APRIL 2014 - AudioFile
In this reimagined story of “Beauty and the Beast,” Nyx’s father has spent her whole life prepping her to marry and then sacrifice herself to destroy the Gentle Lord, the demon who rules their land. Elizabeth Knowelden narrates with an accent befitting Nyx’s education and privilege, and she uses sharp enunciation to convey Nyx’s resentment as she moves into the Gentle Lord’s castle and finds him to be different from what she expected. Knowelden’s subtle inflections add to the mystery and mood as Nyx explores her new home and builds her plans even as she grapples with her growing feelings toward the Gentle Lord and her ambivalence toward her mission. A fantasy that’s as much about self-acceptance as it is about the redemptive power of love. A.F. SYNC 2014 © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
01/27/2014
Fiery 17-year-old Nyx has always known she is destined to marry the prince of demons—her father bargained her away before she was born. Even so, she has been trained in the Hermetic principles, and she hopes to use her skills to thwart Ingnifex's power and save her homeland from his control. When she arrives at the ruins of his ancient castle, nothing is at it seems: the rooms constantly change location, and she finds both beautiful magic and chilling horrors behind the countless doors. Also, Nyx cannot deny her attraction to Ingnifex, who is not exactly the monster she dreaded to meet. Debut novelist Hodge has created a rich, complete world in this twist on "Beauty and the Beast"; it can be slow-going (though not unrewarding) to wade through details about the demon's many rooms and the complicated, tragic mythology that brought him there. However, the banter between these well-matched foils is lively and sharp, and the pace picks up toward the end as Nyx first sacrifices for duty, and then for her own heart. Ages 13–up. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Associates. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
A completely engrossing tale.” — Alex Flinn, New York Times bestselling author of BEASTLY and TOWERING
“A dazzling and clever retelling, CRUEL BEAUTY is delightfully dark, lushly romantic, and utterly spellbinding. I adored it, and can’t wait to read Hodge’s next novel!” — Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series
“What a stunning debut. This is a book you will want to read as fast as you can for the intricate plot and as slowly as you can to savor the gorgeous world-building and the ravishing love story.” — Sherry Thomas, author of THE BURNING SKY
“An intricate and arresting tale well worth readers’ time ... Hodge succeeds in creating a refreshingly human and real protagonist and love interest. They are both strong and flawed, and they—even more strikingly—embrace those qualities in themselves and each other. Engrossing.” — Kirkus Reviews
“The push and pull romance between Nyx and Ignifex is pure fairy tale, but the characters themselves are complex and genuinely human as they struggle with their own culpability in a situation that forces them to choose between selfishness and selflessness.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“An entertaining read for teens who enjoy romantic fantasy.” — School Library Journal
“Debut novelist Hodge has created a rich, complete world in this twist on ‘Beauty and the Beast.’” — Publishers Weekly
“Will have readers clutching the book and flying through the pages.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“[A] fast-paced romantic fantasy.” — Booklist
Sarah J. Maas
A dazzling and clever retelling, CRUEL BEAUTY is delightfully dark, lushly romantic, and utterly spellbinding. I adored it, and can’t wait to read Hodge’s next novel!
Sherry Thomas
What a stunning debut. This is a book you will want to read as fast as you can for the intricate plot and as slowly as you can to savor the gorgeous world-building and the ravishing love story.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The push and pull romance between Nyx and Ignifex is pure fairy tale, but the characters themselves are complex and genuinely human as they struggle with their own culpability in a situation that forces them to choose between selfishness and selflessness.
Booklist
[A] fast-paced romantic fantasy.
Alex Flinn
A completely engrossing tale.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Will have readers clutching the book and flying through the pages.
Booklist
[A] fast-paced romantic fantasy.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
The push and pull romance between Nyx and Ignifex is pure fairy tale, but the characters themselves are complex and genuinely human as they struggle with their own culpability in a situation that forces them to choose between selfishness and selflessness.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The push and pull romance between Nyx and Ignifex is pure fairy tale, but the characters themselves are complex and genuinely human as they struggle with their own culpability in a situation that forces them to choose between selfishness and selflessness.
School Library Journal
02/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Nyx Triskelion has known for most of her life that she must marry Ignifex, the "Gentle Lord" who terrorizes her world, due to a bargain her father made before her birth. She also knows that once married, she must destroy the evil despot and the demons under his command. For years, Nyx has been training in the Hermetic Arts, the method by which she is supposed to kill her husband. Yet when the time comes, she cannot shake the desire she develops for him. It does not help that she was raised as barely more than a sacrifice, unused to the idea of love. Despite her attraction to Ignifex, Nyx makes several attempts on his life (all of which are easily thwarted). Hodge's story infuses elements of Greek mythology and classic fairy tales. The plot moves quickly, and the characters are well formed; their transgressions make them interesting and authentic. The complex relationship between Nyx and Ignifex is especially engaging. An entertaining read for teens who enjoy romantic fantasy.—Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY
APRIL 2014 - AudioFile
In this reimagined story of “Beauty and the Beast,” Nyx’s father has spent her whole life prepping her to marry and then sacrifice herself to destroy the Gentle Lord, the demon who rules their land. Elizabeth Knowelden narrates with an accent befitting Nyx’s education and privilege, and she uses sharp enunciation to convey Nyx’s resentment as she moves into the Gentle Lord’s castle and finds him to be different from what she expected. Knowelden’s subtle inflections add to the mystery and mood as Nyx explores her new home and builds her plans even as she grapples with her growing feelings toward the Gentle Lord and her ambivalence toward her mission. A fantasy that’s as much about self-acceptance as it is about the redemptive power of love. A.F. SYNC 2014 © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2013-11-02
An absorbing, beautifully complex retelling of the "Cupid and Psyche" myth. Nyx Triskelion has been raised to marry and defeat the Gentle Lord, the tyrant held responsible for sundering her land from the rest of the world and controlling the demons that haunt it. Nyx is distressed to find herself attracted to her beautiful new husband, Ignifex, whom she has been taught to loathe, while simultaneously developing feelings for his servant, Shade. But this is no fairy-tale romance, and Nyx remains true to her promise, making several attempts on Ignifex's life that only succeed in entertaining him and eliciting flirtatious responses. As Nyx unravels the truth behind the isolation of her land, as well as the very existence of both Ignifex and Shade, it becomes clear that only when she accepts her feelings can she face the truth: She must choose between following her heart and fulfilling her duty. A rather dramatic first encounter between Nyx and Ignifex belies what comes after—an intricate and arresting tale well worth readers' time. Twining themes of self-awareness and the duality of human nature, Hodge succeeds in creating a refreshingly human and real protagonist and love interest. They are both strong and flawed, and they—even more strikingly—embrace those qualities in themselves and each other. Engrossing. (Fantasy. 14 & up)
