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Damselle in Distress
"Damselle in Distress" turns the typical "damsel in distress" story on its head, weaving elements of folk tales, fairy tales, and mythology along the way. Saladin Ahmed, author of "Throne of the Crescent Moon," calls "Damselle in Distress" a "delightful, fairy-tale skewering comedy."
Damselle has spent her sixteen years terrorized by magical creatures and evil villains. Now she’s done waiting for the next bad thing to happen or for the arrogant knights in the local order to come to her rescue. And she’s really tired of being shunned as if her bad luck is contagious. But after a plummet down a wishing well, Damselle is granted one To learn why distress shadows her every step.
The answer? Her name, “Damselle,” marks her forever a “damsel in distress.” To change her name – and her life – Damselle must find three items of vast magical power.
Though she is aided by several new friends, Damselle's journey through the woods may be more distressing than even she dreamed. Because, in The Willowwax, a hydrophobic witch and a Society of Evil Stepmothers are the least of her concerns. And of course she'll have to rescue the incompetent but persistent Sir Leal. (Who ever heard of a damsel saving a knight, anyway?)
To make matters worse, Damselle can’t rid herself of the strange feeling she knows exactly where to go, despite never having been in the woods before…
Damselle has spent her sixteen years terrorized by magical creatures and evil villains. Now she’s done waiting for the next bad thing to happen or for the arrogant knights in the local order to come to her rescue. And she’s really tired of being shunned as if her bad luck is contagious. But after a plummet down a wishing well, Damselle is granted one To learn why distress shadows her every step.
The answer? Her name, “Damselle,” marks her forever a “damsel in distress.” To change her name – and her life – Damselle must find three items of vast magical power.
Though she is aided by several new friends, Damselle's journey through the woods may be more distressing than even she dreamed. Because, in The Willowwax, a hydrophobic witch and a Society of Evil Stepmothers are the least of her concerns. And of course she'll have to rescue the incompetent but persistent Sir Leal. (Who ever heard of a damsel saving a knight, anyway?)
To make matters worse, Damselle can’t rid herself of the strange feeling she knows exactly where to go, despite never having been in the woods before…
- GenresFantasy
356 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2015
8 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Kiley Kellermeyer
1 book8 followersI'm Kiley and my debut novel, Damselle in Distress, is available now via http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018UOU9LW
I was raised in Indiana and studied journalism and public relations at Franklin College. After tackling jobs in newspaper, magazine, and public relations, I now own a retail business based on the best-selling fantasy series The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. In 2010, I relocated to South Carolina to marry a Southern Gentleman, and we are owned by a stubborn dog and three enormous cats (one of which has a mohawk and a single eye). We also have a talkative toddler who loves telling stories.
I love anything to do with mythology, fairy tales, and epic fantasy. When I'm not writing or working, I'm reading or trying to play too many video games at one time.
I was raised in Indiana and studied journalism and public relations at Franklin College. After tackling jobs in newspaper, magazine, and public relations, I now own a retail business based on the best-selling fantasy series The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. In 2010, I relocated to South Carolina to marry a Southern Gentleman, and we are owned by a stubborn dog and three enormous cats (one of which has a mohawk and a single eye). We also have a talkative toddler who loves telling stories.
I love anything to do with mythology, fairy tales, and epic fantasy. When I'm not writing or working, I'm reading or trying to play too many video games at one time.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 24, 2019
Let me start with a disclosure: the author is a friend. In fact, I put off reading the book for fear of how to talk to her if I didn’t like it. Happily, I don’t have that problem. It’s good. You should read this book!
There's a strong start with a couple of hooks that grab your interest from the first sentence. (Kellermeyer excels at strong first sentences.) I love the concept of the unlikely heroine named Damselle, cursed to literally be the iconic "damsel in distress." I also love her attitude: determination to save herself; writhing embarrassment when she can't; eye-rolling disdain at the theatrics and condescension of her knightly protectors.
But there is more to Damselle than spunk, snark, and determination. She is driven as well by isolation, guilt, and by the smothering feeling of being protected and shielded by everyone around her. She is desperate to exercise her own agency and take charge of her own destiny.
So Damselle sets off on a quest to find her fairy godmother, encountering others with their own needs who join her party, hoping in true Wizard-of-Oz fashion that Damselle's fairy godmother can help them too.
