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mcoppadge07's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting spin on Beauty and the Beast. While reading it I felt like I'd read a book before with parts of the curse. I can't remember where, go figure, but it seemed really familiar.
I hate insta-love but this one was interesting so that's ok. I don't know what to say. It's a good book. The characters are ok. The story line decent. But I never felt that pull or had a moment where I was super excited and just HAD to keep reading. It's a good book to read if you're in between books or need a genre break like I needed.
I hate insta-love but this one was interesting so that's ok. I don't know what to say. It's a good book. The characters are ok. The story line decent. But I never felt that pull or had a moment where I was super excited and just HAD to keep reading. It's a good book to read if you're in between books or need a genre break like I needed.
skm's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
shelovestoread81's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fast read. I love all of the twists and turns and how the author takes the original story and twists it around into a new and inteersting way.
blythe_auden's review against another edition
I’m sorry but no. Just no. The writing was atrocious.
chyina's review against another edition
4.0
I have read a lot of fairy tale re-tellings in my day but none quite like this one!
A cruel king who forces a young girl to curse a mirror and then does the unthinkable. A young girl, now a powerful enchantress, bitter and set in her ways. A cursed prince, loved by all around him though thinking himself undeserving of love.
When Zuleika is barely sixteen years old, she comes to the king's court and is forced to create a hefty curse for an enemy for fear of her family's safety. But the king has a loophole, her family will be safe, but she is not included in that number. Later, when Zuleika is on the hunt for her father's lost goods, she comes across an island. A prince cursed to look like his most hideous thoughts, invisible servants, walls higher than imaginable, with no newcomers coming in and out, she decides to help them. But who could have created such an awful curse? She vows to find the witch who did it.
Carlton made all of her characters a bit dense to the obvious in a way that really got on my nerves but I was able to continue reading simply because I loved Prince Vardan and his servants so much. They are more jovial and hopeful than either of the main characters and seem to have the sense their master lacks. Prince Vardan, thanks to his curse, has an aversion to magic and fears that Zuleika, who seemed to just appear from nowhere, is his brother's spy while Zuleika, at first, believes him to be a thief and loyal to his brother, whom she cursed as well. And here are the servants, living their lives as best they know how even though for the last five years, they have not been able to see themselves or each other; even though they are constantly battling pirates. They remain hopeful and provide the humor that breaks up the otherwise dreary moods that Vardan and Zuleika show to each other.
A cruel king who forces a young girl to curse a mirror and then does the unthinkable. A young girl, now a powerful enchantress, bitter and set in her ways. A cursed prince, loved by all around him though thinking himself undeserving of love.
When Zuleika is barely sixteen years old, she comes to the king's court and is forced to create a hefty curse for an enemy for fear of her family's safety. But the king has a loophole, her family will be safe, but she is not included in that number. Later, when Zuleika is on the hunt for her father's lost goods, she comes across an island. A prince cursed to look like his most hideous thoughts, invisible servants, walls higher than imaginable, with no newcomers coming in and out, she decides to help them. But who could have created such an awful curse? She vows to find the witch who did it.
Carlton made all of her characters a bit dense to the obvious in a way that really got on my nerves but I was able to continue reading simply because I loved Prince Vardan and his servants so much. They are more jovial and hopeful than either of the main characters and seem to have the sense their master lacks. Prince Vardan, thanks to his curse, has an aversion to magic and fears that Zuleika, who seemed to just appear from nowhere, is his brother's spy while Zuleika, at first, believes him to be a thief and loyal to his brother, whom she cursed as well. And here are the servants, living their lives as best they know how even though for the last five years, they have not been able to see themselves or each other; even though they are constantly battling pirates. They remain hopeful and provide the humor that breaks up the otherwise dreary moods that Vardan and Zuleika show to each other.
lakea's review against another edition
4.0
Personally, I prefer this to the Disney version. While other reviewers debate if Belle or the Prince is the ‘beast’ of this retelling, I offer a third choice.
The true Beast is the King. Though physically handsome, his soul is beastly. This ugliness is then projected onto V, a man who is beautiful outwardly AND inwardly.
The true Beast is the King. Though physically handsome, his soul is beastly. This ugliness is then projected onto V, a man who is beautiful outwardly AND inwardly.
divensar's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
reveriesociety's review against another edition
2.0
I love love B&B retellings but I was very disappointed with this one.
I went in cautiously, but also pretty excited because I was dying for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. In the end, it was just... it was pretty dull. I don't see the point of anything.
There is an abuse scene right at the beginning. And I remember thinking 'Okaay, this is going to be way deeper and darker than I'd initially expected.' Everytime there is abuse in a story, I'm paying close attention, because it is not something you can use whenever you please to make your character more interesting.
I feel this book danced precariously on that line. Because while it did have consequences on this character's perceptions, something was off about the cause and effect situation. I didn't perceive those effects beyond the MC's decision to swear off men.
Something that also bothered me was the absence of the beast we all love to no end. I mean, nice and gentle men are lovely and one of god's gifts to the world, but if I read something based off Beauty and the Beast, I go in with certain expectations.
For example, the beast needs to be a grumpy cinammon roll that secretely pines for love. SECRETELY. AS IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF HIS BEASTLY HEART.
Instead, this prince was different. I could almost hear him asking:
"Can you find it in your heart to love me? Can you? Please just let me luv u!" (Quote NOT taken literally from the text, but comes pretty close."
So, I would go with the GR rating here and say it was OK, but not what I expected.
I went in cautiously, but also pretty excited because I was dying for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. In the end, it was just... it was pretty dull. I don't see the point of anything.
There is an abuse scene right at the beginning. And I remember thinking 'Okaay, this is going to be way deeper and darker than I'd initially expected.' Everytime there is abuse in a story, I'm paying close attention, because it is not something you can use whenever you please to make your character more interesting.
I feel this book danced precariously on that line. Because while it did have consequences on this character's perceptions, something was off about the cause and effect situation. I didn't perceive those effects beyond the MC's decision to swear off men.
Something that also bothered me was the absence of the beast we all love to no end. I mean, nice and gentle men are lovely and one of god's gifts to the world, but if I read something based off Beauty and the Beast, I go in with certain expectations.
For example, the beast needs to be a grumpy cinammon roll that secretely pines for love. SECRETELY. AS IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF HIS BEASTLY HEART.
Instead, this prince was different. I could almost hear him asking:
"Can you find it in your heart to love me? Can you? Please just let me luv u!" (Quote NOT taken literally from the text, but comes pretty close."
So, I would go with the GR rating here and say it was OK, but not what I expected.
jo81082's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
traditionson's review against another edition
5.0
An epic retelling of a greatly loved story. Well worth a read if you want to see a completely different take on the curse and the witch who cast it.