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The Queen's Council #1
La rosa rebelde
Happily ever after is only the beginning as Belle takes on the responsibility of becoming queen and learns to balance duty, love, and sacrifice, all while navigating dark political intrigue-and a touch of magic.
It's 1789 and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has finally broken the Enchantress's curse, restoring the Beast to his human form as Prince Adam, and bringing life back to their castle in the province of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it's only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.
Belle has always dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. But now she finds herself living in a palace, torn between her roots as a commoner, and her future as a royal. When she stumbles across a mysterious, ancient magic that brings with it a dire warning, she must question whether she is ready for the power being thrust on her, and if being Queen is more than just a title.
Rebel Rose is the first in the Queen's Council series, an empowering fairy tale reimagining of the Disney Princesses-and the real history behind their stories-like you've never seen before.
It's 1789 and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has finally broken the Enchantress's curse, restoring the Beast to his human form as Prince Adam, and bringing life back to their castle in the province of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it's only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.
Belle has always dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. But now she finds herself living in a palace, torn between her roots as a commoner, and her future as a royal. When she stumbles across a mysterious, ancient magic that brings with it a dire warning, she must question whether she is ready for the power being thrust on her, and if being Queen is more than just a title.
Rebel Rose is the first in the Queen's Council series, an empowering fairy tale reimagining of the Disney Princesses-and the real history behind their stories-like you've never seen before.
432 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2020
385 people are currently reading
17280 people want to read
About the author
Emma Theriault
4 books320 followersEmma Theriault was born and raised in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, and thus has a penchant for Gothic Revival architecture and a constant craving for Beavertails. She has been everything from an enthusiastic bookseller (who once sold a book to Prime Minister Trudeau) to a purveyor of whitewater rafting adventures in the Interior of British Columbia. She uses both her incomplete history degree and insatiable sense of curiosity to help her write stories for readers of all ages, including her debut novel, Rebel Rose, which was a Canadian Children’s Book Centre starred selection for Best Books for Kids and Teens. When not writing about curses, true love, or the curse of true love, she can be found on adventures big and small with her partner, or cuddling with her cats, Gatsby and Harriet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 775 reviews
December 3, 2020
im so sad to say this is the first ‘beauty and the beast’ story i havent completely loved. and i wonder if its because this is a ‘continuation’ of the story, rather than a retelling.
with a retelling, i fully expect and want authors to make the story their own. but with a continuation, it makes sense that the follow up be similar to the original story, and i just did not get that with this. belle seems like a completely different character. shes quite selfish a lot of the time and it just really rubbed me the wrong way.
but i do love the intertwining of actual history in this. i think its an outstanding concept to take the disney princess stories and place them in the real historical contexts. i found that part of the story really interesting and i very much look forward to the other books in this series because of that.
↠ 2.5 stars
with a retelling, i fully expect and want authors to make the story their own. but with a continuation, it makes sense that the follow up be similar to the original story, and i just did not get that with this. belle seems like a completely different character. shes quite selfish a lot of the time and it just really rubbed me the wrong way.
but i do love the intertwining of actual history in this. i think its an outstanding concept to take the disney princess stories and place them in the real historical contexts. i found that part of the story really interesting and i very much look forward to the other books in this series because of that.
↠ 2.5 stars
November 29, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Rebel Rose is the first book in Disney's new The Queen's Council series.
In this series, each book will be written by a different author and follow the story of a different Disney Princess as they come into own.
This first novel follows my favorite Disney heroine, Belle. The action picks up a few months after the conclusion of the original Disney animated movie, Beauty and the Beast.
Belle and Lio, who you may know simply as The Beast, have defeated the curse and his kingdom has been restored to its former glory.
The couple have since been married, although Belle refuses to take the title of Princess of Aveyon.
One of their first orders of business is to travel to the beautiful city of Paris, with the hopes of restoring Lio's relationship with the King of France.
Arriving in the City of Lights, Lio is reunited with his cousin, Bastien.
They will be staying with him, which is fortunate for Lio, since as a Duc, Bastien is used to navigating the ins and outs of the royal court.
Lio is out of his element, having been under the curse, and thus separated from the rest of society for just over a decade.
Adding tension to the mix is the fact that France finds itself on the brink of revolution. Belle is fascinated as she learns about the potential populous uprising.
