Reviews with content warning for Rape - Damsel

Ama was the dragon?? I couldn't have guessed... I wasn't expecting it at all /s. You know what I didn't guess? Emory's third weapon. I was SPEECHLESS and not in a good way.

None of the characters were likable. Ama was the only one I felt a little sympathetic for. But she was still poorly written. And some of her actions didn't really make sense. I hate "girlboss" moments that don't make sense and they're just there for the sake of being "girl power" moments. And guess what this book has? Exactly, girlboss moments that don't make sense.

The pacing didn't make sense at all. To be honest, the only thing I liked about this book was the short chapters.

Also, how many times does the author have to mention Ama's breasts and Emory's dick? Weird.
That's one of the many reasons this book shouldn't be YA.

Also there should've been TWs before starting the book bc I was absolutely shocked.

TW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Suicide, Abuse, Blood, Self harm

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finch_sturgis's review against another edition

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I was about 30 pages in when i guessed the twist, and i was like "i really hope this isn't the twist. that would really suck" but i couldn't stop thinking about it so i looked it up and i was correct. the twist is

the prince stabbed the dragon in the armpit and he had sex with the wound which turned her into a human girl. this is so disturbing. I'm very upset this was the the twist, the concept was so good and if it had been better executed it could have been amazing but instead we have this.

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destiel74's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I read this book for one or two years and didn't know what to make of it. I don't love it but I don't hate it either and I do think it's an important story. The book is a unique, fresher take on the feminist reimagining of fairytales other than other books within that category. It inspired quite a few ideas of mine. The story is far from a love story than what the summary would have you believe. Men surrounding the protagonist Ama especially Prince Emory subject her to many horrors that can be found in our world. The ending is satisfying. However if one is uncomfortable reading about topics about sexual assault and domestic abuse you probably should sit this one out.

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chaotic_reading's review against another edition

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1.0

The premise of the book was interesting and had merit, but the execution felt lacking, underdeveloped.

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plutotoujors's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

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sunflowerscribe's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

This book is extremely graphic in multiple instances and I don’t appreciate the lack of trigger warnings especially as it’s marketed towards young adult readers.

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egurgens's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

TLDR: excessively obscene writing, excess of misogynistic characters, and weak willed women.

First of all, let me just say the writing in this is VULGAR. Now, I'm not afraid of smut, even graphic smut. But the author added obscene details to parts of the book where they don't belong! Like during sex, I get it. But when the character is just being dried off, you don't need to go into such detail.

"...he started with her arms, rubbed her breasts, the hard, pink, nubs of her nipples, her stomach, her buttocks, the fire of red hair between her legs, her legs themselves."

Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a young adult novel. This is meant for 12-18 year old kids. Just so much unnecessary graphic nudity. Now, there is no smut, or any sex written in this book. Just graphic nudity. While reading this, I thought the author was a man, based on the descriptions used. How overly sexualized un-sexual moments are. Like, I don't want (or need) to know that

"...the thick meat of him, a fleshy tusk, white like ivory in the bed of curled black hair."

Like, it was a non-sexual moment. The reader does NOT need to know that much detail. Like sure, you can describe the dick some, but maybe not to that amount of detail. Damn.
Anyways. Now for the actual review. Rant over. The character of Emory is so wholly misogynistic, I wanted to stab him myself. Through the pages. As if rescuing someone makes them your property. As if her being your fiancé gives you the right to gaslight her, emotionally abuse her, and more. The men in this story are so shitty, not one is even decently mannered. You would think that the queen mother, who was in the same position as Ama, would be sympathetic. It seems as though Ama is the only sane character in the book! Like, who doesn't resent

someone forcing themselves on you, someone that tries to kill your only companion, someone who won't even let you go OUTSIDE on your own? Who parades you around on a leash because you didn't ask permission for something? Who treats you like an object, "You are my bride, and your flesh is my flesh. Do not treat it so roughly," she literally just got a small burn, dude. She is not your property.

I am sorry that I am so critical of this book. I really enjoyed the general idea, and the general plot. But some things I just cannot get over. I read the whole book, and I greatly enjoyed the end. However, the whole time I was just super frustrated with the writing and the characters. The only acceptable characters in this are Ama, Tilley, and Sorrow. That's it. Ama did grow throughout the story. She tries to accept her role, but as she learns more about it, the more uncomfortable she becomes with her role. But still, she stays long after any reasonable character would have taken some sort of action. I mean, to be fair, she has no prior knowledge of any family or anything, so she would try to make the best of things. But I think there should be a limit. It's not like she loves him, or anyone in the castle. She is not pregnant with his child. She could have left. Where would she go? I don't know. Anywhere but there. So she is a bit weak willed, but eventually takes action. Tilley isn't perfect, she was only a servant, and she obeyed what she was told. She could have helped Ama, or told her what she knew about the other Damsels. Anyways. There were no strong female characters in this book. As a 20 something woman, I think we need to do better. Women need to write strong women, to help raise other women up. Don't write every woman as pathetic or weak, have some diversity, set some good examples for your young readers. Do better, Elana K. Arnold.

TLDR: excessively obscene writing, excess of misogynistic characters, and weak willed women.

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