Pop-Culturalist.com

Dhonielle Clayton had her solo debut last year with the hit YA fantasy, The Belles. Set against a backdrop of a reimagined New Orleans, Clayton draws readers into a dark, deadly, and dazzling world that prizes beauty to the point of obsession. In the Kingdom of Orléans, the only ones who possess beauty are Belles. The Belles are young women gifted with the ability to transform humans from their natural state of gray skin and red eyes into a version of beauty that each individual desires. From laws to fashion trends to social norms, this is a world immersed by the ideas of beauty.

Camellia Beauregard is one of six Belles competing to be chosen as The Favorite by the Queen of Orléans. All she’s ever wanted is to be The Favorite like her mother had been and be lauded for her talents. When the Belles arrive at court, they quickly learn that there are far more dangerous and nefarious things going on behind the scenes. These revelations rock their world and Camellia must decide what’s more important to her: the future of the Kingdom of Orléans or her Belle sisters.

• I was pleasantly surprised by Clayton’s rich, descriptive writing. Each scene is described with care and detail. I’m impressed with all the different ways she was able to describe something as beautiful.
• I loved the diversity among the Belles that represented different types of beauty. Though they were raised and trained the same, each girl has a distinct personality and unique strength with her abilities.
• There is a strong bond of sisterhood with the Belles that is a definite highlight of this novel. Their love and loyalty to each other remains firm as others try to challenge it.
• I was fascinated by this world that is built on the concept of beauty. Clayton has done a wonderful job of exploring themes like the intersection of beauty, power, and ambition; slavery, exploitation, perfection, and individuality. She effectively does this through Camellia’s internal struggle to perform more extreme beauty services and the discussion of laws and fashion trends. This is what kept me reading when the narrative slowed down.

• The one aspect of this novel that I struggled with the most is its pacing. Majority of this story is a slow build to the last third of the book, which is when things get exciting.
• I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t more of a romantic subplot for Camellia. I thought there were two potential love interests for her, but this was given little attention. Perhaps the sequel will explore her romantic possibilities further.

Final thoughts: The Belles draws you in with its enticing prose, captivating world, and a brave heroine.

The sequel, The Everlasting Rose, hits shelves March 5th!