Ash

By: Malinda Lo

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Cinderella retold

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother.

Consumed with grief, she finds her only joy by the light of the dying hearth fire, re-reading 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 begins to believe that her wish may be granted.

But the day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s royal 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 and romantic, Ash is an empowering retelling of Cinderella about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

©2009 Malinda Lo (P)2021 Recorded Books

The Essential Lesbian YA Book

Culture has changed so much since Ash was first published in 2009. Back then, most books with gay or lesbian themes required a "coming out" and the backlash involved. These days it's common for a protagonist to have an established sexual preference and romance is portrayed in a way similar to a heterosexual relationship; you meet someone and have a mutual interest in each other. Ash stands out in its portrayal of self-discovery without stigma. The description of the things about Kaisa that catches the eye of Ash, there's no other way to put it, it's how lesbians are attracted to one another (peeling an apple while telling a story, water dripping from fingers as Kaisa drinks from her cupped hands). Though same-sex attraction is normalized in the world of Ash, it still does a wonderful job depicting Ash discovering her attraction. She appreciates the beauty of those around her, in the end, she desires only one. Also, I've realized Malinda Lo always writes about her main character's love interests as having a secure attachment style, which is very refreshing.

Emily Woo Zeller does a fantastic job with narration. She does a perfect strong feminine voice for Ash and a husky almost masculine voice for Kaisa. Sometimes narration can be difficult for a book with two female love interests but she gives them both distinct personalities. Her other voices are incredible. Again, she makes everyone distinct without having to resort to distinguishing features like unrealistically low or nasally.

Finally, the book's focus on grief cannot be understated. It's a wonderful journey of feeling like a shell of a person - the dying flame of a neglected candle, to finding someone who will love and protect that small flame, to allowing that flame to burn and glow brightly because you have found someone to love those parts you thought were unlovable.

Beautiful and well done

I loved this book pure and simple. It is now one of my favorites books

Love It!

If you loved any of the other novels that this author has written, then you are going to absolutely love this one. Love the story and the performance was superb!

Sword Hunting

Ok, so, it is a YA book, so, keep that in mind when you read it. (small spoilers ahead) Personally, for what it is worth, I think it could have either focused less on the fey part, or be longer, in order focus more on the non-fey parts. The MC was as impulsive as I would expect from a YA's novel. The ending felt rushed and I would have liked to see what happened to all the other characters (or at least the stepmother and daughter, and if they are telling the truth about the dad or not).
Lastly and more importantly than all I just said:
Did you, did you really set up a stag hunt with... with... SWORDS? Did I miss the crossbows and arrows? I must have... I'm choosing to believe I did.

The woman who read this is exceptional.

I really enjoyed the spin on Cinderella and the overall performance. Very imaginative and entertaining. There was not a boring moment!

Unexpected

Didn't think I'd like a Cinderella retelling but I did! Fun listen, I recommend it.

On the fence

A Cinderella retelling that's got some dark and twisty turns, some sapphic highlights, and a story where you just wanna shake some people and sweep away Ash into her own HEA. It's a good story, but there's a lot of "asks" "said" "replied" ... super hard to listen to repetitively.

My gay little heart 💕

Love this book! It was one of the first books when I was in high school, before coming out, that I really connected with on a whole different level.

The love that was hidden

I love this book I have read so many times the fairy and real world

Sad Cinderella

The story was not very compelling, did not enjoy. I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did.