YA Lit/Tech Enthusiast
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The Belles
by Dhonielle Clayton @brownbookworm
Feb. 17, 2018
Book Summary - The Belles (GoodReads)
Book Review:
- 4.5 stars
I listened to The Belles on Audible with Rosie Jones (@rosiejonesactor) as the narrator. She did a wonderful job at her narration, which makes all the difference. Her English accent added such an elegant air to an exquisitely written book. However, I did find her reading pace a bit slow due to her immaculate enunciation, so I sped the audio book up to 1.25x, which was perfect. My 30 minute commute to and from work was something to Iook forward to everyday, because I was going to listen to The Belles!
I enjoyed this book very much! The realization that I really liked it came toward the last third of the book. The first two thirds were good, don't get me wrong, but it was a real page turner in the last third. I believe what requires the most applause for Dhonielle Clayton's work was the imagery she used to create this fantasy world. She created a world full of color, beauty, and emotion. Words and phrases like "pink and yellow macarons", "pastel colored dresses", "complexion of lilies and belle-rose lips", "drizzles of honey" and the like, are heavily sprinkled throughout this book. If it was possible to read a dessert and be satisfied as if you ate it, this is the book that did just that for me! Dhonielle whisked me away to a beautiful world where the book cover model served as a baseline for the Belle beauty found in the setting of Orleans. Her words drew up a masterpiece of art in my mind. And let me just draw attention to the lovely Belle names... Camellia, Ambrosia, Padma, Edelweiss,..Wow!
The story was so unique! Belles having control over making people beautiful, but not really having any power at all. The monarchy and the laws suppress their freedoms in the guise of protecting them. Camellia was a great character laced with ambition, talent, originality, and a hint of rebellion. Her growing contempt for the obsession Orleans has for beauty makes her character strong and admirable. The love she has for her sisters makes her endearing, and the fact that Belles cannot experience a romantic love is heart-breaking and ironic. The antagonist, Princess Sofia, is formidable and hate-worthy. Yes, she scared the living daylights out of me with her cruelty, and the tension she caused within a simple conversation with Camellia made my palms sweat. Princess Sofia's dangerous obsession with beauty and utter dominance makes this story very entertaining and nerve-racking.
The theme of beauty obsession had me reflect constantly on the state of affairs we find ourselves today. What I loved about Camellia, was that she was always trying to let her patron's natural features shine. She encouraged curves and shapely figures, and she attempted to convince her patrons that imperfections compliment personality. She warned against unnatural beauty requests because of the harm they caused to the body. I began to research this real obsession with beauty we have today and I found the following information to be deeply disturbing:
According to the National Institute on Media and Family via the University of Washington, in a survey taken by girls 9 and 10 years old, 40 percent of them have tried to lose weight and by “age thirteen, 53% of American girls are ‘unhappy with their bodies.’ This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen.”
Dhonielle has done a phenomenal job of including these disturbing trends of self-disapproval into her novel. Camellia's patrons desire dangerously small waists and breasts too large. She warns them of the risks, but her warnings fall on deaf ears. I am very grateful for the attention the author brings to the very important issue of beauty obsession. Young girls will find an important lesson here.
The cliffhanger was fantastic and unbelievably frustrating, as I would give my right arm for book two! I originally thought this was a stand-alone novel, but I'm elated that it will be a trilogy; I am definitely not done with The Belles and the world of Orleans.
Hosain, Anna. “Constructed Beauty and Our Obsession With Image.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Feb. 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com/anna-hosain/constructed-beauty-and-ou_b_4809399.html.
Note:
*Book Review for The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton was posted on Nerdy Book Club on March 22, 2018 Nerdy Book Club Post - The Belles
*Nerdy Book Club Book Review for The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton was cross-posted on Lispy Librarian on March 22, 2018 Lispy Librarian Blog
Pashmina
by Nidhi Chanani @nidhiart
Feb. 12.18
Book Summary:
Pashmina was entertaining and fun! I love being whisked away to exotic lands, learning about new foods and different fashions. This graphic novel delivered, allowing me to experience the diverse landscapes and cultures of India! This amazing settign combined with the Priyanka as our teen on a mission of self -discovery made this quite enjoyable to read. View my video review for more details about this fun graphic novel.
Photo courtesy of goodreads.com
Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3)
by Stephanie Perkins @naturallysteph
Jan. 22, 2018
Book Summary:
Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.
Book summary courtesy of goodreads.com
Book Review:
- 4 Stars
I read Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door over the holiday break. I found that they were fun, lighthearted and rich in romance. Since Isla is third in the series, I expected to love it as well. It did not disappoint! The setting is back in Paris, a detail I absolutely adored in Anna. Being the city of love, it makes a big contribution to the ambiance of these books. The reader gets to enjoy peeks into the language, food and Paris landmarks. Plus, the reader gets some insight into what its like to go to school abroad! For a split second, I felt I was a Parisian. There is even an awesome scene set in Barcelona!
Isla is an excellent student at the School of America in Paris (SOAP) and she is set to graduate as valedictorian of her senior class. She is a stark contrast to fellow senior, Josh Wasserstein. He skips class, breaks dormitory rules and Isla just happens to be in complete love with him. After a chance encounter in their hometown of Manhattan, Josh finally takes serious notice of Isla, much to her delight. They begin a sweet romance but are soon confronted with obstacles having to do with Josh's wild ways. This novel tells the story of whether this couple has what is takes to survive time, distance, jealousy and commitment.
Yes, this is a classic good girl meets bad boy trope, but both of these characters are so endearing with their good hearts and love for each other. I love the way Stephanie Perkins writes love. It feels like a deep love that will last forever. It appeals to the romantic in me. The focus is not only on the romance, but each character has their own set of issues to work through. I enjoyed how they dealt with their issues always with the other in mind. Another element that I enjoyed was the artistic talent in Josh. He wants to write and illustrate a graphic novel of his life. I love how they integrate this element into several parts of the story. For example, he paints a tree house mural on a rooftop that they frequent and this just shows one of the many dimensions to Josh. Isla was interesting with her mom being French and dad being American. She's a good student, but a little aimless in life, other than her focus on Josh. I wasn't too crazy about this character description... I would've liked more substance to Isla. Some things just didn't fit.
Overall, the story is lovely, the romance is believable and I was not disappointed with the ending. I picked up this series, because I was reading some really dark and sad YA and I needed something to brighten the mood. Plus, the series has always been staring at me from the library bookshelves. I loved the whole series and would recommend to anyone who is in the mood for some romance, world travel, and adorable characters.
Book Review written by Mrs. A. Cornejo, HS Librarian