Not every fairy tale has a happy ending. In Damsel, award-winning author Elana K. Arnold delivers a dark, unsettling fantasy that challenges the familiar story of a prince rescuing a helpless maiden.

For generations, the princes of Harding have followed the same tradition: travel into the dangerous gray lands, slay a dragon, and rescue a damsel who will become their bride. When Ama awakens in the arms of Prince Emory, she remembers nothing of her past or the dragon’s lair. She knows only that the prince has saved her and that she is expected to become his queen.

But as Ama enters the kingdom of Harding, she begins to question the story she has been told. Beneath the promise of a fairy-tale romance lies a disturbing truth about the kingdom’s traditions, the dragons, and the role she is expected to play.

A 2019 Michael L. Printz Honor Book, Damsel is a provocative young adult fantasy exploring power, control, identity, and the struggle for independence. Its mature themes make it particularly suited to older teen readers.

• Title: Damsel
• Author: Elana K. Arnold
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 336
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication Date: January 28, 2020
• Age Range: 14+ years
• Award: 2019 Michael L. Printz Honor Book
• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy / Dark Fairy Tales / Feminist Fiction
• ISBN: 9780062742339