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A review by magencorrie
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
4.0
4 stars
My Thoughts:
Cruel Beauty was definitely not what I was expecting at all. And I absolutely loved that! The author took on quite a different version of Beauty and the Beast. I did have a picture as to how, maybe, the story would play out. Well, I did not expect the story to play out as it did. That, I believe, made the story so much fun; made it one I really did enjoy.
I think the world that the author created was by far the most unique thing. I loved how she wove bits and pieces of the original Beauty and the Beast story into her novel, yet turned everything else upside down! The world within this book is quite exceptional. Interwoven ancient myths, gods, and goddess also play an intricate part in this book, along with more magical elements. Each factor was interesting and pulled me in.
The characters, each one, I really loved meeting. Nyx was raised to be the one to slay the beast or in this world the Demon Lord. What I enjoyed so much about her character is her faults. She isn't a perfect character and that was a big thing in the book. It’s what made Nyx feel more connectable with, even though this story is such a fantasy read. But despite her faults, she’s a very determined character. And I love determined characters!
Oh, don’t even get me started on Ignifex. I guess I can say he is a bit of a complicated character. Like Beast from the original tale, he isn't what he seems. I think that’s what I enjoyed learning about Ignifex. The mystery woven around his character is deep and very fascinating. Plus, despite everything, he really was a good character. And he loved despite faults; that’s what made me enjoy him so much.
The mystery of the book was very intense and very intricate. And the twists and plot building left me a bit breathless. I wasn't sure where the story was heading, and I loved that. It’s very rare from me to not be able to guess most aspects, or turn of events, in a book. Though I did figure out some things, I enjoyed the story and the mystery. The world was just so odd and yet very creative. Rosamund did a unique job at making this world her very own.
Her writing, description, and style was something I enjoyed. It pulled me in and I was able to visually see the world she built, the characters, the mystery, the magical elements. And the story flowed at a nice pace. Though I did feel that some aspects of the book were a bit rushed, but it didn't take from the overall story.
Watching Nyx slowly uncover the world of Ignifex, and slowly fall in love with him, was intense. And I loved the challenges she faced, the conflicts she had to overcome. She was made to choose on how to save her world and I could feel how hard that was for her. It was pretty hard for me too, as the reader. And I loved watching her and Ignifew grow. Their character growth was slow, but there. At the end of the book I really liked who they were, faults and all.
This was definitely a unique, odd, take on Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed that uniqueness, and the way the author told her story. It pulled me in right from the beginning and took me on one interesting adventure. I do recommend Cruel Beauty to those who loved Beauty and the Beast, but want a very different take on the story.
My Thoughts:
Cruel Beauty was definitely not what I was expecting at all. And I absolutely loved that! The author took on quite a different version of Beauty and the Beast. I did have a picture as to how, maybe, the story would play out. Well, I did not expect the story to play out as it did. That, I believe, made the story so much fun; made it one I really did enjoy.
I think the world that the author created was by far the most unique thing. I loved how she wove bits and pieces of the original Beauty and the Beast story into her novel, yet turned everything else upside down! The world within this book is quite exceptional. Interwoven ancient myths, gods, and goddess also play an intricate part in this book, along with more magical elements. Each factor was interesting and pulled me in.
The characters, each one, I really loved meeting. Nyx was raised to be the one to slay the beast or in this world the Demon Lord. What I enjoyed so much about her character is her faults. She isn't a perfect character and that was a big thing in the book. It’s what made Nyx feel more connectable with, even though this story is such a fantasy read. But despite her faults, she’s a very determined character. And I love determined characters!
Oh, don’t even get me started on Ignifex. I guess I can say he is a bit of a complicated character. Like Beast from the original tale, he isn't what he seems. I think that’s what I enjoyed learning about Ignifex. The mystery woven around his character is deep and very fascinating. Plus, despite everything, he really was a good character. And he loved despite faults; that’s what made me enjoy him so much.
The mystery of the book was very intense and very intricate. And the twists and plot building left me a bit breathless. I wasn't sure where the story was heading, and I loved that. It’s very rare from me to not be able to guess most aspects, or turn of events, in a book. Though I did figure out some things, I enjoyed the story and the mystery. The world was just so odd and yet very creative. Rosamund did a unique job at making this world her very own.
Her writing, description, and style was something I enjoyed. It pulled me in and I was able to visually see the world she built, the characters, the mystery, the magical elements. And the story flowed at a nice pace. Though I did feel that some aspects of the book were a bit rushed, but it didn't take from the overall story.
Watching Nyx slowly uncover the world of Ignifex, and slowly fall in love with him, was intense. And I loved the challenges she faced, the conflicts she had to overcome. She was made to choose on how to save her world and I could feel how hard that was for her. It was pretty hard for me too, as the reader. And I loved watching her and Ignifew grow. Their character growth was slow, but there. At the end of the book I really liked who they were, faults and all.
This was definitely a unique, odd, take on Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed that uniqueness, and the way the author told her story. It pulled me in right from the beginning and took me on one interesting adventure. I do recommend Cruel Beauty to those who loved Beauty and the Beast, but want a very different take on the story.