It's been a long while since I posted any kind of book discussion or review. I would like to get back into it because I feel like it is a good way to voice opinions in an honest and wholesome way.
With this being said, let's get started!
There a few, light spoilers but I tried to avoid giving any major plot points besides the obvious ones. Skip to the end if you want the brief overview.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Book Rating: 3/5
I received this book as part of the February Fairyloot box (theme: Beast and Beauty).
I was extremely excited to read this as I love fairy tale retellings, especially Beauty and the Beast. This being said, I personally felt like it fell a little short. This novel follows the story of a young girl named Harper who has cerebral palsy and a fairly stereotypical fairy tale prince by the name of Rhen.
Keeping to the original and Disney version of the story, Rhen is cursed to repeat the same season of his life over and over again until he finds someone who truly loves him. Or so he believes. His captain of the guard, Grey, regularly kidnaps girls to attempt to break this curse and to save their kingdom of Emberfall from Rhen's beastly form, which is how Harper comes to meet Rhen. It's a fairly straight forward plot.
Let's start with what I liked:
Harper, as a character, was a little refreshing. Her sarcasm and curtness entertained me and I found it relatable. She is resilient and definitely the saving grace of this novel. Honestly she was the only reason I kept reading at some points.
The world of Emberfall was one that I appreciated. It felt fleshed out and pretty and I really liked the descriptions of the seasons. I could practically smell the autumn air wafting through the castle and could easily visualize the castle itself. The descriptions were gorgeous and immersive.
I appreciated the humor peppered throughout as well. I liked how some of the characters didn't take themselves that seriously (Harper and Grey mainly). It made me want to follow their stories and continue flipping the page. Humor is definitely a plus for me 100%.
Grey was another positive point. He felt real and down to earth. If I choose to read the next book in this series, it will be because I want to know more about him. He was a lovable character oozing an aura that screamed veiled intelligence and cunning. By far, the most intelligent character in the entire book.
Now for what I didn't like:
I'm not going to totally rip the book apart because I know that a lot of people enjoyed the read. I however came away feeling dissatisfied and a little stale towards it.
Rhen in my opinion is a horrible character. I understand that the prince in Beauty and the Beast is arrogant and spoiled but at least he has some redeemable qualities and is considered a dynamic character historically. I kept thinking that Rhen would change, but HE NEVER DID. It was evident through Kemmerer's writing that we were supposed to pick up on a change in his personality and that Rhen was intended to be written as an intelligent and calculating character but he absolutely was not. I found him somewhat dense and shallow even when we were provided with chapters told from his perspective.
There were a lot of points that were just really confusing to me as well. I understand that Lilith tore Rhen apart but at the same time I was confused as to why or even how that contributed anything in the story. The only thing is contributed was a scene of gore that was so extremely out of place because of the juvenile feel I had towards this novel.
Before anyone gets upset that I called this story juvenile, let me explain why I believe it is.
The first reason is the language and dialogue. Rhen's language especially didn't really reflect a 20 year old's voice in my opinion. I had a hard time imagining any of the characters being over 16 actually. A lot of the conflict seemed petty and laughable, forced even. There just wasn't any chemistry between Rhen and Harper either, making it unbelievable that suddenly Harper would want to be with Rhen. I had an easier time believing in the relationship she shared with Grey because it wasn't as forced and the personalities of the two characters were a lot more compatible.
I know we were supposed to sympathize with Rhen, but I was more inclined to believe he deserved a punishment because of how he often assumed an almost derogatory tone when talking about women. I found that he often thought of them as objects made to please him rather than human beings. This partnered with the idea that he regularly kidnapped young women and girls just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, making it hard for me to like him even a little bit.
Kemmerer has a diverse cast true, but honestly we hardly even see them. All we see are Grey, Harper, and Rhen most of the time with oddly placed gore and deaths. The deaths frequently make Rhen out to be a bit sociopathic and unfeeling. Which is part of the reason he might come off as having a lack of depth. His dynamic is just very, very strange.
Similarly, we have Lilith, a weak villian in my opinion, who reflects an Ianthe sort of personality if you are familiar with ACOTAR. Ianthe is a weak character as well but at least she has a real reason for doing what she does. Ianthe wants power and wants the priestesses to reign overall. Lilith wants revenge (I think?). I mean if she wanted power all she had to do was kill Rhen? I didn't really understand her or why she was even a character. Again just a lack of depth.
Final Summary:
While the book wasn't the worst I've read, it was a little childish and lacked depth. Some parts contained interesting concepts, however, I felt some aspects of the story were a little too close to the original. This story does do a good job of representing a strong heroine who manages to save everyone regardless of her disability. The novel does deal with sensitive topics such as cancer, cerebral palsy, and sexual abuse. I may or may not read the sequel.
Sincerely,
Becca
No comments:
Post a Comment