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e_knight 's review for:
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
by Brigid Kemmerer
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't even realize this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I started reading it, but it's one of my favorite Disney movies, so I'm glad I came across it! I really loved the storytelling and the progression of the book - at times, I even forgot that it was a retelling (not that it's good or bad either way, but in my opinion, it really speaks to how much of the story is the author's own).
The characters were all FABULOUS and I love pretty much each and every one of them. They feel very real, and even many of the side characters feel decently fleshed-out without anything feeling too forced. To that end, I also think that the representation of Harper's cerebral palsy was handled very well - often, I find that authors who include disabled characters (especially if it's a main character), it feels like they really smack you in the face with the details and can be overpowering to the story, leaving not feel like it's really representation, you know? That's definitely not the case here - it blends so well with the rest of the story that it's part of her character and the story but isn't all you hear about. All of that to say, I think it's woven in well.
I will say that sometimes I found myself having to suspend more disbelief than normal - on one hand, I understand Rhen's actions and thought processes based on the sheer number of seasons he experienced, but on the other hand, I felt like there was more he would have done throughout based on his character, especially when it came to the citizens of Emberfall. Like, I understand his thoughts about offering food and such being a slippery slope, but I still feel that he would have come up with a compromise other than totally secluding himself at Ironrose and leaving the country to fend for itself. But again, all of this is just based on my observations of his character throughout the book and maybe I'm just overthinking it 😂
I'm SO glad we got to be introduced to Noah and that we saw more of Jake, too - I hope they are able to stick around in some way for the rest of the series because I think they add a great element not only to Harper's character but also to the story.
The characters were all FABULOUS and I love pretty much each and every one of them. They feel very real, and even many of the side characters feel decently fleshed-out without anything feeling too forced. To that end, I also think that the representation of Harper's cerebral palsy was handled very well - often, I find that authors who include disabled characters (especially if it's a main character), it feels like they really smack you in the face with the details and can be overpowering to the story, leaving not feel like it's really representation, you know? That's definitely not the case here - it blends so well with the rest of the story that it's part of her character and the story but isn't all you hear about. All of that to say, I think it's woven in well.
I will say that sometimes I found myself having to suspend more disbelief than normal - on one hand, I understand Rhen's actions and thought processes based on the sheer number of seasons he experienced, but on the other hand, I felt like there was more he would have done throughout based on his character, especially when it came to the citizens of Emberfall. Like, I understand his thoughts about offering food and such being a slippery slope, but I still feel that he would have come up with a compromise other than totally secluding himself at Ironrose and leaving the country to fend for itself. But again, all of this is just based on my observations of his character throughout the book and maybe I'm just overthinking it 😂