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jowithtwoiis's review against another edition
5.0
Slow start but worth wading through the opening for this wholly original take on Beauty and the Beast. The writing really had some moments of pure beauty got a Ya novel and there's a nice mix of mythology and fairy tale. Definitely recommend.
nerdalert219's review against another edition
5.0
Since this is a YA book, I will say there is sex in here but no sex scenes.
This book has elements of Beauty and the Beast as well as Hades and Persephone.
There are three main characters, Nyx, Ignifex, and Shade. Nyx is strong-willed and full of malice. Ignifex is full of laughter and games. Shade is gentle and trustworthy. Nyx does the best she can with what she is given to save her land from Ignifex’s rule.
The world building is “meh” at best. But honestly, the story and character development more than make up for it! The ending of this story was amazing!
This book has elements of Beauty and the Beast as well as Hades and Persephone.
There are three main characters, Nyx, Ignifex, and Shade. Nyx is strong-willed and full of malice. Ignifex is full of laughter and games. Shade is gentle and trustworthy. Nyx does the best she can with what she is given to save her land from Ignifex’s rule.
The world building is “meh” at best. But honestly, the story and character development more than make up for it! The ending of this story was amazing!
illusie's review against another edition
2.0
This book was very strange. I don't think I understood everything and am not sure what to think of it. It was confusing and weird. I liked the main character Nyx. What I didn't like was the love triangle.
yodamom's review against another edition
1.0
Audiobook
Narration 4 stars
Book 1 star
Major negative for me: rehashing details over and over.
The MC has some seriously crazy personality disorder going on. I love him, no I hate him, no I love that one, no I hate that one, I will never betray him, oh I need to betray him, I love my sister, I hate my sister, hate/love flick flick flick flick the dark lord is my enemy, love, enemy , love.... Her failing poetic inner dialog ramblings rehashed over and over Omg save me from this woman ! AUGGHHHHHHH.......AGRUHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! (phew) That felt good. It's amazing what running down the street screaming at the top of your lungs will do will a soul. I know there are many who enjoyed this but this MC hit almost every one of my "oh hell no" buttons.
I didn't like it at all. I had hope early on but found too many of my pet peeves to find a happy place. This is not the author for me obviously.
Narration 4 stars
Book 1 star
Major negative for me: rehashing details over and over.
The MC has some seriously crazy personality disorder going on. I love him, no I hate him, no I love that one, no I hate that one, I will never betray him, oh I need to betray him, I love my sister, I hate my sister, hate/love flick flick flick flick the dark lord is my enemy, love, enemy , love.... Her failing poetic inner dialog ramblings rehashed over and over Omg save me from this woman ! AUGGHHHHHHH.......AGRUHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! (phew) That felt good. It's amazing what running down the street screaming at the top of your lungs will do will a soul. I know there are many who enjoyed this but this MC hit almost every one of my "oh hell no" buttons.
I didn't like it at all. I had hope early on but found too many of my pet peeves to find a happy place. This is not the author for me obviously.
elcanaldevenecia's review against another edition
5.0
First Comments:
It was nervewracking and it was devastating. I wasn't expecting this story to blew me away.
Review:
Cruel Beauty was a perfect book to start the year, I couldn’t ask for a better one to keep my hopes up. I wish I could have a little story to know how they are doing and if they’re truly happy. I couldn’t put down this book, but when I looked at the reviews it had, I was disappointed. I never thought that many people dislike it. But I felt great though because I put 4.9 stars to this amazing story.
***Spoilers***
I was suspicious when Shade came by, I thought he was going to harm Nyx but even though he did it there was one time I believed that Shade and Ignifex were the same guys, the lost prince. That was because I mean, the original story was pumping into my head. Shade confused me a lot, at first was a relief that he existed but then when I left my theory apart, I thought he was only there to sabotage the salvation, which made me feel like a fool for believing it.
When Ignifex started giving her chills I was done, I loved him. I never thought that even though he was the ‘bad guy’, I felt that Nyx was doing wrong at plotting against him or kissing Shade also made me feel awful for him. When the only thing he was doing was teaching her how to stop him and trusted her with his life.
Anyways, I was destroyed when Nyx took the decision of destroying the only man, she loved because of an oath that was made almost by force, not by her own desires or decision. In the end, she was rapidly forgiven by Marcus, which made me kind of angry, but she compensates it with spending a lifetime with him.
I love the characters, the decisions that had to be made and the darkness this story had. I am sorry that this only a standalone, which I understand why. I wish of course that they had more time together, but it was enough for them to love each other. Maybe I would re-read this story because I ran through it and it ended too quickly for me.
It was nervewracking and it was devastating. I wasn't expecting this story to blew me away.
Review:
Cruel Beauty was a perfect book to start the year, I couldn’t ask for a better one to keep my hopes up. I wish I could have a little story to know how they are doing and if they’re truly happy. I couldn’t put down this book, but when I looked at the reviews it had, I was disappointed. I never thought that many people dislike it. But I felt great though because I put 4.9 stars to this amazing story.
