Changes

I love a good riff on a fairy tale and in this respect, ''A Curse So Dark and Lonely'' did not disappoint. It has enough of ''Beauty and the Beast'' in it to be entirely recognisable but it's also got some welcome additions and variations so you are kept on your toes as you read. I thought it balanced essential elements and both fantasy and contemporary additions really well. I particularly enjoyed our central character in Harper. It's nice to have some disability visibility and I never felt as though Harper's cerebral palsy was a tick box exercise for this. She emerges from the pages as thoughtful and empathetic but also capable of fiercely independent thought and opinion. She's no kind of cookie cutter: neither damsel in distress nor kick ass heroine. A relatable and likeable well-rounded character and I absolutely loved her. We might be seeing Harper again, too, so that's good! The worldbuilding was detailed and consistent and provided a vivid and credible backdrop for events.