Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark, twisty dragon quest tale has sex, gore, brutality.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Just like the tale foretold, Prince Emory is off to slay a dragon, rescue and marry a DAMSEL, and take the throne of the Kingdom of Harding. But from the very beginning, hints abound that there's cruel dysfunction in the kingdom and that handsome, charming, unimaginative Emory is a crude, brutal womanizer and otherwise maybe not the nicest person. All of which is gradually discovered by the young red-headed girl he calls Ama, who wakes up slung across his saddle, wrapped in a cloak but otherwise naked, and recalling nothing of who she is and where she came from. But he's got it all figured out.
Is It Any Good?
Elana K. Arnold's twisty, violent take on the maiden-saved-from-a-dragon fairy tale explores its darker, oppressive side from the viewpoint of a memory-impaired young girl playing the starring role. As the Damsel struggles to understand the role that her "rescuer" has all mapped out for her -- and she finds herself increasingly confined -- it becomes clear that she and anyone she comes to love are in constant danger. Dismemberment, sexual assault, crude language, and gore are plentiful, especially in the shocker of an ending.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dragon-slaying tales, why they're so popular, and why they might lend themselves to stories like Damsel, which explore the events from a different point of view.
Do you know people who always do what they're told/what other people expect of them? Do you think this is a good way to be?
How important is it to you to be able to express yourself, like in art or music? Is something missing from your life if you can't do those things, or are you fine?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Dragons , Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : October 2, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : March 6, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate