Cruel Beauty in We Stand-Alone Reading Challenge

Apr 22, 2014 Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

The similarities to Beauty and the Beast were very subtle. Had I not read the blurb before hand, I probably never would have connected the two. I haven't seen any other reviewers mention this, so maybe I'm crazy, but I thought there were also some similarities to Rumpelstiltskin. Add in some Greek Mythology and you have something entirely unique. This was a very different kind of romance. It was tender at times, but it was also dark and twisted, and I liked it ...more

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Jul 15, 2013 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, arc, fantasy, paranormal, kindle, greek-mythology, fairy-tale-inspired, 4-stars, read-in-2013, edelweiss

Review Posted on Reading Lark 12/23/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...

Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite Disney cartoons, but sadly, I have never taken the time to read the original fairy tale. I should remedy that, but in the mean time, I do enjoy reading novels that have a little Beauty and the Beast inspiration flowing through them. Cruel Beauty certainly has some elements of the classic relationship found in the Beauty and the Beast relationship, but Rosamund H Review Posted on Reading Lark 12/23/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...

Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite Disney cartoons, but sadly, I have never taken the time to read the original fairy tale. I should remedy that, but in the mean time, I do enjoy reading novels that have a little Beauty and the Beast inspiration flowing through them. Cruel Beauty certainly has some elements of the classic relationship found in the Beauty and the Beast relationship, but Rosamund Hodge makes the lore all her own. I loved that she added in elements of mythology and created a beautiful, dangerous world.

Cruel Beauty certainly lives up to its name. The story is gorgeous and heart breaking on so many levels. The main characters are all flawed and feel like they have evil lurking in their souls. Each one of them must battle their cruel nature and seek to replace it with something beautiful and pure. I found the struggle of these characters mirrored the human experience. We all struggle to find balance between the light and dark that exists within our psyches. I loved watching this play out as the story progressed.

As you can imagine, it does take time to love these characters. In fact, I wasn't sure I would be able to find anything redeemable about any of them, but they slowly grew on me and changed my mind. The beginning of this one was extremely slow for me, but I am so glad I stuck with this one. It is a deeply imaginative novel with vivid descriptions and captivating lore.

Hodge has delivered a darkly luscious debut that is part fantasy, part fairy tale, and part myth. Complex characters, complicated relationships, and a dark romance also kept me turning pages. I'd certainly recommend adding this one to your pre-order list; it's sure to provide some entertainment on those cold winter nights.

One Last Gripe: I mentioned this in the body of the review, but the beginning was slow and tedious. I worried that I'd never like the characters and that the plot wouldn't hold my interest. I'm so glad I kept reading.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I was mesmerized by the creativity that went into creating the castle and the lore.

First Sentence: I was raised to marry a monster.

Favorite Character: Ignifex

Least Favorite Character: Astraia ...more

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