I picked up this book because the author, Dhonielle Clayton, is coming to Read Up Greenville this October (yay!), but I did have some mixed feelings about The Belles. There were parts that I just had to skim saying, “Okay, I guess I’ll just have to roll with that,” and parts that were so intense I couldn’t put it down.
Basically the story is fantasy, set in the Kingdom of Orleans where all people are born gray. The Goddess of Beauty created a special people called Belles who are born beautiful and have the ability to manipulate people’s looks…for a cost. There used to be hundreds of Belles, but now there are only six competing to be the Queen’s favorite, who gets to live in the castle and work with royalty. Camellia wants to be the best and beat her Belle sisters for the title of “favorite,” but what will be the cost? Throw in secret disfigured Belles, a conniving and manipulating princess, and a secret romance, and you get the gist of this book.
The hard part for me was accepting the fantasy world. I enjoy fantasy, but there were certain times when I just had to go with the story and not ask lots of logistical questions. Another part that seemed rushed was the ending. There were quite a few twists in the last 100 pages, some of which seemed a little forced. Also be prepared for a sequel because the conflict doesn’t really get resolved this time around. I did like the characters and their development, from Camellia’s determined spirit to Princess Sophia’s twisted sense of power. Finally, I loved the message. Camellia’s purpose as a Belle is to make the people naturally beautiful as the Goddess of Beauty intended, but the people have manipulated the Belle’s power to make them “perfect,” never being satisfied with what they have.
It all comes down to if you love fantasy and magic. If you do, then this book would be a good pick for you. If you want a book more based in reality, just pass.
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