I was expecting not to like this book at first glance, it immediately reminded me of dozens of other vapid stories written for teen girls about beauty and fashion; some worn out message about beauty being on the inside or a straight-up endorsement of the vain lifestyles of the rich and famous.
However, after reading the description and noting the subtle, "The revolution is here" on the cover I feel as though there may be more to this story than meets the eye. I'm familiar with Clayton and We Need Diverse Books and I'm very curious to see what will unfold over the course of this book. I only wish the preview revealed a little of what the description hints at, that something is wrong with this rose-tinted world because the first chapter doesn't begin to delve into that. The writing is strong and it was very easy to imagine this beautifully described flower-laden, jewel-encrusted world. I'm also a big fan of the diversity right from the get-go, as well as Camellia being a person of color.
I want to get absorbed into this world, see things through Camellia's eyes, and then watch it all get torn down. I want to know what twists and turns this will take and I'm really looking forward to "deeper questions about the commodification of women's bodies, gender equality, racial identity, and vanity". I'm sold, I want to see how these huge issues are addressed and what this means in relation to our current climate.
I do like the cover, I am a fan of a woman of color prominently front and center. The type is beautiful and the colors are enchanting. I did think this book was going to be just for girly girls or even a bit corny because it's called 'The Belles', but I'm trying to not judge a book by its cover as I do think it's eye-catching and pretty.
However, after reading the description and noting the subtle, "The revolution is here" on the cover I feel as though there may be more to this story than meets the eye. I'm familiar with Clayton and We Need Diverse Books and I'm very curious to see what will unfold over the course of this book. I only wish the preview revealed a little of what the description hints at, that something is wrong with this rose-tinted world because the first chapter doesn't begin to delve into that. The writing is strong and it was very easy to imagine this beautifully described flower-laden, jewel-encrusted world. I'm also a big fan of the diversity right from the get-go, as well as Camellia being a person of color.
I want to get absorbed into this world, see things through Camellia's eyes, and then watch it all get torn down. I want to know what twists and turns this will take and I'm really looking forward to "deeper questions about the commodification of women's bodies, gender equality, racial identity, and vanity". I'm sold, I want to see how these huge issues are addressed and what this means in relation to our current climate.
I do like the cover, I am a fan of a woman of color prominently front and center. The type is beautiful and the colors are enchanting. I did think this book was going to be just for girly girls or even a bit corny because it's called 'The Belles', but I'm trying to not judge a book by its cover as I do think it's eye-catching and pretty.