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syntax_of_angels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I don't like the romance genre and I really liked this book. I read it for my disability literature class in college and I really enjoyed it. I'm getting the sequel, that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism and Alcohol
Most content warnings come from scenes with Lilith (which are not too many) and scenes primarily at the endboubooks_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
aksmith92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was an entertaining Beauty and the Beast retelling with a bit of a twist that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The Setup: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, blending fantasy, romance, and action. The story follows Harper, a modern-day teenager with cerebral palsy, who is unexpectedly transported from Washington, D.C., to the magical land of Emberfall. This modern twist adds a relatable element to the classic tale. Harper, with her unique qualities and determination, is a protagonist that will surely intrigue and captivate readers. There, she meets Prince Rhen, who is cursed to relive the same season over and over, transforming into a monstrous beast at the end of each cycle unless he can make a woman fall in love with him.
On top of the transformation into a scary beast, Rhen's kingdom is also on the brink of collapse, ravaged by his monstrous form and the curse placed on him by a vengeful enchantress. Despite her initial struggles and vulnerability in a new, dangerous world, Harper shows resilience and refuses to be the passive beauty Rhen expects. She quickly becomes involved in the plight of the people in Emberfall and is determined to help them, even if breaking the curse seems impossible.
As Harper and Rhen form a reluctant alliance, their growing connection is complicated by Rhen's self-loathing and the threat of the enchantress's curse. Harper's strong will and determination to protect those she cares about make her a unique protagonist, and the novel touches on themes of courage, strength in the face of adversity, and the transformative power of empathy.
What I Liked: This is likely my favorite Beauty and Beast retelling because Harper is a unique and determined protagonist. Despite her age (see below), I think Harper was relatable, and there weren't many times when you rolled your eyes because of something she did. She was intelligent and cunning and also quite thoughtful. I loved all the characters, who all seemed to have their own voice and personalities, and I enjoyed the world-building in Emberfall. Was it perfect world-building? No. Did it make a ton of sense? Also no. But it was a unique world with an interesting magic system that I truly enjoyed. Lastly, and very importantly, I enjoyed the romance and found it realistic. The slow and steady development of the romance, devoid of instant love, made it more emotionally engaging and relatable. It was as if friendship and respect were building in the process, and it oozed on the page to make the romance more enjoyable. Although I felt Rhen made some "eh" choices, particularly for Harper (and maybe vice versa), I felt for both of these characters and thoroughly loved their stories and experiences.
What Could Have Been Better: I'll get the obvious over with: the two main characters were supposed to be 17/18, and the side character, Grey, Rhen's commander, 20. Nope, nada, no thanks. That was the dumbest decision ever. These characters did not act their age, nor did I want them to. Making these characters older simply would have made more sense! The age-related inconsistencies were a disappointment, and I believe more realistic character development would have enhanced the story.
Additionally, there was a bit of toxic positivity throughout this - always fighting even when you're hurting, not giving up even though you should in this one instance. It wasn't horrible, but I noticed it at times. I can appreciate the author trying to make someone's illness or disability not define them, but this oozed on the page even outside of Harper's character. It was a little bit annoying at times.
Overall, this book had well-drawn characters, a very action-focused plot, and diverse representation. The stakes were high and had a satisfying blend of romance, adventure, and magic. I'll continue reading the series, even though I heard it falters a little.
The Setup: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, blending fantasy, romance, and action. The story follows Harper, a modern-day teenager with cerebral palsy, who is unexpectedly transported from Washington, D.C., to the magical land of Emberfall. This modern twist adds a relatable element to the classic tale. Harper, with her unique qualities and determination, is a protagonist that will surely intrigue and captivate readers. There, she meets Prince Rhen, who is cursed to relive the same season over and over, transforming into a monstrous beast at the end of each cycle unless he can make a woman fall in love with him.
On top of the transformation into a scary beast, Rhen's kingdom is also on the brink of collapse, ravaged by his monstrous form and the curse placed on him by a vengeful enchantress. Despite her initial struggles and vulnerability in a new, dangerous world, Harper shows resilience and refuses to be the passive beauty Rhen expects. She quickly becomes involved in the plight of the people in Emberfall and is determined to help them, even if breaking the curse seems impossible.
As Harper and Rhen form a reluctant alliance, their growing connection is complicated by Rhen's self-loathing and the threat of the enchantress's curse. Harper's strong will and determination to protect those she cares about make her a unique protagonist, and the novel touches on themes of courage, strength in the face of adversity, and the transformative power of empathy.
What I Liked: This is likely my favorite Beauty and Beast retelling because Harper is a unique and determined protagonist. Despite her age (see below), I think Harper was relatable, and there weren't many times when you rolled your eyes because of something she did. She was intelligent and cunning and also quite thoughtful. I loved all the characters, who all seemed to have their own voice and personalities, and I enjoyed the world-building in Emberfall. Was it perfect world-building? No. Did it make a ton of sense? Also no. But it was a unique world with an interesting magic system that I truly enjoyed. Lastly, and very importantly, I enjoyed the romance and found it realistic. The slow and steady development of the romance, devoid of instant love, made it more emotionally engaging and relatable. It was as if friendship and respect were building in the process, and it oozed on the page to make the romance more enjoyable. Although I felt Rhen made some "eh" choices, particularly for Harper (and maybe vice versa), I felt for both of these characters and thoroughly loved their stories and experiences.
