In the world of Orleans, beauty is prized above all else, and the Belles control beauty. Camellia is one of the revered Belles. But it is not enough for her to just be a Belle, she has to be the favorite, the Belle chosen by the queen to live in the palace and tend to the royal family, the one recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once she arrives at court, she realizes being the favorite is not all she dreamed it would be. There are dark secrets in every corner, and soon she learns that she is far more powerful and dangerous than she ever imagined. And that means that the essence of her entire existence has been a lie.
This was an interesting premise. I have never read a single book quite like this one. The entire idea and plot is completely unique, and that is quite hard to do with all the YAs coming out now. This book was a bit long, but it did suck you in. This book surprised me, I expected this to be an annoying story of like boring queen to be and princess trash, but it was not like that at all. This book has stunning descriptions and was written beautifully as it explores what it means to be beautiful and that everyone is truly beautiful inside. I loved how this book promoted acceptance of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientation, and sexual preferences without even having to actually mention it or go into depth. That aspect made me really like this book because no one cared if your skin was dark or light.
I think everyone struggling with body image issues needs to read this or just anyone.