Review of A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Hello, my fellow book lovers! Today, I will be reviewing the book A Curse So Dark and Lonely, by Brigid Kemmerer.

Tone

The tone Kemmerer uses in A Curse So Dark and Lonely is well done. It's interesting and relatable, with enough mystery to keep the reader invested. However, the character's personalities don't always come though as strong as they could've, despite it being in first person. All in all, the tone is good, but could use some slight improvements.

Characters

Although the character's personalities don't always come through with the tone, the actions they take and their dialogue make their motivations and personalities much more clear. I found myself thoroughly enjoying watching all the characters interact, especially Grey and Harper, as they bounced off each other well.

Plot

I really enjoyed the plot of A Curse So Dark and Lonely. It was filled with great worldbuilding and storytelling, and the intrigue, as well as the high stakes, kept me invested. I especially liked Rhen and Gray’s backstory, and how it was slowly revealed.

Ending Remarks

Despite some minor flaws, I enjoyed A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and would recommend at least giving it a try!