Scan barcode
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3/5
Got to say, I was surprised by this book
Got to say, I was surprised by this book
abbbymyles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
littlewitchreading's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap. This book. It’s going to take a while to collect my thoughts on this one, all the feminist themes, all the amazing quotes. Holy crap.
jeschaotic's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.0
I really enjoyed this
ambeesbookishpages's review against another edition
4.0
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
***Trigger Warnings: Rape, Self harm & Abuse***
***This review will also contain spoilers and I will talk about the Trigger Warnings***
Hi. Hello. I really liked Damsel and I am the black sheep on this, but please just hear me out: I know there is so much talk on Damsel and it's content. I will admit that I was a little standoffish considering the themes I heard that this book contained. But I was remembering something an English professor told me once: "If it makes you uncomfortable as you read, then its teaching you something." Damsel isn't your normal "Prince saves the girl and slays the dragon and they live happily ever after." It's Ama learning to have her voice, learning she is a person rather then an object for King Emory's entertainment and pleasure. Damsel is a book that is extremely feminist and showing how one girl took it upon herself to forge her own destiny.
Arnold's writing is beautiful. It's a lyrical and full of imagery. The story comes alive right in front of your eyes. She didn't shy away from the harder descriptions of things as most authors would have which made me appreciate Damsel that much more. Hands down Damsel is an upper YA novel. I wouldn't give it to someone under the age of sixteen unless I was fully confident that they could handle the content that Damsel has. From the start of the book we are given descriptions of Emory's previous conquests and the "slaying" of the dragon. After that there graphic description of a naked Emory as well as a description of his yard/tusk. (This is what Emory's penis is refereed as through out the entirety of the book.) In the castle there us a chapter where Emory comes into Ama's room forces a kiss upon her and then puts his fingers inside of her, he quickly blames the wine but tells her that she must expect this on their wedding night. There is another scene were they are in a carriage on the way to the palace that King Emory unlatches his belt, pulls himself out and uses her hand as a tool in masturbating. All with out Ama's consent, but at this point we are well enough into the story that Ama knows what will happen if she fights back. At the very end we learn about how he truly slayed the Dragon by raping it.
From the beginning of the book I knew Emory was going to be a problem. Woman are nothing more then objects for him. In the first chapter he talks about his previous sexual conquests as he is scaling a mountain to save Ama. He is extremely possessive of Ama and is controlling in everything she does. He touches her as he pleases, threatens her and says belittling things. Emory believes that Ama has no other rights then to please him and give him a son once they are married. In slaying the Dragon, Emory slashes the crevice of its arm and then uses is "yard" to turn the Dragon (who is actually Ama) into the Damsel.
Am I the only one who see's how much of today's society is reflected into the pages of Damsel? Let's take away the fairytale atmosphere (if one could call it that) and replace it with the modern world, is this anything different then we see now? Woman are continuously belittled, forced to commit sexual acts that they would prefer not to have to take part in, controlled in society by the way they act, dress, and appear.
Through out Damsel we watch Ama gain a sense of self wanting. She longs to break the hold that Emory has on her. She wants a life to do as she pleases where she won't be looked down upon. Ama takes her fate in her own hand when she takes up the art of glass blowing, the moment she created the Dragon statue and used its shattered wing to kill Emory she took back her destiny. In the end Ama got her true wish, freedom. She ate Emory's heart, returned to her Dragon form and was free from his constraints once more.
Can we please acknowledged about how feminist this book is? How important it is? Damsel is going to get so much hate based off its content. I've already seen it. This book is a QUICK read but not an EASY read. It is dark and it has a lot of dark and horrible themes. I understand that if you avoiding Damsel for the trigger warnings, it is very triggering and I by no means are telling you to read it. I'm suggesting that for the readers who already crossed this book off their list merely because its rating and the dislike it has received to just give it a shot. Ama's story is one that deserves to be told. Just like every other woman who has no control over her destiny.
Post Reading Thoughts:
I loved the ending to this book. I loved the whole idea of it. I do have a few issues that I will speak of in my review. But I am really glad I gave this one a shot, there is a real important underlying meaning to DAMSEL that is really important for woman in this day and age.
***Trigger Warnings: Rape, Self harm & Abuse***
***This review will also contain spoilers and I will talk about the Trigger Warnings***
Hi. Hello. I really liked Damsel and I am the black sheep on this, but please just hear me out: I know there is so much talk on Damsel and it's content. I will admit that I was a little standoffish considering the themes I heard that this book contained. But I was remembering something an English professor told me once: "If it makes you uncomfortable as you read, then its teaching you something." Damsel isn't your normal "Prince saves the girl and slays the dragon and they live happily ever after." It's Ama learning to have her voice, learning she is a person rather then an object for King Emory's entertainment and pleasure. Damsel is a book that is extremely feminist and showing how one girl took it upon herself to forge her own destiny.
