Read: July 17, 2020
Summary: In a world where beauty is a commodity above all else, Belles are revered for their control of beauty. Only Belles can transform the people of Orleans who are born grey to be made beautiful. This tasks isn’t enough for Camellia – she wants to be chosen by the Queen of Orleans. To be the Queen’s favourite Belle allows the chosen Belle to look after the royal family and their court and be identified as the most talented Belle in the land.
As it turns out, being at the royal court, it’s clear to Camellia that being the favorite is not everything it seems to be. There are secrets and risks that Camellia discover that are far greater than she ever imagined. She faces the impossible decision – does she save herself and the Belles’ world? Or should she resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever?
My Thoughts: Overall, I enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to read the others that make up this series. It was a little bit of a slow start but definitely picked up in excitement in the latter half. The things I enjoyed most about this novel was the world that the Belles and the other characters live in and the focus on obsessions surrounding beauty standards and fashion. I didn’t really connect to any of the characters – I found they enhanced the magical world they lived in but did wish there was more details given on the citizenry of Orleans and the Belles’ abilities to contort the beauty standards (maybe this well come in later novels of the series).