Belle personally feels caught between the two worlds. She lived her early life as a commoner. It was only after being held prisoner at the enchanted castle, and starting a relationship with Lio, that she would ever be allowed to walk among the aristocracy.
She understands the plight and demands of the people and hopes that Lio will listen to her urgings to make their province a better place for all.
Returning to their own castle, Bastien travels along with them, trying to distance himself from the potential violence of the city. Lucky, Belle.
This guy is a creeper, y'all, and Belle can see through him from the very beginning. She doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him. The two are at each other's throats constantly.
What happens next is an odd series of events that leaves Belle and Bastien alone in the castle together, whilst Lio travels the province visiting with his people.
Things do not go well.
I really enjoyed this one, guys, and feel like this is a solid start to The Queen's Council series.
I wasn't sure going in what the connection of the series would be, but there were some reveals in here that provided insight into that. Let's just say, I am really looking forward to continuing.
Theriault did a wonderful job of framing this historical setting. I also loved how true to the characters she stuck.
There was a smooth transition from the movie content to this story. Belle, Lio and some other favorites, such as Mrs. Potts, Lumiere and Cogsworth, all behaved as you would expect them too and I appreciated that consistency.
There is quite a bit of serious subject matter within this story and I do feel it read fairly slowly. There were some lulls in the action, or even some portions I felt could have been removed entirely.
I love politics in stories though, so for me, it worked. I can definitely see how some people may not be as interested in those aspects however, or feel that the pace is too slow for their personal tastes.
Overall, I think this is a solid story and one that any Beauty and the Beast fan should check out. Particularly, if you are a fan of Belle's strength, stubbornness and pure heart.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to the next book!
Rebel Rose is the first book in Disney's new The Queen's Council series.
In this series, each book will be written by a different author and follow the story of a different Disney Princess as they come into own.
This first novel follows my favorite Disney heroine, Belle. The action picks up a few months after the conclusion of the original Disney animated movie, Beauty and the Beast.
Belle and Lio, who you may know simply as The Beast, have defeated the curse and his kingdom has been restored to its former glory.
The couple have since been married, although Belle refuses to take the title of Princess of Aveyon.
One of their first orders of business is to travel to the beautiful city of Paris, with the hopes of restoring Lio's relationship with the King of France.
Arriving in the City of Lights, Lio is reunited with his cousin, Bastien.
They will be staying with him, which is fortunate for Lio, since as a Duc, Bastien is used to navigating the ins and outs of the royal court.
Lio is out of his element, having been under the curse, and thus separated from the rest of society for just over a decade.
Adding tension to the mix is the fact that France finds itself on the brink of revolution. Belle is fascinated as she learns about the potential populous uprising.
Belle personally feels caught between the two worlds. She lived her early life as a commoner. It was only after being held prisoner at the enchanted castle, and starting a relationship with Lio, that she would ever be allowed to walk among the aristocracy.
She understands the plight and demands of the people and hopes that Lio will listen to her urgings to make their province a better place for all.
Returning to their own castle, Bastien travels along with them, trying to distance himself from the potential violence of the city. Lucky, Belle.
This guy is a creeper, y'all, and Belle can see through him from the very beginning. She doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him. The two are at each other's throats constantly.
What happens next is an odd series of events that leaves Belle and Bastien alone in the castle together, whilst Lio travels the province visiting with his people.
Things do not go well.
I really enjoyed this one, guys, and feel like this is a solid start to The Queen's Council series.
I wasn't sure going in what the connection of the series would be, but there were some reveals in here that provided insight into that. Let's just say, I am really looking forward to continuing.
Theriault did a wonderful job of framing this historical setting. I also loved how true to the characters she stuck.
There was a smooth transition from the movie content to this story. Belle, Lio and some other favorites, such as Mrs. Potts, Lumiere and Cogsworth, all behaved as you would expect them too and I appreciated that consistency.
There is quite a bit of serious subject matter within this story and I do feel it read fairly slowly. There were some lulls in the action, or even some portions I felt could have been removed entirely.
I love politics in stories though, so for me, it worked. I can definitely see how some people may not be as interested in those aspects however, or feel that the pace is too slow for their personal tastes.
Overall, I think this is a solid story and one that any Beauty and the Beast fan should check out. Particularly, if you are a fan of Belle's strength, stubbornness and pure heart.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to the next book!
