Book Review: The Ascenditure

Reviewed by Lindsay Crandall

A stunning feminist mountaineering fantasy

Klarke Ascher will have to pass a near-impossible test if she wants to earn herself a spot as an Ascenditure—to join an elite mountaineering team in the land of Ectair. Since Klarke is the only woman who has ever been permitted to train to become one, she is routinely belittled and passed over. Truth is: Laws in Ectair are designed to oppress women, and the current king is a misogynist who fears losing his power over the land.  

This time, the test will take place on Mount Bonen, the deadliest peak on the Umlauf peninsula. At the beginning of it, Klarke realizes that she and her fellow competitors have been sent here to die—to become an example of why women should accept their place. Is her determination and skill enough to help her survive? And if she does, how can she change the clearly problematic issues that women in the world are suffering from?

“I am special because I am basically a man. I have worth because I am not like most women.” Klarke thinks to herself in response to something her climbing partner has said. “As if to be a woman is a derogatory, nasty thing.”

Dabney’s worldbuilding in The Ascenditure is something to behold. Elements of Ectair may feel familiar to those who regularly read fantasy, but Dabney’s creation is one of a kind. To layer so much history with detailed culture, language, and religious practices in just over 300 pages is a quite a feat. At no point does the story become bogged down with these elements either. Instead, they enhance each aspect of the story and remind readers of what is at stake. Dabney does a particularly stellar job with the infusion of rock climbing and mountaineering into this young adult novel. Come for the fantasy, stay for the unique skillset and interest. 

There are some aspects of The Ascenditure that follow the same roadmap as other young adult fantasy novels, especially those with a female lead. Klarke is a reluctant heroine at first, simply wanting to mind her own business and climb. She cannot comprehend why people would be inspired by her until she does. “I hide in the crowd with Rayna, trying to be invisible. The power I felt last night has slipped away. Darkness makes heroes of us all, but daylight always reveals the faces of the vigilantes. Of the cowards.”  

There is a boy who clearly has feelings for Klarke, too, even though she has no idea. And then, suddenly, there is a second boy who has been reluctantly thrust into Klarke’s orbit. This love triangle adds some emotional, personal tension into the wider story of this world.

Into Thin Air meets The Hunger Games, with a smidge of The Handmaid’s Tale, in this captivating mountaineering fantasy. This first in the series offers plenty to enjoy, and the cliffhanger makes sure we’re coming back for more in the sequel.

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