A review by bzliz
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

adventurous hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

 This Beauty and the Beast retelling has some pretty strong “not like the other girls” elements but that is to be expected when the prince must find love to break a curse. Our heroine Harper makes it clear from the start that’s not going to work with her. In some ways she feels more real than many YA protagonists with her appropriately horrified reactions to terrible acts but she also throws herself into danger to help and/or protect her companions. 

The timeline gets a little fuzzy along the way, particularly in regards to “real world” times. 

The side characters like Harper’s family lack depth. They serve very few purposes and have little to contribute beyond a rotation of stock phrases about protecting someone close to them. 

Readers who like the vibes of training montages and fake royalty will enjoy this. 
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