Before Beauty by Brittany Fichter
Can an accursed prince and a broken beauty move beyond their hatred for one another, not only to break the curse and save their kingdom, but to find love as well?
Prince Everard’s father spent the boy’s youth forging the prince into a warrior. Upon the king’s death, however, Everard realizes he’s lost himself somewhere along the way, and in his pain, makes a decision that brings a dark curse upon both him and the great Fortress that has so long guarded the people of Destin.
The prince’s sin doesn’t simply affect those of his citadel, however. Isa, the daughter of a local merchant, has suffered the prince’s hasty temper before, and it changed her life forever. When Everard’s final outburst cuts off his people’s source of protection with the curse, he demands that she, a crippled commoner, come to help him break it. All the while, Destin’s northern enemy crouches at the foot of the Fortress’s mountain, waiting for the right moment to capture the stronghold that has stood for a thousand years.
Can Ever and Isa move past their brokenness to save Destin together, or will they and their beloved kingdom remain under darkness forever?
Buy Before Beauty today to escape into the world of The Becoming Beauty Trilogy, as well as the Classical Kingdoms Collection, a series of fairy tale retellings for grownups who still believe in sacrifice, true love, and the magic of happily-ever-afters. Even though Before Beauty is an introduction to both series, it can be read as a stand-alone as well.
Princess Nevina’s army threatens the kingdom of Destin putting immense pressure on its prince. Prince Ever, who once cared for his people, grew distant from them and blamed the weak for his problems. Against the advice of his councilors, Ever issues a death sentence against those he views as a detriment to the strength of his kingdom. In return, the Maker’s Fortress of Light withdraws its protection of the Kingdom of Destin and curses Ever.
In the meantime, a chance encounter with a merchant leads the crippled Isa to Ever’s door, forcing him to confront the person he accidentally injured years ago…
“The surprise and loathing on his face was so intense that Isa would have wilted under it, had she not been already battling similar feelings of her own.”
Now to survive, Isa must find a way to break the curse that is slowly killing the person she loathes, in spite of having of no idea what to do.
This spirited and delightful story, loosely based on the tale we all know, introduces us to heartache and hope, joy and pain, drama, suspense and the choices we all must make between good and evil. I found the main characters well developed, and they grew on me as I read. I found Ever and Isa an improvement on the classical characters, since they are more flawed and relatable. Some of the secondary characters were quite interesting. Garin was my favorite, but he would have benefited from a little more development. I would also like to have learned more about some of the other secondary characters.
While there are one or two references to a Maker, there is no overtly religious content, making it an enjoyable read for both non-Christians and Christians. There is a limited amount of fantasy violence, but it is not glorified or frequent so if you are looking for pages of detailed magical battles and gore then this book is probably not for you.
While Ever and Isa are at times heart sick, prideful, foolish and prone to misunderstanding, yet they still hope and care. Join them as they confront the terror of the dark forces arrayed against them … and the darkness and light in their own hearts
I found it quite an enjoyable read. I wholeheartedly recommend it for spiritual fantasy lovers, ages 12 and up.
Themes of good and evil, spiritual fantasy, mild romance and drama
Genre: YA fantasy / Drama
Heat: Some light kissing
Cursing and Profanity: None Violence: There is limited fantasy fighting, but battle detail is sparse and only as needed.
Dave Joutras wrote stories when he was a teen, made up worlds when he was in college, told cliffhangers to his kids at the bus stop, and hasn’t stopped creating new tales at any point in between or since. A devoted Christian, husband, and father of four, Dave loves Kindle Unlimited and all of his published novels can be found there including the Christian inspired fantasy series: The Mole Chronicles , the supernatural Meaghan’s Angel and the superhero series Brother’s Keepers. Some of his favorite authors are Ian Rodgers, Fred Faller, and Marc Secchia.
