Status
Available
Series
Publication
Los Angeles : Freeform Books, 2018.
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control beauty, and beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it's not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite-the Belle chosen by the queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie-that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision. With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide: save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member amandacb
An absolutely stunning addition to the young adult pantheon of dystopian fantasy, this time coated with confectioner's sugar and magic. Belles are essentially magic workers, used (and abused) for their powers of transformation, both physical and emotional. They can whittle your waist and boost your
While it takes a few pages to get acclimated to this very strange, yet very familiar in an unsettling way, world, Belles is not a book soon to be forgotten. The ending leaves plenty left unanswered and sets up a sequel (or even a series) nicely.
Show More
mood in the same session, albeit with some pain on the receiver's part. With such high demand and emphasis on keeping up with the fashionistas of the time, a Belle named Camille becomes a pawn in a high stakes royal cat-and-mouse game. While it takes a few pages to get acclimated to this very strange, yet very familiar in an unsettling way, world, Belles is not a book soon to be forgotten. The ending leaves plenty left unanswered and sets up a sequel (or even a series) nicely.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
So it's an interesting read, it's also an interesting concept but honestly I didn't care what happened to the people.
This is a world where in New Orleans people are born grey and only the power of a Belle can make them beautiful. Camellia Beauregard is one of these Belles and she wants to be the
These young women were badly educated for their roles and the fact that it came to them as a shock is actually shocking. Court politics are messy and that should have been a core part of their education, never mind some of the other issues.
It's an interesting concept novel but I feel no need to continue with the series. I might pick it up but I'm not hunting it down. It gets bonus stars for an interesting concept and cool world-building.
This is a world where in New Orleans people are born grey and only the power of a Belle can make them beautiful. Camellia Beauregard is one of these Belles and she wants to be the
Show More
court favourite. However she isn't at first but later she is and she starts to discover that court politics aren't fun; that things are complicated and that the life of a Belle isn't that great.These young women were badly educated for their roles and the fact that it came to them as a shock is actually shocking. Court politics are messy and that should have been a core part of their education, never mind some of the other issues.
It's an interesting concept novel but I feel no need to continue with the series. I might pick it up but I'm not hunting it down. It gets bonus stars for an interesting concept and cool world-building.
Show Less
LibraryThing member foggidawn
In a world where all people are born gray and colorless, the few who have the magical ability to enhance beauty have the potential for plenty of political power, as well. Camellia is one of these Belles, and she is ambitious, but when she arrives at the capitol, she finds that everything is not as
I liked the premise, but I just couldn't get into this story. It's incredibly slow-moving, I didn't empathize with the main character, and the writing is weird and flowery and all the metaphors are about food. I made it about 150 pages in, and not much has happened yet -- Camellia was sent one place, then switched with another Belle, and nobody will tell her why or what happened (this is a pet peeve of mine, when a character is unnecessarily and intentionally kept in the dark about something that's otherwise common knowledge, just to build suspense). I feel like I've devoted so much time to reading this far that I really ought to continue, but on the other hand, I've finished my last four reads basically avoiding this one, so I think it's time to let it go. I don't usually comment on books I DNF, but I got far enough in this one that I felt like I had a couple things to say about it. Many other reviewers loved it, though some felt that certain elements were problematic. If you're intrigued, best try it for yourself -- just be advised, it's very slow to start.
Show More
it seems.I liked the premise, but I just couldn't get into this story. It's incredibly slow-moving, I didn't empathize with the main character, and the writing is weird and flowery and all the metaphors are about food. I made it about 150 pages in, and not much has happened yet -- Camellia was sent one place, then switched with another Belle, and nobody will tell her why or what happened (this is a pet peeve of mine, when a character is unnecessarily and intentionally kept in the dark about something that's otherwise common knowledge, just to build suspense). I feel like I've devoted so much time to reading this far that I really ought to continue, but on the other hand, I've finished my last four reads basically avoiding this one, so I think it's time to let it go. I don't usually comment on books I DNF, but I got far enough in this one that I felt like I had a couple things to say about it. Many other reviewers loved it, though some felt that certain elements were problematic. If you're intrigued, best try it for yourself -- just be advised, it's very slow to start.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rgruberhighschool
RGG: Minimal plot and character development. 300 pages of description with at least five similes or lists per page. Not sure what the hype is all about. Reading Interest: 14-YA
LibraryThing member rgruberexcel
RGG: Minimal plot and character development. 300 pages of description with at least five similes or lists per page. Not sure what the hype is all about. Reading Interest: 14-YA
LibraryThing member karenvg3
When beauty becomes a total obsession, nothing is ever good enough. This one started out slow for me but man 3/4 of the way through took off at warp speed. Can’t wait for the next in the series. #cliffhanger 4🌟
LibraryThing member thelibraryladies
Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this novel!
My first experience with Dhonielle Clayton was the sudsy and dramatic “Tiny Pretty Things” duology that she wrote with Sona Charaipotra. While I loved the first book in that series, I was left cold by the second. But when I heard that
And oh my gosh, so many FASHION DESCRIPTIONS. I have no style, but I love fashion.
Orléans is unlike any other fantasy world that I have seen in a very long time. It has certain similarities with our world, feeling like a combination of French Revolution era societal castes and factions, and yet with magic and grand technologies dispersed throughout it. The Belles, women who have descended from the Goddess of Beauty, have magic flowing through them that allows them to create beauty with various tools and powers that they have. The mortals of Orléans have been cursed with a distinct lack of beauty and grace (the mythology is indeed explained), and the Belles are the only ones who can help them. I greatly enjoyed Camellia’s moral journey as a Belle. She starts wanting to be the very best, to be picked as the Favorite of the Royal Court and to live with them, just as her mother had. But as she starts to live that life, she starts to change, as realities that she has never seen start to become all too real. The way that she changed and met those changes was very fascinating, and hers was a complex and interesting perspective to follow.
