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A review by jillie
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’m going to write about the negatives first & then gush about the rest.
The last few chapters were unsatisfying for me & the epilogue flipped things in a way I did not like. I won’t be continuing the series (I had decided that before even reading this, based on what others have said about the next 2), and I wish I hadn’t read the epilogue. I really dislike where it appears the story goes next.
Now that that’s out of the way, the good!
Character Work:
I could gush about these characters for so long! Harper and Rhen were very good leads. Kemmerer did so much with their storylines and their growth throughout this story. The side characters were rich & added depth to the world. I genuinely don’t think I will forget these two mains anytime soon. We got to know them very well & I just loved them.
World Building:
I really felt like I was in this kingdom. While the world isn’t large, I did feel it was detailed well enough to have a great grasp of it without being too bogged down with super intricate world building. We also got a good feel for how the kingdom was before our story starts.
Romance:
Ugh, the yearning! I loved reading these two open up to each other & learn to trust. I wanted a little bit more from their relationship in the end, but their growth to friends and more was really sweet to read.
Writing:
Not much to say here except that I greatly enjoyed it. It was emotional & I was impressed with how Kemmerer was able to convey things without pages of explanation. She puts you into the world and minds of the characters so well! I felt like I was experiencing it.
The Villain:
What I was most impressed with here was that the villain was truly terrifying. That can be hard to accomplish when you know the main character isn’t going to die. But this “big bad” was scary enough even without that threat & had plenty of torture to go around.
Overall- It’s the best Beauty & the Beast retelling I’ve read so far. loved the first 95% of it or so way more than I expected. I do wish it had stuck the landing for me (& I also wish I didn’t know certain things about where the story goes). However, I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy.
January 2024
The last few chapters were unsatisfying for me & the epilogue flipped things in a way I did not like. I won’t be continuing the series (I had decided that before even reading this, based on what others have said about the next 2), and I wish I hadn’t read the epilogue. I really dislike where it appears the story goes next.
Now that that’s out of the way, the good!
Character Work:
I could gush about these characters for so long! Harper and Rhen were very good leads. Kemmerer did so much with their storylines and their growth throughout this story. The side characters were rich & added depth to the world. I genuinely don’t think I will forget these two mains anytime soon. We got to know them very well & I just loved them.
World Building:
I really felt like I was in this kingdom. While the world isn’t large, I did feel it was detailed well enough to have a great grasp of it without being too bogged down with super intricate world building. We also got a good feel for how the kingdom was before our story starts.
Romance:
Ugh, the yearning! I loved reading these two open up to each other & learn to trust. I wanted a little bit more from their relationship in the end, but their growth to friends and more was really sweet to read.
Writing:
Not much to say here except that I greatly enjoyed it. It was emotional & I was impressed with how Kemmerer was able to convey things without pages of explanation. She puts you into the world and minds of the characters so well! I felt like I was experiencing it.
The Villain:
What I was most impressed with here was that the villain was truly terrifying. That can be hard to accomplish when you know the main character isn’t going to die. But this “big bad” was scary enough even without that threat & had plenty of torture to go around.
Overall- It’s the best Beauty & the Beast retelling I’ve read so far. loved the first 95% of it or so way more than I expected. I do wish it had stuck the landing for me (& I also wish I didn’t know certain things about where the story goes). However, I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy.
January 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Kidnapping, and War