After all, their whole lives have been centered around how special their powers to create beauty are and how important appearance is.

At first, Camellia and her friends come off as, well… a bit shallow. Speaking of characters, they’ll also be a pleasant surprise to many readers. If you liked the royal court razzle-dazzle of The Selection but didn’t love that the novels revolved largely around women hating on each other while trying to win over a man, this is for you. It just doesn’t depend solely on character drama. That’s not to say the story doesn’t have a dramatic flair. In a title that could have gone the flowery route, the themes lead to fierce introspection instead. Thematically, the story focuses on power and obsession, using appearance as the apparatus upon which the societal structure is built. The novel is set in a world crafted by vanity, but it’s not a celebration of vanity nor is it a condemnation of beauty standards. The plot doesn’t really start kicking in until a little less than 100 pages in, but there’s so much to absorb leading up to it that I barely noticed. Of course, this requires some set-up time, which the book has no problem taking. There’s something new and vibrant happening around every corner and the society has unique standards and practices at play. The Belles has the type of world building that requires words usually use to describe something edible– rich, textured, and delectable.

But she’ll soon learn that beauty, especially when mixed with politics, comes with a steep price. Camellia is certain that she’ll be named the Favorite of the new generation of Belles entering the capital, thus serving the needs of the royal family directly as one of the most important people in the kingdom. Everyone wants to be the new trend and get the most attention, and The Belles are the people who give them that special look. Beauty is more than just a hobby to the people of Orléans, particularly in the wealthy capital city. Well, keep ‘em up, because this book is something to savor!Ĭamellia Beauregard is a Belle, one of the precious few who can gift others beauty in a cursed nation where citizens naturally have a zombie-like appearance. With its glitzy cover and royal fantasy world, readers have garnered some high hopes. Dhonielle Clayton’s debut novel The Belles has been hyped far and wide for what feels like ages.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton