Review: Ash- Malinda Lo

Sunday, January 17, 2010

| | |
Hey,

My theory is...if Meg Cabot says Read it, I read it.
Meg Cabot (the author of the Princess Diaries series) blogged about this book a few months ago, since then I've been impatient to get this book
Here's the link to that blog... http://www.megcabot.com/?s=ash+malinda+lo.
Title: Ash
Author: Malinda Lo
My Review:
I love it when the book matches the hype. This version of the classic Cinderella is as unlike the story it orginates from as can be and I think that's what drew me to it. Yes, the basic story was there but with a twist. The stepmother is still a 'witch with a capital B' I felt the need to give her a swift kick most of the time, but it was the stepsisters that kept me interested. In the Brothers Grimm story, the stepsisters are both as evil as the mother, they're spoiled brats. In Ash, I noticed that it took a while for the stepsisters to start acting mean and deserve a kick of their own. Even then only one stepsister the older one, Ana was truely annoying, that was because she was the spoiled one, her sister Clara was kind of ignored. Clara was Ash's only ally in Quinn house. While i was reading I took notes on this book one of them no joke said "Clara> Ana". Another note i had said "Ash? Why is her name Ash?" In the story, her nickname was Ash even before her father died. I guess it could be a nickname for Aisling, but i just don't see it. (EDIT: I KNOW NOW! CINDERella...ASH! I am slow on the uptake sometimes) My only other complain about this book was the relationship between Ash and Sidhean, the fairy. It came and went quickly, in my opinion Lo should have added at least two more chapters devoted just to him, even if Ash didn't end up with him. Who Ash did end up with... well I won't spoil it for you. I'll just say that I found it genius and did a happy dance at the end.



2 comments:

Sian said...

Aisling's nickname is Ash because the book is based on Cinderella. According to the story, Cinderella is called Ella, but because she is always covered in cinders, she is nicknamed Cinderella. Ash is another word for cinders.

Kaye said...

I liked it, though it seemed... sort of unfinished? So many subplots were left hanging at the end.

Aisling, like Sidhean, ia an Irish name, and is pronounced "ASH-ling". So it's a really fitting name for Lo to choose for this character.