The other characters in this book are all very well done as well. Though we only see the events through Camellia’s eyes, I feel like I got a good hold on the supporting ones too and what their motivations were. I greatly enjoyed one of the other Belles named Edel, whose inherent need to rebel and question her life as a Belle was a small, but telling, theme about how different people function within this opulent world. There are different ways that the characters in this book fit into the complicated society, and I was impressed and genuinely horrified by how willing Clayton was to go into disturbing and dark situations to show the dangerous side of a beauty obsessed and power imbalanced culture. Keep an eye out for Princess Sofia. If you want a really screwy and messed up villain in your YA fantasy, she is exactly what you’re looking for.
I really enjoyed “The Belles” and am waiting for the second book on pins and needles.
---
I had never read any books by Dhonielle Clayton before this, but the intriguing book description alone was enough to convince me this was one to check out. The fact that Kate was also interested was also a plus, since she’s not a huge reader of fantasy, so when there’s one that appeals to her as well, than I’m usually pretty curious!
The thing that stands out about it the most to me was the world-building and descriptions of the beauty that make up the lives of those able to afford such luxuries. The fact that this beauty is also tied to the world’s creation story and is a tangible part of their lives further cemented it as an intriguing concept. What could have read as a fairly superficial fantasy world was instead fully realized and complex, using beauty as not only the primary aspect of the magical system itself but a commentary on what is important to the people in this world. But the simplistic moralizing that one would expect , obsession with physical beauty is superficial and bad, is complicated by the very real implication of the beings peopling this world. Not only do they become physically less beautiful, with grey skin and red eyes, but it is mentioned that insanity also comes for those who fall too far into this “natural” state. I loved the added layers given to this, as, like I said, this could have ended up with a very simple and trite message.
Instead, much of the arc was devoted to Camellia’s growth as a character. Yes, obsession with physical beauty is discussed. But for Camellia, much of her story is that of a young woman who is just beginning to live the life that she’s dreamed of and realizing that it might be very different than she had expected. She’s a typical teenage girl in many ways, struggling with jealousy, self-care, and establishing her own boundaries. Throughout the story, we see her fight with her instincts to please those around her versus do what she knows to be right. Further, this growth comes slowly and steadily, reading as a more natural progression and thus highly relatable to teenage girls. The pressure is real, as are the consequences, and remaining true to your own judgements is never a straight forward path.
I also loved how dark this book was, and I was surprised by the quality of the villain who was presented. The same detailed and extravagant writing that goes into illustrating all of the beauty that makes up this world was put to just as good of use when drawing up the truly terrifying future that now looms by the end of this book.
All in all, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! It was easy to read the concept and dismiss it as a kind of silly fluff-fantasy that was going to preach an all too familiar message about the “beauty within.” But nope! This is definitely one worth checking out!
My first experience with Dhonielle Clayton was the sudsy and dramatic “Tiny Pretty Things” duology that she wrote with Sona Charaipotra. While I loved the first book in that series, I was left cold by the second. But when I heard that
Show More
Clayton was writing a fantasy series on her own, I knew that I would absolutely need to get my hands on it. I know that I say that fantasy isn’t really my wheelhouse, I do have exceptions, and this kind of fantasy (other worldly dystopia/utopia) absolutely falls into that category. I sat down and read “The Belles” in one day, absolutely taken in by this amazing fantasy world that Clayton created.And oh my gosh, so many FASHION DESCRIPTIONS. I have no style, but I love fashion.
Orléans is unlike any other fantasy world that I have seen in a very long time. It has certain similarities with our world, feeling like a combination of French Revolution era societal castes and factions, and yet with magic and grand technologies dispersed throughout it. The Belles, women who have descended from the Goddess of Beauty, have magic flowing through them that allows them to create beauty with various tools and powers that they have. The mortals of Orléans have been cursed with a distinct lack of beauty and grace (the mythology is indeed explained), and the Belles are the only ones who can help them. I greatly enjoyed Camellia’s moral journey as a Belle. She starts wanting to be the very best, to be picked as the Favorite of the Royal Court and to live with them, just as her mother had. But as she starts to live that life, she starts to change, as realities that she has never seen start to become all too real. The way that she changed and met those changes was very fascinating, and hers was a complex and interesting perspective to follow.
The other characters in this book are all very well done as well. Though we only see the events through Camellia’s eyes, I feel like I got a good hold on the supporting ones too and what their motivations were. I greatly enjoyed one of the other Belles named Edel, whose inherent need to rebel and question her life as a Belle was a small, but telling, theme about how different people function within this opulent world. There are different ways that the characters in this book fit into the complicated society, and I was impressed and genuinely horrified by how willing Clayton was to go into disturbing and dark situations to show the dangerous side of a beauty obsessed and power imbalanced culture. Keep an eye out for Princess Sofia. If you want a really screwy and messed up villain in your YA fantasy, she is exactly what you’re looking for.
I really enjoyed “The Belles” and am waiting for the second book on pins and needles.
---
I had never read any books by Dhonielle Clayton before this, but the intriguing book description alone was enough to convince me this was one to check out. The fact that Kate was also interested was also a plus, since she’s not a huge reader of fantasy, so when there’s one that appeals to her as well, than I’m usually pretty curious!
