Title: Damsel
Author: Elana K. Arnold
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Balzar + Bray - Copyright 2018
Read: October 2-3, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis from Publisher: The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: When the king dies, his son the prince must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon or what horrors she faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome young man, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny of sitting on a throne beside
him. It’s all like a dream, like something from a fairy tale.
As Ama follows Emory to the kingdom of Harding, however, she discovers that not all is as it seems. There is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows, and the greatest threats may not be behind her, but around her, now, and closing in.
Review: When I saw the cover for Damsel by Elana K. Arnold, I had to know what lurked inside, and then when I read the synopsis, I wanted to dive into its pages. I love twisted fairy tales, especially when they feature strong female protagonists like Ama. I began reading Damsel and kept reading, and reading, and reading...until I finished it. I simply could not put it down.
Written in third person omniscient, Damsel takes the damsel-in-distress trope and turns it on its head. What happens to a hero who discovers there's more to slaying a dragon than meets the eye? What happens when a damsel who was never truly in distress is rescued? What happens when It-Is-This-Way-Because-It-Has-Always-Been-This-Way is no longer good enough? Elana K. Arnold has answered those questions and created a truly wicked fairy tale in the process.
Ama's story is also a timely one. As the real world watches more and more women stand up for themselves and say "I refuse to be a victim," Ama's plight as a damsel searching for her place and for her own identity becomes all the more poignant. For example, the following passage from Damsel holds so much meaning:
"...You see, Ama, it is for men to create. It is for men to decide. It is for men to speak. It is your place to listen, and follow, and gestate. And those are no small things! For without women to listen, how would the men's words be heard?...You are important, Ama. Desperately important. But do not overreach."
Sound familiar? In the time of the MeToo and Nevertheless She Persisted movements, Damsel is a unique and timely reminder of the ridicule and barriers women have faced throughout history, and how something seemingly as benign as fairy tales can impact our perceptions for ourselves and our place in the world.
My only complaint with Damsel, and it's a minor one, is that I had figured out The Big Reveal early on in the tale. This didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book, especially since The Big Reveal did include a twist I had not considered, but I do think the author could have been a little more subtle in her hints toward The Big Reveal.
Review at a Glance:
Concept: A+
Execution: A
Writing Style: A
Characters: A-
Reader Connection: A
Overall Grade: A-
Would I Buy This Author Again: Yes
Synopsis from Publisher: The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: When the king dies, his son the prince must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon or what horrors she faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome young man, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny of sitting on a throne beside
As Ama follows Emory to the kingdom of Harding, however, she discovers that not all is as it seems. There is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows, and the greatest threats may not be behind her, but around her, now, and closing in.
Review: When I saw the cover for Damsel by Elana K. Arnold, I had to know what lurked inside, and then when I read the synopsis, I wanted to dive into its pages. I love twisted fairy tales, especially when they feature strong female protagonists like Ama. I began reading Damsel and kept reading, and reading, and reading...until I finished it. I simply could not put it down.
Written in third person omniscient, Damsel takes the damsel-in-distress trope and turns it on its head. What happens to a hero who discovers there's more to slaying a dragon than meets the eye? What happens when a damsel who was never truly in distress is rescued? What happens when It-Is-This-Way-Because-It-Has-Always-Been-This-Way is no longer good enough? Elana K. Arnold has answered those questions and created a truly wicked fairy tale in the process.
Ama's story is also a timely one. As the real world watches more and more women stand up for themselves and say "I refuse to be a victim," Ama's plight as a damsel searching for her place and for her own identity becomes all the more poignant. For example, the following passage from Damsel holds so much meaning:
"...You see, Ama, it is for men to create. It is for men to decide. It is for men to speak. It is your place to listen, and follow, and gestate. And those are no small things! For without women to listen, how would the men's words be heard?...You are important, Ama. Desperately important. But do not overreach."
Sound familiar? In the time of the MeToo and Nevertheless She Persisted movements, Damsel is a unique and timely reminder of the ridicule and barriers women have faced throughout history, and how something seemingly as benign as fairy tales can impact our perceptions for ourselves and our place in the world.
My only complaint with Damsel, and it's a minor one, is that I had figured out The Big Reveal early on in the tale. This didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book, especially since The Big Reveal did include a twist I had not considered, but I do think the author could have been a little more subtle in her hints toward The Big Reveal.
Review at a Glance:
Concept: A+
Execution: A
Writing Style: A
Characters: A-
Reader Connection: A
Overall Grade: A-
Would I Buy This Author Again: Yes
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