A review by purplehulk713
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I thought the book had an ingenious spin on “Beauty and the Beast” and that Harper was an incredibly compelling protagonist. But I became disinterested at times when it became about war strategy and political affairs without a lot of heart into the social underpinnings of these issues. I disliked Rhen, not because he was poorly written, but because I dislike moody, noble male characters. I really wanted more Zo, who we only get to meet toward the end. Lilith is delicious. Her back-and-forth with Harper is great. The themes of choice and consequences are kind of didactic, but it’s written in a way that makes it seem natural for the characters to elucidate them. But honestly, I read the preview and I had higher hopes. I might be being too critical but I still quite enjoyed this book. Do you dare seek what lurks in Ironrose Castle?
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