Fairest

“Ayortha is a kingdom of singers. In our family and in Amonta, my voice is the finest. Mother often said that if I tried, I could sing the sun down from the sky.”

Aza’s mother’s claim that her daughter “could sing the sun down from the sky” is an example of hyperbole. This exaggeration emphasizes her high praise of Aza’s singing voice. Singing plays an important role in Ayorthian culture and in the narrative. By establishing Aza’s extraordinary musical ability early on, the author identifies Aza’s voice as symbolizing her inner strength and identity.

“I was an unsightly child. My skin was the weak blue-white of skimmed milk, which wouldn’t have been so bad if my hair had been blond and my lips pale pink. But my lips were as red as a dragon’s tongue and my hair as black as an old frying pan.”

The similes “red as a dragon’s tongue” and “black as an old frying pan” offer a creative combination of the fantastical and the ordinary. These unflattering comparisons subvert generic conventions because most fairytale heroines are magnificently beautiful. The passage abounds with irony because Levine takes inspiration from “Snow White,” and the princess’s milk-white skin, black hair, and red lips are considered highly beautiful in the original story. In addition, the narrator’s harsh criticism of her appearance in this passage helps to communicate the emphasis Ayorthians place on looks and establish the theme of The Impact of Beauty Standards on Self-Worth.