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sjeckert's review against another edition
5.0
This review appears at https://selinajeckert.com/2020/10/31/book-review-ashen
First off, I absolutely LOVED Liz. Her condition of heat-stealing was so unique to me and so interesting that I was drawn right in to sympathizing with her and wanting to know as much as possible about what was going on.
I also bonded a little bit with her experience of her first pair of glasses. I remember well that feeling: putting on your first ever pair of glasses and having the world suddenly snap into focus. You really can’t stop looking at everything! It was delightful to see that in a story. (Side love: I LOVED the character that gave her the glasses, Widow Gri the Scholar. I would have loved to see more of her at the end, but alas, ’twas not to be.)
I also really enjoyed the way the plot came together. It was so easy to get lost in this world of cold and magic. Once I started, it was hard to put the book down. The pacing was fantastic, keeping me engaged throughout, and the revelations all came at the right places. It was awesome seeing Liz come into her own and stand up for herself, as well as seeing justice served by the end (I love a good, satisfying ending!).
And the feels! Very few books can bring me to tears, but this one? Burke seems very good at making her readers cry. Let me put it that way. But I truly felt everything the characters did, and boy was it an emotional roller coaster.
There were very few things that detracted from the experience. There were a few places where I found typos or similar issues, but overall I found them to be minor; it wasn’t enough to take away from enjoying the story.
My biggest complaint was that I had been promised Iceland, but this felt much more like a general Norse-inspired setting than Iceland to me. I kept waiting for trolls, and while there may be a version of trolls in this story, it wasn’t similar enough to the tales I’d heard and read to be clear. And there were steam vents in the story, but that didn’t really track with my personal experience there. There were no lava fields, though Brumehome seems to be next to an active volcano, but I think the steam vents were almost lava tubes. And I can live with that. But honestly, if I hadn’t been as invested in Iceland itself, I would never have noticed. So my biggest complaint will also probably not bother any other readers.
Short version: you need to read this book! Overall rating is 4.5 stars, and if you’re looking for unique magic, engaging story, and consuming worlds, this is the book you need.
First off, I absolutely LOVED Liz. Her condition of heat-stealing was so unique to me and so interesting that I was drawn right in to sympathizing with her and wanting to know as much as possible about what was going on.
I also bonded a little bit with her experience of her first pair of glasses. I remember well that feeling: putting on your first ever pair of glasses and having the world suddenly snap into focus. You really can’t stop looking at everything! It was delightful to see that in a story. (Side love: I LOVED the character that gave her the glasses, Widow Gri the Scholar. I would have loved to see more of her at the end, but alas, ’twas not to be.)
I also really enjoyed the way the plot came together. It was so easy to get lost in this world of cold and magic. Once I started, it was hard to put the book down. The pacing was fantastic, keeping me engaged throughout, and the revelations all came at the right places. It was awesome seeing Liz come into her own and stand up for herself, as well as seeing justice served by the end (I love a good, satisfying ending!).
And the feels! Very few books can bring me to tears, but this one? Burke seems very good at making her readers cry. Let me put it that way. But I truly felt everything the characters did, and boy was it an emotional roller coaster.
There were very few things that detracted from the experience. There were a few places where I found typos or similar issues, but overall I found them to be minor; it wasn’t enough to take away from enjoying the story.
My biggest complaint was that I had been promised Iceland, but this felt much more like a general Norse-inspired setting than Iceland to me. I kept waiting for trolls, and while there may be a version of trolls in this story, it wasn’t similar enough to the tales I’d heard and read to be clear. And there were steam vents in the story, but that didn’t really track with my personal experience there. There were no lava fields, though Brumehome seems to be next to an active volcano, but I think the steam vents were almost lava tubes. And I can live with that. But honestly, if I hadn’t been as invested in Iceland itself, I would never have noticed. So my biggest complaint will also probably not bother any other readers.
Short version: you need to read this book! Overall rating is 4.5 stars, and if you’re looking for unique magic, engaging story, and consuming worlds, this is the book you need.
amenalf53's review against another edition
5.0
a fascinating story
This book is probably one of my top reads of 2022. The concept is fascinating, the author executes it so very well, and the relationships among the characters truly pulled me in. I read this book in one sitting, and I will likely end up re-reading it as well. All the recommendation here!
This book is probably one of my top reads of 2022. The concept is fascinating, the author executes it so very well, and the relationships among the characters truly pulled me in. I read this book in one sitting, and I will likely end up re-reading it as well. All the recommendation here!
tchkdz65's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fairytale remake
This was a random choice to read, but I ended up liking it. It had a lot of adventure for young adult readers, and a great message for loving people for who they are not what they look like.
This was a random choice to read, but I ended up liking it. It had a lot of adventure for young adult readers, and a great message for loving people for who they are not what they look like.
suzyvee's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
4.25
At the beginning of this book I discovered that having one kind and protective character makes me a lot more comfortable with a story that has a lot of bullying and unkindness in it. Then some things change, and the unkindness ramps up to a level that made the book very stressful for me to read. (Honestly, probably deserves a four and a half to five star rating overall, it just stressed me out too much to quite be five stars for me personally.)
A very unusual take on Cinderella, and a really solid story with interesting characters. (And also a few characters I would love to slap.)
A very unusual take on Cinderella, and a really solid story with interesting characters. (And also a few characters I would love to slap.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Body shaming
Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and Death
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Confinement, and Physical abuse
michellembruhn's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely twist on the Cinderella story, where 'Cinderella' has more than an evil step family keeping her isolated, the 'prince' is more interested in finding a cure for his ill little sister than in his birthright, and deep underground a monster lurks. Cinnamon roll romance, a bit of mystery, and a whole lot of bravery—I really enjoyed it!
gracebridges's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. It has some great surprising twists that are not what anyone might expect from a Cinderella retelling. Yet it keeps that fairytale feel throughout. A great read!
amelianicholebooks's review against another edition
5.0
H. L. Burke does it again! A unique fantasy world with a great plot and characters with growth. I should have read this book sooner! If you enjoyed SpiceBringer, you'll love Ashen!
I received a free copy in return for my honest opinion.
I received a free copy in return for my honest opinion.
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