The thing that stands out about it the most to me was the world-building and descriptions of the beauty that make up the lives of those able to afford such luxuries. The fact that this beauty is also tied to the world’s creation story and is a tangible part of their lives further cemented it as an intriguing concept. What could have read as a fairly superficial fantasy world was instead fully realized and complex, using beauty as not only the primary aspect of the magical system itself but a commentary on what is important to the people in this world. But the simplistic moralizing that one would expect , obsession with physical beauty is superficial and bad, is complicated by the very real implication of the beings peopling this world. Not only do they become physically less beautiful, with grey skin and red eyes, but it is mentioned that insanity also comes for those who fall too far into this “natural” state. I loved the added layers given to this, as, like I said, this could have ended up with a very simple and trite message.
Instead, much of the arc was devoted to Camellia’s growth as a character. Yes, obsession with physical beauty is discussed. But for Camellia, much of her story is that of a young woman who is just beginning to live the life that she’s dreamed of and realizing that it might be very different than she had expected. She’s a typical teenage girl in many ways, struggling with jealousy, self-care, and establishing her own boundaries. Throughout the story, we see her fight with her instincts to please those around her versus do what she knows to be right. Further, this growth comes slowly and steadily, reading as a more natural progression and thus highly relatable to teenage girls. The pressure is real, as are the consequences, and remaining true to your own judgements is never a straight forward path.
I also loved how dark this book was, and I was surprised by the quality of the villain who was presented. The same detailed and extravagant writing that goes into illustrating all of the beauty that makes up this world was put to just as good of use when drawing up the truly terrifying future that now looms by the end of this book.
All in all, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! It was easy to read the concept and dismiss it as a kind of silly fluff-fantasy that was going to preach an all too familiar message about the “beauty within.” But nope! This is definitely one worth checking out!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jessika.C
Ever since she was a little girl, Camellia Beauregard has been trained to be a Belle. Belle’s have the unique ability to make people beautiful through a special power they have. The setting is a futuristic literally grey world where people are basically clay and the belles mold them into
First of all, the premise is so weird to the point where it took a lot to get my mind out of the logical world and just roll with the punches. I can suspend my belief for a minute when there’s something illogically logical to latch on to but I felt like there was so little exposed at the beginning that I felt forced to accept the world and just deal with it. Then I didn’t really care for any of the sisters. Camellia was by far the most interesting one as she should be being the main character. I did enjoy reading about her but everything happening around her was so boring. But once the story got into the nitty-gritty of the power of the Belles I became hooked. Sadly my interest didn’t last when the love interest came into play and I finally figured out what was going on. The last chapter didn’t have me on my toes so I don’t think I’ll be continuing this one.
While I do appreciate the diversity aspect of this novel it wasn’t enough to keep me entertained. I kept wondering what kind of book did this want to be? A fantasy? A mystery? A horror? I could never figure it out. I just know this wasn’t for me but I’m glad others are enjoying it a lot more than I did. The names given to everything from the settings and the characters were beautiful. I really do feel sad I didn't like it.
Show More
something aesthetically pleasing. Every decade a belle is chosen by the queen of Orleans to serve the royal court and make them beautiful however they please. Camellia wants to follow her mother’s footsteps and become the favorite. When that doesn’t happen she resents the Belle sister that does and begrudgingly works in her assigned corner of Orleans and starts to learn about the ugly secrets about the Belles hidden from her sisters. But then the queen requests for Camellia to work at the palace leaving her with even more questions, especially about why her best friend was just fired from that very job.First of all, the premise is so weird to the point where it took a lot to get my mind out of the logical world and just roll with the punches. I can suspend my belief for a minute when there’s something illogically logical to latch on to but I felt like there was so little exposed at the beginning that I felt forced to accept the world and just deal with it. Then I didn’t really care for any of the sisters. Camellia was by far the most interesting one as she should be being the main character. I did enjoy reading about her but everything happening around her was so boring. But once the story got into the nitty-gritty of the power of the Belles I became hooked. Sadly my interest didn’t last when the love interest came into play and I finally figured out what was going on. The last chapter didn’t have me on my toes so I don’t think I’ll be continuing this one.
While I do appreciate the diversity aspect of this novel it wasn’t enough to keep me entertained. I kept wondering what kind of book did this want to be? A fantasy? A mystery? A horror? I could never figure it out. I just know this wasn’t for me but I’m glad others are enjoying it a lot more than I did. The names given to everything from the settings and the characters were beautiful. I really do feel sad I didn't like it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member CarolynDenman
Everything in this book seemed to be dusted in sugar and petals. An intriguing premise for a story, with hidden depths that I hope will be explored further in the second book. I was rather frustrated that the main character didn't respond to the challenges she faced in the way that seemed obvious
Show More
to me, but I think that's more to do with my personal tastes. I like a protagonist who is cleverer than I am. I love it when they surprise me. This one didn't, but that's okay. She wasn't supposed to be clever, and she had an extremely sheltered upbringing, so it all fit with the story. I'm looking forward to seeing how she develops in later books. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jadedog13
So, I think this book was trying to make a statement about how much our society reveres beauty. And how dangerous this could be when taken to the extreme. There are many issues tackled in this book including gender equality, male privilege, the way woman warp their bodies to be "perfect," and the
Show More
idea that beauty is not just what we see on the outside. It does a good job of raising the issues without seeming preachy. The audio was very well-done but the language is overly flowery with too much imagery. Show Less
LibraryThing member LibrarianRyan
For me this book is a thinker. I had to let it sink in to determine what I wanted to say. This book took me a bit to read. I was always enjoying it, but it got repetitive and annoying. So much of this books is about being beautiful. About the lengths someone will go to attain the perfect image in
This book is a fantasy that doesn’t feel like a fantasy. But it also doesn’t feel like a teen drama. In ways it reminds me of Rapunzel and Flowers in the Attic without the incest. A “treasured” commodity hidden away in a tower who has been raised to appease certain people, only to find out that not everything is hunky dory, and you life may be forever changed. Camillia was born and raised to be a Belle. Her greatest ambition is to be the Favorite, live at court, and service the queen. She has been raised to make people beautiful. Only Belles are born beautiful. Most people are born as gray wrinkly lumps, but the Arcana held in a Belles blood can change the way people look. It was a blessing from the Goddess of Beauty. But as the saying goes, power corrupts, and when beauty is power, the world seems so shallow, and unattainable.
