Aunque la versión que yo conocí de pequeña del cuento en el que se basa «Piel de Ciervo» no era el «Piel de Asno» de Perrault sino la mucho más ligera «Cap O'Rushes» de Joseph Jacobs, en cuanto me enteré de que se publicaba esta reinterpretación del cuento supe que tenía que leerla. Las primeras 100 páginas son una maravilla. Me ha encantado la prosa, que aprovecha ese deje repetitivo de los cuentos para clavarnos muy dentro sus descripciones. Después, la acción y la tensión bajan un poco y nos sumergimos en la gran metáfora que es este libro, y he de reconocer que a ratos se me ha hecho un poco pesado. Tampoco me habría sobrado un poco más de drama al final, y eso que el ritmo se recupera en la última parte. Aun así, merece la pena.

Este libro disimula el tema del que trata, la violencia sexual contra las mujeres y la superación del trauma, con el tono de un cuento de hadas. Se basa en el cuento de Piel de Asno, que ya de por sí tiene un subtexto sexual muy poco disimulado, pero en este caso el subtexto es texto. Ni siquiera el tono poético consigue tapar una escena de agresión sexual

Me costó entrar y el tema es duro, pero si se persevera y se llega al final, el final deja un buen sabor de boca.

very good but oh my god, what a heavy read

At 13% I've decided to put this back on my fairytale TBR for now. I know I'm about to get to the incest rape scene and I'm not looking forward to it. I may try picking this up in the future but probably not anytime soon.

Donkeyskin, sometimes called Allfurs or Tattercoats, is not a particularly well-known fairytale; if you asked someone to tell you the plot, they'd most likely be a bit of an expert. It has a few adaptations to picture book and film, but practically all of them gloss over the dark, dark tone of the story to begin with—looking at you, Peau d'Ane.

Thankfully, this is not the case with Robin McKinley's retelling, Deerskin. It is an incredibly harrowing book to read, but even so, it is beautiful, painful, and deeply important.

Unlike most stories, the scariest part here is at the beginning.

The first hundred pages or so of Deerskin are not a happy prologue; they're a horror story. Dread and bone-chilling fear practically seep through the pages, and it is very, very difficult to read. Lissla Lissar has no idea what will befall her, but as an adult, it's upsetting to slowly come to the realization.

Unfortunately, sexual violence and its resulting trauma are all too-common, no matter the setting or time period, but it's very rare to see it portrayed beyond shock value. In this book, McKinley focuses all her literary energy upon the very real consequences of such incredible suffering; as a result, Lissar's trajectory, across land and as a person, is honest and arresting.

More than anything, Deerskin is a fairytale for survivors. Lissar's trauma isn't the focus of the book; it's Lissar herself, and her journey towards healing is the driving force of the plot. Grief and rage and emptiness abound within the erstwhile princess' life, and yet somehow, she still manages to drag herself out of unfathomable depths to find her will to live.

Moonwoman or not, Lissar is an incredible character, both as an archetype and as a unique being. The mythological aspects of her person, and the effects they have on the people around her, are the most fantastical part of the book.

The romance is sweet, inelegant, and touchingly real---her love interest understands that he can never truly understand what she went through, but he simply wishes to be at her side. As Lissar realizes she has learned to love, and trust, and rely on another person, her emotions are so conflicted and complicated. There's such a contrast to the typical fairytale tropes of quests in the name of love, dashing, untouchable princes, and instant, blinding passion, that Deerskin is a much stronger fairytale for the aversion.

Simply put, this isn't a book I could recommend to everyone— it's very visceral and very upsetting, and it might not be what you expect from Robin McKinley. But if you are willing to plunge into a story of such great pain, you'll also find great beauty, as Deerskin follows an incredibly resilient protagonist fighting for joy, respite, and life itself.

heart in my throat!!!

I give this older Robin McKinley dark fantasy novel a very qualified recommendation. It's loosely based on the old Donkeyskin fairy tale and deals directly with unpleasant trigger themes: rape, incest and miscarriage. It's handled with sensitivity and might be cathartic for some readers, but it's definitely not light reading.

Lissar is a young, shy princess with a drop-dead gorgeous mother. When her mother falls ill and dies, having lost the will to live because her illness sapped her beauty, the king is deeply distraught. As Lissar grows older and becomes the image of her mother, her father becomes unhealthily obsessed, culminating in one horrible night. Lissar escapes with her devoted dog to an isolated cabin in the mountains, but for many months she's delirious and barely functional.

It's a very gradual healing process for Lissar, with some tremendously difficult times. There are also some truly heartwarming parts in the rest of the story: wonderful dogs (and PUPPIES!) and a truly kindhearted man, the beta hero type.

But make no mistake, this is a difficult book to read. Aside from the subject matter, Lissar's interior monologuing is too long-winded at times, and McKinley's penchant for nightmarish, incomprehensible scenes gets full play here (twice, in fact!). I actually reread Deerskin at least once, maybe even twice, back in my days as a huge McKinley fan, but I don't know that I'll ever pick it up again.

Maybe I'll just reread the parts with the puppies and skip the rest.

The beginning of this book is very dark so massive trigger warning. I felt that the darkness was appropriately respectful of the subject matter though. Once you're through the beginning quarter, the rest of the book is much lighter. The story as a whole really grabs you!

I had a phase in middle school where i solely read fairy tale retellings and this one scarred me.

I've read The Blue Sword before reading Deerskin. I was disappointed by The Blue Sword, The plot is kind of cheesy and magic system is quite...unclear and convenient to protagonists. So I chose to read Deerskin this time and it a better read than TBS.
Deerskin is a fairy tale retelling, no magic sword (like in TBS), or evil witch, or prince save princess stereotype. Just a king with his queen untimely death make him heartbroken. Then, before the queen died, she told her king, he must remarried a new queen but she must be as pretty as she is. after a story progressed, the queen leave a daughter to the king, and king would find out he can't find any women as beautiful as the queen but his own daughter... But this part for me is quite nonsense. First, if you are a king, you would choose whoever women you like in the kingdom or marry other kingdoms's queen or princess. secondly, his father still married his daughter and abused her... I don't know is it could possibly happen ,however it occurred in fairy tale story.
The rest of the story is about deerskin escaped her father's castle with her dog and find the strength to recover from the trauma. Sometimes, help other people, find true love in the end of the story. I must say it's really nothing innovation of retelling the fairy tale, but writing I think is good, just need to pay attention on the sentences.

This tale is a retelling of the French fairytale, Donkeyskin.

While I enjoyed the story for the most part, the pace bogged down at times. I loved the connection between Lissar and her dog, Ash.

Un retelling del conte “Pell d’ase”, que t’hipnotitza des de la primera pàgina, amb una fantasia poètica, pausada i amb personatges i situacions estranyables. Llegiré més coses de l’autora.