Before we dive in, this book requires a lot of trigger warnings, specifically those assault, rape, self-harm, and probably a few others I’ve missed. This is an amazingly written novel, but if you pick this up, know that you will find these trigger throughout Damsel.
I’ve never read a book quite like Damsel. There’s this quiet indignance and fury that permeates in this story that culminates in the ultimate rage. It’s fairytale-esque, encompassing some of the often romanticised tropes and turns them upside down and inside out, leaving you in awe and unsure of what will happen next when you turn the page. There’s so much about this story that’s raw and full of emotion, and you might need to take five minutes when you get to the end of the story.
Damsel begins with the journey of Prince Emory, determined to slay the dragon, save the damsel and claim his right to be king. It’s a perilous journey, but it is as it has always been. Ama is our damsel, rescued by Prince Emory but with no recollection of her time before the dragon or of her captivity, just what Prince Emory has shared with her. She travels back to the prince’s homeland of Harding, welcomed by all as the lands new princess, destined to marry the prince and become queen. Her first night at the castle shows her that nothing is quite as it is made out to be, and she’ll have to move forward to find out the truth behind damsels and dragons.
There’s not a lot that I can give away about this story without being spoiler-y, but I’ll do my best. I’ll start with the fact that this is not going to be some fluffy fairytale story. Not at all. The descriptions in this story are vivid and lush, some of the most amazing imagery I’ve read recently. But, it was also unapologetically gruesome, so there’s also that. The beginning of the story is in Prince Emory’s perspective, his journey to conquer the dragon, and the rest of it is in Ama’s perspective. Ama wants to know about her past, but is also having to contend with a few harsh realities as she makes it to Prince Emory’s home, the treatment of women being at the forefront of it.
The story has a very eerie/dread-fuelled feel to it, adding to that “something isn’t right, but I don’t know what” theme. There’s a lot of symbolism in this story, and how Ama is changing to adjust to her new life at Prince Emory’s side and at the prospect of being a queen. Will she accept her destined fate or forge ahead and make a new one? I think one of the most important themes that I understood from this story is how far are you willing to let someone change you before you lose yourself completely. It manifests in so many ways throughout Damsel, at times showing up in very harrowing ways.
Ama’s journey is one that is very emotionally involved, and her development is so well done. It feels like it was done with meticulous care and I love that about a character. Driven by instinct and honesty, she won my heart. However, I felt that many of the other characters did not have the same development, which I understand might have been because Ama was our focal point, but I would have loved getting more story on the Queen Mother. Tillie and Allys as well.
What I didn’t love about the story was the representation of men. This story is powerfully, and unapologetically feminist, but at the same time I wish we would have seen a male with a different outlook on women and society, although I do understand the intended purpose of Damsel was an emphasis on dismantling the romanticisation of women’s abuse in fairy tale settings.
I would rate this story a 9/10. I loved this story a lot, but I’ll say that some will love and others might hate. Don’t walk into this story lightly, it’s at times very brutal. There’s triggers that might upset some readers a lot. That said it’s a very strong story. However, I couldn’t quite get over the representation of the men in this story. I feel it would have made the story even more poignant. That said, there is plenty to love, but with caution.
Damsel is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he 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, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.
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