Ash by Malinda Lo: Book Review

I love reading, and the fiction novel is my favorite book genre. As I a refugee child, reading was integral to my learning and has strongly shaped my understanding and articulation of the English language. Indeed, my skill in “speaking English so well for being Asian” originates in reading as a means of escape from both mundane and harsh realities. Sadly, while it did not take much for me to become engrossed in a story, I also struggled to find relatable and likeable characters. Many fiction novels continue to be dispositioned to the white and patriarchal mainstream, with heroines akin to pining away for a male savior. The institutional standard of a happily-ever-after story. I am sure this was one of many contributing factors that stunted the process of growing into my Asian Lesbian identity.

This is why Malinda Lo’s novel, Ash, can be defined as extraordinary. Ash is a creative adaptation of the Cinderella love story, featuring iconic elements such as the evil step-mother and step-sisters, and of course a magical but fleeting evening tryst. Those factors are the furthest extent to which Lo parallels her story to the classic. In Ash, the prince becomes an inconsequential back character, only relevant to solidify the main character’s lesbian coming out process. Lo’s story boldly offers two lesbian perspectives weaved into a single love story. Feminist characters include an out lesbian huntress charged with leading a royal court tradition, and a head-strong and questioning young woman who rejects the traditional mores that are embedded in her household. Lo seamlessly incorporates some critical themes that many Asian Lesbians experience such as familial obligation, finding the path to one’s life purpose, resistance of compulsory heterosexuality, a natural but initially inexplicable attraction to women, all the way to the feeling of liberation and wholeness when the main character accepts herself. Lo was able to integrate all of these themes and more, without taking away the romantic and magical allure of a romantic fairy tale. Other interesting themes include an allusion to traditional Asian medicine such as the use of herbs and the harnessing of qi, as well as the concept of a shared energy from lineage and previous lifetimes. Awesome!

Ash simultaneously serves its purpose of providing a good read, while at the same time making a bold political statement in its story telling. It provides Asian Lesbians a fairy tale they can get lost in, pushing boundaries. It left me with a sense of gratification and the typical warm fuzzies people experience after finishing a good book, amplified with the audacious dream of our own happily-ever-after. I highly recommend Ash for those in desire of a non-cliché love story.