Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a dark and gothic retelling of Beauty and the Beast intertwined with Greek mythology. The story follows Nyx, who is raised to hate the demon lord Ignifex, whom she is destined to marry and kill as part of a bargain made by her father. As Nyx navigates her new life with Ignifex, she discovers that things are not as black and white as she was led to believe, leading to a complex and intricate plot filled with suspense, romance, and dark characters. The book features witty banter, a constantly changing castle, and a love triangle involving Shade, Ignifex's shadow.

Characters:

The characters are multi-dimensional, with Nyx being a conflicted heroine, Ignifex serving as an intriguing adversary and love interest, and the supporting characters enhancing the story's emotional complexity.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is beautifully intricate and rich, merging fairy tale retelling with mythology, requiring readers' engagement to fully appreciate the depth.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Nyx, who is promised to marry a demon lord as part of her father's bargain, and her internal conflict between her duty to kill him and her unexpected feelings for him.

Setting:

The setting of Arcadia, dominated by a shifting, magical castle, blends fairy tale elements with Greek mythology, creating a rich and immersive backdrop.

Pacing:

Pacing varies, starting slow with extensive world-building, but picking up significantly as the plot develops, though the ending may feel rushed to some readers.

The day before the wedding, I could barely breathe. Fear and fury curdled in my stomach. All afternoon I skulked in the library, running my hands over the leather spines of books I would never touch a...

Notes:

Cruel Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast mixed with Greek mythology.

The protagonist, Nyx, is raised to kill the Gentle Lord, whom she is also betrothed to.

The story features a unique castle that constantly changes its layout and has magical elements.

The book explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the complexities of love and hatred.

Nyx grapples with her feelings for both the Gentle Lord and his shadow, Shade, creating a love triangle.

The writing is described as poetic and immersive, with rich worldbuilding.

The story delves into the psychological concept of the 'shadow self' proposed by Jung.

The narrative subverts typical fairy tale tropes, showcasing morally ambiguous characters.

Cruel Beauty themes include sacrifice, duty, and the struggle against fate.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, sacrifice, emotional distress/family betrayal, and mental health struggles.

Has Romance?

The romance between Nyx and Ignifex forms a central part of the narrative, with significant character development throughout.

From The Publisher:

If you're excited about the upcoming Disney film Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson, don't miss Cruel Beauty.

The romance of Beauty and the Beast meets the adventure of Graceling in this dazzling fantasy novel about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Perfect for fans of bestselling An Ember in the Ashes and A Court of Thorns and Roses, this gorgeously written debut infuses the classic fairy tale with glittering magic, a feisty heroine, and a romance sure to take your breath away.

Betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom, Nyx has always known that her fate was to marry him, kill him, and free her people from his tyranny. But on her seventeenth birthday when she moves into his castle high on the kingdom's mountaintop, nothing is what she expected-particularly her charming and beguiling new husband. Nyx knows she must save her homeland at all costs, yet she can't resist the pull of her sworn enemy-who's gotten in her way by stealing her heart.

Ratings (37)

Incredible (5)
Loved It (10)
Liked It (10)
It Was OK (10)
Did Not Like (2)

Reader Stats (113):

Read It (40)
Want To Read (58)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (13)

3 comment(s)

eljpal578

Incredible

3 months

This book was gorgeously written and I found it absolutely captivating. Of course, I am a sucker for all things Beauty and the Beast so this retelling was definitely my sort of thing.

It has all my favorites - flawed main characters, thorough world building and a love story that wasn't instalove. My only nit was that all the characters had stupid names (Nyx, I'm talking to you!) but I can live with that!

Bunnhi

Loved It

9 months

Cruel/Wicked/Beautiful

Didn’t care for the family. Did a good job at making you side with one man over the other only to pull the rug out from under you. The ending had me spiraling to the finish just as they had fallen.

celrex999

Liked It

2 years

Overall I liked it but I think it could be much better if the main character was a little bit more complex, especially in the beginning. I was even halfway of stopping listening (audible) to it and then just continued because i dont like having a story unfinished.

Basically the main character can be reduced to a repetetive "Oh he is evil but also hot" when I think the overall story is great and even has a nice twist to it at the end; the main char just needs to be toned down.

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Cruel Beauty

Rosamund Hodge

Book 1 in the series:Fairy Tales