Want to read
August 6, 2020you had me at "Disney Princess" and I have no shame in that
April 4, 2024
| Read on Reader Fox |
"You'll have more luck if you ask a question of it."
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault has a lot of positive reviews. This fact alone honestly left me wondering if I read the same book as everyone else. You see, there are two characters—the two I would, in fact, name the main characters of this novel—who were written with some incredibly glaring problems. Ironically, when I speak of the two main characters of Rebel Rose I do not, in fact, mean Belle and Adam (Beast). Rather, I mean Belle and Bastien, Prince Adam's cousin.
There was so much wasted potential!
I'm not going to beat around anything here: I honestly kind of hated Rebel Rose. This is not to say it is necessarily a terrible book, though. There's actually a lot of merit to the story Theriault was trying to tell that I was eager to read! I was incredibly impressed with the idea of weaving the history of France into her rendition of Belle and Adam's happily ever after.
Unfortunately, I think she really failed in her goal. And as a result, I find it rather baffling that Rebel Rose has received the amount of praise it has.
So, let’s talk about Belle (and Adam):
To put it very simply, if you pick this book up because you love Beauty and the Beast, you should probably put it right back down.
These are not the characters you know and love. In fact, Theriault does an absolutely disastrous job of bringing them—and Belle in particular—to life. This struggle isn't just relegated to the lead two but extends out to literally every single character you can think of. Barring the fact that they share the same names, it's near impossible to see the original characters in Theriault's renditions. This is true from Belle to Adam to the supporting characters of Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts.
What’s worse is that there is precious little of Prince Adam in this story.
At nearly every turn he is running off on some venture to deal with the politics of his station. In each circumstance, he bafflingly leaves Belle behind. Why, you ask? Well, because Belle is not who she used to be. She doesn’t have the same drives and beliefs as the Belle we know. She’s not interested in politics or queenly duties. In fact, the only reason she agreed to marry Adam in the first place was because she was able to condition the marriage on her refusal to accept the title of Queen.
Like…I’m sorry. What??????
And while Adam clearly understands the importance of his role as King, juggling his love for this woman who wants nothing to do with politics results in him being absent for nearly the entire novel. That’s all without me even bothering to go into the fact that it’s stupidly unrealistic to posit Belle as the sort of character who wouldn’t want to be involved!
If you wanted to read a story about Belle and Adam’s relationship, you're not going to get it here. The only honestly interesting thing Theriault included about their relationship is the fact that Adam has some severe PTSD. Of course, this is never addressed beyond the fact that it exists and they both have to work through it.
Which is such a shame because this was a genuinely intriguing plot point I would have loved to explore. We could have seen so much amazing growth in them both as individual people, but also as a couple! Why…why did Therault not spend more time here? I feel so utterly cheated out of something that could have been truly exceptional!
So, Rebel Rose’s story primarily features Belle. And the unfortunate truth of Theriault's Belle is that she is a shell of her former self. Instead of the wonderful, courageous, stubborn, and intelligent woman we've all come to know and love, Belle is reduced to a meek and self-doubting girl who keeps all her opinions to herself. I don't know about you, but this is not a Belle I recognize. And it bugged the hell out of me.
You see, the entire plot of the novel centers around Belle's refusal and inability to see herself as a leader. She cows to others at the slightest push. Despite her original character portraying precisely the opposite spirit and drive, Belle is eager to let others take care of things and wants very little to do with the responsibility of being a Queen. I think she refuses the title on principal…which is just so dumb.
Theriault's main goal with this character is to develop her into someone who is eager and ready to take on that role. It makes me wonder why she bothered using Belle in the first place. This is not something Belle, as a character, needed to be developed to. The Belle we already had was fully ready to be the leader she needed to be. There's not a single moment where I believe for a second that Belle wouldn't have been up for the challenge, especially when the wellbeing of the kingdom was a topic of discussion.
Which leads me to Adam’s cousin. Ironically, Bastien was my favorite character.
A long lost cousin, having forgotten entirely about Adam during the curse, Bastien is introduced very early on. In a way, you kind of fall in love with him the moment you meet him. And, if I'm being honest, he has more chemistry with Belle in those introductory chapters than Adam ever does through the course of the novel. If that's not a red flag for you, I don't know what is. Add in the fact that he spends more time with Belle through every step of the book than Adam ever does and this point just gets worse.
