ALA Booklist (Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

In this groundbreaking, gender-mixing retelling, it's another woman at court, not the prince, who captures Cinderella's heart. After she loses both her parents, Aisling, or Ash, becomes a beleaguered servant to her cruel stepmother and husband-hunting stepsisters, but an enchantment allows her to attend a ball, where the prince finds her irresistible. Here, though, is where Lo's debut diverges from the original tale's familiar plot points. The magical godmother in this story is actually an ethereal male, Sidhean, whose fairy kingdom lies hidden in the vibrant, wild forest that Ash loves. Among the trees, she also meets Kaisa, the king's huntress, with whom she feels an overwhelming, real-world pull, and it's Kaisa, not the prince, who inspires Ash to make a perilous, soul-threatening pact with Sidhean and attend the court balls in enchanted disguise. Part heart-pounding lesbian romance and part universal coming-of-age story, Lo's powerful tale is richly embroidered with folklore and glittering fairy magic that will draw fans of Sharon Shinn's earthy, herb-laced fantasies.

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Ash lives in a pseudo-historical Celtic society in which magic is just starting to be regarded as superstition. She first meets Sidhean, a handsome, seductive fairy, then forms an unlikely friendship--and falls in love--with the king's huntress, Kaisa. The juxtaposition of Kaisa and Sidhean as Ash's suitors invites readers to consider the nature of fictional and folkloric constructs of romantic ideals.

Kirkus Reviews

An unexpected reimagining of the Cinderella tale, exquisite and pristine, unfolding deliberately. Aisling—Ash—knows the fairy stories and lore told her by her now-dead mother, but she does not know if she believes them. When her father dies and her stepmother and stepsisters move her away from the Wood to the City, she finds herself returning to her mother's grave, where she meets the fairy Sidhean. Ash barely notes her harsh treatment at the hands of her stepfamily, as she both longs for and fears her glimpses of Sidhean. He longs for her, too, in ways she is slow to understand. Ash also is slow to see Kaisa, the King's Huntress, as the source of her own desire. When she does, Ash turns to Sidhean to make it possible for her to spend time with Kaisa, despite the price Ash knows she will have to pay. Ash and Kaisa's dance at the King's Ball is a wild and gorgeous moment, no less so than the night Ash must spend in Sidhean's Wood. Beautiful language magically wrought; beautiful storytelling magically told. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This debut, a retelling of Cinderella in which the heroine falls in love with a beautiful huntress rather than a prince, should establish Lo as a gifted storyteller. Aisling, aka Ash, is newly orphaned, her beloved mother dead and her father soon to follow. But not before he marries the woman who plays the part of Ash's wicked stepmother and provides her with equally unkind stepsisters. Only Ash's periodic trips into a fairy-filled wood at night and time spent with the beguiling huntress Kaisa—who enthralls Ash more and more—save her from her oppressive new existence. Lo's prose is beautiful, her descriptions lush; the novel's one flaw is that the third-person narrative keeps readers at arm's length. The dialogue is sparse, with Lo spending most of her time on narration, making it difficult to connect emotionally with Ash. This aside, Lo offers an important twist on a classic story that will appeal to a wide readership, especially those looking for a girl romance. Ages 15–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

School Library Journal (Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Gr 8 Up-Described as "Cinderellawith a twist," Ash is in many ways the familiar fairy tale about a girl's move from comfort to despair to true love (with a little help from fairies and magic). Standard Cinderella images set up the story: after losing her mother and later her father, Ash is treated as a servant in the home of an unkind stepmother and two unfriendly stepsisters. She has ties to the fairy world, attends the royal ball in an enchanted dress, catches the eye of the prince, and finds love by the end of the story. However, while structural similarities exist, ideologically Lo's beautiful and dark tale takes the story to a new place. It is not about Ash being found and saved by a charming prince; instead, it is about her courtship with Kaisa, the King's huntress, a relationship that burgeons over time and is based on more than just initial attraction. Despite Ash's grief, oppressive guardianship, and dangerous flirtation with the fairy Sidhean, who promises to steal her away from her sadness, the protagonist finds her own salvation and chooses to live and love in the real world and on her own terms. Ash will appeal to readers looking for GLBTQ titles, but fans of romance, fantasy, and strong female protagonists will also embrace this fine debut novel. Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Voice of Youth Advocates

Ash has lost her mother. Shortly after her father remarries, he dies as well. Taken far away from her beloved childhood home and its magical woods, Ash becomes an indentured servant to Stepmother and two Stepsisters. Befriended by Kaisa, the KingÆs Huntress, Ash is offered a chance to ride in the first great hunt of the season. She desperately wants to go, but in order to do so, she must first enter into an illicit bond with the Fairy, Sidhean. Unsure of what her full repayment might entail, Ash only knows she would risk anything to see Kaisa again. Part one of this Cinderella-with-a-twist remake displays all of the fine elements of a Donna Jo Napoli tale. In the second part, however, the story begins to degrade. AshÆs life is followed from ages thirteen to eighteen, and yet there is nary a mention of any budding sexual preferences. It is therefore, a bit bizarre when Ash ultimately develops feelings for Kaisa. Also, the Huntress herself is fairly undefined; one feels at a loss to fully grasp her connection to Ash or even her physical details. More disturbingly, the male characters are either nondescript or negatively portrayed, which is somewhat off-putting and unnecessary (Father inexplicably dwindled away the family fortune; Prince is war-worn and bloodthirsty). Overall it is an admirable first effort, and unless there is an objection to same-sex romance (which is neither overplayed nor in-your-face), this book should appeal to teenage girls and fairy tale/fantasy fans. ùAnn Welton.