Thought-provoking premise, fantastic world-building
In the kingdom of Orléans, a select group of girls called the Belles have the power to transform people and make them beautiful. Their services are available for a fee, allowing the wealthy to constantly change themselves in an obsessive pursuit of beauty. Intriguing, right? The Belles is a thought-provoking exploration of beauty - the lengths people will go to be beautiful, what is seen as beautiful. I felt that The Belles lays the groundwork for the sequel with its fantastic world-building. So much has been set up that I expect the sequel to be explosive!
I read on the author’s site that her inspiration for the novel included Marie Antoinette and Versailles, which should give you a perfect visual of what to expect from this book. Some of the lavish descriptions felt over-the-top - but that’s the point!
I read on the author’s site that her inspiration for the novel included Marie Antoinette and Versailles, which should give you a perfect visual of what to expect from this book. Some of the lavish descriptions felt over-the-top - but that’s the point!