Summary from Goodreads:Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
My Review:
What I Liked:
Plot/World Building. I completely captivated by Clayton's unique plot. The exposure of beauty ideals and what people would go through to be beautiful was so interesting. It was hard to read sometimes because of that. The fantasy element/world building did something that I've never read before.
Writing. The main element, besides the plot, that had me hooked was Clayton's writing style. It was beautiful. Her writing was very lyrical and flowery, focusing on stunning imagery and colors. But in my opinion it did not go over the top, it had a good balance between flowery language and plot focused writing.
Characters. The novel is told only from Camellia's point of view, which was nice to see. I tend to not care for multiple POVs but I did find myself wondering what was happening with the other Belles. I would love to see novellas showing the point of view and what was happening with the other Belles during the plot.
Pacing. I found myself compulsively reading, excited to get to the next chapter and find out what would happen next.
What I Disliked:
Love Triangle. The novel did not focus much on romance, something I appreciated. However, it still hinted at the dreaded love triangle.
I recommend checking out this unique diverse fantasy series, it was a great read.
My Rating:
4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars
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