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Cruel Beauty
(Cruel Beauty Universe)
by
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everyt ...more
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everyt ...more
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Nikolae Keaveney
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Grace
He has pale skin, black hair, red pupils shaped like a cat. Reminds me of the Darkling, lol.
Community Reviews
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Start your review of Cruel Beauty
Well, I thought this was wonderful.
What is Cruel Beauty?
• It's a gorgeously written blend of Beauty and the Beast retelling and Greek mythology.
• It's at once a powerful, wonderful, heart-breaking love story and so so much more than that.
• It's a dark tale that stabs you in the heart at every turn and constantly throws all new levels of craziness into the mix.
• And it's the latest addition to my favourite YA of all time shelf.
Cruel Beauty shouldn't work. But somehow it does. It managed to have m ...more
What is Cruel Beauty?
• It's a gorgeously written blend of Beauty and the Beast retelling and Greek mythology.
• It's at once a powerful, wonderful, heart-breaking love story and so so much more than that.
• It's a dark tale that stabs you in the heart at every turn and constantly throws all new levels of craziness into the mix.
• And it's the latest addition to my favourite YA of all time shelf.
Cruel Beauty shouldn't work. But somehow it does. It managed to have m ...more
I don’t know if Cruel Beauty truly deserved five stars on merit but goddamnit I’m awarding it all the points for enjoyability. All of them. I loved the hell out of this story. The passion. The intrigue. Ignifex. Nyx’s rage. Ignifex. All the kissing. Nyx.
This book kind of had it all for me. Plot, mystery, intrigue and a whole lot of making out. It’s almost like Hodge was trying to distract me from the crazy plotholes and loose story structure. It was fantastic! I haven’t been this entertained by ...more
This book kind of had it all for me. Plot, mystery, intrigue and a whole lot of making out. It’s almost like Hodge was trying to distract me from the crazy plotholes and loose story structure. It was fantastic! I haven’t been this entertained by ...more
If one of us had to die, it ought to be the one with poison in her heart.Actual rating: 3.5
Maybe it's just me, but I've rarely encountered a Beauty and the Beast retelling that I haven't loved. Ok, except Beastly. That abomination was just horrible all the way around. And let's not even mention the movie. Some people just have the kind of face that just begs for an encounter with my fist, and pretty boy Pettyfer is one of them. But I digress.
This was a very enjoyable read, though not ...more
For one moment, I felt like a river running down to his ocean.
i feel like i need to drop a few lines here about what, precisely, i felt was lacking in this story. i so rarely throw down a fewer-than-three-stars rating on here, i figure an explanation may be helpful. i'm not going to go into too much plot-detail, since there are a bazillion reviews of this book already on here - i just want to have a record of my own reaction, for the day when some stranger asks me WHYYYYYYYYYYYY i didn't like th ...more
i feel like i need to drop a few lines here about what, precisely, i felt was lacking in this story. i so rarely throw down a fewer-than-three-stars rating on here, i figure an explanation may be helpful. i'm not going to go into too much plot-detail, since there are a bazillion reviews of this book already on here - i just want to have a record of my own reaction, for the day when some stranger asks me WHYYYYYYYYYYYY i didn't like th ...more
huh. im really quite shocked. this is the first ‘beauty and the beast’ retelling that i havent enjoyed. ive read and loved so many, so for me to not click with this is a major disappointment.
i appreciate the unique spin on a classic story, but i found the pacing to be slow, the writing to be dull and repetitious, the characters to be unlikable, and the world-building to be confusing and out of place. there really wasnt much that i liked about this, to be honest, and im super jealous of all the ...more
i appreciate the unique spin on a classic story, but i found the pacing to be slow, the writing to be dull and repetitious, the characters to be unlikable, and the world-building to be confusing and out of place. there really wasnt much that i liked about this, to be honest, and im super jealous of all the ...more
I loved the first 100 pages of this book so much that i was 99% sure it'd be a 4 or 5 star book. I loved the writing and the main character's sass, and the "Dark Lord" or whatever his title is was REALLY interesting. But holy moly, this book does a 180. It starts out strong but turns into trash. HORRID instalove, obnoxious and confusing love triangle (??????), and I was completely baffled by the world/magic system. I'm not sure if it's because I listened to it on audio, but i am SO confused by e
...more
3.25 - 3.5 Stars
Last night I got a bee up my ass and decided to count and see how many unread physical books I have on my home library shelves...and let’s just say the number was pretty shameful.
