Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

9 reviews

geckotigerwolf's review

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
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quasinaut's review against another edition

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I struggled with liking any the characters (particularly Camellia) and understanding anyone's motivations. Everything felt too disjointed for me - which may in part be due to listening to the audiobook - but the slow pacing in the first half and flowery descriptions just didn't work for me. 
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tealstarlight's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


I enjoyed the world the Belles live in. The vivid and frothy descriptions are a great contrast to the disturbing side of life in the kingdom. There are charming elements in the relatively simple ways people live in this world: the unique postal system, the floating lanterns that can be changed according to mood/ occasion, and the bustling, almost Dickensian marketplaces. 

The Belles' magic takes the place of plastic surgery. I wasn't expecting the vivid descriptions of the painful magical procedures, but they highlight the kingdom's obsession with beauty.

Random favorite thing that enchanted me in this book? The absolutely adorable idea of teacup animals!
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_book_girl_82_'s review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

There's a cliffhanger and I don't have the next book đŸ¥²
Some of the characters were questionable, but the ending was pretty good (even though it was a cliffhanger
we love Edel (is that her name I always forget))
)

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coymeld's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
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kassidyreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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periwinkle_flora's review

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adventurous informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Belles started off as a interesting tale of a world filled with beauty - Beautiful people, pretty landscapes, and gorgeous magical powers. I liked the protagonist - Camellia - at first. She's determined, fearless, and creative, which makes her stand out from her sisters in the competition to work inside the castle as "the Favorite". As the book took us further on the main character's journey, it held onto my interest, yet the events made me frustrated. I wish Camellia did more. Her personality becomes flat and observant and doesn't grow or explore the world + systems around her. Regardless, I enjoyed the mysteries in the castle, but the main character really made the book "meh" for me.
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dustghosts's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

+ An engaging, mysterious, thrilling read that feels just right for the age the series is geared towards
+ Through the narrator and her sisters’ POV, a refreshing celebration of diverse forms and interpretations of beauty 
+ Representation/inclusion that feels natural and casual, only occasionally heavy-handed
+ Visceral and gripping descriptions, dialogue that feels True, a protag who is naive, charming, and morally challenged time and again.

- Pacing can be a bit strange— slow and meandering at the beginning, too fast near the end. Some of the protagonists largest concerns feel underaddressed as a result, and some situations (ie: her being
sent to the tea house at the beginning
) begin to feel too convenient to the plot progression.
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manicpixi3dreamgirl's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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