car...which should hopefully be TOMORROW!!!!

Maree said...

Renay: I'll seek out your review. And IA - more sexytimes with the ladiessss

Chris: Get better first!!! <3 <3

Marg said...

I won this book a while ago now. My mum picked it up to read while she was here, and I haven't been able to find it ever since so I think she must have taken it home with her.

Maree said...

Marg - I swear I answered this, what the hell, blogger? Hmmmm Mum the book thief? I'd like to hear what you think of it, if it shows up again :)

Meg @ write meg! said...

I've been on the fence about this one -- I like fairytale retellings, but I'm not sure this is one for me! And like you, I often think I enjoyed a book but then look back and think... not so much.