Rating: ★★★★★
Title: Ash Princess
Author: Laura Sebastian
Publishing info: Delacorte Books for Young Readers on April 24, 2018
German publisher: Cbj Verlag
Genre: Young adult, Fantasy
Price: 20,60 €
Narrative Style: First-person perspective of Theodosia
Length: 501 pages
Sequel: Lady Smoke & Ember Queen. This trilogy is also available in the German and French versions. The titles are the same also in the other editions. I have not found any information of the Italian version.
Back Cover Summary
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.Review
When I saw this book in the bookstore, I immediately remembered that I had seen an Instagram post about this book. The cover of this book and the two following books are very, very beautiful. So, I read behind the book what it was about, and it piqued my interest. I bought all three books. I will never regret spending this money. xD I really liked it a lot. Ash Princess is a book perhaps with a common plot, but in my opinion it is at the same time very different from the others and above all it is very well written.This world created by Laura Sebastian is brutal and violent. Theodosia is always publicly whipped whenever her people try to rebel. Slaves are treated horribly, people are always killed and subjected to experiments. There are many other important themes in this story.
The writer was able to explain the culture, languages etc.. without confusing me. It almost felt like I was already part of this world too. I felt really sucked into the world after only a few chapters. Theo is a character that I really loved from the start. I believe I would have fought this war alongside her.
In this book, there is a love triangle. I don‘t really like love triangle, in fact, I try to immediately choose which side to be on and which couple is the right one to stay together.
One thing that has positively shocked me is the story between Theodosia and Cress, her friend. I wouldn‘t have expected it. The choices that Theodosia will have to make are not simple. The constant bad dreams that don‘t make her sleep wouldn‘t have made me sleep either. One character to keep an eye on is Prince Soren’s mother. She also has a very interesting story, and frankly it made me very fond. If you read the book, you will understand. I‘ve heard many people don‘t like it. I don‘t know why, but many also make comparisons with other books with similar stories. The only thing I can say is that I liked it so much, that it is better not to compare one book to another because, however it is, every writer wants to tell his story uniquely. However, this is tastes and who knows if you read it you will love it like me :) Thank you for reading.
One last thing
Because that's how water works. The river flows, pushing against a stone, even as it knows it won't move it. It doesn't have to. Enough currents go by, over enough time, and even the strongest stone gives in. It might take a lifetime or more, but water doesn't give up.