Thus, I decided it was time to cull the herd. So decided I would try the cliched booktube trend of reading first chapters of books that have been on my shelves awhile...unhauling anything that didn’t at least mildly capture my attention.
This book has been on my shelves the longest, so I grabbed it and ...more
Last night I got a bee up my ass and decided to count and see how many unread physical books I have on my home library shelves...and let’s just say the number was pretty shameful.
Thus, I decided it was time to cull the herd. So decided I would try the cliched booktube trend of reading first chapters of books that have been on my shelves awhile...unhauling anything that didn’t at least mildly capture my attention.
This book has been on my shelves the longest, so I grabbed it and ...more
I have to give the narrator, Elizabeth Knowelden, some credit here. She tried. She really, really tried to salvage this book by giving the main character tons of personality, but not even she could change the source material. The fact is that Cruel Beauty made absolutely no damn sense.
How does the magic work? I dunno.
Who are the real bad guys? I dunno.
Wait, what's the SECRET. Well, I dunno because Nyx learns it and then FORGETS it on the next page to conveniently keep the plot rolling. Awesome.
H ...more
How does the magic work? I dunno.
Who are the real bad guys? I dunno.
Wait, what's the SECRET. Well, I dunno because Nyx learns it and then FORGETS it on the next page to conveniently keep the plot rolling. Awesome.
H ...more
*Reread...um, I was going to add something but I forgot! 🤨 The Audio is great though!
When I first started the book I was disappointed and thought I would not like it because it seemed to drag for me. It took a few chapters for me to get interested, pretty much when Nyx got to her wonderful husband's home, the evil Ignifex.
She is supposed to be killed by her husband at some point in time, how is that for a honeymoon! But, and there is always a but, Ignifex is not what he seems. Yes, he has the ...more
When I first started the book I was disappointed and thought I would not like it because it seemed to drag for me. It took a few chapters for me to get interested, pretty much when Nyx got to her wonderful husband's home, the evil Ignifex.
She is supposed to be killed by her husband at some point in time, how is that for a honeymoon! But, and there is always a but, Ignifex is not what he seems. Yes, he has the ...more
One of the Best, Angriest, Cruelest, Beautiful Retellings..
Not just a different retelling of a 'story as old of time',
But it also mixed with as many of ancient Greek Myths.
And by the end you'll feel that it's came so, Original.
الجميلة والوحش هي قصة قديمة كالزمن، لكن في أعادة الحكي القاسية، الغاضبة، الجميلة تلك الأمر مختلفا
فهي لم تكتفي بأعادة حكيها وإنما أيضا مزجتها بأساطير أغريقية عتيقة...وببناء عالم مختلف وسماء من ورق
وبمشاعر 'بشرية' أكثر واقعية، بقسوة
قصة تلاعبت بالزمن لتنتج بعض الجمال
Even if yo ...more
Not just a different retelling of a 'story as old of time',
But it also mixed with as many of ancient Greek Myths.
And by the end you'll feel that it's came so, Original.
الجميلة والوحش هي قصة قديمة كالزمن، لكن في أعادة الحكي القاسية، الغاضبة، الجميلة تلك الأمر مختلفا
فهي لم تكتفي بأعادة حكيها وإنما أيضا مزجتها بأساطير أغريقية عتيقة...وببناء عالم مختلف وسماء من ورق
وبمشاعر 'بشرية' أكثر واقعية، بقسوة
قصة تلاعبت بالزمن لتنتج بعض الجمال
Even if yo ...more
I'm not sure of what to think of this book... I really loved it... but at the same time I didn´t? Let me try to arrange my thoughts...
I was very excited about this book, so I was a little dissappointed because I wasn't really digging it and I was already at page 100... but after that it really became really really good! I started to like the characters and I kinda fell in love with the Gentle Lord, Ignifex <3.
