The description of this book had me super excited about it, and the cover looks AMAZING! However, I found a lot of the story lacking.

The plot works, grows, and keeps the reader invested for about 60% of the book. Then there’s a long lull where it feels like nothing happens until the last few chapters. Very little forward progress happens, and the background and character development that happens just wasn’t enough for me. I was expecting a book about a badass woman who conquers a dragon and subverts the damsel in distress trope…what I got was a woman who runs, hides, and gets lucky a lot. The ending was okay, but by then I was more disappointed by the slog that the story had become.

A lot of the characters are also just flat characters. Nobody really grows or changes; they’re basically the same people they were at the beginning of the book. The only character who slightly grows is Elodie’s stepmother…and not a whole lot.

I enjoyed my time with this book and am glad I had the opportunity to read it! I definitely recommend it, but I would temper your expectations going in.

While I like this book in concept, I found the execution to be a little off.

This is supposed to be YA, has a protagonist in their early twenties, and deals with some dark subject matter, but it often read like it was middle grade (though middle grade that looks down on its readers). I say this because the language and style felt simplistic and the characters sometimes acted rather foolishly or childishly.

I liked the ideas of a woman choosing not to be a damsel in distress, cleverness saving the day, and women supporting each other, but I've seen all of these themes done better.

Overall, this was a quick, entertaining read if I didn't let myself think too hard or question things.

I was skeptical about the media tie-in when requesting this, and it definitely reads better as a screenplay than a YA fantasy novel. I did, however, enjoy the fast pacing (except when it leads to plot holes), and I found the language system intriguing. (Honestly, I'd be interested in learning more about the grammar and syntax outside of this book, though I'm not sure how popular that opinion is.) The strongest parts of the book are the ones that explore the relationship between Elodie, her younger sister Floria, and their stepmother; I hope that translates well to the small screen. The story fell apart for me toward the end, but I could see it appealing to some readers (and there's a slight redemption arc for one of the more villainous characters).

I'm not sure if I'll watch the movie, but this was a quick, adventurous read if you're looking for some light entertainment and medieval-era adventures.

Damsel surprised me with just how fast-paced the story is, there is not a moment where the plot is not being moved swiftly along. Honestly by the time I got done reading it, I felt like I had actually watched a full length movie/TV season which makes sense given that it's already been filmed for Netflix. The MC was a delight to follow but all the other side characters really came to life when they had their moments on the page. I genuinely enjoyed this book from start to finish.

Damsel by Evelyn Skye, 368 pages. Random House Worlds (Random House), 2023. $28.
Language: R (37 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Her impending marriage comes as a surprise to Elodie (20yo), but she will do anything to serve her people. The marriage agreement promises much needed resources, and her future husband is a very handsome prince. Elodie can’t help wondering what the prince and his family are getting from their arrangement, but even a 9-year-old’s attempt to talk about it is seen as a threat.
Justification is powerful, and it has this entire island under its spell. It takes an outsider and a child for some of them to see their actions as wrong. The royal family created an ethical dilemma upon which the lives of their people have been precariously placed for the past 800 years—and then told them to ignore it. Elodie changes everything with sheer determination motivated by the love she has for her little sister.
Elodie is depicted as White on the cover, and King Rodrick is described as having “olive” skin. The mature content rating is for innuendo. The violence rating is for blood and gore, suicidal ideation, and fantasy violence.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Elodie grew up in a drought-ridden land and the daughter of a Duke. She never imagined a life away from her beloved Inophe until she receives a marriage proposal from Prince Henry, heir to the bountiful kingdom of Aurea. She would do anything to save her people and so she agrees to marry. After being whisked away to Aurea, doubt starts to fester in her mind. She finds out too late that the Aurean Royal Family has an ancient arrangement - one that sacrifices their princesses to the dragon that gives their land the prosperity they have been used to for centuries. But the women who came before Elodie didn’t go quietly - and neither will she.

I love when a story takes a well-known trope and flips it on its head, especially when it’s the damsel in distress trope. This story does exactly that and does it well. The women in this story present as soft and fragile on the outside, but they have a deep strength within them that fed my soul.

The primary POV of the story is Elodie, but there are a couple chapters from the POV of various other characters. I felt like this gave each of the characters a little more depth and it also helped to unfold the story further. No one in this story is strictly good or evil and it gives you the opportunity to really think about the shades of grey that the world is painted in.

I don’t have many bad things to say about this book. The world-building is as beautiful as Evelyn’s work usually is and the characters are complex. The story may not feel super unique, but it does still feel free in a way that made sure I wasn’t bored while reading - I often found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. The ending did leave me feeling a tiny bit unsatisfied, but I can understand why it ended the way it did - it is still a satisfying ending, it is just that the petty side of me wanted a bit more.

Knowing that this was originally a story written for the screen and then adapted to print provided a unique reading experience. The characters were already cast so I didn’t have to create an image in my mind. It also leads to questions of how similar the stories are - is the novel a direct reenactment of the film or are there marked differences? I can’t wait for everyone to find out!

