Review: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Of Beast and Beauty

by Stacey Jay

July 23, 2013

391 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Review
 

Of Beast and Beauty is a book where I feel like I have so many things to say but when I sat down to write my thoughts, nothing came out. I was finding it hard to put my thoughts into coherent sentences and when I tried to, nothing sounded right. So here's my attempt at sorting through my thoughts, please bear with me :)

I had some issues with this one but I really think it was a beautiful story. The writing was magnetic drawing you in and the characters were flawed but very relatable. Even though the city was on the brink of destruction, I can definitely sense its former glory and its potential to be better.

Isra and Gem were beautiful people no matter what they looked like on the outside. Both of them made infuriating but understandable moves. I also found it quite discouraging to see the way Isra doubted herself as a result of her father's actions. I shudder at thinking what would happen if Gem hadn't appeared in her life :S Truths like the unimaginable cruelty the people suffered from would never get out and the evil would get to keep its clutch on the city. Ya no good.

I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as I wanted to but that is entirely due to my personal preference. I like fantasy stories with a fair amount of action and while this book seemed to have that, it didn't quite reach my expectation. I found the climax of the story lacking. Basically there was a ton of buildup towards the city collapsing and when it happens, it just sort of happens. Rather quickly too.

Of Beast and Beauty wrapped up beautifully so I am happy about that! It really is a story that gets you thinking. Do our looks really matter that much? Or at all? Don't let other people dictate your life, live it yourself!