I think that I wasn't liking it at the begining because Nyx is always changing her mi ...more
I was very excited about this book, so I was a little dissappointed because I wasn't really digging it and I was already at page 100... but after that it really became really really good! I started to like the characters and I kinda fell in love with the Gentle Lord, Ignifex <3.
I think that I wasn't liking it at the begining because Nyx is always changing her mi ...more
Let me say it now: Cruel Beauty is one fantastic, gorgeously written, spectacularly dark debut. Many of its aspects may not appeal to some readers, and I understand that; although I really loved how the romance in Cruel Beauty and the "love triangle" (note the quotation marks--don't run off) played out, I do understand why some other readers, a handful of my friends amongst them, take issue with much of this novel.
But honestly, it's been over a week since I've finished Cruel Beauty, and I have ...more
But honestly, it's been over a week since I've finished Cruel Beauty, and I have ...more
2 Stars
Mini-review since it's been like a month since I read this whoops.
Pros
- engrossing writing style
- Audiobook narrator with the voice of a goddess
- A fun combination of Greek mythology and Beauty and the Beast retelling
- Main character who's allowed flaws and to be complex
Cons:
- In the quest to make the MC complex they made her indecisive and fickle. (she seriously couldn't make up her mind about anything for more than two pages)
- None of the characters have a real conversation ever. They ...more
Mini-review since it's been like a month since I read this whoops.
Pros
- engrossing writing style
- Audiobook narrator with the voice of a goddess
- A fun combination of Greek mythology and Beauty and the Beast retelling
- Main character who's allowed flaws and to be complex
Cons:
- In the quest to make the MC complex they made her indecisive and fickle. (she seriously couldn't make up her mind about anything for more than two pages)
- None of the characters have a real conversation ever. They ...more
3.9ish stars
This was so so so good and I loved it way more than I was expecting to. I did have some small issues which is why I didn't give it full five stars.
Rtc after my exams,
Buddy read with Inej dominating Kazwho i ditched lmao
...more
This was so so so good and I loved it way more than I was expecting to. I did have some small issues which is why I didn't give it full five stars.
Rtc after my exams,
Buddy read with Inej dominating Kaz
3.5 stars
This book, I would have preferred to read written for adults. It is mostly a romance, with a lot of talk of virginity, ravishing, tearing off dresses, etc. But because it's YA, despite being quite sensuous, it doesn't go further than kissing. Too bad really, I don't come across many good adult romances, and setup of "Cruel Beauty" is perfect for creating all kinds of convenient excuses to facilitate sexy times.
I enjoyed mythology/fairy tale mix as well, although I got lost a little in ...more
This book, I would have preferred to read written for adults. It is mostly a romance, with a lot of talk of virginity, ravishing, tearing off dresses, etc. But because it's YA, despite being quite sensuous, it doesn't go further than kissing. Too bad really, I don't come across many good adult romances, and setup of "Cruel Beauty" is perfect for creating all kinds of convenient excuses to facilitate sexy times.
I enjoyed mythology/fairy tale mix as well, although I got lost a little in ...more
3.5 stars. Everyone was telling me I would hate this book, and I did not! While it did have its faults, I enjoyed what it was trying to do and the general theme, even if the execution failed at times. It is a Beauty and the Beast/Hades & Persephone hybrid with some folklore mixed in. I cannot hate it.
A review to come when I've fully collected my thoughts! ...more
A review to come when I've fully collected my thoughts! ...more
Jul 06, 2017
♛ may
rated it
did not like it
Shelves:
clichéd-to-death,
love-triangle-ugh,
bye,
n-o-p-e,
duology,
why-is-this-a-book,
fantasy,
in-the-trash-you-go,
300-pgs,
binged
I don’t get what the point of this book is?
It’s supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but we got one hell of a desnse-uninteresting-FRIVOLOUS-beauty and one hell of a not-so-beastly-beast.
-
(s)
Not to mention, the insta-love, the love triangle, the my-determined-will-is-broken-by-a-single-kiss, the exhausting amount of lust, it’s all M E S S.
