Cruel Beauty in The Not-So Austen Bookclub

Sep 17, 2013 Bodea rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

I didn't have any outrageous expectations for Cruel Beauty. It wasn't even on my rader until it popped up in my feed and even then, I kept confusing it with another recent release with a similar title. Anyway, once I read the summary, I was intrigued. I'm all for a good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. When I started reading, I thought there was great potential and I really wanted to like it because the writing is pretty good.

However, something about Cruel Beauty just didn't come together. Fi ...more

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Jun 20, 2013 Miss Clark rated it liked it

Shelves: fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2.5 - 3 stars

I had heard so many excellent things about this book before even picking it up that I suffered the pangs of it not living up to the grand expectations I had placed upon it. Not the book's fault. It told the story I was promised. I just did not happen to fall in love with the characters the way that my trusted recommenders did and was thus saddened to realize that I had failed to enjoy the book the same way that they had. I suppose it would be most accurate to say that my experience 2.5 - 3 stars

I had heard so many excellent things about this book before even picking it up that I suffered the pangs of it not living up to the grand expectations I had placed upon it. Not the book's fault. It told the story I was promised. I just did not happen to fall in love with the characters the way that my trusted recommenders did and was thus saddened to realize that I had failed to enjoy the book the same way that they had. I suppose it would be most accurate to say that my experience with the book failed to be what I had eagerly anticipated.

That said, look at the cover! It is superb. I love it. And it fits in a weird this-has-nothing-stylistically-speaking to do with the book which is set in a psuedo-Greek world.

It is the Eros/Psyche (which has elements that are echoed in the Beauty and the Beast fairytale but in this case the older Greek myth is closer) story wound up with Bluebeard and its own unique embellishments. I enjoyed it, but was never really drawn into the cares of the characters emotionally. They never became real people. Alas.

I loved how bitter and angry Nyx was. I don't usually get to see a character born from so much anger and resentment that I still root for. Usually I expect them to forgive and learn, etc., because often they are being selfish and blind. But in Nyx's case? Her feelings are validated by what we are shown of her family, complicit in her being sent to her doom to ensure their well-being. She genuinely hates everyone and although she might wish she felt differently, she knows herself too well to pretend that she does. Should she love her sweet, naive little sister? She knows she ought to but she can never forget that her sister gets to have a life and she gets to be sacrificed. Her father and aunt were heinous.

Ignifex and Shade - two halves of the same whole, one a dark reflection and one a bright lie - frustrated me endlessly. Because while Shade was supposed to be the good one, he always felt weak and slightly untrustworthy. While Ignifex, who was supposed to be the wicked tormentor, felt fairer.

Content warning: There was quite a bit of talk of ravishing and wanting, etc. It never goes beyond kissing, but just be aware that this may be more than you are comfortable with your younger readers encountering. You have been forewarned. ...more

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Oct 26, 2017 Cyndi Goodgame rated it it was amazing

Shelves: teen-paranormal-romance-favorites, fairy-tales-old-and-twisted, cyndi-s-favs, like-pride-and-prejudice-cinderella, werewolf, ppk-princess-prince-kingdoms, like-beauty-and-the-beast

Retelling of beauty and the beast

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Feb 16, 2014 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantastic-ending

There were a lot of things I didn't like about this book (view spoiler). But there are a lot of things I did like, the story was definitely a unique retelling and the characters were real. There weren't any saints nor was there anyone who was wholly good or wholly bad. Nothing was in black and white, the protagonists weren't 'pure' and I doubt that anyone ...more

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Jun 22, 2013 Kristen rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-or-galley

Actual rating 3.5

This and other reviews on my blog My Friends Are Fiction

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Story:
I’m pretty mixed on my feelings regarding Cruel Beauty. I loved the creativity Hodge brought to her reworking of the classic tale. The main story arc was surprising as well as interesting and I found the idea behind the Beast’s curse to be beautifully done (I can’t reveal much since spoilers). Hodge has a beautiful writing style that is easy t Actual rating 3.5

This and other reviews on my blog My Friends Are Fiction

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Story:
I’m pretty mixed on my feelings regarding Cruel Beauty. I loved the creativity Hodge brought to her reworking of the classic tale. The main story arc was surprising as well as interesting and I found the idea behind the Beast’s curse to be beautifully done (I can’t reveal much since spoilers). Hodge has a beautiful writing style that is easy to read and flows very well. The pacing was fast for the most part and I was interested in the story immediately.

What I didn’t like was the romance and Nyx’s internal dialog (which I’ll discuss in the character section of my review). I felt like Nyx and Ignifex had very little, if any, chemistry and I think their relationship lacked the slow burn that I look for in any retelling of Beauty and the Beast. To me, the most beautiful aspect of the original story is the journey for the two to get to know one another and see beyond the façade to what makes the other tick. Sadly, I didn’t really get that feeling in Cruel Beauty. The relationship felt disjointed and the love missed the mark for me.

The Characters:
Nyx’s character fought many internal struggles through-out this story. She felt guilt and resentment in equal parts, her constant flip flopping between emotions was understandable but grew to be grating after reading many pages dedicated to it. I did feel that her character developed over the course of the story and I appreciated her strength and determination in her duties.

Ignifex had an interesting back- story though I wished I had a better sense of him than I did. I loved his justifications for why he acted the way he did. I felt he brought some intriguing arguments and really had Nyx contemplating what truly makes one evil. Overall, I liked where Hodge took his story but I felt that I needed just a little more depth and detail to really flesh him out to me.

Another character I have to include is Shade. He is a major player in Nyx and Ignifex’s story though I can’t go into any details without revealing spoilers. I will say that he frustrated me and the ease in which Nyx trusted him was much too fast in my opinion. He really did add some intriguing aspects to the story-arc though and I do think that I might have had the strongest emotions regarding his character and actions.

Final Thoughts:
It’s really hard for me to rate Cruel Beauty. I loved the overall story and felt that it was an original take on the classic. Hodge has a very easy-to-read style and her writing is elegant and flows beautifully. On the other hand, I felt the romance could have used some depth and I wished I had connected more with Nyx.
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