A review by talknerdybookblog
The Beholder by Anna Bright

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Representation: Side characters of colour

Overall: 4.5-stars

The Beholder was fantastical to me and reminded me of the fairy tales I used to read when I was younger. There was no magic, and no princes were sweeping in and saving the day. But the set-up of the novel: a young girl, heir to the throne, stuck with an evil stepmother who is trying to get her step-daughter out of the way so that her child can take the throne is very reminiscent of Cinderella and other fairy tales. It helps that the heroine, Selah, adores fairy tales, as they were something her, now deceased, mother shared with her. The voyage part of the story is reminiscent of The Odyssey; there’s even a character named Homer. Besides these few details, the story completely diverges as Bright commits to telling Selah’s story.

Read my full review on my blog:
Talk Nerdy Book Blog | The Beholder Review

Mature Themes:

• Allusion to violence
• Heroine is 18 and looking for a husband


Possible Triggers: Yes

No OTT sad parts
• Heroine suffers emotional abuse from her step-mother
• Heroine's mother died (off-page)
• The Heroine's father is ill


Ending:
Cliffhanger