Also, Evelyn created a whole new language just for this book! And not just like...little sentences here and there. There are four appendixes at the end of the book that explain phonology and pronunciation, grammar and syntax, and abridged dictionaries. If that isn't commitment to a story, I don't know what is.

A damsel in distress flipping that old trope on its ear? And a NetFlix movie starring Millie Bobby Brown? Yes, please!
Elodie is the daughter of a duke and the duchy is dying. In order to save her dying kingdom, she accepts a proposal of marriage from Prince Henry, prince of Aurea, who's kingdom can help save her famine-stricken ducky of Inophe. But all is not well in Aurea and Elodie must run a gauntlet in order to save herself and her duchy. Prosperity comes at a high cost.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Worlds for this e-arc.*

I did not like this book as much as I had anticipated. It was a little boring? But, becuase Evelyn Skye is a master, the world building was phenominal. The main character, Elodie, and her sister were great - I was rooting for them the whole time. And I really liked Victoria, a fomer princess stuck in the cave. However the rest of the characters were really flat and under developed. I'd been looking forward to this book, so I am a little disappointed, but I am still pretty excited to see how it translates to Netflix. Skye's other 2023 release is one of my top books of the year so far, so maybe I was expecting too much? Even though this book wasn't for me. I still can't wait to see what she writes next.

One thing that screams out about this book is that it's written to be a film. It's so blatantly obvious when reading, the more telling than showing, the lack of emotive response to some scenes and the difference between the tone of the scenes and the tone of the writing. I do think that it will translate well to film, but it reads almost like a script in parts, overly descriptive of characters actions rather than their internal thoughts and it's for this reason that I didn't end up loving it.

Elodie was a good character. She's your stereotypical big sister/oldest child, willing to take on the responsibilities left to her to ensure her people's survival, but being sacrificed to a Dragon may be taking it a little too far. She reads as a lot older at the start of the book, but as the story progresses, and with it the danger level, we start to realise that she in simply a young woman in way over her head. Her reactions seemed a little ott in parts, but again, I think this would come across much better on film than it did in the book. Alongside Elodie we get the POV's from other characters, namely her younger sister Floria, and Victoria the first Princess to be sacrificed to the Dragon. You can tell this story is meant to have a feminist angle, and I suppose it does with all the MC's being women, but it just lacked any emotional draw for me, so even at the end with the big climax I found myself unbothered by the events.

I did enjoy the relationship between Elodie and Floria. Two girls who lost their mother at an early age and took to relying on one another. They're both feisty in their own ways and unwilling to go down without a fight, even in the direst of circumstances. But the love they feel for each other leaps off the page, and their scenes together were by far my favourite of the book. I also enjoyed Elodie's interactions, through memory, with the past Princesses who had been sacrificed. This was the feminist element I enjoyed, allowing her to learn about the lair she is in, as well as being able to tell the stories of those that went before her.

The magic system was...undeveloped to say the least. Through touching the previous sacrifices blood, Elodie is able to access their memories, something that keeps her safe and helps with her feeling of solitude in the Dragon's lair. But why does this happen? Why does it seemingly only happen to women? Why Elodie, but not her sister, or stepmother? We don't really get any answers, just a base understanding that it happens, and I would have enjoyed a little more depth. The writing style and tone never really fit with the tone of the story or scenes, there were some pretty descriptive and danger filled scenes, but Skye's writing style was just too light to get the atmosphere across, so some of these scenes read almost humorous, when that was not at all what was trying to come across.

All in all, this wasn't a book I loved, but I do think that the story will make a great transition to film, and I will definitely be watching it when it comes out on Netflix. It just read too much like a script for me, devoid of emotion and far too much telling what the characters were doing, without getting an insight into them as people making it hard to connect to them.

This was a solid YA read that had dragons, a young woman who is determined to save herself and secondary characters that show actual growth. Elodie loves her life in the drought ridden and harsh conditions of her land. One day she is informed that she is to be married off for the benefit of her people and she takes it in stride. After weeks on a boat, she arrives to a fairytale land with lush green grass, healthy and nutritious crops, strong looking citizens and a handsome prince. On her very first night there, she notices that some things just do not add up. There's a strange girl that is taken away during the night, an hour glass with an initial scratched into it, and a surprise warning from her stepmother who she does not have the best relationship with.
After the wedding being interrupted by a child who tried to yell out warnings, Elodie is taken to somewhere deep in the castle for a bridal "tradition." Not long after, she is thrown into the fight of her life. She must defeat this beast, fulfill her destiny and stop this tradition of death.
What I found enjoyable about the story was that the dragon had an actual past that was fleshed out as the story evolved, along with hearing some of the experiences of the past girls and the history of how this tradition started.
What I did not find all that enjoyable about the story was the line, "Burn me bitch!" in all capital letters. While I am sure that was supposed to add drama, it felt out of place and made me cringe in embarrassment for Elodie. I also did not understand why most of the men in the story seemed so fragile or simply fell flat with their basic brooding while the woman were the only strong characters.