Arnold's writing is beautiful. It's a lyrical and full of imagery. The story comes alive right in front of your eyes. She didn't shy away from the harder descriptions of things as most authors would have which made me appreciate Damsel that much more. Hands down Damsel is an upper YA novel. I wouldn't give it to someone under the age of sixteen unless I was fully confident that they could handle the content that Damsel has. From the start of the book we are given descriptions of Emory's previous conquests and the "slaying" of the dragon. After that there graphic description of a naked Emory as well as a description of his yard/tusk. (This is what Emory's penis is refereed as through out the entirety of the book.) In the castle there us a chapter where Emory comes into Ama's room forces a kiss upon her and then puts his fingers inside of her, he quickly blames the wine but tells her that she must expect this on their wedding night. There is another scene were they are in a carriage on the way to the palace that King Emory unlatches his belt, pulls himself out and uses her hand as a tool in masturbating. All with out Ama's consent, but at this point we are well enough into the story that Ama knows what will happen if she fights back. At the very end we learn about how he truly slayed the Dragon by raping it.
From the beginning of the book I knew Emory was going to be a problem. Woman are nothing more then objects for him. In the first chapter he talks about his previous sexual conquests as he is scaling a mountain to save Ama. He is extremely possessive of Ama and is controlling in everything she does. He touches her as he pleases, threatens her and says belittling things. Emory believes that Ama has no other rights then to please him and give him a son once they are married. In slaying the Dragon, Emory slashes the crevice of its arm and then uses is "yard" to turn the Dragon (who is actually Ama) into the Damsel.
Am I the only one who see's how much of today's society is reflected into the pages of Damsel? Let's take away the fairytale atmosphere (if one could call it that) and replace it with the modern world, is this anything different then we see now? Woman are continuously belittled, forced to commit sexual acts that they would prefer not to have to take part in, controlled in society by the way they act, dress, and appear.
Through out Damsel we watch Ama gain a sense of self wanting. She longs to break the hold that Emory has on her. She wants a life to do as she pleases where she won't be looked down upon. Ama takes her fate in her own hand when she takes up the art of glass blowing, the moment she created the Dragon statue and used its shattered wing to kill Emory she took back her destiny. In the end Ama got her true wish, freedom. She ate Emory's heart, returned to her Dragon form and was free from his constraints once more.
Can we please acknowledged about how feminist this book is? How important it is? Damsel is going to get so much hate based off its content. I've already seen it. This book is a QUICK read but not an EASY read. It is dark and it has a lot of dark and horrible themes. I understand that if you avoiding Damsel for the trigger warnings, it is very triggering and I by no means are telling you to read it. I'm suggesting that for the readers who already crossed this book off their list merely because its rating and the dislike it has received to just give it a shot. Ama's story is one that deserves to be told. Just like every other woman who has no control over her destiny.
Post Reading Thoughts:
I loved the ending to this book. I loved the whole idea of it. I do have a few issues that I will speak of in my review. But I am really glad I gave this one a shot, there is a real important underlying meaning to DAMSEL that is really important for woman in this day and age.
kccool12255's review against another edition
This book is so nasty and it has the weirdest descriptions I’ve ever read in my life. This author is trying way too hard to be “ancient” and it comes off strange. There’s also an excerpt of another book of hers in the back with a VERY graphic description of oral s*x, and the ACTUAL book contains very graphic descriptions of the same things, including the main character getting f*ngered non-consensually. I don’t want to read books like this, I don’t get why every single author thinks they have to include spice in their books. Stop marketing this trash to young adults, or put content warnings like dark romance authors do. Not everyone wants to read that, believe it or not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Body shaming, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
ohclaire's review against another edition
2.0
This book is highly upsetting. It's centered around one disturbing twist that I basically guessed from the first few pages, but kept reading because I couldn't believe that that was the subject of this book. It's been a while since I read it, but every time I see it in a bookstore or library, I so badly want to slap a trigger warning onto it, because it needs one.
jessieliah's review against another edition
4.0
SPOILERS! In light of the ending reveal, which I strongly suspected was what was going to happen after Emory left the castle, I actually don't see this as purely a feminist fairy tale. That is of course the context of the story. But having read it all, I see it more as a commentary on humanity's folly in trying to control nature and the inherent self-destruction that comes from doing so. I think the parallel story line of Sorrow/Fury supports this. And that the Damsel isn't a woman at all but the dragon.
At least I hope this is the point. Otherwise, as a feminist tale its very disturbing, shallow, and not at all productive to the conversation.
At least I hope this is the point. Otherwise, as a feminist tale its very disturbing, shallow, and not at all productive to the conversation.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
3.0
Trigger warnings: domestic violence and sexual assault. This is a fairy tale, but brutal. Power and beauty and the trope of the damsel in need of rescuing are explored here among sharp, cold language.