***Spoilers***
I was suspicious when Shade came by, I thought he was going to harm Nyx but even though he did it there was one time I believed that Shade and Ignifex were the same guys, the lost prince. That was because I mean, the original story was pumping into my head. Shade confused me a lot, at first was a relief that he existed but then when I left my theory apart, I thought he was only there to sabotage the salvation, which made me feel like a fool for believing it.
When Ignifex started giving her chills I was done, I loved him. I never thought that even though he was the ‘bad guy’, I felt that Nyx was doing wrong at plotting against him or kissing Shade also made me feel awful for him. When the only thing he was doing was teaching her how to stop him and trusted her with his life.
Anyways, I was destroyed when Nyx took the decision of destroying the only man, she loved because of an oath that was made almost by force, not by her own desires or decision. In the end, she was rapidly forgiven by Marcus, which made me kind of angry, but she compensates it with spending a lifetime with him.
I love the characters, the decisions that had to be made and the darkness this story had. I am sorry that this only a standalone, which I understand why. I wish of course that they had more time together, but it was enough for them to love each other. Maybe I would re-read this story because I ran through it and it ended too quickly for me.
adriana_writes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
blluberri's review against another edition
4.0
I love retelling books and especially beauty and the beast ones. I admire how the two main characters acknowledge that they are not good people and have a sense of evil in their heart, but nonetheless they will teach each other how to love and be kind
sherbear182's review against another edition
5.0
So i picked up this book mostly for the cover. There was just something about it that made me think, i have to have it. Once picking it up i wanted/needed it even more. The feeling of the cover...almost heavenly (don't judge). I couldn't stop feeling it as i walked around the store. Nor could i stop looking at it.
As soon as i got home and got comfortable, i started reading it. I think it took me about 4-5 hours demolish this well-written book. Honestly can't wait until the next one. It was captivating. I honestly couldn't put it down, and i don't get that often. I tend to be a very fast reader and as i was getting to the end i found myself cursing that ability, wishing that i could slow down. I didn't want it to end. You are literally caught from the first sentence to the last.
I would definately recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a story similar to Beauty and the Beast, as well as anyone who has any knowledge of mythology. It will most definately not be a mistake.
As soon as i got home and got comfortable, i started reading it. I think it took me about 4-5 hours demolish this well-written book. Honestly can't wait until the next one. It was captivating. I honestly couldn't put it down, and i don't get that often. I tend to be a very fast reader and as i was getting to the end i found myself cursing that ability, wishing that i could slow down. I didn't want it to end. You are literally caught from the first sentence to the last.
I would definately recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a story similar to Beauty and the Beast, as well as anyone who has any knowledge of mythology. It will most definately not be a mistake.
lollscoloredglasses's review against another edition
3.0
Greek mythology meets Beauty and the Beast. I really enjoyed it.
bookph1le's review against another edition
5.0
LOVED this book. A fresh take on beauty and the beast filled with shimmering imagery, an imaginative and engrossing setting, and flawed, complex characters. This author needs to write another book now! More complete review to come.
Full review:
Cruel Beauty was the type of book that sucked me down into its pages and never let me go. I devoured it, eager to know what would happen next, yet I was sad when it was over and there was nothing left to read. It was one of those rare reading experiences where I was totally engrossed and totally satisfied.
The setting of this book is one of its strongest points. I had such a solid sense of place that whenever I opened the book's pages, I felt like I was transported to a different world. The book is an interesting mixture of Greek mythology incorporated into a fantasy universe, and it really worked. Each element of the setting seemed to make sense within the context of the story, and I especially loved the Gentle Lord's mansion, the descriptions of which leap off the page due to their lushness. The sense of atmosphere was so strong that I could not only picture the world, I felt like I could hear it and smell it as well. I love it when a book makes me feel this way, and I always make note of it because it's something that doesn't happen all that often.
If I have one caveat about the book, it's that some of the elements of Nyx's relationship with Ignifex (aka the Gentle Lord) are problematic. If this book weren't set in a fantasy world, they might have rubbed me the wrong way, but given the supernatural elements and the fantastical setting, I thought it made sense within the book's context for Nyx to react as she does. Neither of them cause harm to the other, but they don't initially have what I would think of as a healthy relationship.
This is partially due to the volatility of the two main characters, an aspect of the novel I also liked. Nyx is filled with terrible thoughts and violent emotions, which I found very realistic. I liked that Hodge didn't try to smooth away the rough edges, something that happens far too often in YA fiction. Given how Nyx is raised, it makes sense that she would be filled with bitterness, and that she would sometimes manifest that bitterness in counterproductive ways. Nyx is messy and complicated, just like actual human beings.
Ignifex is also fascinating, as is his counterpart, Shade. They appear like two sides of the coin: Ignifex the merciless, heartless Gentle Lord who tricks humans into making terrible bargains, and Shade the gentle servant who tries to shield Nyx. Yet Ignifex has a softer side and Shade has a much sharper side. The mixture of the good with the bad makes the characters interesting, and the fact that they're victims of their circumstances gives good insight into their characters, their actions speaking volumes about the person they are on the inside. I also found Ignifex's arguments about the humans who strike their unholy bargains with him to be interesting. There's quite a lot of commentary in the book about human frailty and the terrible things people do, and I thought Hodge presented a fascinating exploration of the darker side of human nature.
Yet, despite its dark tone, there is hope here. None of the characters are purely good, but none of them are purely bad either, and I liked the nuanced shades of each of them. In many ways, the problems of all of these characters can be boiled down to one simple fact: they're all viewing the world from a skewed perspective, and it colors how they see things and how they react to them. It's an interesting theme to consider, especially because it's prone to happen to the best of us in real life. Even so, there's an undercurrent of hope here, and there are moments of simple humanity that underscore the fact that, doomed as it seems, Nyx's world isn't an entirely bad place. I thought this was deftly done, because in life it's often the small acts of grace that have the most impact.
The writing in this book is lovely too. It's not pretentious, but I found the style lyrical, and there's a sort of dreamlike quality to the book. The way Hodge uses language creates such a sense of place and gives the characters such emotional depths without coming across as melodramatic or overly done.
This is the kind of book where, when I'm finished, I immediately want to run and get the next book by the author. Sadly, this is her only book so far, so I suppose I'll have to be patient and wait for her next. She's a promising voice in YA fantasy fiction, and I'm very eager to read more works by her.
Full review:
Cruel Beauty was the type of book that sucked me down into its pages and never let me go. I devoured it, eager to know what would happen next, yet I was sad when it was over and there was nothing left to read. It was one of those rare reading experiences where I was totally engrossed and totally satisfied.
The setting of this book is one of its strongest points. I had such a solid sense of place that whenever I opened the book's pages, I felt like I was transported to a different world. The book is an interesting mixture of Greek mythology incorporated into a fantasy universe, and it really worked. Each element of the setting seemed to make sense within the context of the story, and I especially loved the Gentle Lord's mansion, the descriptions of which leap off the page due to their lushness. The sense of atmosphere was so strong that I could not only picture the world, I felt like I could hear it and smell it as well. I love it when a book makes me feel this way, and I always make note of it because it's something that doesn't happen all that often.
If I have one caveat about the book, it's that some of the elements of Nyx's relationship with Ignifex (aka the Gentle Lord) are problematic. If this book weren't set in a fantasy world, they might have rubbed me the wrong way, but given the supernatural elements and the fantastical setting, I thought it made sense within the book's context for Nyx to react as she does. Neither of them cause harm to the other, but they don't initially have what I would think of as a healthy relationship.
This is partially due to the volatility of the two main characters, an aspect of the novel I also liked. Nyx is filled with terrible thoughts and violent emotions, which I found very realistic. I liked that Hodge didn't try to smooth away the rough edges, something that happens far too often in YA fiction. Given how Nyx is raised, it makes sense that she would be filled with bitterness, and that she would sometimes manifest that bitterness in counterproductive ways. Nyx is messy and complicated, just like actual human beings.
Ignifex is also fascinating, as is his counterpart, Shade. They appear like two sides of the coin: Ignifex the merciless, heartless Gentle Lord who tricks humans into making terrible bargains, and Shade the gentle servant who tries to shield Nyx. Yet Ignifex has a softer side and Shade has a much sharper side. The mixture of the good with the bad makes the characters interesting, and the fact that they're victims of their circumstances gives good insight into their characters, their actions speaking volumes about the person they are on the inside. I also found Ignifex's arguments about the humans who strike their unholy bargains with him to be interesting. There's quite a lot of commentary in the book about human frailty and the terrible things people do, and I thought Hodge presented a fascinating exploration of the darker side of human nature.
Yet, despite its dark tone, there is hope here. None of the characters are purely good, but none of them are purely bad either, and I liked the nuanced shades of each of them. In many ways, the problems of all of these characters can be boiled down to one simple fact: they're all viewing the world from a skewed perspective, and it colors how they see things and how they react to them. It's an interesting theme to consider, especially because it's prone to happen to the best of us in real life. Even so, there's an undercurrent of hope here, and there are moments of simple humanity that underscore the fact that, doomed as it seems, Nyx's world isn't an entirely bad place. I thought this was deftly done, because in life it's often the small acts of grace that have the most impact.
The writing in this book is lovely too. It's not pretentious, but I found the style lyrical, and there's a sort of dreamlike quality to the book. The way Hodge uses language creates such a sense of place and gives the characters such emotional depths without coming across as melodramatic or overly done.
This is the kind of book where, when I'm finished, I immediately want to run and get the next book by the author. Sadly, this is her only book so far, so I suppose I'll have to be patient and wait for her next. She's a promising voice in YA fantasy fiction, and I'm very eager to read more works by her.