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Damselfly
In the wake of crash-landing on a deserted tropical island, a group of private-school teens must rely on their wits and one another to survive.
Having just survived a plane crash, Samantha Mishra finds herself isolated and injured in the thick of the jungle. She has no idea where she is or where anybody else is -- she doesn't even know if anybody else is alive. Once Sam connects with her best friend, Mel, and they locate the others, they set up camp and hope for rescue. But as the days pass, the survivors, all teammates on the Drake Rosemont fencing team, realize that they're on their own -- with the exception of a mysterious presence who taunts and threatens them. When their initial attempts to escape the island fail, the teens find they need to survive more than the jungle . . . they need to survive each other.
This taut novel, with a setting evocative of Lord of the Flies, is by turns cinematic and intimate, and always thought-provoking.
Having just survived a plane crash, Samantha Mishra finds herself isolated and injured in the thick of the jungle. She has no idea where she is or where anybody else is -- she doesn't even know if anybody else is alive. Once Sam connects with her best friend, Mel, and they locate the others, they set up camp and hope for rescue. But as the days pass, the survivors, all teammates on the Drake Rosemont fencing team, realize that they're on their own -- with the exception of a mysterious presence who taunts and threatens them. When their initial attempts to escape the island fail, the teens find they need to survive more than the jungle . . . they need to survive each other.
This taut novel, with a setting evocative of Lord of the Flies, is by turns cinematic and intimate, and always thought-provoking.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2018
50 people are currently reading
2853 people want to read
About the author
Chandra Prasad
10 books105 followersMERCURY BOYS: A YA NOVEL arrives on August 3, 2021. Want to pre-order the book and win some free prizes, including a beautiful, handwrought, fair trade bookmark? Visit chandraprasad.com for details.
Or visit mercuryboys.com and learn about the book's plot and characters, as well as see the mysterious old photographs at the heart of the narrative.
My first young adult novel, Damselfly, is a classic island survival tale disrupted by the unexpected assertion of female control and an explosive reckoning over race and class.
Popular in middle and high schools across the country, Damselfly can be read as a stand-alone novel or in tandem with Lord of the Flies as a parallel text. The book grapples with modern issues that are relatable to today’s teens: bullying, racism, social media connectivity, and mental illness, among others. Resources for educators can be found at chandraprasad.com/damselfly. Complimentary signed bookplates and bookmarks available. Write to the author at www.chandraprasad.com/damselfly/contact/ to learn about class/author Q&A sessions via videoconferencing!
Previously I wrote novels for adults, including On Borrowed Wings, a historical drama set in early 20th century New Haven; Breathe the Sky, a fictionalized account of Amelia Earhart’s last days; and Death of a Circus, which Booklist calls “Richly textured [and] packed with glamour and grit.” I am the originator and editor of Mixed, an anthology of short stories on the multiracial experience, which was published to international acclaim by W.W. Norton and which is used in many college English classes.
My shorter works have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Week, the official magazine of The U.S. Department of State, Teen Voices, and numerous literary, arts, and poetry journals.
I'm a graduate of Yale and a Fellow at one of Yale's residential colleges. I'm currently working on several new books and writing projects.
Praise for Mercury Boys
“Mercury Boys has daguerreotypes and dashing strangers, hiding spots and crossed lines. It’s full of secrets and fraught with danger. Ultimately, it’s like mercury itself—mesmerizing, terrifying, thrilling, and dangerously beautiful. It’s pure alchemy.”
—Carrie Firestone, author of The Loose Ends List and The Unlikelies
“Mercury Boys is a thrilling journey into the perils of adolescent friendship and a touching commentary on love’s timelessness.”
—Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Beasts Made of Night and Crown of Thunder
“With vividly drawn, multidimensional characters and a riveting voice, Mercury Boys weaves a compelling tale of the intoxicating power of friendship, female rivalry, and romance.”
—Kate Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive, soon to be a major motion picture
“In this snapshot of modern teenage life with a historical twist, Prasad creates a world as haunting as a daguerreotype and as vivid as a high-resolution photo. An exhilarating and thought-provoking ride that will make you think twice next time you’re thumbing through a photo album.”
—Michael Belanger, author of The History of Jane Doe
“For history buffs and hopeless romantics alike, Mercury Boys is a compelling, imaginative romp that will leave teen readers longing for an alternate reality—and a Mercury Boy—of their own.”
—Natasha Friend, author of How We Roll and Perfect
“The concept of ‘mean girl’ time travelers has enormous cinematic potential, particularly as it is tethered to the zeitgeist. In Mercury Boys, Chandra Prasad shows her unique ability to give voice to the acute angst of today’s adolescents, caught between the malaise of contemporary society and an inchoate yearning for the values and romance of the past.”
—Amy Adelson, Motion Picture/Television Producer of Above Suspicion and You Know My Name
Or visit mercuryboys.com and learn about the book's plot and characters, as well as see the mysterious old photographs at the heart of the narrative.
My first young adult novel, Damselfly, is a classic island survival tale disrupted by the unexpected assertion of female control and an explosive reckoning over race and class.
Popular in middle and high schools across the country, Damselfly can be read as a stand-alone novel or in tandem with Lord of the Flies as a parallel text. The book grapples with modern issues that are relatable to today’s teens: bullying, racism, social media connectivity, and mental illness, among others. Resources for educators can be found at chandraprasad.com/damselfly. Complimentary signed bookplates and bookmarks available. Write to the author at www.chandraprasad.com/damselfly/contact/ to learn about class/author Q&A sessions via videoconferencing!
Previously I wrote novels for adults, including On Borrowed Wings, a historical drama set in early 20th century New Haven; Breathe the Sky, a fictionalized account of Amelia Earhart’s last days; and Death of a Circus, which Booklist calls “Richly textured [and] packed with glamour and grit.” I am the originator and editor of Mixed, an anthology of short stories on the multiracial experience, which was published to international acclaim by W.W. Norton and which is used in many college English classes.
My shorter works have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Week, the official magazine of The U.S. Department of State, Teen Voices, and numerous literary, arts, and poetry journals.
I'm a graduate of Yale and a Fellow at one of Yale's residential colleges. I'm currently working on several new books and writing projects.
Praise for Mercury Boys
“Mercury Boys has daguerreotypes and dashing strangers, hiding spots and crossed lines. It’s full of secrets and fraught with danger. Ultimately, it’s like mercury itself—mesmerizing, terrifying, thrilling, and dangerously beautiful. It’s pure alchemy.”
—Carrie Firestone, author of The Loose Ends List and The Unlikelies
“Mercury Boys is a thrilling journey into the perils of adolescent friendship and a touching commentary on love’s timelessness.”
—Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Beasts Made of Night and Crown of Thunder
“With vividly drawn, multidimensional characters and a riveting voice, Mercury Boys weaves a compelling tale of the intoxicating power of friendship, female rivalry, and romance.”
—Kate Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive, soon to be a major motion picture
“In this snapshot of modern teenage life with a historical twist, Prasad creates a world as haunting as a daguerreotype and as vivid as a high-resolution photo. An exhilarating and thought-provoking ride that will make you think twice next time you’re thumbing through a photo album.”
—Michael Belanger, author of The History of Jane Doe
“For history buffs and hopeless romantics alike, Mercury Boys is a compelling, imaginative romp that will leave teen readers longing for an alternate reality—and a Mercury Boy—of their own.”
—Natasha Friend, author of How We Roll and Perfect
“The concept of ‘mean girl’ time travelers has enormous cinematic potential, particularly as it is tethered to the zeitgeist. In Mercury Boys, Chandra Prasad shows her unique ability to give voice to the acute angst of today’s adolescents, caught between the malaise of contemporary society and an inchoate yearning for the values and romance of the past.”
—Amy Adelson, Motion Picture/Television Producer of Above Suspicion and You Know My Name
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
May 29, 2025
i am reading this book for school so don’t take my opinions too seriously if i don’t like it <3
i did not particularly enjoy this book. i found the writing, the characters, and the plot extremely dry and it was very hard to read for me. the characters were stereotypical and mel and rittika were the only 2 that actual had hints of a personality. i honestly don’t know how this book got published. the only good part was when bro called out this kid for being in love with his sister. that’s. it. the ending was horrible as well, it’s not even an ending at this point. anyways that’s my opinion…yeah sorry ms.prasad but i didn’t rlly like it.
