A Stunning Masterpiece of a Debut, Well Done and Exceeds Expectations
*I received this for free from the publisher (years ago) in exchange for an honest review*
I am SOOO glad to have read this and I cannot wait for more people to do so. This is exactly the kind of book I love when I'm looking for new YA releases, it's filled with innovation, great character moments, action and intensity, drama and emotion. Honestly, this book was an absolute blast to read, and I am super excited to follow the series and see where this world goes.
We follow the Belles, the god-like beauties who are able to transform people's bodies and make them beautiful... at a price. Each Belle is raised in a carefully cultivated environment, and they have to compete to become the 'favourite' of the Queen. Once the favourite is decided, they will be assigned their own tea houses where they will do their transformations.
Camille is our main character, she's a Belle who longs to be the favourite, and yet she has an experimental streak to her and she loves to try new things. This tendency towards breaking the rules often lands her in trouble, but nothing more so than when the favourites are chosen and the roles assigned.
What I loved about this book is that not only was it a really strong story and the entertainment factor was great, it was also filled with messages about beauty standards and what they mean. I loved that this book pushes everything to the extreme and shows just how crazy/upset/devastated/emotional (etc) some people can become when the overwhelming message they're receiving is that they are 'not good enough' as they are.
Overall, this book had pretty much all the makings for an excellent YA fantasy, and it kept me enthralled throughout. I would highly recommend it, and I think it's well worth trying, not least for the fact that it discusses race, LGBTQ+ and feminism in the background too! 4 stars.
I am SOOO glad to have read this and I cannot wait for more people to do so. This is exactly the kind of book I love when I'm looking for new YA releases, it's filled with innovation, great character moments, action and intensity, drama and emotion. Honestly, this book was an absolute blast to read, and I am super excited to follow the series and see where this world goes.
We follow the Belles, the god-like beauties who are able to transform people's bodies and make them beautiful... at a price. Each Belle is raised in a carefully cultivated environment, and they have to compete to become the 'favourite' of the Queen. Once the favourite is decided, they will be assigned their own tea houses where they will do their transformations.
Camille is our main character, she's a Belle who longs to be the favourite, and yet she has an experimental streak to her and she loves to try new things. This tendency towards breaking the rules often lands her in trouble, but nothing more so than when the favourites are chosen and the roles assigned.
What I loved about this book is that not only was it a really strong story and the entertainment factor was great, it was also filled with messages about beauty standards and what they mean. I loved that this book pushes everything to the extreme and shows just how crazy/upset/devastated/emotional (etc) some people can become when the overwhelming message they're receiving is that they are 'not good enough' as they are.
Overall, this book had pretty much all the makings for an excellent YA fantasy, and it kept me enthralled throughout. I would highly recommend it, and I think it's well worth trying, not least for the fact that it discusses race, LGBTQ+ and feminism in the background too! 4 stars.