YA Materials, Literature Log, Book #10: Damsel

 Title: Damsel

Author: Elena Arnold

Category: Speculative Fiction


In order to ascend to the throne after the death of his father, Prince Emory must journey to a faraway land, slay a dragon, and rescue a maiden - not an easy task, but one he accomplishes. His rescued bride, Ama, wakes on the journey home with no memories at all - her name is given to her by the Prince, and he tells her that she is his destiny, and that her past does not matter. But, once reaching the palace, Ama cannot stop wondering about her past. As the weather grows colder and her wedding to Emory approaches, she contracts a strange illness only helped by extreme warmth, and slowly, piece by piece, Ama figures out her past and who she is.


This book was fun and easy to read, and I greatly enjoyed it. I found Ama's story to be one of pain, but one that showed her resilience. I loved how Arnold used common fantasy tropes to say something, rather than just to fit into the genre, and I'm very glad I read it. In a library setting, I would use this book in Women's History Month, as though this novel is fiction, it tells a good story and has something important to say about the "damsel in distress" trope and how it can be used. This is a novel that makes important points through fiction, and I feel it should be more read by the teenagers it was meant for.

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