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A review by amanda12
Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Spoiler warning. Trigger warnings for sexual assault and animal abuse.
Okay, so when I bought this book I was expecting a wild dragon escapade with some twists and turns. Instead, I got a book that I can't really comprehend. I mean, I can, but at the same time I'm just so confused as to why this book is the way it is. Right of the bat, based off summary alone, I figured that Emory, the soon to be king charged with rescuing the damsel, wasn't going to be that great of a character. The summary mentioned that Ama, the damsel, would face great dangers after being "rescued" from the dragon and that there was like an air of mystery to the whole rite of the damsel, I figured she'd probably been kidnapped or something especially since she didn't remember anything.
What shocked me was that early on, I managed to call the twist: Ama herself had been the dragon. It was easy to spot in the description of Ama because it briefly mentioned amber eyes which had been a big talking point when Emory had first faced the dragon. I thought to myself, okay cool, an interesting twist.
And it was interesting, the last few parts giving the story of how Ama had become human and how she remembered her lair of spice-tang scents and mountains of gems. I had been ecstatic when she finally killed Emory, ate his heart, and finally became a dragon again, fleeing the castle she'd been confined too.
My problem is honestly the author's seeming obsession with detailing animal abuse (that rabbit killing scene haunts me to be honest) and Emory's blatant abuse of Ama. Acting like he owns her, putting her on a leash like an animal acting as if was a bit of fun, threatening to kill her animal when she "stepped out of turn", ranting about a woman's place and how he should be revered by everyone as a hero, and sexually assaulting her on many occasions. He claims she should give him thanks, though, because apparently he has more restraint than other men in the kingdom. Like, yeah, oh gee thanks, dude, you're such a winner.
So honestly, while the book has a good twist, I don't really think it's worth a read. I gave it two stars for the twist and ending alone, where Ama was finally able to kill her captor and be free as a dragon once more. Emory's entire character was so off putting I almost didn't finish this thing, but maybe that's just me.
Okay, so when I bought this book I was expecting a wild dragon escapade with some twists and turns. Instead, I got a book that I can't really comprehend. I mean, I can, but at the same time I'm just so confused as to why this book is the way it is. Right of the bat, based off summary alone, I figured that Emory, the soon to be king charged with rescuing the damsel, wasn't going to be that great of a character. The summary mentioned that Ama, the damsel, would face great dangers after being "rescued" from the dragon and that there was like an air of mystery to the whole rite of the damsel, I figured she'd probably been kidnapped or something especially since she didn't remember anything.
What shocked me was that early on, I managed to call the twist: Ama herself had been the dragon. It was easy to spot in the description of Ama because it briefly mentioned amber eyes which had been a big talking point when Emory had first faced the dragon. I thought to myself, okay cool, an interesting twist.
And it was interesting, the last few parts giving the story of how Ama had become human and how she remembered her lair of spice-tang scents and mountains of gems. I had been ecstatic when she finally killed Emory, ate his heart, and finally became a dragon again, fleeing the castle she'd been confined too.
My problem is honestly the author's seeming obsession with detailing animal abuse (that rabbit killing scene haunts me to be honest) and Emory's blatant abuse of Ama. Acting like he owns her, putting her on a leash like an animal acting as if was a bit of fun, threatening to kill her animal when she "stepped out of turn", ranting about a woman's place and how he should be revered by everyone as a hero, and sexually assaulting her on many occasions. He claims she should give him thanks, though, because apparently he has more restraint than other men in the kingdom. Like, yeah, oh gee thanks, dude, you're such a winner.
So honestly, while the book has a good twist, I don't really think it's worth a read. I gave it two stars for the twist and ending alone, where Ama was finally able to kill her captor and be free as a dragon once more. Emory's entire character was so off putting I almost didn't finish this thing, but maybe that's just me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, and Animal death