Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
The romance of Beauty and the Beast meets the adventure of Graceling in a dazzling fantasy novel about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny. For fans of bestselling authors Kristin Cashore and Alex Flinn, this gorgeously written
Is Cruel beauty appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
This Beauty and the Beast retelling contains moderate fantasy violence, kissing and romantic tension, themes of forced marriage and sacrifice, and some emotional manipulation and family dysfunction.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, moderate sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include emotional abuse, death, and forced marriage (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will love this dark, romantic twist on Beauty and the Beast with a heroine who must outwit the beast she's forced to marry.