The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Blurb On The Back:

I am a Belle. I control beauty.

In the opulent world of Orléans, the people are born grey and damned, and only a Belle’s powers can make them beautiful.

Camellia Beauregard wants to be the favourite Belle - the one chosen by the queen to live in the royal palace and be recognised as the most talented Belle in the land.

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favourite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that her powers may be far greater - and far darker - than she ever imagined.

When the queen asks Camellia to save the ailing princess by using her powers in unintended ways, she faces an impossible decision: protect herself and the way of the Belles, or risk her own life, and change the world forever …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Dhonielle Clayton’s YA fantasy (the first in a trilogy) has interesting ideas about the power of beauty and society’s obsession with it. Unfortunately the pacing was far too slow, the plot relies very heavily on contrivance (with Carmellia behaving foolishly when needed) and the characterisation just isn’t interesting or consistent enough to hold my attention notably the “friendship” between Amber and Carmellia, which never convinces.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.