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Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge



“Knowing the truth is not always a kindness.” 

Cruel Beauty is the Perfect blend of Greek Mythology and a Beauty and the Beast retelling, along with modified hints of other fairy tales.

Nyx Triskelion was betrothed since birth to the demons' prince due to a foolish bargain her father struck with him. All her life she had been trained to kill him and save her land, Arcadia forever from his curse. It's thought that nine hundred years the Gentle Lord or Ignefix had sundered Arcadia from the world, casting a false sky over it.

Inside the spacious tower, Nyx met Shade, who was a shadow, and instantly liked him as he showed kindness towards her. However, after spending some time in Ignefix's company, Nyx found out that he was quite as helpless as all of them because he's bound to his masters, who were responsible for the sundering.

I love that Nyx was not made to be a sweet, innocent girl, and she didn't succumb to her fate and get all overly-confident. Let's truly face it, one should be a bit wicked knowing that all her life she was to fulfil a duty instead of being loved like she'd always wished?

Nyx was wicked, but kind. She spoke up her mind, and wasn't terrified of Ignefix. She was supposed to trick him, but she ended up not deceiving him and showing her true colours. 

This is my favourite scene:

“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could.' I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. 'I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me.' I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.

He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. 'That's what makes you my favorite.' He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. 'Every wicked bit of you.”



While the ending of this book solved all the issues, it still makes me quite restless. I loved Ignefix. I barely liked Shade. I still don't know how I feel about the two of them together- being one person. Even Nyx was not sure about that.

All in all, it was a gripping story and an enthralling read. 

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