Despite all of this, Belle is suspicious of Bastien from the start? I just…WHY? She has literally no reason to be. There is nothing, other than Belle's strange intuition, to suggest that he is anyone to be wary of. So why is Belle suspicious of him, then? Where is the buildup? The foreshadowing? Why is she so immediately suspicious out of nowhere? Is it because he's part of the French aristocracy and in direct conflict with the good of the common people? Just a natural hatred toward rich people?
Well...
I'd be perfectly fine with that being the case, I suppose, but it almost feels ridiculous because if she were suspicious of him for that…why the hell did she marry a King?
What kills me about all of this, including my adoration for Bastian as a character, is that Theriault completely eviscerates not only his character but any chance of having a decent plot in one fell swoop.
Obligatory note that I cannot explain this further without some spoilers.
I already had my issues with Rebel Rose, but the moment I'll be honest, I can't find any. It was, put simply, just patently ridiculous. The lack of any genuine and visible motivation behind Bastian’s actions was quite literally the worst thing about this entire book. I hated it so much.
I'm not even going to get into how utterly stupid and annoying that nonsense with LeFou was. That was some of the most idiotic flip-flopping I have ever seen. And it was all for the purpose of pushing the plot along, so deus ex machina rears its ugly head.
So, in conclusion, the only good thing about this book—barring the opportunity to explore Adam's PTSD that was just blatantly skipped over—was the incorporation of historical events. And even that was a little contrived in the end, being as surrounded by idiotic side-plots and pointless new characters as it was.
It's not that I think this book was terrible. Eliminate that stupid plot with Bastien and replace it with something actually rooted in French history and this might have been a superb novel with only the issue of Theriault's inability to capture the true essence of the Beauty and the Beast characters for me to complain about.
I don't know what book everyone else read and seemed to love so much, but this was just not it for me.
I received an early copy of this book NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
| Reader Fox Links |
"You'll have more luck if you ask a question of it."
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault has a lot of positive reviews. This fact alone honestly left me wondering if I read the same book as everyone else. You see, there are two characters—the two I would, in fact, name the main characters of this novel—who were written with some incredibly glaring problems. Ironically, when I speak of the two main characters of Rebel Rose I do not, in fact, mean Belle and Adam (Beast). Rather, I mean Belle and Bastien, Prince Adam's cousin.
There was so much wasted potential!
I'm not going to beat around anything here: I honestly kind of hated Rebel Rose. This is not to say it is necessarily a terrible book, though. There's actually a lot of merit to the story Theriault was trying to tell that I was eager to read! I was incredibly impressed with the idea of weaving the history of France into her rendition of Belle and Adam's happily ever after.
Unfortunately, I think she really failed in her goal. And as a result, I find it rather baffling that Rebel Rose has received the amount of praise it has.
So, let’s talk about Belle (and Adam):
To put it very simply, if you pick this book up because you love Beauty and the Beast, you should probably put it right back down.
These are not the characters you know and love. In fact, Theriault does an absolutely disastrous job of bringing them—and Belle in particular—to life. This struggle isn't just relegated to the lead two but extends out to literally every single character you can think of. Barring the fact that they share the same names, it's near impossible to see the original characters in Theriault's renditions. This is true from Belle to Adam to the supporting characters of Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts.
What’s worse is that there is precious little of Prince Adam in this story.
At nearly every turn he is running off on some venture to deal with the politics of his station. In each circumstance, he bafflingly leaves Belle behind. Why, you ask? Well, because Belle is not who she used to be. She doesn’t have the same drives and beliefs as the Belle we know. She’s not interested in politics or queenly duties. In fact, the only reason she agreed to marry Adam in the first place was because she was able to condition the marriage on her refusal to accept the title of Queen.
Like…I’m sorry. What??????
And while Adam clearly understands the importance of his role as King, juggling his love for this woman who wants nothing to do with politics results in him being absent for nearly the entire novel. That’s all without me even bothering to go into the fact that it’s stupidly unrealistic to posit Belle as the sort of character who wouldn’t want to be involved!
If you wanted to read a story about Belle and Adam’s relationship, you're not going to get it here. The only honestly interesting thing Theriault included about their relationship is the fact that Adam has some severe PTSD. Of course, this is never addressed beyond the fact that it exists and they both have to work through it.