This was a fun, fast paced YA fantasy. Elodie lives in a poor duchy when she’s suddenly engaged to marry a handsome prince from a rich kingdom. Of course, things are too good to be true and Elodie finds herself fighting for survival since the kingdom is hiding what actually happens to its princesses. There wasn’t a lot of world building and I would’ve loved to see more of the relationships develop. It very much reads as a YA fantasy, besides the part about Elodie losing her virginity and looking forward to her wedding night. There was a lot of action that kept me engaged with the story. Elodie and Floria’s relationship is really beautiful and heartwarming. I also loved seeing how their relationship with their stepmother evolved. I’m looking forward to seeing how this translates to screen. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the arc. Review will be posted to Amazon on release date.

Hmmm...fairytale retellings are always so difficult for me. This one is no different. I appreciate what the author was trying to do. Turning the tales on their heads, creating a unique aspect to them. I also like that she didn't shy away from being a bit gruesome at times. But overall, it was very...tropey. Like I've read it all before, almost predictable. And the ending...I wasn't quite sure why that decision was made.

Elodie was delightful character right from the start, but I will admit that I found the early chapters of the book a bit boring. But once it got past all the prewedding and wedding stuff and reached the part with the dragon things picked up dramatically. I was quickly drawn into Elodie's struggle to survive and fascinated by the glimpses into the lives of the princess that had come before her.
And the ending was everything I wanted and more, but I never could have predicted it. I was racing through as fast as I could because I needed to know how it was going to end!
LOVED this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Damsel by Evelyn Skye. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

If you are looking for a character that is a true butt-kicking hero, then this is your book. Elodie is all that you could wish for in a heroine. Her journey from princess to dragon tribute was engaging from start to finish, and I loved every minute. I am used to YA stories being focused on romance, but this story was strong enough that romance wasn't needed to make me care about Elodie and her journey. I give this book 5/5 stars.

This was so promising... I loved the premise and I enjoyed the writing. I was pretty hooked in the first half of the story and was excited to see how the main character would handle the dragon. Unfortunately all of the characters were pretty annoying and continuously making poor decisions, and the cheesy ending really put the nail in the coffin. The ending uses one of my least favorite plot devices which brought this from 3 stars to a 2 stars.

Elodie lives in a land that has been impoverished by drought, so when her father promises her hand in marriage to a prince of a rich kingdom, she is all for it. I think what I really admired about Elodie is her tenacity to do anything for her people.

What Elodie doesn't know is that this rich, beautiful, golden kingdom and its golden boy prince are going to leave her as a sacrifice to a dragon. This is how their land stays so opulent and thriving.

What nobody expects is Elodie fighting back.

I liked this book. But I didn't love it. I felt that Elodie's character could be more fleshed out with maybe a more interesting personality. Much of this seemed a bit superficial and forced, which is not something I enjoy. However, I love the idea and the strength of this character.

Out April 18, 2023!

Thank you to Ballatine and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I have seen some of the small clips for this Netflix movie which got me intrigued and seeing the novel come out based on the screenplay made me want to read as I almost always like the book better than the movie. Since the movie has yet to come out, I cannot yet judge but I was pleasantly surprised of how much work went into the language of the dragons and the background of Elodie before she became a princess. Seeing her brain and body work together along with the additional perspectives of other princesses, the queen and people in Aurea gave great background and made me want to keep reading. It may be "woke" to have a capable princess who does not accept her fate but this is what we need in fantasy. Too many people just let it happen and a story needs a protagonist to have agency. I can only hope the movie is as good as the novel.

If you are looking for a fairly short and sweet paint by the numbers type of fantasy, then this is the book for you.

The legit twist is the plot for the book but my god you could feel it coming 800 miles away. To the point where I seriously thought that it couldn't be the twist because it was too obvious.

Do I like the fast that it was women helping women? Sure! But it was all so generic that I didn't love it.

Also -- I'm sorry, but in Arrival, it took a while to figure out languages. Granted, she didn't have the aliens yelling at her and translating, but also it was so odd that the dragon spoke "english" as well as ... uh... dragon. Like if the dragon wants her to be terrified, just speak "english" and if not, just eat her.

Also her special power? I'm sure they described it earlier on but... well.

Shucks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Worlds for a chance to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

I went into this book with high hopes, but ended up disappointed. The beginning was just ok and I found myself getting really bored and struggled to even find the motivation to pick it up. Some of the plot points were very repetitive, so I just skimmed through a lot of it. I ended up DNFing after multiple efforts to push through. It felt EXTREMELY YA, which just isn’t for me. Perhaps younger audiences will have better luck with it than I did. I have read plenty of fantasy YA books that I have enjoyed in the past, but this is unfortunately not one of them. I might watch the Netflix show to see if it was adapted better for television than a book.

Actual rating: 1.5 stars
Tropes: fantasy romance, arranged marriage
Very suspenseful had me intrigued (only in the beginning)
Too many POVs, this was way too hyped up
More excited for the Netflix adaptation tbh, even though the book seems too short?? The Netflix adaptation has Millie Bobby brown, and I’m excited to see the simulators (the movie will be better than this I’m sure)