Elana K. Arnold

Synopsis:
The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: When the king dies, his son the prince must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon or what horrors she faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome young man, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny of sitting on a throne beside him. It’s all like a dream, like something from a fairy tale.

As Ama follows Emory to the kingdom of Harding, however, she discovers that not all is as it seems. There is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows, and the greatest threats may not be behind her, but around her, now, and closing in.

Review:
This book was very easy to fall into, and you’re very invested before you start to truly learn about Emory. From early on we learn that Emory will do whatever he wants and there will never be any recompense because he is considered infallible. While many may empathize with men being considered smarter, wiser, should be listened to and obeyed while women just do what they are told, it was outright frustrating seeing the things that were considered fine because it was what Emory (the now king) wanted.

I loved seeing Ama find herself, and that she never gave up on her curiosity and knowledge of herself and her origins. I found the ending absolute perfection after all the mistreatments seen throughout the book, and the implication that the monarchy would now change. While this book has won an award for excellence in young adult literature, one has to wonder if the contents of the novel are something that really resonate with young adults, and if so, why more isn’t being done to address such issues in the real world.

While I did like this book far more than Red Hood, I still do not think I would necessarily give this to a young adult. Certainly some are mature enough to read and understand it, but it might bring up more adult content than most may be comfortable with in younger teens and less mature older teens considering the very sexual references in this book.

Star rating: ✯✯✯

*This book was read in May, but reviewed in June.

Synopsis:
A dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power—and one girl’s journey to regain it. Five starred reviews greeted this powerful story from Elana K. Arnold, author of the Printz Honor winner Damsel.

You are alone in the woods, seen only by the unblinking yellow moon. Your hands are empty. You are nearly naked. And the wolf is angry.

Since her grandmother became her caretaker when she was four years old, Bisou Martel has lived a quiet life in a little house in Seattle. She’s kept mostly to herself. She’s been good.

But then comes the night of homecoming, when she finds herself running for her life over roots and between trees, a fury of claws and teeth behind her.

A wolf attacks. Bisou fights back. A new moon rises. And with it, questions.

About the blood in Bisou’s past, and on her hands as she stumbles home.

About broken boys and vicious wolves.

About girls lost in the woods—frightened, but not alone.

Review:
This book has a cover and blurb like it’s YA and is written in an interesting style between experimental and emulating classic literature. The first couple of chapters made me want to throw the book across the room in frustration but it started picking up by chapter three. The writing style starts out as second person, which isn’t necessarily an issue, but you have thoughts and feelings thrust at you instead of allowing you to think, feel, and assess things on your own which is quite jarring at the beginning.

This book is the only book I’ve chosen to read for myself since my MFA in Creative Writing that has made me think “this would be a great book to write a literary analysis of”. A lot of the reasons why this book is so mysterious and murky are left in what isn’t said and what is left ambiguous. There is a clear tone of magical realism where the “normal” people aren’t expected to understand what’s going on, but those in the know accept it whole heartedly without ever trying to figure out what happens and why that may be. There is clearly a feminist undertone, and there are a lot of great moral dilemmas raised about how and why women are victims and men make poor decisions every once in a while but it shouldn’t matter to their future. This book is great for female empowerment and being comfortable in your own skin, as well as explaining your thoughts and feelings and embarrassments with partners/parents/friends; not everything needs to be dealt with alone.

Despite all of that, I’m not sure what to think of this book. It leaves you thinking, but the answers aren’t clear, and they aren’t meant to be. I’m left wondering what I do with this book, that I bought in paperback. It is very much written about and by the Amazon listings to be a YA book, though I cannot imagine when I was a teacher or now suggesting this book to a teen. I don’t intend to read it again, and I don’t intend to lend it out. It is well written, and it is very thought provoking, and in the end, I am glad I have read it, but I do not think I would recommend this one to others, even if given the warning of sexual abuse and adultness of the novel. If I did, it would purely be because I want to have a literary discussion about it afterwards.

Star rating: ✯✯✯

Amy S. Brown

Review of Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Review of Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold