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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.
jmstarr018's review against another edition
5.0
At its core, it is a retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story that we all know. But it's almost utterly unrecognizable (in a great way) behind all of the different story elements and character development. It's because of this that this book held its own. It felt like its own original story and not a retelling.
The basic character premise is that our narrator Nyx Triskelion has known almost her whole life that she was essentially born to die. She was to be married off to the demon that ruled over the land and that there was no way out. All of his previous wives had died, so what was there saying this time would be any different? This demon lord, Ignifex, is a cruel and hideous monster and she only sees him as the THING that is going to take her away from her family and kill her.
But of course, she's wrong. They always are. Yes, he's a demon, but no, he isn't hideous and not necessarily even cruel. While she can't leave his castle/mansion, he never makes an attempt to harm her either. He lets her work at her own pace and warm to him a little at a time. He really is my favorite form of demon/devil. I love the idea of the handsome, charming evil because it's not always suspect and very easy to fall for. (Find a gorgeous portrayal of Lucifer in the media and I can almost guarantee I will fall for him).
I really don't want to give away too much, but there are so many aspects of Ignifex that differ from the original Beauty and the Beast story and it really gives a lot of life to this book. But it does come back to the idea that the "beast" you see before you might not be a true beast. There is a lot of evil in the whole world and a lot of what people do is a side effect of that.
Anyways, definitely recommend this for any YA lovers. It's well-written with romantic/horrifying language and a style that will grip you by the throat and wait until you beg for mercy. I cannot wait for Hodge's next release, which I believe is based on Red Riding Hood.
Official Rating: ♥♥♥♥1/2
Afterthought: Can we seriously please get Ian Somehalder to play Ignifex in a movie adaptation? I would die.
The basic character premise is that our narrator Nyx Triskelion has known almost her whole life that she was essentially born to die. She was to be married off to the demon that ruled over the land and that there was no way out. All of his previous wives had died, so what was there saying this time would be any different? This demon lord, Ignifex, is a cruel and hideous monster and she only sees him as the THING that is going to take her away from her family and kill her.
But of course, she's wrong. They always are. Yes, he's a demon, but no, he isn't hideous and not necessarily even cruel. While she can't leave his castle/mansion, he never makes an attempt to harm her either. He lets her work at her own pace and warm to him a little at a time. He really is my favorite form of demon/devil. I love the idea of the handsome, charming evil because it's not always suspect and very easy to fall for. (Find a gorgeous portrayal of Lucifer in the media and I can almost guarantee I will fall for him).
I really don't want to give away too much, but there are so many aspects of Ignifex that differ from the original Beauty and the Beast story and it really gives a lot of life to this book. But it does come back to the idea that the "beast" you see before you might not be a true beast. There is a lot of evil in the whole world and a lot of what people do is a side effect of that.
Anyways, definitely recommend this for any YA lovers. It's well-written with romantic/horrifying language and a style that will grip you by the throat and wait until you beg for mercy. I cannot wait for Hodge's next release, which I believe is based on Red Riding Hood.
Official Rating: ♥♥♥♥1/2
Afterthought: Can we seriously please get Ian Somehalder to play Ignifex in a movie adaptation? I would die.
kaulhilo's review against another edition
5.0
This turned out to be a book I’d been putting off for years to a book that quickly became one of my favorite books. (Not sure if that’s because the book is genuinely good, or because of the weird headspace I’m in right now.)
Either way, it’s such a wonderful book. I’d be hard pressed not to give it 6 stars, if there were such an option. The blurb itself was nothing out of the extraordinary- a girl set up to marry someone she’s raised to kill, a demon who she inevitably falls in love with. Beauty and the Beast minus the roses. Sort of.
What surprised me about this book was how I’d always assumed to it to be, well, a terrible book. And yet, it wasn’t. I’d heard about the main character being a bore and unrealistic- but Nyx was probably one of the best written female characters I’ve read about in a while. Poison in her heart, kindness in her heart.
””I love you more than any other creature, because you are cruel, and kind, and alive. Nyx Triskelion, will you be my wife?””
And Ignifex. It was refreshing to read about someone so normal and yet so evil, someone who caused pain and misery simply because it amused him. And I know that sounds ps*ch*tic, but how many times do we have characters that aren’t undeniably good and kind and wonderful, with perfect hair and always ready with 50 quips for every occasion; or characters that aren’t wholly bad and despicable and devious, with bad manners, no sense of personal hygiene and nothing to indulge themselves in besides evil after evil after evil?
Why not have both?
Ignifex. Kind and evil and wonderful and a literal demon, with messy hair and good hair and posh manners and his disability to take anything seriously. We have a character who’s undeniably bad, just because. It’s who he is. And he’s fun and he has a magical house and he sends people off to certain doom and then jokes about it afterwards. He’s terrible and cruel and he’d let himself be eaten alive by darkness to save his morally (somewhat) decent (enemy) wife.
I wished he wouldn’t have a character arc. Let him win. Let the world burn. But this is YA and we all know how that ends.
Still, I’m pretty happy with what happens. I’m terribly and unbelievably satiated and happy with the ending, and everything that took place for Nyx and Ignifex to reach that conclusion.
My only wish? This book should’ve been longer. Filled with lazy mornings in the gardens and Nyx hitting him with water jugs and more, more, more. And also, this book should’ve been NA. No other book, ever, could’ve been as perfect for New Adult as this book.
Shade. Hm. Now here’s a character I wasn’t mad for, and yet. He made me sympathize with him. And the secret about him and Ignifex — wasn’t really much of a secret. I mean, he IS his shadow, for crying out loud.
But I LOVE how this book was written and executed, every small thing and every paragraph, every dialogue. I wish it had been a series or a trilogy because I really would’ve loved having more time with these characters.
Either way, it’s such a wonderful book. I’d be hard pressed not to give it 6 stars, if there were such an option. The blurb itself was nothing out of the extraordinary- a girl set up to marry someone she’s raised to kill, a demon who she inevitably falls in love with. Beauty and the Beast minus the roses. Sort of.
What surprised me about this book was how I’d always assumed to it to be, well, a terrible book. And yet, it wasn’t. I’d heard about the main character being a bore and unrealistic- but Nyx was probably one of the best written female characters I’ve read about in a while. Poison in her heart, kindness in her heart.
””I love you more than any other creature, because you are cruel, and kind, and alive. Nyx Triskelion, will you be my wife?””
And Ignifex. It was refreshing to read about someone so normal and yet so evil, someone who caused pain and misery simply because it amused him. And I know that sounds ps*ch*tic, but how many times do we have characters that aren’t undeniably good and kind and wonderful, with perfect hair and always ready with 50 quips for every occasion; or characters that aren’t wholly bad and despicable and devious, with bad manners, no sense of personal hygiene and nothing to indulge themselves in besides evil after evil after evil?
Why not have both?
Ignifex. Kind and evil and wonderful and a literal demon, with messy hair and good hair and posh manners and his disability to take anything seriously. We have a character who’s undeniably bad, just because. It’s who he is. And he’s fun and he has a magical house and he sends people off to certain doom and then jokes about it afterwards. He’s terrible and cruel and he’d let himself be eaten alive by darkness to save his morally (somewhat) decent (enemy) wife.
I wished he wouldn’t have a character arc. Let him win. Let the world burn. But this is YA and we all know how that ends.
Still, I’m pretty happy with what happens. I’m terribly and unbelievably satiated and happy with the ending, and everything that took place for Nyx and Ignifex to reach that conclusion.
My only wish? This book should’ve been longer. Filled with lazy mornings in the gardens and Nyx hitting him with water jugs and more, more, more. And also, this book should’ve been NA. No other book, ever, could’ve been as perfect for New Adult as this book.
Shade. Hm. Now here’s a character I wasn’t mad for, and yet. He made me sympathize with him. And the secret about him and Ignifex — wasn’t really much of a secret. I mean, he IS his shadow, for crying out loud.
But I LOVE how this book was written and executed, every small thing and every paragraph, every dialogue. I wish it had been a series or a trilogy because I really would’ve loved having more time with these characters.
fridaloversera's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
kellyvanboom's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0