Friday, January 31, 2014

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge



This book is both a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and its own story of myth and magic. 
The land of Arcadia is haunted by demons and the Gentle Lord is the only one who can control them. All of Arcadia fears the demon lord and his bargains. In a desperate attempt to save his own kingdom, Nyx's father promises her to the demon lord in return for safety and protection. But the promise is a trap. Raised to destroy the demon lord, Nyx is trained in the magic arts and promises her sister that she will kill the monster that controls their realm. But when she arrives, the demon lord is not surprised by her attempt to kill him, and gives her a chance to guess his name before retreating into the shadows. As Nyx searches for the fabled hearts of water, earth, fire and air, she must learn the truth behind the curse that not only threatens her life, but the life of all Arcadia. 
As she explores the castle, with the mysterious servant of the demon lord, she must face trials that none have survived and make sense of the truths and lies within the castle. 
I must admit that I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The story echoes greek myth and also creates a world of its own. I would compare this retelling to Beauty by Robin McKinley. The story is darker version of the original fairy tale, but the events read like a greek epic. 
I recommend this book to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast, Cupid and Psyche, Persephone and Hades and Howl's Moving Castle. 
I give this book four out of five riddles. A must read for Beauty and the Beast fans! 


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