“setting and conflict where do i even begin” - kid in my group for the book
“i thought when she built a nest she was going to stay there not become a bird” - kid in my group for the book
“do u think they made it out alive?” “god i hope not” - kids in my group for the book
🪰🪰🪰
ೃ⁀➷ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: reading this for school! in school we have an assigned “book club” so i got assigned with 3 people to read this book! this was my top choice out of all our options so im excited to start reading it!
i did not particularly enjoy this book. i found the writing, the characters, and the plot extremely dry and it was very hard to read for me. the characters were stereotypical and mel and rittika were the only 2 that actual had hints of a personality. i honestly don’t know how this book got published. the only good part was when bro called out this kid for being in love with his sister. that’s. it. the ending was horrible as well, it’s not even an ending at this point. anyways that’s my opinion…yeah sorry ms.prasad but i didn’t rlly like it.
“setting and conflict where do i even begin” - kid in my group for the book
“i thought when she built a nest she was going to stay there not become a bird” - kid in my group for the book
“do u think they made it out alive?” “god i hope not” - kids in my group for the book
🪰🪰🪰
ೃ⁀➷ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: reading this for school! in school we have an assigned “book club” so i got assigned with 3 people to read this book! this was my top choice out of all our options so im excited to start reading it!
July 2, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/07/01/...
Aptly described as a modern Lord of the Flies, Chandra Prasad’s Damselfly follows a group of prep school teens as they try to survive after the private jet carrying their fencing team crashes onto a deserted tropical island. The story is told through the eyes of Samantha Mishra, an unassuming and unassertive girl who often finds herself overshadowed by her more confident and socially extroverted classmates. Sam doesn’t always feel accepted by the others, and in fact, she only has one real friend, the eccentric but extraordinarily gifted Mel Sharpe, who is in many ways as much of an outcast as our protagonist.
After surviving the crash, Sam manages to locate Mel in the jungle, and the two of them quickly set out to gather up as many of the others who made it out alive. The group then decides to establish a base camp near a fresh source of water, and Mel, applying her vast knowledge and experience, begins directing everyone on how to gather food, construct a shelter, and provide protection while waiting for help. But then days go by with no sign of rescue. Worse, strange and unexplainable things start happening around the island, leading our survivors to think they might not be as alone as they first thought. As fears and pressures continue to mount, bitter rivalries and disagreements begin tearing the group apart. Before long, Sam finds herself caught in the middle of a dangerous power struggle, torn between loyalty to her best friend and a desire to fit in.
Not unlike William Golding’s classic that no doubt provided a bulk of the inspiration, Damselfly takes a look at survival and the effects of it on the basic state of human nature. Namely, when Sam and her classmates find themselves marooned on deserted island with no adults and no rules, a new form of tribalism eventually emerges to fill that void. Over time, the cutthroat dynamics at their elite high school also becomes adopted as the status quo on the island, with rich, beautiful, and popular Rithika heading up her own little circle of supporters, while Mel winds up being the de facto leader to a second group of outcasts consisting of Sam and all the others. In a way, this makes the novel’s perspective all the more cynical and disturbing, because it speaks to the inevitability of how people acting from fear will always end up creating the very reality they fear the most. Ultimately, this group of modern teens—privileged, well-educated, diverse, and made up of both boys and girls—still failed to prevent themselves from devolving into society of cruelty and savagery.
In fact, the modern setting somehow makes this situation even worse. Teens today face a myriad of issues including body image, peer and family pressure, relationships, and social acceptance. Damselfly explores many of these themes, further speculating on how they might play out in this deserted island scenario. Another factor that adds a layer to this situation is racism. I really appreciated how the author tackled this subject candidly and doesn’t gloss over the fact that it is a universal problem. Racial division is one of the first methods Rithika uses in an attempt to sway Sam to her side, using their shared Indian heritage to try and convince her that non-whites (the “Golds”) are superior to whites (the “Pales”). Our protagonist is obviously appalled by this, though later on, she also reflects upon how society has a way of fetishizing race and minorities, thinking back to her school admissions interview and how the administrators reacted with glee to her mixed-race heritage, seeing her only as a way to increase their diversity quotas. Rarely do you see topics like these addressed in such an open and unflinching manner, and I loved that about this book.
There’s also something deliciously creepy about the story. While it contains no overt fantasy element, plenty of bizarre occurrences take place to make you think there might be some weird shenanigans afoot, such as the large prints left in the sand by some unidentifiable bipedal creature, or the presence of birds on the island that are thought to be extinct. In fact, what bothered me the most about this book was the lack of answers, and I was also extremely unhappy with the ending, which left things hanging on a pretty big and annoying cliffhanger.
That said though, I wouldn’t hesitate to read the sequel if given the opportunity. I like all the groundwork that has been established here, and I’m enjoying the characters a lot. There’s so much more room for Sam to grow, and I’m curious to see how she and Mel will fare on the next stage of their journey and what that would mean for their war with Rithika. Despite the frustrating ending, I also can’t deny that I really, really, desperately want to find out what happens next. I’m crossing my fingers that the next book will bring some clarity and resolutions to all the mystery.
Aptly described as a modern Lord of the Flies, Chandra Prasad’s Damselfly follows a group of prep school teens as they try to survive after the private jet carrying their fencing team crashes onto a deserted tropical island. The story is told through the eyes of Samantha Mishra, an unassuming and unassertive girl who often finds herself overshadowed by her more confident and socially extroverted classmates. Sam doesn’t always feel accepted by the others, and in fact, she only has one real friend, the eccentric but extraordinarily gifted Mel Sharpe, who is in many ways as much of an outcast as our protagonist.
After surviving the crash, Sam manages to locate Mel in the jungle, and the two of them quickly set out to gather up as many of the others who made it out alive. The group then decides to establish a base camp near a fresh source of water, and Mel, applying her vast knowledge and experience, begins directing everyone on how to gather food, construct a shelter, and provide protection while waiting for help. But then days go by with no sign of rescue. Worse, strange and unexplainable things start happening around the island, leading our survivors to think they might not be as alone as they first thought. As fears and pressures continue to mount, bitter rivalries and disagreements begin tearing the group apart. Before long, Sam finds herself caught in the middle of a dangerous power struggle, torn between loyalty to her best friend and a desire to fit in.
Not unlike William Golding’s classic that no doubt provided a bulk of the inspiration, Damselfly takes a look at survival and the effects of it on the basic state of human nature. Namely, when Sam and her classmates find themselves marooned on deserted island with no adults and no rules, a new form of tribalism eventually emerges to fill that void. Over time, the cutthroat dynamics at their elite high school also becomes adopted as the status quo on the island, with rich, beautiful, and popular Rithika heading up her own little circle of supporters, while Mel winds up being the de facto leader to a second group of outcasts consisting of Sam and all the others. In a way, this makes the novel’s perspective all the more cynical and disturbing, because it speaks to the inevitability of how people acting from fear will always end up creating the very reality they fear the most. Ultimately, this group of modern teens—privileged, well-educated, diverse, and made up of both boys and girls—still failed to prevent themselves from devolving into society of cruelty and savagery.
In fact, the modern setting somehow makes this situation even worse. Teens today face a myriad of issues including body image, peer and family pressure, relationships, and social acceptance. Damselfly explores many of these themes, further speculating on how they might play out in this deserted island scenario. Another factor that adds a layer to this situation is racism. I really appreciated how the author tackled this subject candidly and doesn’t gloss over the fact that it is a universal problem. Racial division is one of the first methods Rithika uses in an attempt to sway Sam to her side, using their shared Indian heritage to try and convince her that non-whites (the “Golds”) are superior to whites (the “Pales”). Our protagonist is obviously appalled by this, though later on, she also reflects upon how society has a way of fetishizing race and minorities, thinking back to her school admissions interview and how the administrators reacted with glee to her mixed-race heritage, seeing her only as a way to increase their diversity quotas. Rarely do you see topics like these addressed in such an open and unflinching manner, and I loved that about this book.
There’s also something deliciously creepy about the story. While it contains no overt fantasy element, plenty of bizarre occurrences take place to make you think there might be some weird shenanigans afoot, such as the large prints left in the sand by some unidentifiable bipedal creature, or the presence of birds on the island that are thought to be extinct. In fact, what bothered me the most about this book was the lack of answers, and I was also extremely unhappy with the ending, which left things hanging on a pretty big and annoying cliffhanger.
