Damsel by Elana K. Arnold is a fairly shot novel. I was stunned at how I quickly I found myself absolutely invested in the story and the main character, Ama.
Damsel is a slow read though and much of what you read has to do with what the character is thinking and feeling. The book is a slow unravelling of threads as Ama tries to find out who she is. When we first meet her, she knows nothing about herself, not even her own name. Everyone around her, but especially the prince, is trying to shape her into something that’s convenient and palatable. And yet, the one thing no one counted on was Ama’s spirit, the fact that she refuses to back down, even when she’s terrified and knows that she has no allies.
I also liked that Arnold let the readers slowly learn more about the supporting characters. You slowly start seeing the casual cruelty and the controlling/abusive streak. The Queen, the prince’s mother, was an enigmatic character. You could tell that she wasn’t satisfied about the role she was reduced to playing in the court but she was also did precious little to change it. In her, Ama could see what she would turn into. In her own way, the old queen tries to help Ama but it had to do with how she could best adapt to the life at court, she has more knowledge but refuses to share that with Ama.
I suppose what I liked best about the book, was its end. The climax could not have been more fitting and satisfying. There were already signs that clued me into what the reveal could be but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the climax at all.
Damsel is a slow book but, definitely, a must-read. I have come across few books that grabbed my attention so completely and then stayed with me after I’d finished reading them. It is a deeply satisfying read.
Ravings of a Manic Reader 