So, this girl, Nxy, is supposed to save her kingdom by being wedded to the Gentle Lord. She and her father devised a plan to kill him to free ...more
It’s supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but we got one hell of a desnse-uninteresting-FRIVOLOUS-beauty and one hell of a not-so-beastly-beast.
-
(s)
Not to mention, the insta-love, the love triangle, the my-determined-will-is-broken-by-a-single-kiss, the exhausting amount of lust, it’s all M E S S.
So, this girl, Nxy, is supposed to save her kingdom by being wedded to the Gentle Lord. She and her father devised a plan to kill him to free ...more
This book really surprised me.
When I was first reading this book I was not really digging it, I thought I had a handle on where the story was going, and therefore I thought it was too predictable. However, this story did not follow the stereotypical path that I thought it would. I still guessed the ending halfway in, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless. The amount of predictability that may or may not be present in this book is not the important part, no, the important part is the story. The sto ...more
When I was first reading this book I was not really digging it, I thought I had a handle on where the story was going, and therefore I thought it was too predictable. However, this story did not follow the stereotypical path that I thought it would. I still guessed the ending halfway in, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless. The amount of predictability that may or may not be present in this book is not the important part, no, the important part is the story. The sto ...more
me: so this is a serious version of Jude and Cardan
brain: hehe yes, i guess a version of it
brain: hehe yes, i guess a version of it
me: *high fives brain*
me: *injures brain*
I realize that this book doesn't come out for quite a while, but as soon as it downloaded on my Kindle, I started reading it right away, and once I'd finished it, there was no holding back the feels.
This book is amazering.
It's half:
And another half:
And considering Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies/fairy tales and the Cupid and Psyche myth is probably my favorite in the entire Greek mythology canon...
This book has some of the coolest worldbuilding I've seen in a YA novel. O ...more
This book is amazering.
It's half:
And another half:
And considering Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies/fairy tales and the Cupid and Psyche myth is probably my favorite in the entire Greek mythology canon...
This book has some of the coolest worldbuilding I've seen in a YA novel. O ...more
3.5
"Why wasn’t my hatred simple anymore?"
I'm going to start this review doing a thing I usually find useless and infuriating, but which I am nonetheless sure every reader does, at least from time to time: a comparison. And a random enough comparison at that.
Not that many days ago I finished another ya novel that all of you probably know, and that is Angelfall by Susan Ee. You see, I thought I needed to mention it because of this curious question that popped up in my mind as soon as I turned ...more
"Why wasn’t my hatred simple anymore?"
I'm going to start this review doing a thing I usually find useless and infuriating, but which I am nonetheless sure every reader does, at least from time to time: a comparison. And a random enough comparison at that.
Not that many days ago I finished another ya novel that all of you probably know, and that is Angelfall by Susan Ee. You see, I thought I needed to mention it because of this curious question that popped up in my mind as soon as I turned ...more
I found a rose garden under a glass dome; the roses formed a labyrinth in which I always got lost . . .
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever k ...more
THIS IS MY FAVOURITE.
“Where you go, I shall go; where you die, I shall die, and there will I be buried.”
4.5 stars
I honestly expected to hate Cruel Beauty. I don't read many books with an average rating of under 4 on GR because so far, I only ended up liking 3 or so. So you can only imagine my surprise when I found myself enjoying this book. I heard many negative things about Cruel Beauty and I was waiting for something terrible. I decided to read it because I was in this fairy tale retelling mood and I'm glad I
...more
In Cruel Beauty, Nyx has been trained since birth to be an assassin so that she can fulfill her father's bargain to marry the demon lord, with the ultimately goal of killing him and bringing about the end of a 900-year-old curse that he had unleashed upon her town. Sounds promising, right? I love a good fairy tale retelling as much as the next person. But unfortunately, this story left me mostly confused.
When a girl is advertised to be an assassin, I expect a badass slaying demons left and right ...more
When a girl is advertised to be an assassin, I expect a badass slaying demons left and right ...more
I love twisted fairy tale retellings, and “Cruel Beauty” definitely hits the mark for me. This is more than a retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” though. It is a story on its own, with hints of a familiar tale yet completely new.