The other hook that gets your early interest is the way the book loves, pokes fun of, gives homage to, and cleverly reworks fairy tales, folklore, myth, literature and legend, giving beloved classics new life. For a reader who also loves those things, part of the fun of the book is seeing what you can identify. Greek myth, Oz, Shakespeare, Disney princesses (and evil stepmothers and blue fairies), the brothers Grimm and any number of classic fairy tales, from Hansel and Gretel to Rapunzel to Thumbellina to Jack and the Beanstalk to Rumpelstiltskin, all these and more make their appearances.
It's often with a funny twist (I still chortle over the send-up of the trope of waking the enchanted princess with a kiss), sometimes an ominous one. You simultaneously tread familiar, well-loved ground while still being kept guessing. Identifying a new character or situation as an homage to a fairy tale didn't mean that you knew how this version of the story would play out. I enjoyed that blend of familiarity and mystery.
In terms of tone, the first half of the story is pretty light. Damselle's companions at first seem pretty straight-forward and we're pursuing a seemingly-typical fairy tale quest. As the story progresses it gains depth and intensity. Each quester gets their own moments for character development, and has relationships independent of their relationship with Damselle. They are all interesting in their own right.
The second half of the story is progressively more engrossing, moving from "a fun read" to "but what happens next!?!?" Damselle's own character growth is notable, as she wrestles not only with her curse but with her guilt. She struggles with being a good person or selfishly pursuing her own goals. She even learns that, for all her determination not to be a victim, she's been a bit passive about learning to take care of herself. It's a delight to see her find friends who empower rather than protect her.
Speaking of "a delight to see", the cover art by Ariel Burgess is perfect, showing strong execution, a bit of whimsy, and plenty of spunk. The depiction matches the character descriptions perfect. I really enjoyed having such a strong visual aid to help me imagine the characters.
This is definitely a Young Adult book - one viewpoint character, and we don't have the cast of thousands of an Epic Fantasy like The Wheel of Time or A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). It's perfect for middle grade readers who need help learning that reading is fun! But there is still plenty of substance for adults. I enjoyed it very much as a break between epics.
Finally, I'd note that Kellermeyer writes great action sequences. Throughout the book, first half or second, those scenes are intense and tightly written. I noticed myself bending closer to the book and reading faster, every time. Well done.
Engaging characters, classic fairy tales with a new twist, a clever concept executed well, filled with humor and suspense, Damselle in Distress is a book that is never less than entertaining and is often engrossing and suspenseful. You should read this book!
There's a strong start with a couple of hooks that grab your interest from the first sentence. (Kellermeyer excels at strong first sentences.) I love the concept of the unlikely heroine named Damselle, cursed to literally be the iconic "damsel in distress." I also love her attitude: determination to save herself; writhing embarrassment when she can't; eye-rolling disdain at the theatrics and condescension of her knightly protectors.
But there is more to Damselle than spunk, snark, and determination. She is driven as well by isolation, guilt, and by the smothering feeling of being protected and shielded by everyone around her. She is desperate to exercise her own agency and take charge of her own destiny.
So Damselle sets off on a quest to find her fairy godmother, encountering others with their own needs who join her party, hoping in true Wizard-of-Oz fashion that Damselle's fairy godmother can help them too.
The other hook that gets your early interest is the way the book loves, pokes fun of, gives homage to, and cleverly reworks fairy tales, folklore, myth, literature and legend, giving beloved classics new life. For a reader who also loves those things, part of the fun of the book is seeing what you can identify. Greek myth, Oz, Shakespeare, Disney princesses (and evil stepmothers and blue fairies), the brothers Grimm and any number of classic fairy tales, from Hansel and Gretel to Rapunzel to Thumbellina to Jack and the Beanstalk to Rumpelstiltskin, all these and more make their appearances.
It's often with a funny twist (I still chortle over the send-up of the trope of waking the enchanted princess with a kiss), sometimes an ominous one. You simultaneously tread familiar, well-loved ground while still being kept guessing. Identifying a new character or situation as an homage to a fairy tale didn't mean that you knew how this version of the story would play out. I enjoyed that blend of familiarity and mystery.