That said though, I wouldn’t hesitate to read the sequel if given the opportunity. I like all the groundwork that has been established here, and I’m enjoying the characters a lot. There’s so much more room for Sam to grow, and I’m curious to see how she and Mel will fare on the next stage of their journey and what that would mean for their war with Rithika. Despite the frustrating ending, I also can’t deny that I really, really, desperately want to find out what happens next. I’m crossing my fingers that the next book will bring some clarity and resolutions to all the mystery.
July 20, 2018
Modern “Lord of the Flies” this is not. Definitely one of the dumber teen books I’ve read. Looking for an exciting story of survival? Keep looking, because this bore of a book won’t cut it.
March 3, 2018
If you ever wondered what would happen if you put teenage girls in place of young boys in the classic “Lord of the Flies”, then “Damselfly” will definitely answer all of your questions. The narrator, Samantha wakes up on an empty island, covered in bruises and mosquito bites. She soon recalls the plane crash and starts looking for her classmates. Some of them turn up dead while others are battered but alive. They soon organize themselves but under the pressure of danger from the unknown person and the cruelty that they show to each other, they slowly shed their humanity and crumble into a state of feral animals.
The author has a good grasp of the genre and the insight into the teenage mind. The language she uses is clear and manages to slowly escalate the tone of the novel to match the terrifying circumstances that the characters find themselves in.
The one dilemma I have about the structure of the story is about Rittika, who seemed unnecessarily cruel from the beginning and didn’t seem to evolve. The trope of the mean popular girl is quite common in the Young Adult genre but should have some layers or one redeeming quality. But I guess the author wanted to use her as the main sociopath and to emphasize the humanity of the rest of the characters.
My favourite character was Mel, the naturalist genius who takes a lot of o notice of the world around her and probably the only voice of reason in the whole book, apart from Pablo. But after a while, she too falls victim to escapism and carelessness.
The author has a good grasp of the genre and the insight into the teenage mind. The language she uses is clear and manages to slowly escalate the tone of the novel to match the terrifying circumstances that the characters find themselves in.
The one dilemma I have about the structure of the story is about Rittika, who seemed unnecessarily cruel from the beginning and didn’t seem to evolve. The trope of the mean popular girl is quite common in the Young Adult genre but should have some layers or one redeeming quality. But I guess the author wanted to use her as the main sociopath and to emphasize the humanity of the rest of the characters.
My favourite character was Mel, the naturalist genius who takes a lot of o notice of the world around her and probably the only voice of reason in the whole book, apart from Pablo. But after a while, she too falls victim to escapism and carelessness.
April 24, 2018
This is a fascinating plot. A plane full of teenagers crash onto a deserted island and the pilot does not survive. They have no adult leadership and no idea is they will be rescued. The story is told from the perspective of Samantha Mishra -- a biracial girl whose father is from India and her mother is from Detroit. The group is from an elitist private school, so there are challenges with learning to survive and power struggles to deal with. The power struggles are the most interesting as the kids who are not white take the upper hand labelling themselves as "Golds." Much like "Lord of the Flies" a mob mentality emerges as do the primitive urges in each of them. Will those who survived the crash live long enough to be rescued? Who is the hidden enemy leaving messages, stealing from them and watching them from the shadows? Can they find a way off the island?
September 14, 2018
I really struggled, at first, with my opinion of Damselfly. As a former English teacher, I spent several years teaching Lord of the Flies. There were many aspects of Damselfly that were almost too close to Lord of the Flies for my comfort. However, by the end of the novel, I found that I really enjoyed the parallels and Prasad's modern take on Lord of the Flies. I love that there is potential for a sequel, and I love the way Prasad tackles race and privilege. I have already shared my opinion of Damselfly with the teachers in my building who teach Lord of the Flies, and I would definitely be using it if I were still in the classroom. It screams comparative analysis essay!
July 5, 2018
I was annoyed that it was basically a remake of a classic, “Lord of the Flies,” down to the encounter with a wild pig and the brutal death of one of their own. No rescue here though. Which was fine - I didn’t mind the ambiguous ending. I have seen it presented as a bunch of teenage girls but that isn’t totally true, although they do drive the story and backstory. It also seemed like Prasad needed to do a bit more research. About half way through the main character notes the long toe nails of Anne Marie. Really? They haven’t been there all that long - toe nails grow very slowly and since their diet is mostly conch meat and bananas I doubt that is a recipe for accelerated growth. Other questionable aspects… 3rd degree burns? Compound fracture? poison on the conch? (she carried the syringe in her sock? on a tropical island? after diving to get the conch? )
I was also annoyed at how the back story of Sam was injected into the beginning. I kept thinking is there anything this book doesn’t touch on? In terms of the racism card, I did not get a good sense that all the people that were on the Gold team were Gold (Chester? Betty?) Maybe just pick a few issues to tackle. It is too short and too undeveloped to drop in mental illness, racism, classism, sex, bullying…
I suggest skipping it.
I was also annoyed at how the back story of Sam was injected into the beginning. I kept thinking is there anything this book doesn’t touch on? In terms of the racism card, I did not get a good sense that all the people that were on the Gold team were Gold (Chester? Betty?) Maybe just pick a few issues to tackle. It is too short and too undeveloped to drop in mental illness, racism, classism, sex, bullying…
I suggest skipping it.
May 8, 2023
This one has a very interesting concept. At times it was super predictable at others it was gripping. I mostly finished it because I like closure but due to the lack of an epilogue I didn’t really get that. A lot of the plot points felt unnecessary and unlikely. It was trying too hard to be woke and current, bringing up issues of race and class in an unworthy manner. Very odd writing and voice. It wasn’t the worst read so I give three stars.
April 30, 2019
I gave this book a 5 star rating because right when I started reading this book, I was already carried in and just kept on wanting to read more. Personally, I enjoy when books start off with the main conflict and slowly progress background information as you read on, and this book definitly had done that. Highly recommend if you enjoy suspenseful books.
April 29, 2018
Modern day Lord of the Flies meets Seneca Crane behind the creation of the island. So glad I got this ARC. Quick read, fast-paced, good characters. I need more please Ms. Prasad.
July 25, 2018
3.5 Out Of 5 for this re-imagining of The Lord of the Flies
I never read The Lord of the Flies…I wasn't even sure what it was about…until I looked it up when I was about a third of the way through this. The author has a spot at the end of the book where she talks about her inspiration for the book and as an author. She calls this a Lord of the Flies with a diverse cast of strong female characters. It does have male characters also, but they are definitely secondary to the females.
Damselfly is a story of what happens to a group of kids when they are suddenly stranded with no rules…or adult supervision. Told from the pov of a shy Indian girl, it addresses some tough subjects really well. Unfortunately, though, this felt under-developed to me and left me wanting something more from it; from the characters to general storyline. Overall, this was just an okay read for me, despite, loving the cover. It did remind me of the first few episodes of Lost (the TV show), so that was cool.
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~~~~~MY RATING~~~~~
☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 3.7/5
Main Characters~ 4/5
Secondary Characters~ 3.5/5
The Feels~ 3/5
Pacing~ 3.5/5
Addictiveness~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 3.8/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Ending~ 2.5/5 Cliffhanger~ It kind of did…
Book Cover~ It's very compelling, it's definitely what drew me in.
Narration~☆4☆ for Soneela Nankani…I like her, but she could use some work on her voices.
Setting~ Deserted Island, somewhere between the Mainland and Hawaii.
Source~ Audiobook (Scribd)
I never read The Lord of the Flies…I wasn't even sure what it was about…until I looked it up when I was about a third of the way through this. The author has a spot at the end of the book where she talks about her inspiration for the book and as an author. She calls this a Lord of the Flies with a diverse cast of strong female characters. It does have male characters also, but they are definitely secondary to the females.
Damselfly is a story of what happens to a group of kids when they are suddenly stranded with no rules…or adult supervision. Told from the pov of a shy Indian girl, it addresses some tough subjects really well. Unfortunately, though, this felt under-developed to me and left me wanting something more from it; from the characters to general storyline. Overall, this was just an okay read for me, despite, loving the cover. It did remind me of the first few episodes of Lost (the TV show), so that was cool.
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~~~~~MY RATING~~~~~
☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-
๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏๏
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 3.7/5
Main Characters~ 4/5
Secondary Characters~ 3.5/5
The Feels~ 3/5
Pacing~ 3.5/5
Addictiveness~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 3.8/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Ending~ 2.5/5 Cliffhanger~ It kind of did…
Book Cover~ It's very compelling, it's definitely what drew me in.
