Malinda Lo might very well have changed my outlook on Young Adult fiction. That is how good this was. Since about the moment I entered high school I refused to read the genre, but when I saw how this would be a retelling of the Cinderella story with a sappific twist the nerd inside me decided to give it a shot. It is so worth it. This novel had some dark moments that drew it away from the everyday girl meets boy and they fall in love theme that has become so prevalent in YA literature. Yes, it does go down the road of girl meets girl, but that is certainly not the focus of this story. Which I must say has me relieved. Lo’s portraying of a same sex relationship is that of normalcy, a basic understanding that it is love and not queer.
Aisling’s (Ash) journey into adulthood is complex and darkly twisted. Life puts her in circumstances that take away her power, yet through the help of a friend she is given the opportunity to make a choice. The reader gets to watch her mature and become strong enough to break away from all the people who bind her to misery. Lo’s writing style is calming and exciting all at the same time. It’s descriptive and easy to follow without being too obvious that it is written for a younger audience.
I have no doubt that if Malinda Lo writes another novel I will have it preordered,
Alyx Rae
