Loading...
40th out of 1,417 books
—
3,367 voters
My rating:
add to my books
Ash
by
Malinda Lo (Goodreads Author)
In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading 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 believes that her wish
...morePaperback, 291 pages
Published
March 4th 2010
by Hodder Children's
(first published September 1st 2009)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
11,343)
goddamn it, this was my bright shiny hope for gay y/a week! this was the one i was banking on to be my best "assigned-but-loved-the-whole-time-i-was-reading-it-and-this-is-why-i-am-paying-for-grad-school-discovery." a lesbian retelling of cinderella?? sign me up! i've already read what robert coover and angela carter have done to improve fairy tales, let's see where this one goes!
and it starts out great - the writing is wonderful; it is very literary and lush and haunting. bo...more
and it starts out great - the writing is wonderful; it is very literary and lush and haunting. bo...more
The GoodReads five-star rating system isn't perfect because some books (like, say, pretty much all Fitzgerald and Salinger) get five stars because I think they're just freaking brilliant writing; while other books (like, say, Bridget Jones's Diary and the Traveling Pants books) get five stars because I love the characters so much.
Then, of course, there are the Harry Potters and Tales of Despereaux that receive five stars because it's like they retell my whole world: Remember how los...more
Then, of course, there are the Harry Potters and Tales of Despereaux that receive five stars because it's like they retell my whole world: Remember how los...more
Omg, you guys, did you realize that in this book, Cinderella ends up in a LESBIAN RELATIONSHIP?! How could anyone even imagine such a bizarre thing?! Because it's not like fairy tales involve the most bizarre shit known to man or anything, and even if they do, lesbians are way weirder. And why do you want to go around changing Cinderella in the first place! It's not like it's a folktale with thousands of variants all over the world - Disney invented it and it's perfect the way it is! How da...more
Tatiana
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
read "Keturah and Lord Death" instead
I will pick Disney's version of Cinderella over Ash any day and without the slightest hesitation. For a book with such a provocative, potentially controversial premise, Ash is dreadfully, painfully dull and lacking in strong emotion and vibrant characters.
This retelling is both familiar and slightly new (albeit in an uninteresting and directionless way). In this version, orphaned Ash is forced to be a serving maid to her (not so evil) stepmother and stepsisters. But instead of sneakin...more
This retelling is both familiar and slightly new (albeit in an uninteresting and directionless way). In this version, orphaned Ash is forced to be a serving maid to her (not so evil) stepmother and stepsisters. But instead of sneakin...more
No, No, No, No, No!!!!
Cinderella is not a lesbian!!! Ack, she is suppsed to fall in love with Prince charming and be doted on by silly little mice. This is a crock!
I had a hard time getting into this in the beginning, then the middle hooked me for a hot minute, but the end is such a hot mess I can't even go there!! I expected more Fairies, more darkness, more love (in male form). I got nothing of the sort!! Blek, I do NOT reccomend this!!
Acceptable forms of Cindere...more
Cinderella is not a lesbian!!! Ack, she is suppsed to fall in love with Prince charming and be doted on by silly little mice. This is a crock!
I had a hard time getting into this in the beginning, then the middle hooked me for a hot minute, but the end is such a hot mess I can't even go there!! I expected more Fairies, more darkness, more love (in male form). I got nothing of the sort!! Blek, I do NOT reccomend this!!
Acceptable forms of Cindere...more
What starts out as a simple retelling of Cinderella turns into so much more, and the Prince is all but forgotten ...
If you know the story of Cinderella then you know most of the beginning of the book, but somewhere near the middle it starts to veer off on its own path. Ash has a fairy(godfather?) who watches over her named Sidhean (pronounced Sheen - I looked it up because it was driving me nuts!) In order to feel some sort of freedom from her stepmother and stepsisters, Ash takes ev...more
If you know the story of Cinderella then you know most of the beginning of the book, but somewhere near the middle it starts to veer off on its own path. Ash has a fairy(godfather?) who watches over her named Sidhean (pronounced Sheen - I looked it up because it was driving me nuts!) In order to feel some sort of freedom from her stepmother and stepsisters, Ash takes ev...more
What a outstanding debut novel! Malinda Lo absolutely blew me away. The writing was elegant, beautifully lyrical. Malinda has this unbelievable talent for detail and atmospheric setting. She captures the very essence of the world she created. I just felt like I was there.