Narration~☆4☆ for Soneela Nankani…I like her, but she could use some work on her voices.
Setting~ Deserted Island, somewhere between the Mainland and Hawaii.
Source~ Audiobook (Scribd)
April 21, 2018
This first-person tale is told through the lens of Samantha, who wakes up on an empty island. She is bruised and has been bitten by insects, but that's the least of her worries. She all alone, or so she thinks, as she stumbles across the dead bodies of her classmates, also victims of a plane crash. She soon finds other plane riders that are alive, albeit in bad shape. They want off the island, but that's no easy feat, as there is a protagonist looking to thwart that. In the blink of an eye, they transform and band together to get things done.
This is a YA novel that has the tone and aura of one to a T, thanks to the author's command of teenager-talk.
Definitely, recommend this for YA fans.
This is a YA novel that has the tone and aura of one to a T, thanks to the author's command of teenager-talk.
Definitely, recommend this for YA fans.
January 7, 2023
It wants to be a modern Lord of the Flies but it’s not, sadly. The direct references to the original were too overt, yet had no backbone. The writing was blah and the characters were far too one dimensional.
July 20, 2022
This was just such a messed up weird book that I was forced to read for summer reading
June 6, 2018
this book was enjoyable to read - sort of creepy, but in a slow and sneaky way. it was a really good reading experience, actually, because i didn’t put this book down. i just wish it fleshed out its characters and themes more - there’s nothing more annoying than things that are half-assed. and a majority of this book felt half-assed.
let me use one example so i don’t spoil the book: the title, Damselfly. About 80% (!) into the book, we’re told by Mel and Sam that damselflies are like dragonflies, but more dangerous, and predators that are always looking for their next prey. and you get that metaphor that the author was trying to push there - that Sam, too, was becoming dangerous, except she really isn’t. she doesn’t stand up for the people she loves just as much as she didn’t in the entire first half of the book. she doesn’t take things into her own hands, be fierce, or even do anything resembling a dangerous situation. she follows mel, even till the end. See what I mean? She changed, yes, but she didn’t grow. And it’s frustrating because we could see that natural growth in other characters, yet our mc is still as placid and felt more like a supportive character instead of a main one.
It was still good though! The cover is beautiful. Also random side note but I loved the font in the book, it was so easy to read and also fit the book really well. The writing was entertaining, like I said, but nothing really mind blowing. I’m down to read more books by this author, but I think she can do way better than Sam. If we didn’t get those flashbacks, I really think her voice would’ve been flat and unremarkable.
ALSO IM ANNOYED SHE AND MEL DIDNT DATE ?? their bond is so close and Sam would literally do anything for her ?? (ahem: they’re gay.)
TW for mentions of self harm, domestic abuse, drug abuse and suicidal attempts. And also teenagers being really stupid, but that’s to be expected lmao
let me use one example so i don’t spoil the book: the title, Damselfly. About 80% (!) into the book, we’re told by Mel and Sam that damselflies are like dragonflies, but more dangerous, and predators that are always looking for their next prey. and you get that metaphor that the author was trying to push there - that Sam, too, was becoming dangerous, except she really isn’t. she doesn’t stand up for the people she loves just as much as she didn’t in the entire first half of the book. she doesn’t take things into her own hands, be fierce, or even do anything resembling a dangerous situation. she follows mel, even till the end. See what I mean? She changed, yes, but she didn’t grow. And it’s frustrating because we could see that natural growth in other characters, yet our mc is still as placid and felt more like a supportive character instead of a main one.
It was still good though! The cover is beautiful. Also random side note but I loved the font in the book, it was so easy to read and also fit the book really well. The writing was entertaining, like I said, but nothing really mind blowing. I’m down to read more books by this author, but I think she can do way better than Sam. If we didn’t get those flashbacks, I really think her voice would’ve been flat and unremarkable.
ALSO IM ANNOYED SHE AND MEL DIDNT DATE ?? their bond is so close and Sam would literally do anything for her ?? (ahem: they’re gay.)
TW for mentions of self harm, domestic abuse, drug abuse and suicidal attempts. And also teenagers being really stupid, but that’s to be expected lmao
March 20, 2025
Mostly scratches the Lord of the Flies itch, but the ending is unsatisfying. There’s also some weird takes about race— the protagonist seems to think reverse racism is real, but that’s never fully addressed
March 22, 2019
You wake up in a tropical island with a human eyeball in your hand...
I mean, seriously, you start it there?!?
SUCH a good hook.
I loved the concept of this book - a boarding school fencing team's plane crashes on an island, and they have to survive. If it sounds familiar, yes, it's a remix of Lord of the Flies. I loved the update, the characters, the action, and suspense. I love the cover, and the fact that it's ownvoices.
I took this out to local middle schools in 2019.
Great stuff.
I mean, seriously, you start it there?!?
SUCH a good hook.
I loved the concept of this book - a boarding school fencing team's plane crashes on an island, and they have to survive. If it sounds familiar, yes, it's a remix of Lord of the Flies. I loved the update, the characters, the action, and suspense. I love the cover, and the fact that it's ownvoices.
I took this out to local middle schools in 2019.
Great stuff.
June 19, 2018
I enjoyed "Lord of the Flies" so much, I thought I'd like this one, and I was right. Kept me in suspense from the very beginning until the end, I was just left hanging though with that ending.
December 22, 2017
Got my hands on an advance copy. So glad I did. Loved this book for multiple reasons.
First, it’s a fast and furious adventure story. I could not put it down. I kept wantign to read more and more: what will they do next, how will this compare to the boy's actions in a similar situation....Oh, what a book!
Second, there are some very memorable characters, notably the two best friends: the narrator, Samantha, and awkward, tough, wildly inventive, McGyver-like Mel (short for Amelia).
Third, I can count on one hand the books I’ve read that have ALL different background characters—and Damselfly is one. This novel truly and naturally captures America’s true population and class diversity, but doesn’t wallop you over the head with this fact. Rather, the differences are seamlessly woven in.
This is a great book for teens, and for informed adult readers, too. I could also see it used in middle school/high school English classes that teach Lord of the Flies because it could easily be compared to/contrasted with that classic, though it has its own original narrative. Kudos to the author.
First, it’s a fast and furious adventure story. I could not put it down. I kept wantign to read more and more: what will they do next, how will this compare to the boy's actions in a similar situation....Oh, what a book!
Second, there are some very memorable characters, notably the two best friends: the narrator, Samantha, and awkward, tough, wildly inventive, McGyver-like Mel (short for Amelia).
Third, I can count on one hand the books I’ve read that have ALL different background characters—and Damselfly is one. This novel truly and naturally captures America’s true population and class diversity, but doesn’t wallop you over the head with this fact. Rather, the differences are seamlessly woven in.
This is a great book for teens, and for informed adult readers, too. I could also see it used in middle school/high school English classes that teach Lord of the Flies because it could easily be compared to/contrasted with that classic, though it has its own original narrative. Kudos to the author.
April 20, 2018
If I were, to be very honest, I thought when I saw the genre of this novel that it would be like other romance novels that are enthusiastically read worldwide. I had not a clue about what was actually in the book and it would be unfair to say that it didn’t catch me off guard. From the very first pages, I was hooked. I would look forward to when I’d finish other work and continue reading. I was anxious to know what might happen next in the book and what will happen in the end.
The book started with the main character, Samantha Mishra, being conscious of her surroundings. We got to know that she, along with other students of Drake Rosemont High School, had been the unfortunate victims of a plane crash. Stranded in a forest, away from the luxuries available at home and with not any means of contacting someone for help, this book walks the readers through the unpredictable table-turning of fate. This book reminded me of the novel, ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Goulding. Although this book had a bit of similar setting, it had its own essence and was a guide in itself. I got to know about so many things that can come in handy in grave situations when one doesn’t have the regular luxuries that in cities have become basic necessities of life.
This wasn’t just a story about a group of people falling into bad luck. No, this book was so much more and left me agape. How wonderful it feels when one reads a book that is so well written that time after time, the heart continues to praise the author.
As I read further and came across the first ‘note’, it thrilled me beyond limits. I became much more eager to know what that thick forest held, what was going to happen and what was the mystery behind the lunatic on loose who always knew when and where to hide. The suspense in this book was just ‘wow’. This book also reminded me of ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie because the threats and suspense in this book looked as if the author had been friends with Agatha Christie and discussed with her, how to thrill the readers of Damselfly. Such a wonderful book, it is!
