Title: The Beautiful and the CursedSeries: The Dispossessed #1
Author: Page Morgan
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 14th 2013
Pages: Hardcover, 352 pages
Summary from Goodreads:
After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.
And Grayson has gone missing.
No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.
Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.
"No matter what his caste, every Dispossessed had at least one thing in common. While alive, they'd all committed the same sin, the cold-blooded murder of a man of the cloth."
The Dispossessed = Gargoyles... yep scary stone creatures! The whole idea of having a story in Paris about gargoyles instantly grabbed my attention. Not to mention I think the cover is gorgeous. The summary did not give me a lot of hints as to what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.
The Beautiful and the Cursed immediately drew me into the dark world of Paris and the Waverly sister's drama. At times the story slows down with more emphasis on details but the action carries through. The Waverly sister's brother is missing and they are determined to find him and bring him home. It does not help their situation that young girls keep disappearing and eventually turn up in pieces. I don't really want to say much more for fear of ruining the story!
My one reservation with the story is the romance, some parts seem natural but other parts seem so forced. There is a love triangle which I just am NOT a fan of. Gabby's relationships needed a bit more development and Ingrid just seemed confused in who she had feelings towards. Other than that I really enjoyed the book. Both sisters were stubborn but strong characters and had a never failing love for their brother and would do what it takes to save their family.
The Beautiful and the Cursed painted a beautifully dark Paris with a new edge to the supernatural throwing Angels and Gargoyles into the mix. While the love story is not my favorite, the story telling, setting and unique concept made this a solid 4 star read. I would recommend if you are a fan of The Revenants series and are in the mood for a fast but darker story.
This one is on my list of Must Be Read Soon books! I'm hoping that I end up getting it for my birthday! But we shall see. Great review. It made me want to read it even more!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I have never read a book about gargoyles! That is probably the part of this that most intrigues me. I'm glad you ended up enjoying it in spite of your reservations with the love story. It makes me hopeful for me liking it as well if I read it!
ReplyDelete