My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Prince Rhen, heir of Emberfall, is cursed to repeat the autumn of his 18th birthday until a girl falls in love with him. This is however made difficult by the fact that, towards the end of each season, he turns into a beast/monster with no control of who he is and often hell-bent on destroying everything/person around him.
Harper is a girl from Washington D.C. Her mother is dying; her brother is in with a bad bunch of people as he tries to make good on his father's debts and look after the family. Harper is often underestimated because she has cerebral palsy, often judged by her physical limitations rather than by what she can do. One day, her life changes as a mysterious man transport her into a magical world.
My Thoughts
I have to admit I am a sucker for fairytale retellings. A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The storyline and the cast of characters themselves aren't anything new. It all initially feels clichéd if you were to read the outline on its own.
However, what Brigid Kemmerer does really well in this book, and what I loved about this, are the characters themselves. There is something engaging and true about each character and their relationships grow naturally. Even if the timeline is relatively short, Rhen's feelings for Harper develops naturally, nothing feels forced or sudden. Similarly with Harper though she is still a little more reserved. Grey was probably my favourite character. I dunno... I think I am partial to the brooding, stoic guard, loyal to a tee.
You could see the twist to the story a mile off but it does make me look forward to the next book.
Do you have a favourite fairytale retelling? Please let me know what your favourite retelling are as I would love to read more!
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