My favourite character in this book was, Amelia Sharpe (Mel). She fascinated me at whatever she did or said. If there was someone who was not insane and did not succumb to the viciousness of the forest; it was Mel. She was brave and did not give up, for, she knew that ‘Winners never give up’. Mel was a born genius and a perfect leader. Although some of her plans did not work the way they should have, she was the only person who knew and set up priorities. The way she led others and focused on what was important was absolutely marvellous. Mel’s character was inspiring and gives the message that in the gravest situations; one must keep calm and use his/her brain to figure out what needs to be done.
Samantha Mishra was my second favourite character and I liked how she chose to stay with Mel through everything. She wasn’t flawless but she did stand with her best friend in the end and I think, that is what matters the most. Reading about her life at home, though, was something really sad. I don’t want to go deeper and spoil it for new readers so, I’ll just say, ‘Life is life and that’s how it is’.
Now, it’s time for the character that I hated the most since the beginning of the book. Rittika Singh, she was just not someone I could like, at any point in the book from start to the very end. Her manipulation skills were praiseworthy, though. Reading about her, I had this feeling that wouldn’t go away. An eerie feeling that she wasn’t what she appeared to be and that all her glory was nothing but a facade; built especially to hide something. What it was, can be found out by reading the book.
Anne Marie was someone I could sympathize with. She was a good person but then again, life is messed up and it mostly messes with the good ones with pure souls. I liked Anne Marie because of that and because she was the first one to realize the true identity of the ‘beast’.
I want all readers to take a minute or two and appreciate the writing style and vocabulary in this book. Seldom do I come across books that are written so well with a good vocabulary. I loved this book!
The book started with the main character, Samantha Mishra, being conscious of her surroundings. We got to know that she, along with other students of Drake Rosemont High School, had been the unfortunate victims of a plane crash. Stranded in a forest, away from the luxuries available at home and with not any means of contacting someone for help, this book walks the readers through the unpredictable table-turning of fate. This book reminded me of the novel, ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Goulding. Although this book had a bit of similar setting, it had its own essence and was a guide in itself. I got to know about so many things that can come in handy in grave situations when one doesn’t have the regular luxuries that in cities have become basic necessities of life.
This wasn’t just a story about a group of people falling into bad luck. No, this book was so much more and left me agape. How wonderful it feels when one reads a book that is so well written that time after time, the heart continues to praise the author.
As I read further and came across the first ‘note’, it thrilled me beyond limits. I became much more eager to know what that thick forest held, what was going to happen and what was the mystery behind the lunatic on loose who always knew when and where to hide. The suspense in this book was just ‘wow’. This book also reminded me of ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie because the threats and suspense in this book looked as if the author had been friends with Agatha Christie and discussed with her, how to thrill the readers of Damselfly. Such a wonderful book, it is!
My favourite character in this book was, Amelia Sharpe (Mel). She fascinated me at whatever she did or said. If there was someone who was not insane and did not succumb to the viciousness of the forest; it was Mel. She was brave and did not give up, for, she knew that ‘Winners never give up’. Mel was a born genius and a perfect leader. Although some of her plans did not work the way they should have, she was the only person who knew and set up priorities. The way she led others and focused on what was important was absolutely marvellous. Mel’s character was inspiring and gives the message that in the gravest situations; one must keep calm and use his/her brain to figure out what needs to be done.
Samantha Mishra was my second favourite character and I liked how she chose to stay with Mel through everything. She wasn’t flawless but she did stand with her best friend in the end and I think, that is what matters the most. Reading about her life at home, though, was something really sad. I don’t want to go deeper and spoil it for new readers so, I’ll just say, ‘Life is life and that’s how it is’.
Now, it’s time for the character that I hated the most since the beginning of the book. Rittika Singh, she was just not someone I could like, at any point in the book from start to the very end. Her manipulation skills were praiseworthy, though. Reading about her, I had this feeling that wouldn’t go away. An eerie feeling that she wasn’t what she appeared to be and that all her glory was nothing but a facade; built especially to hide something. What it was, can be found out by reading the book.
Anne Marie was someone I could sympathize with. She was a good person but then again, life is messed up and it mostly messes with the good ones with pure souls. I liked Anne Marie because of that and because she was the first one to realize the true identity of the ‘beast’.
I want all readers to take a minute or two and appreciate the writing style and vocabulary in this book. Seldom do I come across books that are written so well with a good vocabulary. I loved this book!
January 15, 2019
A few kids. A crash landing. An island that may or may not be inhabited (or possessed). It’s the stuff of a story we don’t seem able to stop telling.
William Golding’s 1954 version, Lord of the Flies, lives on in our collective imagination, resurfacing in songs by Iron Maiden and on random television shows like The Simpsons. Golding’s take was inspired by The Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific Ocean, an 1858 book by R. M. Ballantyne. In Ballantyne’s version the kids who crash on the island are moralistic cherubs with a penchant for converting cannibalistic barbarians (yes, it is racist). Golding wasn’t buying the moral simplicity proffered by Ballantyne and created a dystopian parody emphasizing human nature as well as the relationship between humans and nature.
In 2018, Chandra Prasad took a stab at it. Prasad’s version, Damselfly, introduces gender, race, ability, and class into the basic plot Golding develops in Lord of the Flies, and, like Ballantyne and Golding, Prasad’s book is both a product and critique of its times, albeit in the case of Ballantyne, an unintended critique.
The story is told from the point-of-view of Samantha (Sam) Mishra, a biracial Indian and white teenage girl who lacks self-confidence and doesn’t quite fit in with her wealthy boarding school companions because of her class background. Samantha is best friends with the super smart Mel, a white girl who doesn’t fit in with the boarding school crowd either, but unlike Sam, Mel doesn’t care.
The very wealthy, very beautiful, very assertive Rittika, who is Indian, creates a skin-tone based dichotomy to explain the suitability of her peers for life on the island: “Golds” vs. “Pales”. According to Rittika, Golds are survivors, whereas Pales are not physically capable of adjusting to life under the sweltering sun.
Sam never feels Indian enough because of her mixed heritage, and she clamors for Rittika’s acceptance even when it means betraying her best friend.
Along with race, ability is addressed. First, in Sam’s memories of her sister who has an eating disorder, and second, through the inclusion of a character, Anne Marie, who needs medicine and whose mental health suffers as a result of not being able to access it on the island. Anne Marie is very similar to Golding’s Piggy, who is hyper-vulnerable in Golding’s version of the tale as a result of a visual impairment that requires him to wear glasses.
Other minor characters include: 1) Rittika’s twin brother, who is comfortable living in her shadow, 2) Betty, who is not a big idea person, but executes other people’s plans brilliantly, 3) Pablo, an environmentalist who believes they have been gifted with a pristine island and should be its custodians, and 4) the likable part-Native American Chester, who could be good, but he is depicted as smitten with the book’s beauty and dumb because of it.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, because Damselfly is a page turner!
Prasad’s fast-paced plot and engaging depictions of antagonistic human relationships make for an enjoyable read. There is a lot to talk about in the book, and a lot to speculate. It would pair wonderfully with Golding’s text in a high school or college literature classroom. It’s a fascinating parallel or linked text with enough similarities and differences to encourage thoughtful analysis. In fact, there are lots of materials, including discussion questions, available for teachers.
All this isn’t to say the text isn’t without weaknesses. The minor characters are not well developed, this is likely because of the first-person narrative style Prasad uses. A fair amount of action seems unmotivated because the reader doesn’t have access to the motivation. The ending was also a tad disappointing, although it didn’t detract much from the overall book, which is very good. (I won’t get into more detail to avoid spoilers). I recommend the book, minor shortcomings and all!
I received a review copy from the author.
William Golding’s 1954 version, Lord of the Flies, lives on in our collective imagination, resurfacing in songs by Iron Maiden and on random television shows like The Simpsons. Golding’s take was inspired by The Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific Ocean, an 1858 book by R. M. Ballantyne. In Ballantyne’s version the kids who crash on the island are moralistic cherubs with a penchant for converting cannibalistic barbarians (yes, it is racist). Golding wasn’t buying the moral simplicity proffered by Ballantyne and created a dystopian parody emphasizing human nature as well as the relationship between humans and nature.
