Book: "A Curse so Dark and Lonely"
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Pages: 484
Fall in love, break the curse.
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she's pulled into a magical world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? 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.
Hello, Angels!
After my adventure with The Royals I had the need to dive into something magical and different.
Ever since the moment I have found out that this book would be published and translated here in my country I couldn’t wait to buy it - every day I’ve been wondering and stalking in my favorite bookstore with the words “Is it here yet? Has it arrived?” and I’ve went back home disappointed. Until the moment the girls from the bookstore gave me the good news and I proudly took this book home with me.
For quite a while I’ve wondered should I start the book but I’ve decided to read “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series first, then I’ve started with “The Royals” and their drama… let’s say I didn’t had time.
After The Royals destroyed me, I’ve had the need to dive into some magical adventure so I’ve finally decided that it is time to read “A Curse so Dark and Lonely”. I definitely wasn’t expecting this and I am saying it in every good way of expression. And just when I reached the second chapter of the book my thoughts were “Please, please, please don’t disappoint me from the beginning.” and me being the usual stubborn self I’ve continued reading. Now I can safely say that I could never regret reading this book!
We are introduced to prince Rhen, cursed by an evil sorceress to turn into a beast and if he fails to break the curse, the hunting season would start again. And it goes on and on for three hundred and twenty seven seasons so far. Sounds interesting, right? Trust me - it is! This is a whole new view on the classic “Beauty and the Beast” fairy tale, and I am definitely crazy about it.
Prince Rhen has lost all hope that he would ever break the curse and almost gave up. He has closed the borders of his kingdom and nobody can dare approach his castle. He has no staff either - he’s left only with his trusted and loyal Commander Grey, who has a tough task at the beginning of every season to kidnap a girl, with the hope that this time Rhen would manage to break the curse.
With the very first few pages read, the book captured me with the painted magical world and I’ve read it in a matter of hours.
Grey has to bring the next girl, that Rhen would have to charm so he can break the curse. However, Grey accidentally is attacked by Harper - unshakeable, stubborn, brave and despite her injury - extremely strong and ready for a fight. She has managed to take care so easily of Grey and beat him up a bit, and I can’t deny that I’ve laughed a lot. For Harper this is a whole new world - completely different from the modern Washington that she is coming from and has been taken from, and her life there is not easy. Sadly, she is not only far away from her mother and her brother, but she is dragged in Emberfall - Rhen’s mythical kingdom.
To be honest, I was quite surprised with the storyline, because the author kept it so close to the original fairy tale and at the same time it was so different and new.
Well, we didn’t have the typical enchanted furniture and my favourite Chip, however Rhen has his whole castle enchanted and also he has Grey who surprisingly has managed to survive through all the attacks from the Beast. The world that I was dragged to was the thing that I so much needed right now - beautiful, romantic, different, enchanting. At times it so much reminded me of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” that there were times when I was reading about Rhen but I’ve imagined Tamlin. Has this happened to you? Okay, fine, maybe I’m just crazy. But I can’t deny that there were similarities and at times I was like hypnotized by the book.
I liked Grey very much - he is loyal to the bones, brave and always tells the truth to Rhen. He left me with a very good impression and I think I liked him more than Rhen. Okay, fine, I really did like him more than Rhen and I hoped that Harper and Grey would… well, be something more than friends. But Harper cannot break the curse if she falls in love with Grey instead of Rhen, right? Grey was so good and nice to her, he even helped Harper learn how to wield knives and how to fight. Yes, I can bravely say that this retelling was something amazing and I really loved it, even though that I was seeing Tamlin in Rhen’s image and Chaol in Gery’s image. Yes, I am telling you - Sarah’s book series has got so deep under my skin that they’ve totally messed up my mind.
Although I don’t know why the evil sorceress Lilith got my attention and I was so amazed by her, even though she is despicably evil. I had this image in my head of Maleficent in the role of Lilith or something like this… I am telling you, there is something seriously wrong with me. I guess it is about time to give myself a break from all those books… Ha! Yeah, right…
The retelling by Brigid Kemerrer is a modern fairy tale in which the girl is a princess on a white horse ready to break the curse and instead of killing the dragon - she has to tame him.
I cannot say that the book had bad moments in it because I wasn’t able to find any or maybe I was just enchanted by Lilith and her wicked spells.