Nyx has been trained from an early age to marry Ignifex, aka the Gentle Lord, then kill him and free her kingdom. He is beautiful, wicked, seductive, and with a really ugly side. When her wedding day comes and she is suddenly married and trapped in his beguiling house - ...more
Nyx has been trained from an early age to marry Ignifex, aka the Gentle Lord, then kill him and free her kingdom. He is beautiful, wicked, seductive, and with a really ugly side. When her wedding day comes and she is suddenly married and trapped in his beguiling house - ...more
Why did no one make me read this earlier? it was so good. The writing was just astounding. From the very first sentence I was captivated. I haven't the slightest clue as to how to review this properly so just know I loved this. It was beautiful. Nyx was the best main character ever honestly. So savage. Straight up throwing things and hitting Ignifex every 3 seconds and later on telling him she still might kill him after admitting she 'might' love him too. If that isn't me I don't know what is. I
...more
Dec 19, 2015
Eliza
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
imaginative,
made-me-laugh,
5-stars,
owned,
romance,
memorable-characters,
favorites,
fantasy,
original-idea,
young-adult
5 STARS
I HATE finishing a book that I absolutely adored reading - it makes me walk around in a depressed state as I come to realization that I might not hear from the characters again, that I might not find such a wonderful book again ... This is how I feel right now: Torn. Thrilled. Depressed. Jovial.
Putting aside my momentary depression, I read Crimson Bound first and loved Hodge's world building and writing - so naturally, I picked this book up and was not disappointed. If anything, I loved ...more
I HATE finishing a book that I absolutely adored reading - it makes me walk around in a depressed state as I come to realization that I might not hear from the characters again, that I might not find such a wonderful book again ... This is how I feel right now: Torn. Thrilled. Depressed. Jovial.
Putting aside my momentary depression, I read Crimson Bound first and loved Hodge's world building and writing - so naturally, I picked this book up and was not disappointed. If anything, I loved ...more
Maybe 2.5 stars?
The first 100 pages are really enjoyable and very intriguing. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough because of the promising plot-Nyx marrying with the intention of assassinating Ignifex, a demon/monster to save the land of Arcadia. But soon she learns that her husband isn’t what people thought he’d be. Her first few attempts at killing him were just so hilarious and I was really convinced I’m going to love the book.
But then a few chapters later, things just got weirder and wei ...more
Nov 14, 2016
Pang ((♥ Book Paradise ♥))
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE
Precious This book is just so precious and so dear to my heart. I think the plot is interesting! with the references of myth like.. Tatarus even Pandora adapt in this retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Strong characters with hatred in their hearts.. alas how I love anti-hero so much. I enjoy and love Nyx and Ignifex my heart giddy giddy you guys might not understand till reading it. LOL!
The romance is so captivating and beautiful Seriouly the best aspect of this book. It's wickedly romantic, ...more
Strong characters with hatred in their hearts.. alas how I love anti-hero so much. I enjoy and love Nyx and Ignifex my heart giddy giddy you guys might not understand till reading it. LOL!
The romance is so captivating and beautiful Seriouly the best aspect of this book. It's wickedly romantic, ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To the people who have read this or are going too, what are your opinons on it? | 1 | 4 | Jan 26, 2021 12:07PM | |
| keto-report-review-process/ | 1 | 1 | Jan 11, 2021 03:36AM | |
| YA Buddy Readers'...: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - Restarting December 7th 2020 | 205 | 414 | Dec 10, 2020 08:14AM | |
| Forgotten YA Gems: Cruel Beauty: General Discussion | 17 | 31 | Jan 19, 2020 08:40AM | |
The Procrastinato...:
Cruel Beauty (October 2019) Group Read Discussion
|
1 | 16 | Sep 29, 2019 07:16PM | |
|
The Procrastinato...:
Cruel Beauty (July 2019) - Faith and Nana
|
6 | 15 | Jul 28, 2019 04:21PM | |
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Paranormal Romance. Heroine is "sacrificed" to powerful vampire to protect their land from him. Cover: a rose or woman in red walking down a spiral staircase? [s] | 6 | 189 | Jul 07, 2019 08:45AM |
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“Where you go, I shall go; where you die, I shall die, and there will I be buried.”
—
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But now I knew that every mad word was true.”