Characterization was fantastic as well. With such vivid imagery you might think the characterization would suffer, but I think they stood out so intensely because of it.
Ash is a retelling, so some of the ...more
Characterization was fantastic as well. With such vivid imagery you might think the characterization would suffer, but I think they stood out so intensely because of it.
Ash is a retelling, so some of the ...more
Janina
rated it
Ash by Malinda Lo is definitely a beautiful retelling of the classic Cinderella story - writing-wise. Lo creates an eerie yet fascinating atmosphere with her lyrical prose and the setting is described in rich details. She interweaves fairy tales and traditions of her own into the story and creates a world the reader can immerse himself in.
Additionally, Ash is clearly more than a simple retelling; it adds aspects to the original tale and has quite some twists readers probably won't suspect i...more
Additionally, Ash is clearly more than a simple retelling; it adds aspects to the original tale and has quite some twists readers probably won't suspect i...more
(3.5 stars)
Malinda Lo combines several highly creative ideas in her debut novel, Ash. We all know the tale of Cinderella, but it's never been told quite like this. Cinderella (here called Aisling, Ash for short) falls for a young woman instead of the prince. And the fairy who helps Ash break free of her stepmother is no rosy-cheeked godmother, but a coldly beautiful fairy lord right out of the older, darker legends of the fey folk, and he demands a steep price for his aid. On paper, I love...more
Malinda Lo combines several highly creative ideas in her debut novel, Ash. We all know the tale of Cinderella, but it's never been told quite like this. Cinderella (here called Aisling, Ash for short) falls for a young woman instead of the prince. And the fairy who helps Ash break free of her stepmother is no rosy-cheeked godmother, but a coldly beautiful fairy lord right out of the older, darker legends of the fey folk, and he demands a steep price for his aid. On paper, I love...more
I noticed a lot of buzz surrounding this book among authors and readers I respect, so I had high expectations going in. I was disappointed. I found the book very bland, from beginning to end. All of the characters seemed very wooden and/or one-dimensional, and I pretty much just kept reading because it was inoffensive and short.
Part of the reason I think I didn't take to this book is that it's a very meandering, quiet sort of story about death and love. There's not really any action ...more
Part of the reason I think I didn't take to this book is that it's a very meandering, quiet sort of story about death and love. There's not really any action ...more
Jain
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2010-reads,
american-literature,
fantasy,
fiction,
glbt,
poc-author,
juvenile-fiction,
northamerican,
romance
This book has a great deal of potential, but sadly lives up to little of it. As a fairytale retelling, it diverges so far from the original Cinderella that it almost can't act as commentary upon it. Conversely, as a story in its own right, it's hampered by the constraints of the Cinderella plot; certain events are shoehorned in, while not enough time is spent on the original elements of Lo's tale.
Perhaps even worse than that, the pacing is terribly off. The beginning chapters are slow...more
Perhaps even worse than that, the pacing is terribly off. The beginning chapters are slow...more
Ash was my absolutely favorite read of 2009.
A Cinderella with a twist of darkness and lore, the characterization of a young girl, family, love, and disappointment, left me inside of this world and I think I still haven't found my way out. Since reading Ash, I am desperately seeking that language, that energy, those woods, the doublespeak that Lo so artfully rendered.
As I type this, I am flipping through the pages, and stopping when my fingers have reached their random d...more
A Cinderella with a twist of darkness and lore, the characterization of a young girl, family, love, and disappointment, left me inside of this world and I think I still haven't found my way out. Since reading Ash, I am desperately seeking that language, that energy, those woods, the doublespeak that Lo so artfully rendered.
As I type this, I am flipping through the pages, and stopping when my fingers have reached their random d...more
I found the world building boring, and I felt the entire time like Lo was talking to me, rather than telling me a story (i.e., it felt like she didn't try to tell a story but instead just spit the facts out). The backstories were far too lengthy and unnecessary and the story itself gets lost. None of the characters are interesting, and Ash herself is just irritating. I disliked the writing style a lot, and I thought the lesbian love scene never had merit -- we don't actually see Ash learn anythi...more
Ash
By Malinda Lo
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
# of Pages: 264
Age Rating: 14+
My Rating: 2 Stars
Synopsis:
In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading 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 fai...more
By Malinda Lo
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
# of Pages: 264
Age Rating: 14+
My Rating: 2 Stars
Synopsis:
In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading 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 fai...more
Ash is one of those books that will either grab you or leave you wanting more. As for me, I fell in with the latter. While I loved the lush language and writing along with the fey lore incorporated into the tale, I wasn't really taken by the characters or the 'love story.' Yes, this book is Cinderella reinvisioned, but it sadly felt lackluster when all was said and done.