In 2018, Chandra Prasad took a stab at it. Prasad’s version, Damselfly, introduces gender, race, ability, and class into the basic plot Golding develops in Lord of the Flies, and, like Ballantyne and Golding, Prasad’s book is both a product and critique of its times, albeit in the case of Ballantyne, an unintended critique.
The story is told from the point-of-view of Samantha (Sam) Mishra, a biracial Indian and white teenage girl who lacks self-confidence and doesn’t quite fit in with her wealthy boarding school companions because of her class background. Samantha is best friends with the super smart Mel, a white girl who doesn’t fit in with the boarding school crowd either, but unlike Sam, Mel doesn’t care.
The very wealthy, very beautiful, very assertive Rittika, who is Indian, creates a skin-tone based dichotomy to explain the suitability of her peers for life on the island: “Golds” vs. “Pales”. According to Rittika, Golds are survivors, whereas Pales are not physically capable of adjusting to life under the sweltering sun.
Sam never feels Indian enough because of her mixed heritage, and she clamors for Rittika’s acceptance even when it means betraying her best friend.
Along with race, ability is addressed. First, in Sam’s memories of her sister who has an eating disorder, and second, through the inclusion of a character, Anne Marie, who needs medicine and whose mental health suffers as a result of not being able to access it on the island. Anne Marie is very similar to Golding’s Piggy, who is hyper-vulnerable in Golding’s version of the tale as a result of a visual impairment that requires him to wear glasses.
Other minor characters include: 1) Rittika’s twin brother, who is comfortable living in her shadow, 2) Betty, who is not a big idea person, but executes other people’s plans brilliantly, 3) Pablo, an environmentalist who believes they have been gifted with a pristine island and should be its custodians, and 4) the likable part-Native American Chester, who could be good, but he is depicted as smitten with the book’s beauty and dumb because of it.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, because Damselfly is a page turner!
Prasad’s fast-paced plot and engaging depictions of antagonistic human relationships make for an enjoyable read. There is a lot to talk about in the book, and a lot to speculate. It would pair wonderfully with Golding’s text in a high school or college literature classroom. It’s a fascinating parallel or linked text with enough similarities and differences to encourage thoughtful analysis. In fact, there are lots of materials, including discussion questions, available for teachers.
All this isn’t to say the text isn’t without weaknesses. The minor characters are not well developed, this is likely because of the first-person narrative style Prasad uses. A fair amount of action seems unmotivated because the reader doesn’t have access to the motivation. The ending was also a tad disappointing, although it didn’t detract much from the overall book, which is very good. (I won’t get into more detail to avoid spoilers). I recommend the book, minor shortcomings and all!
I received a review copy from the author.
April 13, 2018
I have read diverse books before but not one wherein the people of color were the ones who bully. It was perfect. This book covers racism, hypocrisy, representation of the under minority, and something that was opposite White Supremacy but the cruelty and discrimination is all the same.
Damselfly was a good quick read I am surprised why I haven’t heard of this book before but I am partly glad I had the opportunity to read it before it will be a best seller (because it would be and it should). Ms. Chandra Prasad is definitely the author that I would look forward to for more of her works. Her style of writing is amazing. She wrote about the setting like she was painting the jungle, the ocean, the biodiversity, the Sharpe greenhouse, and Mr. Sharpe’s workshop room. They were easily imaginable.
I loved all the characters because they were made as real and relatable people whose decisions and perspective you would love and hate sometimes but know that that would make sense in their point of view because that’s how they were built by the author to think and act.
Let’s talk about Sam first. I liked how she emphatized with her sister. I liked how she hated her dysfunctional family. I liked how she wished she would belong to the Sharpe family instead. I liked how she hated how her bestfriend called her Rockwell. She adored and hated Rittika, I liked it. She clung to her compliments, her beauty, her approval and hated herself for it. I liked it. She’s nowhere near a perfect girl you would look up to and call a hero. She is a teenage girl with her own issues.
Mel and Pablo are my favorite characters. The best friend and the supposed-to-be love interest. I know I should not be labeling them as such because they are far more than that. Mel is the girl I want to be friends with. You could go with her on an adventure, have fun and know a lot of things at the same time. Just what a very capable girl. I liked how she is always determined, knows her way with stuff, and just literally gives zero care about Chester even though he tried to flirt with her (because she an independent girl who couldn’t care less about guys). She just screams girl power to me. Pablo, on the other hand, is the dream. He is courageous, earnest but friendly. More importantly, he is an environmentalist. The moment it was introduced that he was, I immediately knew he was going to be my bias. He could be funny, too. There were moments of him and Sam together wherein I thought there would be something. I was kind of disappointed because my hopeless romantic self somehow wanted for something like that to happen. The disappointment was, however, overcome by the satisfaction for the way things turned out.
I liked the other characters, too. Anne Marie’s vulnerability. Betty’s skillfulness. Chester being not the way you think he is. Rish’s attachment to his sister. Avery and Ming’s attachment to Rittika. Finally, Rittika is the Indian Regina George. Cunning, clever, of course, beautiful. Always the center of attention and wants to stay as that. Pales and Golds. Camp Summerbliss. Conch Lake. The way she names things and the way she persuades, I liked it.
Another thing I liked about this book is Sam and Mel’s friendship. I liked how it was built, broken and fixed again, remaining stronger than ever. This quote just about sums it.
If she and I made it to safety, then we’d make it back together. And if we went down, well, we’d do that together, too. We were sisters, after all. United till the end
The ending was supposed to be unsatisfying to me but I guess what actually happened worked better given the circumstances and the characters so I accepted it as it was.
Reading this book was a thrill. Having questions and having them answered and then unanswered again, making you confused. The guessing of what will happen next, who the enemy is, why this book is called Damselfly. Please just read this book already if you haven’t yet.
Damselfly was a good quick read I am surprised why I haven’t heard of this book before but I am partly glad I had the opportunity to read it before it will be a best seller (because it would be and it should). Ms. Chandra Prasad is definitely the author that I would look forward to for more of her works. Her style of writing is amazing. She wrote about the setting like she was painting the jungle, the ocean, the biodiversity, the Sharpe greenhouse, and Mr. Sharpe’s workshop room. They were easily imaginable.
I loved all the characters because they were made as real and relatable people whose decisions and perspective you would love and hate sometimes but know that that would make sense in their point of view because that’s how they were built by the author to think and act.
Let’s talk about Sam first. I liked how she emphatized with her sister. I liked how she hated her dysfunctional family. I liked how she wished she would belong to the Sharpe family instead. I liked how she hated how her bestfriend called her Rockwell. She adored and hated Rittika, I liked it. She clung to her compliments, her beauty, her approval and hated herself for it. I liked it. She’s nowhere near a perfect girl you would look up to and call a hero. She is a teenage girl with her own issues.
Mel and Pablo are my favorite characters. The best friend and the supposed-to-be love interest. I know I should not be labeling them as such because they are far more than that. Mel is the girl I want to be friends with. You could go with her on an adventure, have fun and know a lot of things at the same time. Just what a very capable girl. I liked how she is always determined, knows her way with stuff, and just literally gives zero care about Chester even though he tried to flirt with her (because she an independent girl who couldn’t care less about guys). She just screams girl power to me. Pablo, on the other hand, is the dream. He is courageous, earnest but friendly. More importantly, he is an environmentalist. The moment it was introduced that he was, I immediately knew he was going to be my bias. He could be funny, too. There were moments of him and Sam together wherein I thought there would be something. I was kind of disappointed because my hopeless romantic self somehow wanted for something like that to happen. The disappointment was, however, overcome by the satisfaction for the way things turned out.
I liked the other characters, too. Anne Marie’s vulnerability. Betty’s skillfulness. Chester being not the way you think he is. Rish’s attachment to his sister. Avery and Ming’s attachment to Rittika. Finally, Rittika is the Indian Regina George. Cunning, clever, of course, beautiful. Always the center of attention and wants to stay as that. Pales and Golds. Camp Summerbliss. Conch Lake. The way she names things and the way she persuades, I liked it.
Another thing I liked about this book is Sam and Mel’s friendship. I liked how it was built, broken and fixed again, remaining stronger than ever. This quote just about sums it.
If she and I made it to safety, then we’d make it back together. And if we went down, well, we’d do that together, too. We were sisters, after all. United till the end
The ending was supposed to be unsatisfying to me but I guess what actually happened worked better given the circumstances and the characters so I accepted it as it was.
