Book Review: Ash and Bramble
What’s it About?
She just kind of emerges in the nothing, ushered along and fed information about who she is, or is supposed to be? She’s a seamstress? But she’s not. She’s a prisoner, maybe?
But why doesn’t she have any memory or knowledge of before? Of who she is? She starts to contemplate escape, but the Godmother, who rules this place, is relentless, ruthless and will never allow anyone to escape. But, when she forges relationships with some of the others and begins to call herself Pin, she puts together a plan she’s sure will work to save herself, and her new friend. But what if what waits on the other side of the fortress wall is even worse then what is within? Is escaping really a good idea? She’s got to try, at least. And chaos ensues!
What’s it About?
Favorite Character: This is kind of complicated so bare with me here. I liked Pin. Pin, not Pen (and there is a difference). Pin was strong, independent and determined. She cared about people and she had the strength and imagination to fight against the evil.
I also liked Shoe. While he took a little bit to get motivated through fear, he never gave up. He was willing to fight and lose everything if it meant doing what was right and keeping the people he cared about safe. He was strong willed in a different way then Pin was and I think they balanced each other out in a good way.
Least Favorite Character:The Godmother, obviously. Though I didn’t like Pen a whole lot most of the time, either. The godmother was manipulative, evil and cruel. She was unnecessarily cruel because she enjoyed it.
The reason I disliked Pen was a little different. I think the biggest reason was that she was a disappointment. I’d hoped for better, for something more. Instead she often came off as spoiled and selfish. She wasn’t really nice.
Favorite Part: I really liked the part where they were in the hideout. I liked the people there and the references to so many other fairy tales. I wish we would have had the chance to get to know them a little better. But, as this is the first in a series, who knows? Maybe we will!
Least Favorite Part: The beginning. While I didn’t hate it, I was intrigued by it, actually, but it still remains that it’s the part I liked least. I think it’s becuase it was darker then the rest, and I mean that mostly in terms of the color pallet. While there was cruelty everywhere, I felt like it was more prevalent at the castle.
Favorite Quote: “That is why we like getting caught up in stories. They are bigger than we are. They help us understand the shape of our lives and the nature of our own endings.” (pg. 410)
My Other Thoughts:
Believe it or not (and I know from what I said above, it doesn’t sound like it) but this is, in sorts, a Cinderella retelling, however, in this story, the Godmother is not a hero or even a good guy, and I kind of appreciated that. There was a For the School of Good and Evil vibe about this book, as well, which I also appreciated.
I’ve found that in works like this, I get an unexplained amount of joy from fun easter eggs in the form references to similar material or the original source material. Ash and Bramble was no exception, with sprinklings of references to a number of well known, and maybe not so well known, fairy tales along the journey. (We may have gotten quite a few in the hideout which may also be a part of the reason I really liked it there)One of the first nods to fairy tales at large was the Godmother herself, who absolutely gave me the Queen of Hearts vibes, and, while I didn’t expect that, I was oddly okay with it.
I am a little confused, however, as to how the series will go one because I feel as if there are some chinks in the timeline. Or maybe the timeline isn’t linear? Or maybe I’ve just got the facts wrong. I’m not sure, but I’m interested to see how it’s done.
My Ratings:
I give this book a
7
out of
10 shoes
But that’s just what I thought. What did you think? Did you find the trackers creepy, too? Did you love this retelling? Let us know in the comments!