What Could Have Been Better: I'll get the obvious over with: the two main characters were supposed to be 17/18, and the side character, Grey, Rhen's commander, 20. Nope, nada, no thanks. That was the dumbest decision ever. These characters did not act their age, nor did I want them to. Making these characters older simply would have made more sense! The age-related inconsistencies were a disappointment, and I believe more realistic character development would have enhanced the story.
Additionally, there was a bit of toxic positivity throughout this - always fighting even when you're hurting, not giving up even though you should in this one instance. It wasn't horrible, but I noticed it at times. I can appreciate the author trying to make someone's illness or disability not define them, but this oozed on the page even outside of Harper's character. It was a little bit annoying at times.
Overall, this book had well-drawn characters, a very action-focused plot, and diverse representation. The stakes were high and had a satisfying blend of romance, adventure, and magic. I'll continue reading the series, even though I heard it falters a little.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
mrs_gale's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wow! Stayed up into the early hours of the morning reading this as I just didn't want to put it down!
I have a soft spot for Beauty and the Beast retellings but this was incredible.
I loved the story but especially the characters. Harper, Rhen and Grey are amazing. Cannot wait to read the next book!
I have a soft spot for Beauty and the Beast retellings but this was incredible.
I loved the story but especially the characters. Harper, Rhen and Grey are amazing. Cannot wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
paperbacksandsnacks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a book that had been on my tbr forever. I don’t know why, but I just never gravitated towards it once I owned it. But I do wish I’d read it sooner.
I asked my husband to pick my next book for me and this is what he chose and I’m actually super glad he did. I really enjoyed it.
This beauty and the beast fairytale retelling was just different enough to be engaging whilst still holding true to the classic. The modern day parallel universe vibe was fun for sure! I loved the characters and felt attached to all of them, but I think I was rooting for the wrong love interest (sorry not sorry).
It had a nice level of representation for disabled people, and the LGBTQ community without being super obvious about it. It didn’t feel like a plot point or that is was there for the sake of meeting a diversity request. Just added to the story in a great and subtle way.
I am super intrigued to see where this series goes next. I have a lot of questions and I am invested so that’s a positive sign. I would say maybe slightly longer than it needed to be. Perhaps a bit of a frustrating ending too, but I do see the point of it as it’s building up to the next book. But maybe something to note. I also felt like this was mostly YA but then some moments felt a bit unnecessary for this particular series. Maybe that’s just me being super fussy.
Overall, an enjoyable fairytale retelling and I am looking forward to the next.
I asked my husband to pick my next book for me and this is what he chose and I’m actually super glad he did. I really enjoyed it.
This beauty and the beast fairytale retelling was just different enough to be engaging whilst still holding true to the classic. The modern day parallel universe vibe was fun for sure! I loved the characters and felt attached to all of them, but I think I was rooting for the wrong love interest (sorry not sorry).
It had a nice level of representation for disabled people, and the LGBTQ community without being super obvious about it. It didn’t feel like a plot point or that is was there for the sake of meeting a diversity request. Just added to the story in a great and subtle way.
I am super intrigued to see where this series goes next. I have a lot of questions and I am invested so that’s a positive sign. I would say maybe slightly longer than it needed to be. Perhaps a bit of a frustrating ending too, but I do see the point of it as it’s building up to the next book. But maybe something to note. I also felt like this was mostly YA but then some moments felt a bit unnecessary for this particular series. Maybe that’s just me being super fussy.
Overall, an enjoyable fairytale retelling and I am looking forward to the next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
juliapatt2007's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
3.0
I re-read this book in anticipation of the final book in the trilogy. I liked the plot and Harper was a great heroine. I didn’t want to like Rhen at first but after awhile I did start to like him. I did like this book but it wasn’t earth shattering. I own the series because someone bought this book for me and I would like to complete the series. While I did enjoy the characters there aren’t ones that will live in my heart forever like some.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
bookfortbuilder's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
locust1266's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is perfection in itself . I DO NOT TRUST YOU IF YOU DONT LIKE THIS BOOK .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
justagirlwithbooks's review
3.5
“We are all dealt a hand at birth. A good hand can ultimately lose - just as a poor hand can win - but we must all play the cards the fate deals. The choices we face may not be the choices we want, but they are choices nonetheless.”
This book gave the Beauty and the Beast vibes I wanted! I liked all of the three main characters, but there's something about this book that I didn't enjoy as much. The middle was slow, but it really picked up at the end. The writing is decent, the plot felt like a lot at times, but as a retelling it was pretty good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide attempt