Camillia is just one of 7 Belles this year. Each Belle is stationed at a tea house to make people beautiful. But the tea houses are strange. There are cryings in the night, and way more customers than one person can handle. Plus, the political intrigue at court, with back stabbing, and a queen of hearts yelling off with their heads. There is a soldier, and few past belles, and even a sleeping beauty.
The world building is very interesting. The use of balloons for a postal service, the arcana, but it’s the part Hunger Games Capitol, part Disneyland feel of the location that is intriguing. I do have lots of questions about the world building, that I would normally call holes, but I have a filling these holes are going to be filled in the following books of the series. You see, this book ends abruptly. Not on a cliffhanger so much, but as a …. I thought that part would come at the center of the book…. Kind of way.
For me the biggest thing I think about when considering the rating I shall give a novel is, has the author not only made me invest my time, but made me curious enough to see how the story will continue. In this case she has. The sequel is out today, and I will be picking it up on my lunch break.
#MountTBR
#ReadHarder
#Booked2019 - #newtoyouauthor
#LittenLoveBingo - #PrettyCover
#NancyDrewChallenge - #9 - #MCusesacandle
#KillYourTBR - #woninabookishfirstraffle
Show More
the mirror. How beauty can be used as a boon, a bargaining chip, and even a weapon. I kept waiting for someone to realize that beauty is only skin deep and it’s what's on the inside that counts. This idea can be seen between the lines of what is going on, but at the same time, it never really is there. It’s this concept that really got on my nerves. As a fat girl, I applaud the main character Camellia wanting to bring curves back into style, however this book delves into more than just size. It talks skin color, proportions, healthy bodies (for example nostrils must be sufficiently large enough to actually breath through), and even the natural progression of aging. This book is a fantasy that doesn’t feel like a fantasy. But it also doesn’t feel like a teen drama. In ways it reminds me of Rapunzel and Flowers in the Attic without the incest. A “treasured” commodity hidden away in a tower who has been raised to appease certain people, only to find out that not everything is hunky dory, and you life may be forever changed. Camillia was born and raised to be a Belle. Her greatest ambition is to be the Favorite, live at court, and service the queen. She has been raised to make people beautiful. Only Belles are born beautiful. Most people are born as gray wrinkly lumps, but the Arcana held in a Belles blood can change the way people look. It was a blessing from the Goddess of Beauty. But as the saying goes, power corrupts, and when beauty is power, the world seems so shallow, and unattainable.
Camillia is just one of 7 Belles this year. Each Belle is stationed at a tea house to make people beautiful. But the tea houses are strange. There are cryings in the night, and way more customers than one person can handle. Plus, the political intrigue at court, with back stabbing, and a queen of hearts yelling off with their heads. There is a soldier, and few past belles, and even a sleeping beauty.
The world building is very interesting. The use of balloons for a postal service, the arcana, but it’s the part Hunger Games Capitol, part Disneyland feel of the location that is intriguing. I do have lots of questions about the world building, that I would normally call holes, but I have a filling these holes are going to be filled in the following books of the series. You see, this book ends abruptly. Not on a cliffhanger so much, but as a …. I thought that part would come at the center of the book…. Kind of way.
For me the biggest thing I think about when considering the rating I shall give a novel is, has the author not only made me invest my time, but made me curious enough to see how the story will continue. In this case she has. The sequel is out today, and I will be picking it up on my lunch break.
#MountTBR
#ReadHarder
#Booked2019 - #newtoyouauthor
#LittenLoveBingo - #PrettyCover
#NancyDrewChallenge - #9 - #MCusesacandle
#KillYourTBR - #woninabookishfirstraffle
Show Less
LibraryThing member ShellyPYA
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be
Show More
made beautiful. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisCarey
In the land of Orleans, everyone is born gray, and plain, and only the Belles and their arcana can make people beautiful.
And being beautiful is the most important thing for everyone in Orleans.
Camilla Beauregard and her sisters, the new generation of Belles look forward to going to the palace. Each
Nor are the Belles not chosen as the Favorite, and assigned to the various Tea Houses around the kingdom, to ply their talents for the benefit of anyone with the wealth to purchase them, any better off. Favorite and Tea House Belles alike, they are working close to the edge of their capacity. They've been taught how to use their talents, but not how to manage contentious clients. At the Tea Houses, they here strange sounds, and cries of pain at night. They don't know what's going on.
At the Palace, the new Favorite slowly learns that even within the royal family, there is intrigue and conflict, and some of the greatest dangers they'll face.
This is a very good book, well-written, with good, interesting characters, and good plotting. I didn't love it, but I think I would have loved it, when I was the young adult reader this is aimed at--and I don't mean so young I hadn't yet acquired critical judgment. This is an excellent book. I'm just not the target audience for it anymore.
Recommended.
I borrowed this book from my local library.
And being beautiful is the most important thing for everyone in Orleans.
Camilla Beauregard and her sisters, the new generation of Belles look forward to going to the palace. Each
Show More
dreams of being the Favorite, the Belle who will live in the Palace and serve the Queen and her Court. Yet when they arrive, they discover that life at the Palace is no bed of roses. There is intrigue and danger at every turn, and you can't tell who is an enemy, and who, if anyone, is a friend.Nor are the Belles not chosen as the Favorite, and assigned to the various Tea Houses around the kingdom, to ply their talents for the benefit of anyone with the wealth to purchase them, any better off. Favorite and Tea House Belles alike, they are working close to the edge of their capacity. They've been taught how to use their talents, but not how to manage contentious clients. At the Tea Houses, they here strange sounds, and cries of pain at night. They don't know what's going on.