ash is a sweet light cinderella retelling that lacks the depth that would make me connect with it more, and that would give it more resonance.
the characters are not developed and so the story lacks the substance i would wish for.
ash doesn’t have much personality. the king’s huntress, kaisa, isn’t a complicated character either. though she represents a strong female character, and at times she is charming...she is presented as perfect in a way that turns her into more of a sym...more
the characters are not developed and so the story lacks the substance i would wish for.
ash doesn’t have much personality. the king’s huntress, kaisa, isn’t a complicated character either. though she represents a strong female character, and at times she is charming...she is presented as perfect in a way that turns her into more of a sym...more
Airiz C
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fairytales-reimagined,
fantasy,
lgbtq,
mythology,
my-favorites,
paranormal,
romance,
young-adult
When her father died, Aisling’s—Ash’s—world is turned upside down. Her stepmother, Lady Isobel, is cruel to her, and her stepsisters are not exactly fond of her. Ash is forced to work as a servant for her stepfamily, and she could only hope for someone to take her away from her miserable life.
Sounds familiar? It might, but this is not the fairytale you remember—it’s not the story of Disney’s ultimate damsel in distress who waits for Prince Charming to come by and hand her the happy-eve...more
Sounds familiar? It might, but this is not the fairytale you remember—it’s not the story of Disney’s ultimate damsel in distress who waits for Prince Charming to come by and hand her the happy-eve...more
Ash is the first book by new author Malinda Lo, a retelling of the Cinderella story with the dark influence of Celtic faerie mythology and several new twists.
Aisling, called Ash for short, is the Cinderella analogue of the story, and the book begins traditionally with Ash beside her mother's grave. The first few chapters establish a world locked in an ideological battle
between reason and the old ways of magic and fairies; Ash's mother was firmly on the side of magic, and passe...more
Aisling, called Ash for short, is the Cinderella analogue of the story, and the book begins traditionally with Ash beside her mother's grave. The first few chapters establish a world locked in an ideological battle
between reason and the old ways of magic and fairies; Ash's mother was firmly on the side of magic, and passe...more
This book was definitely not something I recommend. I want to be nice in this book review, but it was very difficult to get through. It has nothing to do with Lo's writing style, even though it was in third person instead of first, because the story was actually told well. It just happened to be a story that wasn't worth telling.
The plot in Ash was boring. I don't like where Lo went with the story and I don't like how she got there. Cinderella retold+fairies sounds like it would be a...more
The plot in Ash was boring. I don't like where Lo went with the story and I don't like how she got there. Cinderella retold+fairies sounds like it would be a...more
There was just something about this book that caught my eye. Whether it was because of its dark mysterious cover, Asian-American author, or a retelling of a fairy tale, I was just drawn to it. But was the book up to my expectations?
Sadly, no.
I never connected with any of the characters. They all felt flat and bland to me, and just as I was warming up to them the book was over. The main problem could probably be attributed to the fact that I just didn’t care for the writing st...more
Sadly, no.
I never connected with any of the characters. They all felt flat and bland to me, and just as I was warming up to them the book was over. The main problem could probably be attributed to the fact that I just didn’t care for the writing st...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Ash is one of those books that seemed to catch like wildfire in the blogosphere. One day, you've never heard of it, and the next, it's everywhere, and you have to read it. And like most suddenly ubiquitous books, I have mixed feelings...
Ash is a non-traditional retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale. Ash is a young girl who loses her parents and finds herself thrust into the care of her newly made family: a callous step-mother and distant, spoiled step-sisters. She is removed from he...more
Ash is a non-traditional retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale. Ash is a young girl who loses her parents and finds herself thrust into the care of her newly made family: a callous step-mother and distant, spoiled step-sisters. She is removed from he...more
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
trt-gold-star-award-winner,
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Samantha Clanton, aka Harlequin Twilight for TeensReadToo.com
There's something about fairy tales that always feel magical. No matter the story, no matter the characters, there is something about them that just makes you feel the magic inside them. ASH makes you feel every bit of that magic, and more.