Reading this book was a thrill. Having questions and having them answered and then unanswered again, making you confused. The guessing of what will happen next, who the enemy is, why this book is called Damselfly. Please just read this book already if you haven’t yet.
April 22, 2018
One word: fantastic! I have absolutely loved this book from the very beginning. The setting is that of Lord of the Flies, only with a fresh, contemporary cut. A group of teens, forming the fencing team of the private school Drake Rosemond, find themselves stranded on an island after a plane crash. The small island is mostly covered by the thick vegetation of a jungle, an overwhelming environment to which the youths must adapt quickly, just as they must immediately deal with the loss of some of their companions. Thanks to Mel, a capable and pragmatic young woman, having extensive knowledge about plants and natural things, they manage to settle down to an acceptable routine, while finding their way around the island, hoping they will soon be rescued. Nonetheless, help doesn’t come; instead they are faced with a new problem: they are not alone on the island, and whoever lives there wants them out without delay. As time goes by, difficulties and fear bring out each person’s true personality, for good and for bad. Some find they perfectly fit with this new, wild environment, others find a purpose in their life. This does not apply to Mel and Sam though, they have someone to get back to, and they can see beyond the idyll of the moment. The relationships between the members of the group have already been put to the test many times, on the long run things could degenerate dangerously as the balances of power switch rapidly.
This book is a perfect balance of pace and exploration of the circumstances and behaviours of the characters. Details of each person’s history trickle throughout the narration, forming a background allowing the reader to understand the character’s actions. However, you can also perceive how each youth evolves from that background, drawing on the new circumstances to bring out aspects of their personality that their former situation had not allowed to emerge. The author makes a truly masterly job out of portraying her characters; with fairness and realism she shows both the positive qualities and the hidden dark corners in the souls of all her protagonists. They are so well depicted that the whole of mankind is reflected in them. I personally found myself very close to Sam’s personality, I even found myself loathing the way some among the characters behave, but then I stopped to think. I asked myself whether I was so sure I would have been able to stick to all of my convictions so strongly and unyieldingly in such a situation. I couldn’t give myself an answer, so I came to the conclusion that most of us contain most of the good and bad shown by each of those youths, and until you’re tested you can only hope you’ll be able to remain the righteous person you are in your usual circumstances. Yes, I do believe there are personalities more inclined to compassion and others to selfishness. I do believe the concepts of justice, right and wrong, remain the same even in extreme conditions. What can be debated, instead, is whether most of us would still be able to elaborate those concepts keeping the same coordinates that guide us in daily life.
This book offers plenty of food for thoughts on many issues, including the hypocrisy hidden behind many ordinary conventions, and how even the best of people can be superficial or naive in certain instances. This novel would be a great choice for an open discussion at the library. Also, the narration is gritty but never gruesome, and when it is delicate, it is never quixotic.
Great style, very well written and rich in content.
This book is a perfect balance of pace and exploration of the circumstances and behaviours of the characters. Details of each person’s history trickle throughout the narration, forming a background allowing the reader to understand the character’s actions. However, you can also perceive how each youth evolves from that background, drawing on the new circumstances to bring out aspects of their personality that their former situation had not allowed to emerge. The author makes a truly masterly job out of portraying her characters; with fairness and realism she shows both the positive qualities and the hidden dark corners in the souls of all her protagonists. They are so well depicted that the whole of mankind is reflected in them. I personally found myself very close to Sam’s personality, I even found myself loathing the way some among the characters behave, but then I stopped to think. I asked myself whether I was so sure I would have been able to stick to all of my convictions so strongly and unyieldingly in such a situation. I couldn’t give myself an answer, so I came to the conclusion that most of us contain most of the good and bad shown by each of those youths, and until you’re tested you can only hope you’ll be able to remain the righteous person you are in your usual circumstances. Yes, I do believe there are personalities more inclined to compassion and others to selfishness. I do believe the concepts of justice, right and wrong, remain the same even in extreme conditions. What can be debated, instead, is whether most of us would still be able to elaborate those concepts keeping the same coordinates that guide us in daily life.
This book offers plenty of food for thoughts on many issues, including the hypocrisy hidden behind many ordinary conventions, and how even the best of people can be superficial or naive in certain instances. This novel would be a great choice for an open discussion at the library. Also, the narration is gritty but never gruesome, and when it is delicate, it is never quixotic.
Great style, very well written and rich in content.
June 26, 2018
Given that my high school English class experience became fairly self guided starting my junior year (and I was more interested in creative writing, Shakespeare, and Greek Mythology), I never took a class that had me read LORD OF THE FLIES. I know enough about it from the cultural zeitgeist, but deep cuts and references might be a bit lost on me (besides poor Piggy). But knowing that DAMSELFLY by Chandra Prasad was a slight homage/deconstruction of LORD OF THE FLIES made it an interesting concept to me. I've heard people postulate that if it was a number of girls trapped on an island they wouldn't have turned on each other but would have worked together, and since I've always thought that to be presumptuous BS, I was glad to see that DAMSELFLY challenges that theory.
When the fencing team of an elite private school is in a plane crash on a remote island, the teenagers have hopes that they will be rescued. Samantha Mishra is relying on her best friend Mel to get them all through, as she has a number of survival skills and knowledges that she can lend to the group. But when rescue doesn't come, inner tensions start to boil, and an unseen threat starts to encroach upon their camp, the solidarity between the survivors starts to crumble. Samantha starts to wonder if the bigger threat is inside the circle rather than outside.
DAMSELFLY is a fast and pretty tense read, with questions and mysteries that do keep the reader guessing. The cast of characters is diverse, and it allows Prasad to address issues regarding racism, sexism, economic disparity, and privilege in an organic way. But it does go the way you would expect it to go because of the LORD OF THE FLIES aspect, and the way that a lot of survival stories ultimately go. While I do think that the ultimate paranoia and turning upon each other theme is absolutely how humans would eventually react (as I am a huge cynic), unless you do something super original with it, it can seem like all other tales of that nature. So DAMSELFLY felt fairly predictable in a lot of ways, even if I agree with it's ultimate predictability. I enjoyed watching the characters get there, but had no question that they eventually would. I do think that the ending was a bit more unpredictable, and while I liked that it thought outside the box, and said a lot about a relationship between two characters, it felt a little too ambiguous to me in some ways. I wanted to know how things would ultimately shake out, especially since me being a cynical leads me to conclude the worst and saddest outcome.
DAMSELFLY is a solid survival book with a lot of potential, but in some ways it didn't quite live up to it in the way I had hoped it would. But if you want a fast read with some suspense in the wilderness, it's a good bet you'll enjoy your time reading it.
When the fencing team of an elite private school is in a plane crash on a remote island, the teenagers have hopes that they will be rescued. Samantha Mishra is relying on her best friend Mel to get them all through, as she has a number of survival skills and knowledges that she can lend to the group. But when rescue doesn't come, inner tensions start to boil, and an unseen threat starts to encroach upon their camp, the solidarity between the survivors starts to crumble. Samantha starts to wonder if the bigger threat is inside the circle rather than outside.
DAMSELFLY is a fast and pretty tense read, with questions and mysteries that do keep the reader guessing. The cast of characters is diverse, and it allows Prasad to address issues regarding racism, sexism, economic disparity, and privilege in an organic way. But it does go the way you would expect it to go because of the LORD OF THE FLIES aspect, and the way that a lot of survival stories ultimately go. While I do think that the ultimate paranoia and turning upon each other theme is absolutely how humans would eventually react (as I am a huge cynic), unless you do something super original with it, it can seem like all other tales of that nature. So DAMSELFLY felt fairly predictable in a lot of ways, even if I agree with it's ultimate predictability. I enjoyed watching the characters get there, but had no question that they eventually would. I do think that the ending was a bit more unpredictable, and while I liked that it thought outside the box, and said a lot about a relationship between two characters, it felt a little too ambiguous to me in some ways. I wanted to know how things would ultimately shake out, especially since me being a cynical leads me to conclude the worst and saddest outcome.
DAMSELFLY is a solid survival book with a lot of potential, but in some ways it didn't quite live up to it in the way I had hoped it would. But if you want a fast read with some suspense in the wilderness, it's a good bet you'll enjoy your time reading it.
