'Cruel Beauty' Audiobook Review

As a commuter, I go through lots of audiobook (rented from the library) each month. And for awhile, I wrote up quick audiobook reviews. I'm going to revive those reviews and place them all under this label, starting with ...

Audiobook: 'Cruel Beauty' by Rosamund Hodge
Read by: Elizabeth Knowledon
Genre: YA Lit, Fairy Tell Retelling

Did I really need to read another fairy tale retelling? Maybe not. But this sure sounded good and the cover is beautiful. Plus, I'm a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast story.

Nyx is born to avenge her mother's death and father's foolish bargain by marrying the Gentle Lord, the demon at fault for shutting off their country from the rest of the world, and the underworld demons that live in the shadow and drive humans into madness. While her sister is raised to be all light and beauty, Nyx is taught to be hateful and cruel. And she's pretty wrecked by the whole thing, as she has tapped down every cruel emotion and evil thought she has about her unloving family in order to smile and be a pious and dutiful daughter.

It was definitely romantic and gothic. There were demons and gods and Greek legends -- the world building was done very well. And there's a twist in there I didn't see coming. Also, the reader was very dramatic, whispering and pausing at all the right times.

And, overall, it was very captivating audiobook.

 Grade: Green Light

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