I had much higher hopes for this book & thought it might strengthen throughout the course of the narrative. It was a complex and compelling plot narrative, but I felt the author struggled to pull it together, leaving awkward gaps in the plot line &/or in the character’s thought process. While it was certainly readable and imaginative, I believe it was lacking in character depth & a kind of growth I enjoy seeing in strong character formation.
The world building in “Belles” is highly original, and I can understand why so many people have enjoyed it, but since there are also so many other better YA books out there, it’s hard for me to give it more than three stars. However, I believe the author is making her debut and I would be interested in seeing where she continues to go (& grow) with her characters going forward.
The world building in “Belles” is highly original, and I can understand why so many people have enjoyed it, but since there are also so many other better YA books out there, it’s hard for me to give it more than three stars. However, I believe the author is making her debut and I would be interested in seeing where she continues to go (& grow) with her characters going forward.