I really liked that even though Harper is dragged in to this new world and she is the one that has to break Rhen’s curse, she has dived in this adventure and she actually agreed to break the curse. She manages to see what is underneath the surface - she saw Rhen as a strong man, that is ready to protect his kingdom even from himself, he is so brave and compassionate. Even though Rhen has already gave up, Harper believed in him and encouraged him. Because she was ready to fight along with him - to protect his kingdom, to bring hope not only to him but to his people as well. Harper definitely is a girl with such a wild spirit, unshakeable, that would not give up; she sees so much in a man that seems has lost himself. Harper - a girl that has managed to actually turn her injury into an advantage and didn’t let that ruin her life or slow her down; she didn’t give up and managed to unite the people in Rhen’s kingdom; she showed Rhen that his people didn’t stopped believe in him and they are ready to fight with him; she managed to bring hope to Rhen and his people for a new and better world and to make him fight for something more. Harper, with her bravery, honesty and kind heart managed to get in to people’s hearts and even managed to fall in love with Rhen on the way, even though I thought she would fall in love with Grey.
I was so surprised when Harper wanted to meet with the sorceress Lilith, and when Harper saw what Lilith is doing to Rhen, how she is hurting him - she stood up for him , something that nobody ever did before. Harper, in her anger towards Lilith threw a dagger at her so she could defend Rhen. I definitely want this girl to be my friend!
Prince Rhen - even though he is a bit arrogant, self centered and cruel at times, has managed to find a place in my heart and I really liked him. Even though he did very bad things in his past and he sees only the worst in himself, the curse has managed to change him and break him. Harper however sees not only the bad but the good in him. She doesn’t judge him, she accepts him the way he is. And I completely understand why Grey has been so loyal and stayed with Rhen all this time. And if I have to compare Rhen with Tamlin.. Well.. I can’t compare them. I truly hate Tamlin! Tamlin is the worst! Now let’s get back to Rhen… It seemed like the hope that Harper gave him after all it wasn’t enough. Lilith has continued to abuse him more and more and managed to finally break him. It’s a good thing that Harper doesn’t give up so easily. Obviously that is quite enough because Rhen fell in love with her, even though he didn’t realized it and didn’t accepted it at times.
I was also surprised when Lilith showed to Harper her mother, that is almost dying, and her brother are in danger and for a moment brought her back in Washington to show her the present. That was very very nasty move, because Lilith knew that Harper would want to go back to her family and with that - the only chance for Rhen to break the curse. But it was Rhen who actually took the decision to send Harper back home to her family. He even gave her enough money and jewelry so he could help her brother. Yes, Rhen is not only in love with Harper, but he also is noble - he put Harper first before his only chance to save himself and his kingdom. Okay, now give me a Rhen, too! I deserve to have a Rhen!
I cannot say that I didn’t cry at that very moment. If I even try to deny it - it would be a lie. Plus, I always cry on this part from “Beauty and the Beast” no matter if it is the Disney animated movie, another movie, a retelling of the story or the original fairy tale. And I was so happy when I found out that Harper is actually in love with Rhen and she went back to save him.
Now, yes, as every fairy tale, this one also had obstacles… Grey showed up at Harper’s door almost dead with very dangerous wounds; her brother and her brother’s boyfriend didn’t believe Harper at first that Rhen and Gery and their kingdom are actually true; at the end of the day Harper, Grey, Jake - Harper’s brother and his boyfriend Noa went back to Emberfall to find out that they are in the middle of a huge war; Rhen has turned into a Beast - a Dragon to be specific; and nobody has any idea how Harper would fix this thing - to prevent and win the war and to stop Rhen from destroying the kingdom. If Rhen doesn’t eat her first, that is.
Don’t worry, this fairy tale also has a happy ending - a bit unusual, but still happy. For Harper and Rhen at least.
Now to be honest, I’ve quite stretched this review and it has been so long but I still have so much stuff to tell you and so many details to discuss with you but I guess it is about time to stop because you probably wouldn’t want to keep reading this stuff. Ha! And I thought I could speak about Rhys and Feyre all day long… Look at me now.
In a conclusion (which also won’t be that short) I would only say that this is a modern and unusual fairy tale, that led me into an amazing, breathtaking adventure. A world so intense with his simplicity; filled with magic and charm; so different, unusual, romantic, beautiful and charming , that left me dreaming and deeply touched. Ah, I wish there were more books like this one, that would live a mark in a person’s soul and that could charm you so you could never recover.
I can definitely give 5 / 5 golden stars, because let’s face it - there is no way I could give less for this charming and captivating your heart and soul magical adventure and I bravely say that this modern retelling of a fairy tale has to be read!
Now I am leaving you and I am going to dive into another tempting magical adventure.
P.S. I can’t wait for the next book to be published and to charm me once more, and until that time comes I would simply read this book over and over again (at least two hundred times, maybe more depending on my mood).
I will see you Angels in the next review!