Ash Princess
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4.4 • 680 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
The first book in the New York Times bestselling series "made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir" (Bustle), Ash Princess is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.
Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.
For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.
Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.
For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.
"Sure to be one of the summer's most talked about YAs. . . . A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down."-Bustle
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sixteen-year-old Princess Theodosia is a royal prisoner in the Kaiser's court within the fantasy setting of Astrea where some have the power of magical abilities channeled through coveted gems. The victim of intense physical and mental abuse (she witnessed her mother being murdered), she believes her people will come to save her. But after being forced to kill a man she believes to be her last hope, the so-called Ash Princess realizes she'll have to save herself. In a story driven by the strength of its traumatized yet resourceful protagonist, Sebastian weaves together political intrigue, theological questions, and the genocide of an entire race. The princess agrees to stay in her gilded cage to act as a spy for the resistance; her dual purpose provides a window into the complexities of human interaction and emotion, familial tensions, and the false public face that is sometimes required in politics and at court. Theodosia navigates a web of lies and half-truths, culminating in a climactic ending ripe for a sequel. Ages 12 up.
Customer Reviews
Pretty good
I read the entire series and it was okay. Once you get through the first book it gets a lot better and the story really catches your attention but in all honesty I wish this was a bit more mature... yes, I know it's young adult but it's so cliche! I can't speak for everyone, but I am tired of the whole 16 coming of age story. There are so many out there and this book just seemed like the author wanted it to be more mature but yet the characters were so young. The storyline just seemed more mature.
I just wished that the characters where a little older that way you could've written the way you obviously wanted to.
It was a little annoying jumping back and forth from what a young teenager would do to what a more experienced person would do.
I get the point of trying to show the main character as a person who is mature for her age but really....it doesn't. You have to read the story to know what I'm talking about.
This book really had SO much potential. I still think it's a great book to read. But like I said, I just wished you stuck to one idea. Either had it 16 coming of age completely or the more mature version. It felt like there was something missing.
I think this book is great for teens that are between 14-16.
I hope you get the book and enjoy it.
Despite my critique, I do like the book. I thought the story was great and I loved the characters. I just wish it was more thought out and executed better. Especially the age-storyline gap that didn't really mix.
You don't really expect a 16 year old to go to war and be a ruler or act the way she does(even if she was mature for her age). I think if you made her like 17 turning 18 and the characters between 17-20 it would flow soo much better. That way you could be a little bit more mature. I could definitely tell you had fun writing the more mature parts and it was clear that it was difficult to stick to the whole 16 coming of age.
Highly Recommend !!
I read this series during my Senior year of high school, a year later I found myself reading it again. My obsession over this book and Theodosia’s story hasn’t faded at all since I first read it. I fell in love with it and I hope others will, too.
Absolutely Amazing
I can’t even count how many times I have read this book. It is the perfect amount of romance and has such a great story! Highly recommend.