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A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)

Brigid Kemmerer

Start date: December 1, 2019

Finish date: December 31, 2019

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Jul 18, 2020 Madeleine rated it it was amazing

I think this is one of my favorite takes on the Beauty and the Beast story. I mean, it's a story I love no matter how it's told, and it's been one of my favorites since I was a child, but I think I especially like this one for a couple of reasons.

1) The Parallels. There's this constant theme between Rhen and Harper of standing up and protecting the people you can, even when you're seemingly incapable of protecting yourself. Rhen can't help that he turns into a monster at the end of every season I think this is one of my favorite takes on the Beauty and the Beast story. I mean, it's a story I love no matter how it's told, and it's been one of my favorites since I was a child, but I think I especially like this one for a couple of reasons.

1) The Parallels. There's this constant theme between Rhen and Harper of standing up and protecting the people you can, even when you're seemingly incapable of protecting yourself. Rhen can't help that he turns into a monster at the end of every season, but he does his best to protect his people anyways, from himself and from Lilith. Harper gives him a much-needed reminder to be wary of other threats as well, and of other ways he can look after his people, but still. Rhen's sense of self-sacrifice is strong. And then it's equally strong in Harper. She gives of herself constantly. She doesn't let anyone underestimate her, even when she constantly underestimates herself.

There are looser parallels too; I feel like Rhen and Harper's relationship with their families is one of these, especially with people shaking down both Rhen's family and Harper's for money, and how both of them are made to deal with that.

2) The Contrasts Harper's torn between taking care of Rhen and Grey and also looking after her own family, but she never lets herself be sidelined. In this way, in a certain sense, Rhen and Harper do have a sharp contrast, and it helps both of them to grow. Rhen shows Harper how to ask for help. Harper shows Rhen how to look beyond the defeat others would force on him. Between Rhen and Grey is another contrast. Rhen plans twenty steps ahead. Grey thinks on his feet, reacting as he gets information. Neither approach is superior, but both have their weaknesses. It's only together that they're most successful.

3) Effortless representation. Harper's frank about her disability, and Kemmerer never lets us an audience forget about it either. Of everyone in Emberfall, however, it's only Lillith who views Harper's disability with scorn when bemoans that Harper's leg makes her less graceful, of all things. *insert eyeroll here* As if that matters, in the grand scheme of things. Really, all it does is show what a bitch she is. Everyone else in Emberfall listens to Harper and works with her to find accommodations. They help her learn to fight, and they never let her get sidelined. In the same way, no one blinks an eye at the Jake's identity as a gay man. Noah is equally amazing. We need more of that in fantasy.

Overall, a very good book. Admittedly, I could see all of the beats and the twists as they came, but it's a retelling. There's very little wiggle room for genuine "newness" when it comes to plot. What's left is the world, the characters. And Kemmerer goes above and beyond on those measures. ...more

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