In terms of tone, the first half of the story is pretty light. Damselle's companions at first seem pretty straight-forward and we're pursuing a seemingly-typical fairy tale quest. As the story progresses it gains depth and intensity. Each quester gets their own moments for character development, and has relationships independent of their relationship with Damselle. They are all interesting in their own right.
The second half of the story is progressively more engrossing, moving from "a fun read" to "but what happens next!?!?" Damselle's own character growth is notable, as she wrestles not only with her curse but with her guilt. She struggles with being a good person or selfishly pursuing her own goals. She even learns that, for all her determination not to be a victim, she's been a bit passive about learning to take care of herself. It's a delight to see her find friends who empower rather than protect her.
Speaking of "a delight to see", the cover art by Ariel Burgess is perfect, showing strong execution, a bit of whimsy, and plenty of spunk. The depiction matches the character descriptions perfect. I really enjoyed having such a strong visual aid to help me imagine the characters.
This is definitely a Young Adult book - one viewpoint character, and we don't have the cast of thousands of an Epic Fantasy like The Wheel of Time or A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire). It's perfect for middle grade readers who need help learning that reading is fun! But there is still plenty of substance for adults. I enjoyed it very much as a break between epics.
Finally, I'd note that Kellermeyer writes great action sequences. Throughout the book, first half or second, those scenes are intense and tightly written. I noticed myself bending closer to the book and reading faster, every time. Well done.
Engaging characters, classic fairy tales with a new twist, a clever concept executed well, filled with humor and suspense, Damselle in Distress is a book that is never less than entertaining and is often engrossing and suspenseful. You should read this book!
July 7, 2016
This book was fun and quick. I read it on my plane ride to and from my vacation and it was absolutely perfect for vacation reading. I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This was a great little story. It was funny with lots of fairy tale tweaks, which I just love in stories. It really did do a wonderful and fun job weaving in all kinds of fairy tales in a quirky way. I have a soft spot for this sort of thing. The characters were well developed and the dialogue was excellent. The story moved along nicely and had a satisfying ending. My 11-year-old daughter actually grabbed it from me before I could read it and tore through it in only a few days. She loved it. As a grown up, it was still a fun read, though it was a bit predictable. Also, it was a bit episodic, so it jumped from adventure to adventure. That's to be expected in books where the characters are on a quest, but as a form I don't love it. Even so, in this book it was pretty quick and the different adventures continued to build and add to the story instead of distracting from it. Overall, a fun, clean, perfect-for-vacation read.
August 16, 2017
Funny, Delightful, Entertaining, and Exciting! I chose this book because I'm a fan of Ariel Burgess, who illustrated the cover, but ended up devouring the book and wishing I could read more of Kiley's work!
"Once upon a time a girl named Damselle was about to die.
It was at least the third time that week."
That opening line was all I needed to know I was going to love this book. I loved the humor in this book, the way the author spun fairy tales and mythology into the story, and the way she made the characters come alive! Some authors go overboard with descriptions, some don't give readers enough. This book had neither, it was just right! I found myself getting lost in the story, felt like I was running through The Willowwax right alongside Damselle, Biddy, Peter, Reietta, and Ixby!
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read, or likes to see fairy tales and myths spun out in a new and interesting way!
I'm eagerly looking for to reading more of the author's work!!
"Once upon a time a girl named Damselle was about to die.
It was at least the third time that week."
That opening line was all I needed to know I was going to love this book. I loved the humor in this book, the way the author spun fairy tales and mythology into the story, and the way she made the characters come alive! Some authors go overboard with descriptions, some don't give readers enough. This book had neither, it was just right! I found myself getting lost in the story, felt like I was running through The Willowwax right alongside Damselle, Biddy, Peter, Reietta, and Ixby!
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read, or likes to see fairy tales and myths spun out in a new and interesting way!
I'm eagerly looking for to reading more of the author's work!!
August 31, 2019
This book is really geared to young adults. I really enjoyed the book. The book incorporates many different fairy tales with unique twists and interpretations. The book has a great message for young girls. It is a bout a girl who is cursed with the name Damselle causing her to attract distress (making her a damsel in distress). She is constantly being put into distress and is tired of being saved by knights. She wants all the distress to stop and to save herself. She travels far and faces obstacles to get to her fairy godmother in hopes to convince her to change her name.
