The Belles

Reviews

“A voluptuous, dazzling fairy tale of desire, ambition, and unrelenting beauty.”

“Clayton creates a rich, luscious world, gripping plot, and strong characters that’ll have you wanting the sequel ASAP.”

“Decadent food, beautiful dresses, and a kick-ass girl that’s gotta save the day…The Belles is a fantastic commentary on beauty and race, with female friendships.”

“Introduces readers to a world in which magical Belles control the essence of beauty…This book kicks off a new series you absolutely won’t want to miss.”

“Exciting and beautifully imagined…The page-turner factor is high with Clayton’s lush descriptions, the perfect amount of intrigue and delicious mystery, and a surprising love story. Camellia is a strong heroine whose impulsive nature gets her in trouble, but it’s her resilience, strong moral character, and firm sense of self that many readers will admire.”

“Author Clayton’s exotic world is perfectly matched to narrator Jones’ breathy and silky-smooth voice. Her pronunciations of names and locations are simultaneously foreign and familiar. Her pitch and cadence flow like sweet honey—neither sharp nor rushed. Her character voices are crisp and flawless, refreshingly recognizable without being exaggerated.”

“Narrator Rosie Jones introduces Camellia Beauregard and her sisters with a posh British accent…The large cast of characters is no obstacle for Jones, who comes with a full stock of voices. She routinely switches up her cadence and sometimes drops her accent entirely to bring variety to the courtiers who are vying to control Camellia’s talents, including the benevolent Princess Sophia, whose sweet voice becomes utterly terrifying as the tale unfolds.”

“With wonderfully descriptive language, Clayton builds a grand and lavish world, carefully chipping away at the veneer to reveal its dark, sinister interior…An undeniable page-turner.”

“The dual natures of ugliness and shame, the commodification of beauty and of women, the drive for perfection at any cost, the widening of one girl’s moral landscape—all of it comes into play here. But even as it does, the action never slows.”

“Strong themes are interwoven in this fantasy, including choice and envy. This work challenges readers to reflect on their notions of beauty. Through the actions of the characters, teens will understand what a beauty-obsessed world really looks like…A must-have addition to libraries.”

“Clayton creates a vivid island world…[and its] obsession with elegance, appearance, and luxury. Readers will be left with much to consider about morality, individuality, and the malleability and artificiality of beauty.”

“From the first page, this book completely mesmerized me. Dhonielle Clayton has written a lush, immersive tale about a world where nothing is as it seems.”

“A powerful discussion about the cost of beauty and what we are willing to do for it.”

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