June 17, 2019
I often teach "Lord of the Flies" in my literature class, so I was intrigued when this book was touted as a modern-day version of LotF. But the title really confused me, as did the picture on the back of the book of someone holding a damselfly in their fist. I spent the whole book trying to figure out how a damselfly fit into things - FINALLY figured it out in the end! I was also constantly making comparisons between the two titles. And, honestly, there are a lot of similarities. But there are also fundamental differences - differences that truly modernized the conflict of the story. I really want to buy a class set of books and have students read them both, compare/contrast, and decide which version they like better.
The one thing that hurt my enjoyment of the book was the ending. This is one of those books where the ending feels rushed, like the publisher called and said, "Hey! Your manuscript is due today, whether you're done or not." And the author said, "Okay. Guess I'll just wrap this up real quick then." And that's it.
But, if you're a high school teacher, and you use "Lord of the Flies" in your classroom, you've GOT TO read this book! It's such a perfect pairing/companion/replacement!
The one thing that hurt my enjoyment of the book was the ending. This is one of those books where the ending feels rushed, like the publisher called and said, "Hey! Your manuscript is due today, whether you're done or not." And the author said, "Okay. Guess I'll just wrap this up real quick then." And that's it.
But, if you're a high school teacher, and you use "Lord of the Flies" in your classroom, you've GOT TO read this book! It's such a perfect pairing/companion/replacement!
July 11, 2018
When Samantha Mishra and other members of her high school fencing team crash land on an uninhabited Pacific island, they are sure they will be rescued within a couple of days. The teammates attend an elite private school, and as some of their parents are very wealthy, it seems likely that no expense will be spared to find them.
But as the days go by and no ship or airplane appears, it becomes clear they may have to survive for a long time. They set up systems to find and ration food, water and shelter. But the stress takes a toll, and soon different factions are jockeying for power. They also have to contend with an unknown presence that seems to want to harm them.
Damselfly by Chandra Prasad reimagines the Lord of the Flies scenario. While the characters are older teens of both sexes instead of younger boys, the familiar setup is in place: young people being stranded in a remote location who devolve from civilized action as time goes on. It’s an interesting setup filled with tension and mystery. Under stress it doesn’t take long for bullying behavior to emerge and conflict to occur. Loyalties forged under normal times intensify.
Damselfly provokes thought for readers about what they would do in similar circumstances, making them examine their survival skills as well as their response to the emotional stress of isolation and injury. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with members aged 11 and up. And if you’re discussing Damselfly in a group, you may want to check out the author’s Resources for Teachers page, which has ideas for projects, discussion questions and more.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
But as the days go by and no ship or airplane appears, it becomes clear they may have to survive for a long time. They set up systems to find and ration food, water and shelter. But the stress takes a toll, and soon different factions are jockeying for power. They also have to contend with an unknown presence that seems to want to harm them.
Damselfly by Chandra Prasad reimagines the Lord of the Flies scenario. While the characters are older teens of both sexes instead of younger boys, the familiar setup is in place: young people being stranded in a remote location who devolve from civilized action as time goes on. It’s an interesting setup filled with tension and mystery. Under stress it doesn’t take long for bullying behavior to emerge and conflict to occur. Loyalties forged under normal times intensify.
Damselfly provokes thought for readers about what they would do in similar circumstances, making them examine their survival skills as well as their response to the emotional stress of isolation and injury. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with members aged 11 and up. And if you’re discussing Damselfly in a group, you may want to check out the author’s Resources for Teachers page, which has ideas for projects, discussion questions and more.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 1, 2018
Damselfly is Lord of the Flies, but told from the perspective of a teenage girl. Right away, the author makes it clear that she's pulling no punches just because her work is a children's/YA book. Some of Sam's, the protagonist, classmates are dead and she wakes to find a man's glass eye clutched in her hand.
Just like in the book's inspiration, the kids begin to devolve their learned social etiquette. When one, a brilliant student but awkward teen still, gets hurt it becomes clear that the weak and lame won't be helped. They'll be sent immediately to the bottom of the barrel.
What really captured and enchanted me was the way Chandra interwove the setting, the jungle, throughout the story. It felt almost as if it was a character itself, ever present and often ominous. When most of us think of the jungle we think of beauty, of biodiversity and bright colors found nowhere else in nature. The jungle she wrote was all that but so much more. It was beautiful but lonely and dangerous, a landscape the teen castaways have no ability to deal with.
I recommend this story and am certainly interested in reading more from Ms. Prasad.
Just like in the book's inspiration, the kids begin to devolve their learned social etiquette. When one, a brilliant student but awkward teen still, gets hurt it becomes clear that the weak and lame won't be helped. They'll be sent immediately to the bottom of the barrel.
What really captured and enchanted me was the way Chandra interwove the setting, the jungle, throughout the story. It felt almost as if it was a character itself, ever present and often ominous. When most of us think of the jungle we think of beauty, of biodiversity and bright colors found nowhere else in nature. The jungle she wrote was all that but so much more. It was beautiful but lonely and dangerous, a landscape the teen castaways have no ability to deal with.
I recommend this story and am certainly interested in reading more from Ms. Prasad.
August 17, 2018
I was lucky enough to not only get to read this book, but host a teen book discussion with the author herself and 11 teens!
Eleven is a significant number in this book because 11 teens survived a plane crash to land on a remote island. All are members of the Drake Rosemont's fencing team, but nothing could have prepared them for what was to come. Inspired by Golding's Lord of the Flies, this is a modern day imagining, of a female-centric and diverse group of teens alone on the island...or are they? An ominous presence seems to make itself known, and the teens are threatened to leave-or else.
The story is narrated by Samantha Mishra, a half Indian, half caucasian teenager. Sam is the observer. We see her best friend Mel's survival skills help the teens get through the first days of survival. There is the beautiful and powerful Rittika, she's rich, Indian, and has a powerful pull. Then there's Anne Marie. Sigh, the reader is introduced to so many good characters.
Readers will like this fast paced story-but they will be unhappy to have it end because they will want to know more, and 'what happens NEXT?'
Eleven is a significant number in this book because 11 teens survived a plane crash to land on a remote island. All are members of the Drake Rosemont's fencing team, but nothing could have prepared them for what was to come. Inspired by Golding's Lord of the Flies, this is a modern day imagining, of a female-centric and diverse group of teens alone on the island...or are they? An ominous presence seems to make itself known, and the teens are threatened to leave-or else.
The story is narrated by Samantha Mishra, a half Indian, half caucasian teenager. Sam is the observer. We see her best friend Mel's survival skills help the teens get through the first days of survival. There is the beautiful and powerful Rittika, she's rich, Indian, and has a powerful pull. Then there's Anne Marie. Sigh, the reader is introduced to so many good characters.
Readers will like this fast paced story-but they will be unhappy to have it end because they will want to know more, and 'what happens NEXT?'
November 27, 2021
This book was an obvious spin off from LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding, so I had to read it. There were similarities, but luckily it wasn’t exactly parallel. There was the power struggle between two girls rather than boys for leadership, pitting the intellectual against the popular as LOTF did with Piggy and Jack. The characters in DAMSELFLY are older, in high school. The one person lying dead on the rocky shore was similar to LOTF (I’m being general to avoid spoilers here), but the means of death was different and the cause of death more indirect. There was plenty of grit and gore and death throughout. Sometimes Mel’s character spoke dialogue that sounded like a how-to on survival skills; I mean, she is an intellectual, but to me it sounded a bit like the author’s research was dropped into those spots. The main character and a few others were developed more in-depth than in the original novel, with added contemporary motivations, goals, and backgrounds. I didn’t like the ending—it was too open-ended. I wanted to know what happened next!
March 11, 2024
This book was mediocre at best. Besides the low-quality and filler writing(for lack of a better word), the characters were super flat and in general sounded like NPCs. Additionally, the plot was poorly devised. There was an ACTUAL threat on the island, unlike Lord of The Flies, where the boys learn that the evil is really inside all of them. The threat at the end was extinguished, yes, but it was too fast and there was no buildup and I frankly didn’t care. Furthermore, the attempt to put diversity into the book seemed forced and unnatural, like the characters were their ethnicity to contribute to the plot. They didn’t just happen to be whatever ethnicity they were, and there was an unnecessary stress on their racial identity. The descent into ‘madness’ wasn’t exciting at all and it was very sudden; they just randomly started killing people. Lord of the Flies was a much better book overall, of much higher quality. This just seemed like a poor rip-off and honestly read like glorified Wattpad. High school sophomores should not be required to read this; the writing hinders our reading level and does not contribute to the actual message of Lord of the Flies. The message was unclear in Damselfly. A disappointing and boring read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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