The Belles

In the opulent world of Orleans, the people are born grey and damned, and only a Belle's powers can make them beautiful.

Camellia Beauregard wants to be the favourite Belle - the one chosen by the queen to tend to the royal family.

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favourite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that her powers may be far greater - and far darker - than she ever imagined.

When the queen asks Camellia to break the rules she lives by to save the ailing princess, she faces an impossible decision: protect herself and the way of the Belles, or risk her own life, and change the world forever.

Review by Sarah McDuling

The Belles is the kind of book that brims with gorgeous, lyrical writing and lavish, opulent imagery… yet at the same there is a sinister darkness at the heart of this story. It’s a bit like a delicious three-tiered cake decorated in immaculate flowers made of delicate spun-sugar, and when you cut it open it oozes with deadly poison. (Apologies for the heavy-handed imagery but that’s the effect of this book – it has me thinking in fanciful metaphors!)

Our main character, Camellia, is one of a select group of girls in the kingdom of Orleans, trained to become a Belle. The Belles are gifted with a magical ability to create beauty… an ability that is prized in Orleans because the people are born with wrinkled grey skin and blood red eyes. It takes the talent of a Belle to transform people into beings of exquisite beauty – but at what cost?

Camellia Beauregard wants nothing more than to be chosen as the Queen’s Favourite and thus follow in the footsteps of her mother. And yet, once she arrives at the royal court she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew. Beneath the dazzling facade of Orleans lies a terrible secret and as the truth is slowly uncovered, a cunning and manipulative villain is revealed.

This is a spectacular read that explores the nature of beauty and the lengths people will go to get it. Wonderfully original and beautifully realised, the world building in this book is next level, the characters are vividly drawn, and the writing is lush and enchanting. The plot is a bit of a slow burn but rest assured there is an epic payoff. The first two thirds of this book are like a decadent fairytale dream, utterly charming and luxuriantly lovely. And then the final third unfolds with a dizzying dip into horror and suspense. It’s both addictive and distressing and at the same time… very much like I imagine it must feel to eat a delicious slice of cake laced with poison!

This is the perfect read for anyone who has ever found themselves bemoaning society’s obsession with beauty and wondering whether the fashion industry, cosmetic corporations and entertainment industry might actually be working together as part of an evil empire with a secret mission to make sure no one is ever happy with they way they look? Also, anyone who just really enjoys glittering YA fantasies with awesome characters and lovely writing.

About the Author

Dhonielle Clayton is the co-author of the Tiny Pretty Things series. She grew up in the Washington, DC, suburbs on the Maryland side and spent most of her time under her grandmother's table with a stack of books. A former teacher and middle school librarian, Dhonielle is cofounder of CAKE Literary-a creative development company whipping up decidedly diverse books for a wide array of readers-and COO of the non-profit, We Need Diverse Books. She's got a serious travel bug and loves spending time outside of the USA but makes her home in New York City, where she can most likely be found hunting for the best slice of pizza.