Spoiler:
She often finds herself saving other throughout her adventures. She decides in the end that she loves her name and realizes she had the strength inside of her the whole time to save herself. The book stays appropriate the entire time for a young audience and is very empowering. I'm planning on buying multiple copying for my classroom. I greatly enjoyed the illustration on the cover as well. I look forward to seeing more books with this illustrator.
Spoiler:
She often finds herself saving other throughout her adventures. She decides in the end that she loves her name and realizes she had the strength inside of her the whole time to save herself. The book stays appropriate the entire time for a young audience and is very empowering. I'm planning on buying multiple copying for my classroom. I greatly enjoyed the illustration on the cover as well. I look forward to seeing more books with this illustrator.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2025
"Damselle in Distress" by Kiley Kellermeyer is a fun-filled journey that captivates from the very first page. Kiley writes characters that I would easily be friends with, each one bursting with personality and charm. I love this motley fairytale crew, and their adventures kept me hooked until the very end. This book is a delightful escape into a world where magic and friendship reign supreme. Highly recommend!
May 6, 2018
Damselle in Distress is so much fun! This book has everything I love: fairy tale retellings, great female characters, friendship, quests, and magic! I honestly did know how much I would love this book, but there was there is something exciting in every chapter! You should pick up this book if you love fairy tales!
June 23, 2019
A fun twist on fairy tails
A.fun twist to old stories . But it took to long to get to the point . Still good read
A.fun twist to old stories . But it took to long to get to the point . Still good read
August 25, 2019
A good yarn
A nice, easy, fun read. Very reminiscent of The Source of Magic... without all the puns. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
A nice, easy, fun read. Very reminiscent of The Source of Magic... without all the puns. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
December 24, 2015
It's long been a complaint of mine that heroines in fiction, particularly those in fairy tales, and in books geared toward younger humans (which are two sets that do not necessarily overlap) tend to be somewhat insipid, and almost always passive; the classic "when bad things happen to good people who do nothing to stop it "scenario. Then Damselle in Distress happened, and fairy tales got turned topsy-turvy (and by that I mean "totally wonderful".) We've got a girl whose faery godmother gave her a name that's a curse, Damselle (rhymes with bell), and constantly makes her a damsel in distress. But our Damselle learns there's a possibility to change her name and lift the curse. She takes that curse by the horns, so to speak, and begins a quest to gather the magical objects that are required in exchange for a new name. And her companion in arms each have a fantastic blend of qualities that carry them through the enchanted Willowwax woods, past some characters that may be a bit familiar from childhood storybooks of old. I could see each adventure, battle, struggle, triumph, clearly in my mind, and chuckle when I stumbled on a familiar fairy-tale turned on it's ear. And I just am overjoyed that the main character is a determined, spunky, book-loving, determined, caring, thinking gal with a spoon-- just the one to take a band of misfits on a quest.
I also love how Ariel Burgess captured the essence of this delightful tale so perfectly in her cover art.
Disclosure: I read an early draft of this book, and was pleased to see how the author tightened the tale and grew the characters in this final version. I really loved how Damselle, Ixby, Biddy, Reietta, and Peter developed, each coming into their own distinctive personalities. I wish to reassure the author that her own daughter's faery godmother has nothing as devious as Damsel's planned for the little one when she makes her appearance later this year.
I also love how Ariel Burgess captured the essence of this delightful tale so perfectly in her cover art.
Disclosure: I read an early draft of this book, and was pleased to see how the author tightened the tale and grew the characters in this final version. I really loved how Damselle, Ixby, Biddy, Reietta, and Peter developed, each coming into their own distinctive personalities. I wish to reassure the author that her own daughter's faery godmother has nothing as devious as Damsel's planned for the little one when she makes her appearance later this year.
August 17, 2016
This book was a fun, light, easy read. I loved all the clever twists on classic fairy tales. The characters are relatable and have good character development. I particularly enjoyed Biddys character. If you are looking for a fun fantasy book for you or your kids (boys and girls) I would highly recommend "Damselle in Distress". I would enjoy reading a sequal especially if it included more about the character Vergil!
December 31, 2015
Exquisite and Unexpected.
October 20, 2016
A fun take on fairy tales. Damselle is a girl who heroine who takes matters into her own hands to change her fate. Recommended for kids of all ages.
August 12, 2016
4/4/2016 kindle version
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews