Author: Emma Theriault
Publication Date: 10 November 2020
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: 352
Reading Method: Digital ARC
Synopsis:
Happily ever after is only the beginning as Belle takes on the responsibility of becoming queen and learns to balance duty, love, and sacrifice, all while navigating dark political intrigue-and a touch of magic.
It’s 1789 and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has finally broken the Enchantress’s curse, restoring the Beast to his human form as Prince Adam, and bringing life back to their castle in the province of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it’s only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.
Belle has always dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. But now she finds herself living in a palace, torn between her roots as a commoner, and her future as a royal. When she stumbles across a mysterious, ancient magic that brings with it a dire warning, she must question whether she is ready for the power being thrust on her, and if being Queen is more than just a title.
Review:
Well shoot. I really really wanted to love this one. I swear! There’s nothing I love more than a fairytale reimagined. Life after The Beast turns into Adam? I need it! And I loved the idea of Belle navigating through the politics of the revolution in France.
Unfortunately… this was a miss for me. Adam – though he’s called Lio in this book – is hardly in it. He’s always conveniently going away on business to do some thing or other and leaving Belle to figure out how to run things in his absence. The problem with that is his cousin Bastien, who has come to live with them from Paris, is a nightmare – and determined to undermine Belle at every turn.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Belle is headstrong and brilliant. She wouldn’t let some little man stop her from doing what’s right. But this Belle is so full of self-doubt and continually backs down from challenges. It was so uncharacteristic of the Belle we know and love. It just didn’t really make sense. And the whole story is so steeped in politics that it becomes a bit redundant.
The parts that I really enjoyed were Belle’s interactions with Mrs. Potts and her new friend Marguerite. I like that Belle doesn’t want to become a princess or a queen. She wants to stay true to her roots and be able to connect with the people, no matter the social ramifications of her not taking a title. Marguerite seems to be as open minded and forward thinking as Belle and I think they make a good team.
I also enjoyed the ending. I think there were some characters who certainly surprised me. And some characters who got a little bit of redemption – or the justification of their actions was made a bit more clear. The mystical witch woman (I don’t know what she actually was – oracle maybe?) who comes to queens in their time of need was cool. I would liked to have seen more of her, but look forward to her role in subsequent books.
You can purchase a copy of Queen’s Council Rebel Rose here (amazon) or here (book depository)
Learn more about Emma Theriault here
