Book Review: Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Dear Readers, Aliens and Creatures, I am beyond disappointed. Ash Princess was NOT what I expected!

Someone had the NERVE to label this as:”….a nail-biting YA fantasy … full of daring and vengeance”. Whereeee?! Whereeeee is the daring?! Wheeeeere is the vengeance? Why am I even here?! 

▪️BASICS:

Official title: Ash Princess

My title: But Not Yet Says The Inept Princess

Author: Laura Sebastian

Fav character: The Mines

Type: Book – Ash Princess Series

2.5/5

▪️INTRO:

SPOILERS AHEAD 🚨

When I am promised bad-assery and instead I get blehness, I get testy. Especially since I had such high hopes for this novel, only to be as disappointed as I was when reading #themirrorking – but this is ONLY book 1. 🤦‍♀️ Sigh.

Let’s start with the good, shall we?

TOP 3 THINGS I LIKED:

• The construction and overall writing is good, promising a good story as you go along;
• There is a fair attempt at world-building, with backstories to a few key gods in the ‘world’ that were well done. There isn’t a clear understanding of how this world actually LOOKS though, which is pooyey;
• There are somewhat intricate relationships which could have made for a truly satisfying plot once they had been shifted or broken – alas. 😒

▪️REVIEW:

We are trapped in the ruminating, oh so boring, oh so indecisive, oh so woe-is-me, oh so  only randomly guilty and SLOW mind of Thora, sometimes Theo, supposedly Theodosia – actual queen of a conquored and enslaved kingdom, which has kept her captive for the last 10 years. (Similar to #TheOrphanQueen). This Princess is however, beaten repeatedly with whips, forced to accept a new name and throw away the shapes, sounds, sights and tastes of her old culture (basically what enslaved persons faced world-over). 

Yes. She is TAWNY of skin and admires the paleness of her conquorers. To ensure we understand her admiration, and that we know her skin colour, these facts are repeated ad nauseam. 

Yes. She gets a little band of loyal subjects she continuously lets down… and eventually gets killed-

No. She cannot actually fight although she requests a weapon, which she throws away at the first opportunity she has….

No. We aren’t provided with any worthwhile kissing…by ANYONE.

Be prepared for over 390/391 pages of this female finding every possible reason NOT to do the things SHE comes up with as she is followed around by three shadow guards.

Be prepared to be stuck in the head of that friend, who shares their problems, believing they are insurmoubtable… But as you listen, you realise they could have been solved with simple actions…

Be prepared for misplaced priorities, such as the nasty old Kaizer wants to marry her and she is randomly repulsed by his old touch at a party while HER PEOPLE ARE BEING KILLED LEFT RIGHT AND CENTER AND DYING OF STARVATION, BEATINGS, OUTRIGHT MURDER AND MORE. 

Thora/Theo is not worth her weight in ANYTHING, even leeches (because really, what is their purpose)?

▪️OBSERVATIONS:

 I felt that although the book presents itself as a story about a captured queen-in-the-making, it is actually the back-story of how the once-glorious bestie became how she is and her own search for vengeance. 😒

😒😒😒 Also, really author? What is there to pity in this incompetent and pathetic character? She doesn’t even TRY. 

▪️DISCUSSION:

🌑 Appropriation: This topic is treated well in the book. There are a lot of things that the Klaxo people have taken over, incorporated into their lives, and profited over to the detriment of the Astrean people, that pays no respect to the origins, purpose or culture of the people. These range from clothing and music to special magical gems. 

🌑 Saving yourself: This topic is NOT treated well in the book. Although Thora/Theo speaks about saving herself and realising that waiting for others is futile, she does PRECISELY that all through the book. It’s tiresome because we are trapped in the mind of someone who is cowardly and who lacks initiative. 

🌑 Darker skinned reject: Seems to be a recurrent theme in YA novels, it is also very unhealthily mixed with the absolute admiration and somewhat worshiping of very pale and colourless features, belonging to people in greater positions of power – whether as conquerors or mentors. 

Have you read this book or the full trilogy? What were your thoughts?