At the Palace, the new Favorite slowly learns that even within the royal family, there is intrigue and conflict, and some of the greatest dangers they'll face.
This is a very good book, well-written, with good, interesting characters, and good plotting. I didn't love it, but I think I would have loved it, when I was the young adult reader this is aimed at--and I don't mean so young I hadn't yet acquired critical judgment. This is an excellent book. I'm just not the target audience for it anymore.
Recommended.
I borrowed this book from my local library.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
A compelling voice and central character can't quite make up for the shaky worldbuilding and pacing of this second-world fantasy with an interesting premise. The citizens of Orléans are born with grey skin, red eyes, and brittle hair - except for the Belles, who also have the power of the arcana
While Camellia is engaging and the idea of the world has a lot of potential, there are quite a few details of the worldbuilding that don't make sense on closer examination. The pacing is odd at best, and the ending is so abrupt as to demand a sequel. Overall I love the idea of this book, but I'm not convinced by the execution.
Show More
in their blood, the ability to make people beautiful. Their power makes them central figures in the court but also constrains their life to one of service, exhausting themselves to create beauty in others. Camellia wants nothing more than to be the Favorite, chosen to do the beauty work of the royal court, but when she's assigned instead to the Chrysanthemum House she begins to see a dark underside to the beauty economy of Orléans. While Camellia is engaging and the idea of the world has a lot of potential, there are quite a few details of the worldbuilding that don't make sense on closer examination. The pacing is odd at best, and the ending is so abrupt as to demand a sequel. Overall I love the idea of this book, but I'm not convinced by the execution.
Show Less
LibraryThing member pwaites
TW: attempted sexual assault
Sometimes when I venture in YA fantasy, I find an amazing story. More likely, I end up being disappointed. Such as it was with The Belles.
In the kingdom of Orléans, nothing is more important than beauty. But beauty isn’t something you’re born with — unless
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle, and she has ambition. She wants to be the favorite, the one Belle chosen from each generation to live with the queen and work strictly for the court, but Camellia quickly finds that there’s a lot she doesn’t know. The court has its own dangers, primarily a princess high on power, and why is it that there’s so much Camellia doesn’t know? Where do Belles come from, why does she suspect there’s more Belles than she’s been told, and what are their powers really capable of?
As is perhaps understandable for a world obsessed with beauty, The Belles contains opulent imagery and descriptions. While at first it was stunning, the constant descriptions of gorgeous people, clothes, and settings quickly got tiring and sickly sweet. I think I needed something gritter or rougher to balance out everything being golden or compared to food. Maybe seeing more of the gris (the un-Belle-fied people) would have helped. Or the conditions the poor live in, since we pretty much only saw the upper classes. The Belles does give a bit more darkness towards the end, but I found it too little, too late.
I also wasn’t satisfied with how The Belles dealt with the issues of beauty and body positivity. The concept of beauty can be very problematic; what is beautiful is dependent on culture and cultural values. Within of Western ideals of beauty, there are some toxic notions such as placing value solely on white features and an intense focus on thinness. The Belles partly remedies this. In Orléans,, there isn’t one sort of skin color, hair texture, or type of facial feature that is valued as more beautiful. In fact, Camellia repeatedly stresses that beauty is in diversity. The Belles gets ride of racist notions of what constitutes “beautiful,” but the characters in the story still display fatphobia or ableism.
I don’t have any objection to a YA book dealing with these issues; in fact, I think it’s something we need more of. However, I don’t think The Belles handles it satisfactorily. Usually, when one of the secondary characters made a fatphobic comment, Camellia would rebut it, saying that they should instead consider curves beautiful, but I don’t know if that was enough of a rebuttal, especially as she’d be completely disregarded by the other characters. It also seems like by “fat,” Camellia means “plus sized model,” which isn’t super inclusive. I didn’t think The Belles‘s handling of fatphobia was completely disastrous, more sort of half-baked. Still, this might be one you want to avoid if you have trouble with eating disorders and the like.
As for the ableism, I think The Belles is even less self-aware. It replicates the idea that beautiful is able bodied without even tepid rebukes by Camellia. I don’t want to go to far into spoiler territory here, but when Camellia does meet a character she sees as tragically ugly, it involves facial disfigurement. The binary of “beautiful/ugly” is usually problematic when applied to human beings, and The Belles doesn’t entirely escape this.
Perhaps the most pernicious problem when it comes to The Belles subject matter is that it never dismantles Orléans’s obsession with beauty being the most important thing. The closest it gets is a couple of vague comments from the love interest about how he doesn’t consider beauty all that important. I can’t believe that there’ll be no attempt to deal with this, so I can only assume that it’s being left for the sequel.
The Belles‘s key problem is that it’s not successful in handling the issues it presents. However, I had a couple of other concerns. The story had a very slow start and took forever to pick up. It followed the YA trend of having an unnecessary and badly developed romance subplot. I was also excited about the possibility of female friendship, but that never really materialized; Camellia is almost immediately separated from her sister Belles. The attempted rape scene was badly handled and felt included for shock value. Also…
Look, every reader has their own particular sensitivities. One of mine is queer tragedy. If you’re a queer woman who doesn’t like it when the only queer women in a book are either dead or villains… yeah, maybe avoid this one.
I think there will be some people who really enjoy The Belles, and it does handle some issues well. It just isn’t for me, for a number of reasons.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Belles.
