en-A Curse So Dark And Lonely - Brigid Kemmerer review

26/01/2021

Fall in love, break the curse.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall, is cursed. Forced to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he can only be freed by love. But at the end of each autumn he is transformed into a beast hell-bent on destruction, and after so many failed attempts, his kingdom and its people are barely holding on. Harper's life has never been easy, but she's learned to be tough enough to survive. She won't let anything hold her back, not her cerebral palsy or her mother's deteriorating health. But when she is sucked into Rhen's world, nothing is as it seems. Powerful forces are standing against Emberfalll ... and it will take more than a broken curse to save it from utter ruin. The thrilling Cursebreakers series continues in A Heart So Fierce and Broken and A Vow So Bold and Deadly.

If I could choose to be a Disney princess, I'd choose Belle from Beauty and the Beast, without a doubt. This fairytale has always been my favorite since I was younger, and it still is. I love reading fairytale retellings, so I could not say 'no' to 'A Curse So Dark And Lonely' when I came across it.

I Looooooovoeedddd Harper's character. She's far from perfect, which gave her character a more 'realistic' touch. She won't let herself be captured easily, and she'll always fight for her own free will. She doesn't pretend to be someone else. She is who she is, and that makes her so likable. It really creates a bond between reader and character.

I was not too fond of Rhen's character if I am being honest. He likes to play the role of the victim too easily. Which of course he has every right to, but it makes him too vulnerable to be the 'beast'. I think I liked the character of the evil witch (Lilith) the most. I don't know why, because she is cruel and evil and all that, but she has a certain 'air' around her which makes her characters special and fascinating.

The story is really tense, and it makes you fly through the pages. We see the story evolving and Rhen and Harper getting closer and closer to each other. I do think it is kind of strange that Harper was falling for Grey at the first part of the book and then falls for Rhen all of a sudden. It's kind of weird, but a nice turn in the fairytale.

The scenes are well written and it feels like you are part of the story. We see the story through Harpers eyes as well as through Rhen's eyes. This gives us a clearer view on the characters and how they think.

It's a great story and I am looking forward to reading the second book in this duology.

Book Specifics:

  • Author: Brigid Kemmerer
  • Genre: Fairytale retelling
  • Themes: Beauty and the beast
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Trade, Bloomsbury YA
  • Date of Publication: 9/01/2019
  • Number of Pages: 496
  • ISBN- Code: 9781408884614
  • Price: $6.99
  • Rating: * * * *