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Title: A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Sub-genre: Fantasy/fairy tale retelling
I’m always a little bit iffy about fairy tale retellings. I feel like most are either too similar to the original material, or so different it’s not really a retelling. But this one struck that perfect balance for me, and when I finished it, I was bummed I don’t already own the sequel. Usually a good sign.
A fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast (with a small dash of magical realism), A Curse So Dark and Lonely weaves the tale of Prince Rhen, who has been cursed by an evil sorceress Lilith. Lilith gets pissed when Rhen sleeps with her with no intention of taking things further, so she curses him to an endless cycle of misery, where he must find a girl to fall in love with him within a few months’ time. Rhen spends the first portion of each cycle as a human, but by the end, turns into a bloodthirsty beast. His commander Grey is in charge of finding women for him to try to woo, but he gets more than he bargained for with Harper. Harper is not the kind of simpering girl Grey usually chooses. In fact, Grey doesn’t choose her at all, Harper attempts to stop him from kidnapping another girl, and gets swept along by mistake. But Harper’s spirit is just what Rhen needs. She forces him to see outside of himself, to the needs and sufferings of the people of his kingdom. And even though Harper wants nothing more than to return home to be with her dying mother, she finds herself longing to help Rhen’s people, even if she doesn’t really understand her feelings for Rhen himself. This is the first book of two, and while this one doesn’t really end on a cliffhanger, there is clearly more to this story.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to this one going in, but it turned out to be such a delightful read. I got lost in the world-building, but more than that, I fell in love with these characters. Each character has their own heart-breaking story, and this was one of those books that left me with an actual tug of pain in my heart when I was reading. I sat down one day last week planning to read a few chapters, and before I knew it, I was brushing off all other obligations to finish the final few pages of the book. It completely enraptured me, and I am seriously debating whether or not I should just buy the sequel in hardback (which I never do!) or if I have the patience to wait for it to come out in paperback. We’ll see how long I can hold out. Whether or not you are a Beauty and the Beast fan (but especially if you are), you’ll find something to love in this book.
Overall Rating: 5 stars