Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely

I have to admit, I was scared by the size (500 pages!) of this book. But I do love a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Check out my review of A Curse So Dark and Lonely?

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Published on January 29, 2019 by Bloomsbury

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Synopsis from Goodreads: Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, Prince Rhen of Emberfall knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction.

That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive.

But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world. As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake.

And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Review of A Curse So Dark and Lonely

As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I thought this book did a great job of being true to the story while still mixing it up. I liked that Harper was a modern girl (with a modern name) who is somehow yanked into Rhen’s timeless, placeless fantasy world. In that way, it had a bit of an Outlander feel.

I liked the characters a lot. Rhen was the kind of tortured hero I enjoy (? – why? I don’t know). Harper was determined and kind and her cerebral palsy didn’t slow her down. I would have liked to know even more about her condition, but this wasn’t a book that focused on those types of details. The story was more about her overcoming her limitations, and I respect that.

Others may disagree, but I felt it had a bit of a love triangle vibe that worried me the entire time. It didn’t materialize, but there was a relationship between Harper, Rhen, and Rhen’s military commander Gray that had a triangular feel. If that makes sense.

There was an emphasis on military stuff that I wasn’t all that interested in – this wasn’t as girly or romance-y a book as I was expecting. (I should have had correct expectations – Kemmerer’s books typically have lots of action and male characters.)

All in all, I enjoyed this, even if there were a few things I’d have liked to be different. If you like fantasy and Beauty and the Beast, you really should give A Curse So Dark and Lonely a try.

If you love this book, check out my full list of Beauty and the Beast Retellings!