"Ash" by Malinda Lo (published 2009)



Malinda Lo's "Ash" is a moving story, which creatively draws up a retelling of older versions of "Cinderella". Young Aisling, nicknamed Ash, once had a powerful, beautiful, and kind mother who believed in magic, but after she dies, Ash has to live under the same roof as her awful, selfish, and worldly stepmother, whose biggest goal is to find an advantageous husband for her eldest daughter Ana. Once Ash's father dies as well, her problems are only made worse by the sting of degradation and strain of oppression. However, Ash has not fallen into the the new fad of logic and reason, touted by philosophers and business men. She still believes in the old fairy tales and folktales of the land from centuries past, and she reads these stories to escape her predicament... and they eventually lead her to the fairy land and Sidhean, the most gorgeous creature she has ever laid eyes on. Sidhean keeps a special secret from her, waiting for the right moment to disclose the truth of his life on Earth. While living between two places - her lowly room at home and the mysterious paths of the thick forest - Ash meets the King's Huntress, a caring and sweet, but fierce woman named Kaisa. Kaisa and Ash have instant chemistry, and soon Ash has to choose between the real world and an enchanted one...

Melinda Lo writes with such respect for the outside worlds we encounter, and so the subtleties of the characters, juxtaposed with the grand places the characters live within, makes for perfect storytelling. "Ash" is full of old folkloric stories that weave into the central plot. All of the main characters are deeply touched by these olden fairy tales of greenwitches and fairy circles, and the curses that come with the heart's wishes. Lo is masterful in blending all these... and the awe-inspiring lesson she teaches asks, is it better to live in a world of desire and indescribable wonder... or is it better to feel the ground beneath your feet and the warmth of human communion? That is *my* favorite question of the entire story, but, I assure you, there are an infinity of these just waiting to be found.

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