Sometimes when I venture in YA fantasy, I find an amazing story. More likely, I end up being disappointed. Such as it was with The Belles.
In the kingdom of Orléans, nothing is more important than beauty. But beauty isn’t something you’re born with — unless
Show More
you’re a Belle. Unlike the rest of the population who are born “ugly” with dull, grey skin, the Belles are beautiful. And thanks to their particular magic, they can make everyone else beautiful too.Camellia Beauregard is a Belle, and she has ambition. She wants to be the favorite, the one Belle chosen from each generation to live with the queen and work strictly for the court, but Camellia quickly finds that there’s a lot she doesn’t know. The court has its own dangers, primarily a princess high on power, and why is it that there’s so much Camellia doesn’t know? Where do Belles come from, why does she suspect there’s more Belles than she’s been told, and what are their powers really capable of?
As is perhaps understandable for a world obsessed with beauty, The Belles contains opulent imagery and descriptions. While at first it was stunning, the constant descriptions of gorgeous people, clothes, and settings quickly got tiring and sickly sweet. I think I needed something gritter or rougher to balance out everything being golden or compared to food. Maybe seeing more of the gris (the un-Belle-fied people) would have helped. Or the conditions the poor live in, since we pretty much only saw the upper classes. The Belles does give a bit more darkness towards the end, but I found it too little, too late.
I also wasn’t satisfied with how The Belles dealt with the issues of beauty and body positivity. The concept of beauty can be very problematic; what is beautiful is dependent on culture and cultural values. Within of Western ideals of beauty, there are some toxic notions such as placing value solely on white features and an intense focus on thinness. The Belles partly remedies this. In Orléans,, there isn’t one sort of skin color, hair texture, or type of facial feature that is valued as more beautiful. In fact, Camellia repeatedly stresses that beauty is in diversity. The Belles gets ride of racist notions of what constitutes “beautiful,” but the characters in the story still display fatphobia or ableism.
I don’t have any objection to a YA book dealing with these issues; in fact, I think it’s something we need more of. However, I don’t think The Belles handles it satisfactorily. Usually, when one of the secondary characters made a fatphobic comment, Camellia would rebut it, saying that they should instead consider curves beautiful, but I don’t know if that was enough of a rebuttal, especially as she’d be completely disregarded by the other characters. It also seems like by “fat,” Camellia means “plus sized model,” which isn’t super inclusive. I didn’t think The Belles‘s handling of fatphobia was completely disastrous, more sort of half-baked. Still, this might be one you want to avoid if you have trouble with eating disorders and the like.
As for the ableism, I think The Belles is even less self-aware. It replicates the idea that beautiful is able bodied without even tepid rebukes by Camellia. I don’t want to go to far into spoiler territory here, but when Camellia does meet a character she sees as tragically ugly, it involves facial disfigurement. The binary of “beautiful/ugly” is usually problematic when applied to human beings, and The Belles doesn’t entirely escape this.
Perhaps the most pernicious problem when it comes to The Belles subject matter is that it never dismantles Orléans’s obsession with beauty being the most important thing. The closest it gets is a couple of vague comments from the love interest about how he doesn’t consider beauty all that important. I can’t believe that there’ll be no attempt to deal with this, so I can only assume that it’s being left for the sequel.
The Belles‘s key problem is that it’s not successful in handling the issues it presents. However, I had a couple of other concerns. The story had a very slow start and took forever to pick up. It followed the YA trend of having an unnecessary and badly developed romance subplot. I was also excited about the possibility of female friendship, but that never really materialized; Camellia is almost immediately separated from her sister Belles. The attempted rape scene was badly handled and felt included for shock value. Also…
Look, every reader has their own particular sensitivities. One of mine is queer tragedy. If you’re a queer woman who doesn’t like it when the only queer women in a book are either dead or villains… yeah, maybe avoid this one.
I think there will be some people who really enjoy The Belles, and it does handle some issues well. It just isn’t for me, for a number of reasons.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Belles.
Show Less
LibraryThing member untitled841
Camellia Beauregard is our steward on the journey through Belle training, competition and the world of Orleans. But something is going on with the royal family. Can she save the ones at risk with the skills taught to her by her mother?
World building was in delicate balance with character
Quotes and snippets:
p.44 My mind races with all the things she might say. I hope she tells me how much she loved my exhibition. I hope she tells me that the crowd clapped the loudest for me. I hope she tells me my use of the second arcana was unique. But a voice inside me whispers: she didn't like it.
p. 124 Her teacup pets surround her--a monkey on her shoulder, an elephant in her lap, and a thimble-size rabbit perched on the tip of her scepter.
p. 181 A sunset-orange post-balloon putters into the main salon, glowing bright with the Fire Teahouse emblem. Its tails whip and snap.
p. 181 I flip over the parchment and see rows of color smudges. It's the secret alphabet we made up as children, to communicate without Du Barry and our mamans knowing.
p. 183 I slip it into a privacy case, tuck it into the balloon's interior compartment, adjust the tiny golden compass, and send the palace-official post-balloon off the balcony. I watch until its lilac body disappears in the darkness.
p. 202 I identify all the smaller pigments......Maman used to make me tell her all the pigments that made up the deep red of an apple, or the brown of a peanut. It was her nightly test for me while I was studying skin transformations. While the other mothers forced my sisters to trace their cursive letters, I worked on shades and spectrums. 'The core of beauty is color', Maman used to remind me when I complained about her exercises.
p. 321 Mostly reputable, but there are a few tattlers and scandal sheets in there, too. They often hint at the truth at times, but never tell anyone a librarian told you that.
