Ash

Ash by Malinda Lo
Little, Brown and Company, 2009
264 pages
YA; Fairy-tale; Fantasy
4/5 stars

Source: Library

I heard that this was sort of a lesbian Cinderella story and given my love for all retellings of Cinderella, I wanted to read this.

Although there are threads of Cinderella running throughout (such as the main character's nickname Ash and her propensity for falling asleep in the cinders such that she becomes covered in them), there is also another mythology surrounding magic and fairies, both the appeal and the dangers of them.  I thought they were woven together pretty well but I've seen other reviews where they thought the focus should be on just one.

I really liked the love story because Ash and her love interest Kaisa, the King's Huntress, spend a lot of time together, talking about their lives and their interests.  It's not a love at first sight like the original Cinderella story but a slow companionable love.

My complaint is about the pace; I felt that it took too long for the meat of the story to kick in.  Admittedly the beginning is very atmospheric and sets up threads that are expanded on later in the story but it didn't seem to be going anywhere.  Luckily I stuck to the book for a great addition to my Cinderella retellings collection.