Ash

by Lo, Malinda

• ISBN13: 9780316040099
• ISBN10: 0316040096
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-09-01
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary

This debut, a retelling of Cinderella in which the heroine falls in love with a beautiful huntress rather than a prince, should establish Lo as a gifted storyteller. Aisling, aka Ash, is newly orphaned, her beloved mother dead and her father soon to follow. But not before he marries the woman who plays the part of Ash's wicked stepmother and provides her with equally unkind stepsisters. Only Ash's periodic trips into a fairy-filled wood at night and time spent with the beguiling huntress Kaisawho enthralls Ash more and moresave her from her oppressive new existence. Lo's prose is beautiful, her descriptions lush; the novel's one flaw is that the third-person narrative keeps readers at arm's length. The dialogue is sparse, with Lo spending most of her time on narration, making it difficult to connect emotionally with Ash. This aside, Lo offers an important twist on a classic story that will appeal to a wide readership, especially those looking for a girl romance. Ages 15up. (Sept.) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Biography

Malinda is the former managing editor of AfterEllen.com, and an award-winning journalist for her work in LGBT media. Malinda graduated from Wellesley College in 1996 with a BA in Economics and Chinese Studies, and she worked with Joe Blades at Ballantine. She earned MAs from Harvard (Regional Studies--East Asia) and Stanford (Cultural and Social Anthropology) universities. She now lives in San Francisco.