Just about everyone, everyone female at least, over the age of 13 or so has heard and/or seen the story of Cinderella. Whether it is Disney's version or the classi...more
There's something about fairy tales that always feel magical. No matter the story, no matter the characters, there is something about them that just makes you feel the magic inside them. ASH makes you feel every bit of that magic, and more.
Just about everyone, everyone female at least, over the age of 13 or so has heard and/or seen the story of Cinderella. Whether it is Disney's version or the classi...more
ASH is one of those books that I read slowly, savoring each beautifully crafted line, running the words and imagery through my head until they became poetry in action. Malinda’s sensuous writing brings Ash’s world and the characters within to blazing, ethereal life: you can fully tell that you are immersed in a fairy tale world, one that doesn’t just satisfy, but leaves you wanting more.
I've often heard ASH described as a lesbian retelling of Cinderella; in fact, I think that I have ...more
I've often heard ASH described as a lesbian retelling of Cinderella; in fact, I think that I have ...more
Lady Moorchild
rated it
Ash is in every way a conventional tale as it is unconventional: a fairy tale in the classical sense, with its near-flawless, romantic prose, yet unique in the love story it tells. Ash is a perfect fairy tale romance about Cinderella and the woman of her affections -- young adult readers will adore what they find, while more mature readers might desire a more fleshed out world. Ash is simple, beautiful, but slow-paced, although it makes for a quick read, perfect for curling up in a blanket and r...more
I learned that sometimes if you read ABOUT the author, you may just guess where the story is going. I thought of a twist on 'Cinderella'could be a good thing, but not this twisted... and to think this is a YA book! In the review that I read I was advised to read the end before handing to a teen. My advice: don't hand the book to a teen!
I took with me Ash by Malinda Lo traveling through Germany in October, it turned out to be the perfect choice. The atmosphere, setting, and style of this book all felt very German. It's a retelling of the Cinderella story except that Ash's love interests are a male fairy of the dark and tortured variety (you know a real underhill fairy) and a female huntress of pagan rights old world inclination ~ the prince is mere side character. I enjoyed Ash very much and it suited not only travel through Ge...more
ARG! Had I known this was written as a lesbian romance novel, I NEVER would've picked it up. Readers, be warned...
I have to admit that I enjoyed this book but not as much as I enjoyed Huntress. So, instead of having it enhance this experience I tried to ignore some of what I read in the prequel. I think it is mostly because there was a almost never-ending adventure with the first and only one retold story with this book. The stories were connected but only by space. They both seemed like completely separate stories in the end.
Cinderella was never my favorite fairy tale. Oh, true... I loved the Dis...more
Cinderella was never my favorite fairy tale. Oh, true... I loved the Dis...more
Ash is definitely one of those reads that you will appreciate more with time. It captivates you when you're reading and yet when you're done, you feel a bit disoriented. The only thing I could compare it to was when I first read Lisa McMann's Wake. At first I really didn't know what to think, but as more time passed and I looked back on it, I really enjoyed it. I can tell that Ash is going to be similar for me.
I'm a huge fan of re-tellings of traditional fairy tales. Confessio...more
I'm a huge fan of re-tellings of traditional fairy tales. Confessio...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ash | 3 | 21 | Jan 02, 2012 04:06pm | |
| YA LGBT Books: Guys! Go to the iTunes store! | 1 | 27 | Dec 26, 2011 09:18pm | |
| YA Book Club: Post questions for Malinda Lo here! | 36 | 252 | Nov 29, 2011 12:30pm | |
| YA Book Club: Cinderella Retold | 12 | 54 | Nov 26, 2011 08:12pm | |
| YA Book Club: Theme-sex | 23 | 95 | Nov 24, 2011 01:32pm | |
| YA Book Club: Who is going to read Ash with us? | 26 | 43 | Nov 23, 2011 05:25am | |
| YA Book Club: Now that you are done... | 23 | 47 | Nov 21, 2011 08:30am |
Readers Also Enjoyed
Hi Goodreads! I've only created this profile to claim my name here, and I don't check messages here or add friends. I invite you to follow me on Twitter or Tumblr if you want to chat, or visit my website at malindalo.com.
BIO: Malinda Lo's first novel, Ash, a retelling of Cinderella with a lesbian twist, was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Andre Norton Award for...more
More about Malinda Lo...
BIO: Malinda Lo's first novel, Ash, a retelling of Cinderella with a lesbian twist, was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award, the Andre Norton Award for...more
Share This Book
4 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
Oct 03, 2011 09:18pm
Oct 03, 2011 09:42pm