Thoughts on : Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
Genre : Fantasy, YA
Series : Ash Princess, book 1
About the Book :
Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.
For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She’s endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.
Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield.
For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.
My Thoughts :
First and foremost, let me tell you that I rated this book 3.5 out of 5 here and 4 on Goodreads, and I’d say it probably stands somewhere between these two ratingsg. So I can already tell you that I enjoyed this one.
But, at the same time I have trouble pointing out what made it so enjoyable. The main plot (magic princess with dead parents fights against the powers that be, finds romance along the way) is the most generic YA fantasy plot you can imagine. I feel like I’ve read – and tried to read – so many of these in the past few years, yet Ash Princess managed to slowly pulled me in.
Simply put, Ash Princess took all the usual tropes and themes of a YA fantasy and executed them well. The story moved along smoothly, giving you time to discover the world and its characters. There was a good balance of everything you could hope for (romance, action, magic, etc.) and just the right dose of twists.
I also really liked Theo. I felt for her so much. I both wanted to applaud her and protect her. She was brave and determined, and her passion for justice really resonated with me. Everything considered, I felt I really understood most of the choices she made. And for once, I felt the romance wasn’t too “insta-love”, and I was okay with the love triangle.
More than the romance, I really liked how the author explored the theme of friendship. Theo’s relation with Cress was my favorite. The power imbalance between them made things uncertain and complex, in a way I haven’t often seen in the YA fantasy I’ve read. I really wasn’t sure where their story would go, but I appreciated every moment of it.
All in all, I’d say Ash Princess was a solid first book. I like what I’ve seen of the world so far, and I’m really curious to see where things are going in book two, Lady of Smoke – which is already waiting on my shelves!
