"I will be a vessel for the Goddess of Beauty. I hold the dream inside my chest like a breath I never want to let out."
This is a book that I have wanted to read for quite a while. When I first discovered The Belles, I remember being immediately drawn to the title which, in my mind, conjured up images of Southern American Belles, Louisiana Creole culture, and 18th century French nobility. Not to mention the fact that the model on the cover, Resnya Renee, is absolutely gorgeous and brings a refreshing appeal.
“I am a Belle. I control Beauty.” - Camellia Beauregard
The word Belle is of French origin which means Beauty. In Dhonielle Clayton’s gorgeously crafted world of Orléans, beauty is the most coveted thing of all but why is it so? Orléans’ mythos tells us that once upon a time, when the Goddess of Beauty and the God of the Sky were in love, they gave birth to the children of Orléans. With time, Sky grew jealous of Beauty’s affection for her children so he cursed them. Devoiding everyone of their beauty and mental happiness by giving them grey skin, red eyes, and a feeling of deep sadness which warped the minds of everyone. It is the Goddess of Beauty who would send a special group of women, the Belles to restore beauty amongst the people and all that had been cursed. However, the fear of ugliness permeates Orléans’ culture so deeply that they are never satisfied with their looks and the standards of beauty are forever changing. This makes the Belles a hot commodity and with each generation comes a new set of Belles that are sought after so profusely that only the privileged have direct access to their divine gifts.
As the story begins, we are immediately introduced to the protagonist Camellia Beauregard (who I’ll get into later) and her Belle sisters Valerie, Padme, Edelweiss (Edel), Hana, and Ambrosia (Amber) as they begin to transition to a life at court. The girls, like any Belle, have been blessed with beauty, privilege, and power though each girl has unique qualities that makes them stand out in their own way. What struck me when reading about the Belles’ lives pre-court is how secluded they are from society. Much of their days are spent learning about their skills and how to harness them, beauty rituals, and court etiquette with little interaction from outsiders. They are raised with the main purpose of pleasing the royal courts and to keep beauty thriving. Their upbringing is like a cross between Marie Antoinette before she became the Dauphine of France and a Japanese Maiko before she is to become a geisha. I couldn’t help but marvel at Clayton’s lavish descriptions of the world she has created for the Belles. I wouldn’t mind being able to dine on decadent foods everyday, live within opulent estates, and have dresses made of the finest silks and materials be gifted to me.
Back to our protagonist, Camellia, I have to admit that it took me a few chapters in to really warm up to her. I was worried that her obsession with being the Favorite (a title that allows the “best” Belle to serve the Queen of Orléans and her royal court) would overwhelm her character. I think a big aspect behind her early flaws is that she was raised under the Marie Antoinette complex - naive due to her privilege, only learning the skills necessary to fulfill a duty and letting that cloud her judgement at times. However, once I discovered that she is in fact fearless, determined, cunning, and willing to see things beyond the veil, I grew to love our dazzling Belle. Her desires to follow in her Maman’s footsteps are totally relatable. Also, I try not to put personal feelings into the books I read but I love when I get the chance to read about a leading character that looks like me. I enjoyed being able to visualize a protagonist with thick, curly hair and skin the color of a fresh beignet. What makes Camellia equally awesome is that she’s kind and helpful to those often overlooked. She’s not one to snarl her nose at servants and the lesser noble. She represents the phrase that beauty is more than skin deep.
To continue, I want to appreciate the overall aesthetic of Orléans upper social circles. Clayton’s vivid depictions of the court of Orléans is extravagant to the point where it’s almost gaudy (in a good way). This highlights just how strongly the desire to obtain beauty has permeated everyone’s minds. It’s not enough to just have a pretty face. One must achieve beauty in all aspects of life from hair, makeup, clothing, olfaction, decor, pets, etc. Gossip columns and beauty magazines are on constant circulation so that civilians can follow up on what’s hot, who’s who, and what’s yesterday’s news. This aspect of the book makes me think of our modern society and how social media often reinforces how beauty gets rewards. Orléans’ courtiers are like Instagram influencers and for ordinary people, many strive to be like them. Although, I must say that instagram has nothing on the Orléans’ court. I couldn’t help but marvel when Camellia was describing the diversity of everyone and I’m not just talking skin color. Hair shades that encompass the html color chart, dresses that are practically alive, and styles that I just never would have imagined. Just think of some of the boldest, most daring fashions you’ve ever seen on runways and editorials and boom you have Orléans!
As far the plot, I knew that things were too good to be true. Nothing is ever that perfect. Still, I was horrified and shocked at times the way things went down. There’s a good dose of secrecy and deception that will keep your eyes glued to this book. And must I say, Sophia makes for an excellent villain because I loathe her! I was also surprised at Auguste (who I just knew would help Camellia by the end but alas…), he ended up being everything I didn’t expect although I still have hope he may come around in the next book but I won’t even get my hopes up lol. When it comes to other characters, I adored Bree, Remy, Claudine (she deserved better!!), Amber (to an extent), Edel, and pretty much all the Belles. I won’t get into too much detail but if you read the book, you will definitely know why.
To wrap this up, I think this is a splendid book and would love if this story were to be brought to the big screen. I enjoyed following Camellia’s world and being there with her through all the ups and downs. Most importantly, I believe The Belles touches on many issues that most of us can relate to or at least understand such as politics, sexism, beauty standards, body shaming, race, etc.I happily rate this story 5/5 stars! If you like fantasy stories that incorporate elements of beauty/fashion and real life historical inspirations then I would recommend this story. Thanks for reading my review and remember...May You Always Find Beauty!
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