Which is such a shame because this was a genuinely intriguing plot point I would have loved to explore. We could have seen so much amazing growth in them both as individual people, but also as a couple! Why…why did Therault not spend more time here? I feel so utterly cheated out of something that could have been truly exceptional!
So, Rebel Rose’s story primarily features Belle. And the unfortunate truth of Theriault's Belle is that she is a shell of her former self. Instead of the wonderful, courageous, stubborn, and intelligent woman we've all come to know and love, Belle is reduced to a meek and self-doubting girl who keeps all her opinions to herself. I don't know about you, but this is not a Belle I recognize. And it bugged the hell out of me.
You see, the entire plot of the novel centers around Belle's refusal and inability to see herself as a leader. She cows to others at the slightest push. Despite her original character portraying precisely the opposite spirit and drive, Belle is eager to let others take care of things and wants very little to do with the responsibility of being a Queen. I think she refuses the title on principal…which is just so dumb.
Theriault's main goal with this character is to develop her into someone who is eager and ready to take on that role. It makes me wonder why she bothered using Belle in the first place. This is not something Belle, as a character, needed to be developed to. The Belle we already had was fully ready to be the leader she needed to be. There's not a single moment where I believe for a second that Belle wouldn't have been up for the challenge, especially when the wellbeing of the kingdom was a topic of discussion.
Which leads me to Adam’s cousin. Ironically, Bastien was my favorite character.
A long lost cousin, having forgotten entirely about Adam during the curse, Bastien is introduced very early on. In a way, you kind of fall in love with him the moment you meet him. And, if I'm being honest, he has more chemistry with Belle in those introductory chapters than Adam ever does through the course of the novel. If that's not a red flag for you, I don't know what is. Add in the fact that he spends more time with Belle through every step of the book than Adam ever does and this point just gets worse.
Despite all of this, Belle is suspicious of Bastien from the start? I just…WHY? She has literally no reason to be. There is nothing, other than Belle's strange intuition, to suggest that he is anyone to be wary of. So why is Belle suspicious of him, then? Where is the buildup? The foreshadowing? Why is she so immediately suspicious out of nowhere? Is it because he's part of the French aristocracy and in direct conflict with the good of the common people? Just a natural hatred toward rich people?
Well...
I'd be perfectly fine with that being the case, I suppose, but it almost feels ridiculous because if she were suspicious of him for that…why the hell did she marry a King?
What kills me about all of this, including my adoration for Bastian as a character, is that Theriault completely eviscerates not only his character but any chance of having a decent plot in one fell swoop.
Obligatory note that I cannot explain this further without some spoilers.
I already had my issues with Rebel Rose, but the moment I'll be honest, I can't find any. It was, put simply, just patently ridiculous. The lack of any genuine and visible motivation behind Bastian’s actions was quite literally the worst thing about this entire book. I hated it so much.
I'm not even going to get into how utterly stupid and annoying that nonsense with LeFou was. That was some of the most idiotic flip-flopping I have ever seen. And it was all for the purpose of pushing the plot along, so deus ex machina rears its ugly head.
So, in conclusion, the only good thing about this book—barring the opportunity to explore Adam's PTSD that was just blatantly skipped over—was the incorporation of historical events. And even that was a little contrived in the end, being as surrounded by idiotic side-plots and pointless new characters as it was.
It's not that I think this book was terrible. Eliminate that stupid plot with Bastien and replace it with something actually rooted in French history and this might have been a superb novel with only the issue of Theriault's inability to capture the true essence of the Beauty and the Beast characters for me to complain about.
I don't know what book everyone else read and seemed to love so much, but this was just not it for me.
I received an early copy of this book NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
| Reader Fox Links |
Want to read
July 21, 2020ahem.
you say, Disney Princesses, but as a reimagining and with real history???
i accept this offer.
you say, Disney Princesses, but as a reimagining and with real history???
i accept this offer.
June 20, 2020
A Disney princess book set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. If that raises your eyebrows, it should! Rebel Rose is a delightful surprise: yes, it's a "continuation of the story" type Disney book, but it doesn't feel typical. This edges closer to upper YA--Bastille Day is on the page! There is a beheading! I was sucked right in.
Historical fantasy with a Disney twist, Rebel Rose is set shortly after Belle and the Beast's (now prince's) marriage. They travel to Paris to see his cousin Bastien, skirting around the prince's 10 year absence with reports of an illness--all memory of the curse is erased except for those who lived it. Court is embroiled in its own issues anyway. The prince has to go to Versailles for an audience with Louis, while Belle explores Paris... on what happens to be Bastille Day. After being lead into a magical mirror shop where a mysterious woman urges her to follow her heart and save Aveyon, Belle witnesses a mob in the streets and a beheading. This was the point in the book where I was like "oh shit this book is gonna go there."
And it does. The main thrust of the novel is Belle and the prince trying to prevent a similar revolution in Aveyon--but of course there are secrets, lies, and plots a foot. Belle wrestles with her own guilt about going from peasant to princess, and tries to support her husband as he deals with his own PTSD. The book treats the curse from the original story very seriously, including addressing the fan question of "how could the enchantress do that to a child?!" A note that the book definitely draws on the "canon" from the live action movie, re: the prince's backstory with his parents.
The juiciest thing about the book for me was the characters and intrigue. Belle is surrounded by snakes, and I was constantly guessing who she could trust. (One character made me say out loud "oh this bitch" lol.) She's also thrust into some truly frustrating scenarios that made my blood boil on her behalf. I was sucked in and engaged, with full credit going to Theriault. Full disclosure: we've been friends for years and so I knew what a talented writer she was, and that is on display here. The writing is lush, characters well-drawn and big moments incredibly vivid and emotional. She did her research and the book doesn't feel like it skimps on the history and culture of France. Fans of French historical fantasy should pick this up. As a costume romance fan, I was more than satisfied.
Perfect for Disney fans and history buffs alike, Rebel Rose deftly combines real world heft and dreamy costume romance into a compelling read rich with historical detail and page-turning intrigue.
Historical fantasy with a Disney twist, Rebel Rose is set shortly after Belle and the Beast's (now prince's) marriage. They travel to Paris to see his cousin Bastien, skirting around the prince's 10 year absence with reports of an illness--all memory of the curse is erased except for those who lived it. Court is embroiled in its own issues anyway. The prince has to go to Versailles for an audience with Louis, while Belle explores Paris... on what happens to be Bastille Day. After being lead into a magical mirror shop where a mysterious woman urges her to follow her heart and save Aveyon, Belle witnesses a mob in the streets and a beheading. This was the point in the book where I was like "oh shit this book is gonna go there."
And it does. The main thrust of the novel is Belle and the prince trying to prevent a similar revolution in Aveyon--but of course there are secrets, lies, and plots a foot. Belle wrestles with her own guilt about going from peasant to princess, and tries to support her husband as he deals with his own PTSD. The book treats the curse from the original story very seriously, including addressing the fan question of "how could the enchantress do that to a child?!" A note that the book definitely draws on the "canon" from the live action movie, re: the prince's backstory with his parents.
The juiciest thing about the book for me was the characters and intrigue. Belle is surrounded by snakes, and I was constantly guessing who she could trust. (One character made me say out loud "oh this bitch" lol.) She's also thrust into some truly frustrating scenarios that made my blood boil on her behalf. I was sucked in and engaged, with full credit going to Theriault. Full disclosure: we've been friends for years and so I knew what a talented writer she was, and that is on display here. The writing is lush, characters well-drawn and big moments incredibly vivid and emotional. She did her research and the book doesn't feel like it skimps on the history and culture of France. Fans of French historical fantasy should pick this up. As a costume romance fan, I was more than satisfied.
Perfect for Disney fans and history buffs alike, Rebel Rose deftly combines real world heft and dreamy costume romance into a compelling read rich with historical detail and page-turning intrigue.
October 21, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Rebel Rose in exchange for an honest review.
Rebel Rose is a 'what happens next' adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast set against the political climate of a France on the cusp of revolution. B&B seems to be everyone's favourite fairytale to adapt for YA audiences so I've read a plethora of B&B retellings this year, so let's talk about how Rebel Rose fails as one.
First and foremost, to retell/adapt a story, you have to deeply love the original. This doesn't mean that you think its flawless (because then what would the point of adaptation actually be) but retellings/adaptations should always be a labor of love. The story you create should thrive because of the aspects from the source material it chooses to use, not despite it. Now, Rebel Rose is a Disney published continuation of a Disney property so it definitely has a lot less flexibility than adaptations of the original fairytale, but oh my god does this book seem to really, really want you to forget all of the original character's personalities.
