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Harper C.: Five Book Friday: Uncanny Graphic Novels (0 comment)
We are in the thick of winter here in the Pacific Northwest, which means it's dark, damp, and chilly. Rather than escaping to stories with warmer, brighter climates, I personally want nothing more than to dive deep into gothic and uncanny fiction as the wind rattles my windows at night...
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Belles 01

by Dhonielle Clayton
Belles 01

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  • Synopses & Reviews

ISBN13: 9781484728499
ISBN10: 1484728491
Condition: Standard
DustJacket: Standard

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1Cedar Hills

Synopses & Reviews

Synopsis

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.

Dhonielle Clayton creates a rich, detailed, decadent world of excess and privilege, where beauty is not only skin-deep, but a complete mirage. Weaving deeper questions about the commodification of women's bodies, gender equality, racial identity, and vanity with high-stakes action and incredible imagery, The Belles is the must-read epic of the season.


5 3

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Average customer rating 5 (3 comments)

`
MustInvolveEggs , September 24, 2018 (view all comments by MustInvolveEggs)
For someone choosing whether to try and stop an evil tyrant from taking power and possibly die in the process, or stand by while an evil tyrant takes power and probably die in the process, Camellia is remarkably indecisive. She probably takes an hour to choose between waffles and pancakes. There’s not much to her relationship with her love interest other than curiosity and lust. Which is fine- get it, girl! But I didn’t buy the book’s suggestions of something deeper. The Belles does better with sibling relationships. Camellia and Amber's thorny mix of affection and rivalry felt realistic, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops in the next book. The slow reveal of Orleans' secrets was genuinely creepy, and made me wish The Belles committed more fully to its horror elements. If the sequel takes that route, its villain is more than up for the challenge. She's awful in the best possible way, like the nightmare child of Cheryl Blossom and Elizabeth Bathory. The one part of this book that genuinely upset me was the fate of its queer women- I still have hopes for some of them, but I'm not holding my breath.

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spellbindingstories , March 23, 2018 (view all comments by spellbindingstories)
I knew from reading the synopsis of this book that I would immediately love it. We meet our main character, Camellia, immediately and it’s through her naïve eyes that we are carried through the story. Since Camellia is essentially an outsider on account of her gifts, I believe that she worked as a great protagonist since readers are able to realistically learn about this creative universe through her perspective as she herself learns. Her slow character development led readers in a natural direction that was easy to follow. I absolutely fell in love with the mystery behind the true nature of this magical, fictional New Orleans. My only complaint is the writing style, which is technically only a matter of taste. It was initially hard to get into but once I became used to it, I eventually came to love and enjoy it. Overall, this is a completely original and thoroughly unique story which conveys a clear message that the author skillfully intertwines with the plot and heart of the story. Such a message is not thrust down reader’s throats, but told in a fashion that allows readers to develop their own perspective of the matter. The story works almost as an interpretative, symbolic piece representative of the struggles each and every individual likely feels each time they look in a mirror. I’m definitely anticipating book 2 of this series!

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BookFreakOut , November 19, 2017 (view all comments by BookFreakOut)
Lush writing, exquisite detail, a fantastical setting and a gripping story make The Belles a standout YA fantasy. Camille's character has a strong attention to detail in accordance with her beauty work as a Belle, and her descriptions of Orleans will make you want to rush off to bakery and a fashion boutique, possibly at the same time (powdered skin like an overly frosted piece of caramel cake, buttercup yellow day dress, etc.). The physical pain and monetary cost of the Belle's beauty work are symbolic of the extreme methods people today use to try and conform to unrealistic beauty standards. I appreciated how Camille sees her work as helping people love themselves, rather than as a money-making opportunity like others in her industry. Despite being at the heart of the Orleans beauty industry, she believes that people's natural and inner beauty are more important than being supermodel gorgeous. The setting of Orleans is whimsical, playful, and full of delightful details like teacup animals, all of which combine to make The Belles compulsively readable.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9781484728499
Binding:
Hardcover
Publication date:
02/06/2018
Publisher:
FREEFORM
Series info:
Belles
Pages:
448
Height:
1.40IN
Width:
5.50IN
Series Number:
1
Age Range:
14 to 17
Grade Range:
9 to 12
Author:
Dhonielle Clayton

Ships free on qualified orders.
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$9.95
List Price:$17.99
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1Cedar Hills
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