The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles is a dark and intriguing tale about how far people will go to be beautiful. The story follows Camellia, who has always wanted to become the best Belle, the favorite of the royal family, but who slowly becomes more aware of the more dangerous plots behind the scenes. As the story unravels, the façade of this perfect place begins to crumble and Camellia begins to question everything she thought she knew.

The plot is very unique and interesting. It’s set in the fictional world of Orléans, where a small number of girls called Belles are able to use magic to create beautiful looks to the paying customer’s desire. It reminded me a lot of the Capitol in the Hunger Games and their obsession for beauty and gossip. But here, it takes things one step further. The story is filled with twists and turns, and Camellia is a wonderful main character. Her and many of the others character development was impressive (but make sure to trust no one…)!
 
At first the beauty aspect and the world building were a bit difficult to get into, but once I rooted for Camellia and the mystery part took off, I was hooked. My only reservation is that the pacing was a bit slow, and that the book felt a bit too lengthy in some parts, whereas other exciting parts of the plot went by too quickly. But all in all, this is a thrilling dystopian story and an intriguing twisted commentary to the price of beauty and objectification, revealing the hidden ugliness beneath the pretty façade.

Rating:
4 stars

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​Author info:
Dhonielle Clayton