Cruel Beauty

Before Nyx was born, her father made a deal with the ruler of their cursed kingdom.  Some call him the Gentle Lord others the Sweet Faced Calamity, but despite his handsome face he is centuries old and rules the kingdom through terror and tricks. Only the desperate or the foolish bargain with him and it always ends in tragedy.  Nyx knows this all too well.  The price of her father's deal was that one day Nyx would marry the Gentle Lord.  While Nyx's sister grew up coddled and loved Nyx was raised as a weapon crafted to destroy the Gentle Lord when her wedding day finally came.  So Nyx steeled her heart to her purpose and prepared to marry a monster.  But when she finally comes to live in his enchanted castle, killing him proves harder than she expected. The Gentle Lord is not the monster she anticipated. 

This is a Beauty and the Beast story mixed with Greek Mythology. The twists of both the enchanted castle and the plot provide an interesting puzzle to solve while the characters struggle to overcome their pasts and see the world complexly. The banter between Nyx and the Gentle Lord provides humor along the way. I'd give this to fans of fantasy, romance, greek mythology, and fairy tales retold.  Fans of Beauty and the Beast will particularly enjoy the dynamic between Ignifex and Nyx.


Erica's Picks
8th grade
Tags: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Mythology, Retellings, Romance

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