World building was in delicate balance with character
Show More
development. Clayton gives the reader just enough to create their own world perspective, I chose a very steampunk influenced early 1800's and I have no solid quotes as to why other than the postal balloons the girls send each other. Quotes and snippets:
p.44 My mind races with all the things she might say. I hope she tells me how much she loved my exhibition. I hope she tells me that the crowd clapped the loudest for me. I hope she tells me my use of the second arcana was unique. But a voice inside me whispers: she didn't like it.
p. 124 Her teacup pets surround her--a monkey on her shoulder, an elephant in her lap, and a thimble-size rabbit perched on the tip of her scepter.
p. 181 A sunset-orange post-balloon putters into the main salon, glowing bright with the Fire Teahouse emblem. Its tails whip and snap.
p. 181 I flip over the parchment and see rows of color smudges. It's the secret alphabet we made up as children, to communicate without Du Barry and our mamans knowing.
p. 183 I slip it into a privacy case, tuck it into the balloon's interior compartment, adjust the tiny golden compass, and send the palace-official post-balloon off the balcony. I watch until its lilac body disappears in the darkness.
p. 202 I identify all the smaller pigments......Maman used to make me tell her all the pigments that made up the deep red of an apple, or the brown of a peanut. It was her nightly test for me while I was studying skin transformations. While the other mothers forced my sisters to trace their cursive letters, I worked on shades and spectrums. 'The core of beauty is color', Maman used to remind me when I complained about her exercises.
p. 321 Mostly reputable, but there are a few tattlers and scandal sheets in there, too. They often hint at the truth at times, but never tell anyone a librarian told you that.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Stevil2001
At about page 200, I would have told you I hated this book. This novel is set in a fantasy world where most people are born ugly; special people called "Belles" have the magical power to reshape the body to make people beautiful. The narrator (first-person present tense; I guess this is the way YA
Show More
is written now, and I hate it) wants to be "the favorite," the Belle at the Royal Court, but is passed over... then ends up with a second chance. I just did not care about her or her tribulations; the world here seems like it could be interesting, but never clicked for me either. But I did get interested as the plot finally emerged and events accelerated, and I'd say by the end I was kinda into it. I was frustrated that it lacks real resolution because it's set-up for a trilogy. I don't mind trilogies per se but this opening installment just doesn't stand alone in a satisfying way. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiaya40
Well it sounds like there are some others who felt the same way as I did about this book.
It was hard to rate it and chose 3 because of the mixed feelings. It was very slow going - I made it halfway through and then stopped for a day or two and debated whether I wanted to or could finish it or
There’s a lot of heavy subject matter in here underneath the pretty stuff and in between the fun and interesting things. I don’t usually like or read this dark of a book much and it was a bit of a challenge for me in parts because I don’t handle reading about deaths or harming animals that well all the time - it can be hard to stomach depending on the details and who dies etc. There were also a lot of other things that bothered me or like some others mentioned maybe should have had a bit more warning before reading it. I also was not happy with the part where Alfred tried to attack and get some action during his beauty treatment.
As some others mentioned in their reviews, some of us readers perhaps more than others need to tread lightly when considering and/or reading this. I don’t know that I’ll be reading the next in this series. This book wasn’t really a good fit for me.
It was hard to rate it and chose 3 because of the mixed feelings. It was very slow going - I made it halfway through and then stopped for a day or two and debated whether I wanted to or could finish it or
Show More
not.There’s a lot of heavy subject matter in here underneath the pretty stuff and in between the fun and interesting things. I don’t usually like or read this dark of a book much and it was a bit of a challenge for me in parts because I don’t handle reading about deaths or harming animals that well all the time - it can be hard to stomach depending on the details and who dies etc. There were also a lot of other things that bothered me or like some others mentioned maybe should have had a bit more warning before reading it. I also was not happy with the part where Alfred tried to attack and get some action during his beauty treatment.
As some others mentioned in their reviews, some of us readers perhaps more than others need to tread lightly when considering and/or reading this. I don’t know that I’ll be reading the next in this series. This book wasn’t really a good fit for me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jonez
3.75-4.0
I am stuck between a 3.75 and a 4 stars for this book. I think the setting was well described, the plot was very interesting (the ability to change inward and outward beauty and how that is weaponized), and I appreciated the court intrigue. The characters were, however, not fully fleshed
I am stuck between a 3.75 and a 4 stars for this book. I think the setting was well described, the plot was very interesting (the ability to change inward and outward beauty and how that is weaponized), and I appreciated the court intrigue. The characters were, however, not fully fleshed
Show More
out. Some were very one dimensional, and none really seemed to experience any character growth. The world building was only slightly lacking, and there was a lot of telling and not showing, but honestly, that is something that almost every YA fantasy seems to suffer from, in my opinion. Make no mistake that there was actually a lot of depth that Clayton has written here, and I am excited to pick up the next book and see how things progress. I am hoping that the main character, Camelia, shows growth in the first book that I think she was lacking in the first. Show Less
LibraryThing member amandanan
Couldn’t continue beyond the second chapter.
LibraryThing member Chris.Bulin
There were a lot of issues with this, but it was only in execution. That will get better with more writing usually, so I plan to keep going with the series.
LibraryThing member Sarah220
This book took a while to get through because life intervened. But I still think it was still paced a little slow. And I really wanted the main character to be more proactive sooner. However, Clayton builds a beaatiful, lush, and detailed world. Part New Orleans mardi-gras, part 18th century France
Show More
(still with monarchs). I really liked the blend of myth and magic and the fact that skin color (except gray) didn't matter as long as one was beautiful. And that is at the heart of the story. What would one do to be beautiful? With some commentary that beauty on the outside does not mean one is beautiful on the inside and power is easily transformed into abuse. The ending was a bit abrupt and the story certainly felt unfinished but it is the beginning of a series and I'm definitely waiting for book #2. Show Less
LibraryThing member reader1009
teen fantasy/dystopian suspense with court intrigue (betrayal and backstabbing!), a little romance, and yes, girls in fancy dresses.
