A Curse So Dark and Lonely
In her compelling modern Beauty and the Beast retelling, Brigid Kemmerer explores what has made such a classic fairy tale stand the test of time, while breathing new life into it.
Prince Rhen has one task: break the beastly curse and save his kingdom, Emberfall. But as seasons end and restart, Rhen loses hope. Enter Harper, a girl whose life in Washington DC has never been easy. Constantly underestimated because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else, she's sucked into Rhen's cursed world. As Harper and Rhen learn there’s more to each other than meets the eye, powerful forces are standing against Emberfall, and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
It’s no secret I love Beauty and the Beast. I’ve read many, many retellings and when I found this one, I was eager to see what Kemmerer would do to my beloved tale. Harper’s chapters were a delight to read. Her love for her family is obvious as she tries to escape and strike deals in order to get back to her dying mother. She shows her bravery when rescuing a young mother being attacked during one of her escape attempts. She has a big heart and it isn’t long before she is willing to do anything to save Emberfall, its residents, and its prince.
I also enjoyed seeing Harper live with her cerebral palsy. While some see it as a disability, it doesn’t stop her from riding horses, learning how to throw knives, shoot a bow and arrow, or any number of other tasks. She’s not going to let it hold her back, in DC or Emberfall.
Reading Rhen’s chapters was heartbreaking at times. I can’t imagine living with the knowledge that you murdered your parents, guards, and have terrorized the people you were meant to protect for years, without being able to stop it. That feeling of hopelessness was all consuming. I’m not surprised he was driven to suicide on more than one occasion—not that the curse let it happen. When I thought of Beast, I didn’t picture Rhen, but I liked him. I’m eager to read more of him in the second book of this trilogy.
The way Kemmerer ended Curse was well done. It’s unclear whether the curse was broken because the enchantress was killed, or Harper’s sacrifice. Even Harper doesn’t know. But she was willing to give herself—and Rhen—a chance to find out. With so many unanswered questions, it will be interesting to see how Harper and Rhen’s relationship develops.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely Rating: ★★★★★
Prince Rhen has one task: break the beastly curse and save his kingdom, Emberfall. But as seasons end and restart, Rhen loses hope. Enter Harper, a girl whose life in Washington DC has never been easy. Constantly underestimated because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else, she's sucked into Rhen's cursed world. As Harper and Rhen learn there’s more to each other than meets the eye, powerful forces are standing against Emberfall, and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
It’s no secret I love Beauty and the Beast. I’ve read many, many retellings and when I found this one, I was eager to see what Kemmerer would do to my beloved tale. Harper’s chapters were a delight to read. Her love for her family is obvious as she tries to escape and strike deals in order to get back to her dying mother. She shows her bravery when rescuing a young mother being attacked during one of her escape attempts. She has a big heart and it isn’t long before she is willing to do anything to save Emberfall, its residents, and its prince.
I also enjoyed seeing Harper live with her cerebral palsy. While some see it as a disability, it doesn’t stop her from riding horses, learning how to throw knives, shoot a bow and arrow, or any number of other tasks. She’s not going to let it hold her back, in DC or Emberfall.
Reading Rhen’s chapters was heartbreaking at times. I can’t imagine living with the knowledge that you murdered your parents, guards, and have terrorized the people you were meant to protect for years, without being able to stop it. That feeling of hopelessness was all consuming. I’m not surprised he was driven to suicide on more than one occasion—not that the curse let it happen. When I thought of Beast, I didn’t picture Rhen, but I liked him. I’m eager to read more of him in the second book of this trilogy.
The way Kemmerer ended Curse was well done. It’s unclear whether the curse was broken because the enchantress was killed, or Harper’s sacrifice. Even Harper doesn’t know. But she was willing to give herself—and Rhen—a chance to find out. With so many unanswered questions, it will be interesting to see how Harper and Rhen’s relationship develops.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely Rating: ★★★★★