Once I got past how messed up this dystopian world is (you should definitely read the author's note at the end for more about that) this really is a terrific
Thank you for this beautiful cover! While race doesn't really exist in this fantasy world, the main character's skin color is proudly displayed. Also appreciated, the mention of the Queen's support for Trans folks and the inclusion of several other LGBTQ characters in supporting roles. There were comments made by characters in support of diverse body types as equal forms of natural beauty, but I would also like to see support for uneven skin tones (which can also be beautiful) and perhaps differently-abled people? Just because we're talking (a LOT) about beauty here, and I would like even more readers to feel included if that's possible.
Looking forward to the next installment! Thank you--
Once I got past how messed up this dystopian world is (you should definitely read the author's note at the end for more about that) this really is a terrific
Show More
page-turner of a book. After a while I started skimming over the flowery prose (lots of fluid descriptions of colors and textures and fancy dresses--other readers might really enjoy those parts) so I could get to the suspenseful attempted murder bits--Princess Sophia really is a terrible human being; you're going to love hating her.Thank you for this beautiful cover! While race doesn't really exist in this fantasy world, the main character's skin color is proudly displayed. Also appreciated, the mention of the Queen's support for Trans folks and the inclusion of several other LGBTQ characters in supporting roles. There were comments made by characters in support of diverse body types as equal forms of natural beauty, but I would also like to see support for uneven skin tones (which can also be beautiful) and perhaps differently-abled people? Just because we're talking (a LOT) about beauty here, and I would like even more readers to feel included if that's possible.
Looking forward to the next installment! Thank you--
Show Less
LibraryThing member oldandnewbooksmell
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault
The Belles is set in a fantasy alternative New Orleans where people are born grey, except The Belles, who can make and transform citizens into beautiful beings using their gift of arcana. Camellia Beauregard has trained her whole life to be the Perfect, the Belle that
The writing style of The Belles was one of my favorite parts. There were many descriptions of things where they were compared to food or candies. As much as that possibly sounds strange, Dhonielle Clayton does a decent job at it.
"The sky and its clouds are made of melting cherries and flaming oranges and burnt grapefruit as the sun sinks into the sea...My powdered skin makes me look like an overly frosted piece of caramel cake"
Though, with that comparison, there's also issues. Food was used a lot to describe skin color and had the potential to be racist. I know that's the world building and because the characters do eat a lot of extraordinarily sweet treats often, I can see how that's an 'easy comparison' for them to do.
I really enjoyed the cast of characters: Camellia, Remy, Bree, and Edel. I liked Amber as well, but sometimes I felt like Camellia would portray her one way and then she'd do something that seemed like it would be out of character for her. She wasn't the main character so we really weren't able to see what she was thinking throughout so she made me curious. I was also so intrigued with Princess Sophia and her development throughout the book. The villains in this story are scary, dark, and cruel! They had me wanting other characters to just get as far away from them as they possibly could before something happened.
Overall this is entertaining for a YA fantasy novel. It will keep the pages turning as you read. I had already asked for the next book from my library halfway through reading the first. I'm pretty excited to continue reading this series.
The Belles is set in a fantasy alternative New Orleans where people are born grey, except The Belles, who can make and transform citizens into beautiful beings using their gift of arcana. Camellia Beauregard has trained her whole life to be the Perfect, the Belle that
Show More
works in the Royal Court and helps makes the "Beauty Laws" of the kingdom. As soon as her and her sisters join the Court, they quickly learn it's everything they've ever learned is a lie. Camellia is also asked by the Queen to risk her own life to help spare that of her eldest daughter's by using her arcana in an unconventional way. Camellia must decide where she wants to stand: save herself and her sisters, or risk it all to save the kingdom and her world forever.The writing style of The Belles was one of my favorite parts. There were many descriptions of things where they were compared to food or candies. As much as that possibly sounds strange, Dhonielle Clayton does a decent job at it.
"The sky and its clouds are made of melting cherries and flaming oranges and burnt grapefruit as the sun sinks into the sea...My powdered skin makes me look like an overly frosted piece of caramel cake"
Though, with that comparison, there's also issues. Food was used a lot to describe skin color and had the potential to be racist. I know that's the world building and because the characters do eat a lot of extraordinarily sweet treats often, I can see how that's an 'easy comparison' for them to do.
I really enjoyed the cast of characters: Camellia, Remy, Bree, and Edel. I liked Amber as well, but sometimes I felt like Camellia would portray her one way and then she'd do something that seemed like it would be out of character for her. She wasn't the main character so we really weren't able to see what she was thinking throughout so she made me curious. I was also so intrigued with Princess Sophia and her development throughout the book. The villains in this story are scary, dark, and cruel! They had me wanting other characters to just get as far away from them as they possibly could before something happened.
Overall this is entertaining for a YA fantasy novel. It will keep the pages turning as you read. I had already asked for the next book from my library halfway through reading the first. I'm pretty excited to continue reading this series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Dairyqueen84
This just wasn't my cup of tea, no pun intended. Teens will probably love it.
Subjects
Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — Young Adult Novel — 2019)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Middle School — 2021)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2019)
Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Winner — 2021)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2019)
Kids' Book Choice Awards (Finalist — 2019)
Lodestar Award (Nominee — 2019)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2019)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2018)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2018)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2018)
Penn GSE's Best Books for Young Readers (Selection — Young Adult — 2018)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2019)
Language
Original publication date
2018-02-06
ISBN
9781484728499
Local notes
Fiction