Let's talk about Belle because... there's a lot there. Belle's married to the beast (called Lio in this version) but refuses to take the title of princess or queen because of... reasons. Her big arc is to stop being meek and passive and realize that she was worthy of voicing her opinions and taking the crown all along. The problem here is that our movie Belle already was headstrong. If I'm remembering correctly, this book even starts off with her being described as headstrong. She's one of the least meek pre-Princess and the Frog mainline up (aka, Nala and Meg don't count) princesses so having that be her arc made no sense. I honestly originally just assumed her character arc would have more to do with her learning about the more subtle ways progress had to be achieved in aristocratic societies (Harper from ACSDAL is a really good example of that) but instead we get her constantly saying she's unsure of herself with the book also going 'but remember, no she's not!'.
Brief obligatory section on Lio because his sections in this book were also brief. Belle had more chemistry with literally every other character in this book and I hated him.
We really have 2 main cast additions here, Bastien and Marguerite. Bastien is Lio's duc cousin who Belle meets and goes "hmmm he seems sus" so me saying he's the bad guy doesn't feel at all like a spoiler which was a shame because a lot of this book was spent trying to make the reader go "is he a bad guy?" even though all intrigue was killed by having our protagonist hate him for little to no reason and spoil the reveal. Marguerite's main plot point was being a secret gay with most of her significance plotwise being Belle going "hmm I wonder what her secret is?" but again, that's not really a spoiler because she's just so heavily queer-coded from the moment she's introduced. I honestly think Marguerite existed mostly for PR so the book could go "look! Bechtal test! Female badass friend!" and also so the book could try to redeem themselves by adding positive queer-rep for whatever the hell happened with LeFou who yes, is still a canon gay character in this. They both bored me but at least they gave us someone for Belle to have some semblance of chemistry with.
The last straw for me was definitely LeFou and the choices made there but that's definitely a spoiler so let me just say... what the hell was that?
Rebel Rose is a 'what happens next' adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast set against the political climate of a France on the cusp of revolution. B&B seems to be everyone's favourite fairytale to adapt for YA audiences so I've read a plethora of B&B retellings this year, so let's talk about how Rebel Rose fails as one.
First and foremost, to retell/adapt a story, you have to deeply love the original. This doesn't mean that you think its flawless (because then what would the point of adaptation actually be) but retellings/adaptations should always be a labor of love. The story you create should thrive because of the aspects from the source material it chooses to use, not despite it. Now, Rebel Rose is a Disney published continuation of a Disney property so it definitely has a lot less flexibility than adaptations of the original fairytale, but oh my god does this book seem to really, really want you to forget all of the original character's personalities.
Let's talk about Belle because... there's a lot there. Belle's married to the beast (called Lio in this version) but refuses to take the title of princess or queen because of... reasons. Her big arc is to stop being meek and passive and realize that she was worthy of voicing her opinions and taking the crown all along. The problem here is that our movie Belle already was headstrong. If I'm remembering correctly, this book even starts off with her being described as headstrong. She's one of the least meek pre-Princess and the Frog mainline up (aka, Nala and Meg don't count) princesses so having that be her arc made no sense. I honestly originally just assumed her character arc would have more to do with her learning about the more subtle ways progress had to be achieved in aristocratic societies (Harper from ACSDAL is a really good example of that) but instead we get her constantly saying she's unsure of herself with the book also going 'but remember, no she's not!'.
Brief obligatory section on Lio because his sections in this book were also brief. Belle had more chemistry with literally every other character in this book and I hated him.
We really have 2 main cast additions here, Bastien and Marguerite. Bastien is Lio's duc cousin who Belle meets and goes "hmmm he seems sus" so me saying he's the bad guy doesn't feel at all like a spoiler which was a shame because a lot of this book was spent trying to make the reader go "is he a bad guy?" even though all intrigue was killed by having our protagonist hate him for little to no reason and spoil the reveal. Marguerite's main plot point was being a secret gay with most of her significance plotwise being Belle going "hmm I wonder what her secret is?" but again, that's not really a spoiler because she's just so heavily queer-coded from the moment she's introduced. I honestly think Marguerite existed mostly for PR so the book could go "look! Bechtal test! Female badass friend!" and also so the book could try to redeem themselves by adding positive queer-rep for whatever the hell happened with LeFou who yes, is still a canon gay character in this. They both bored me but at least they gave us someone for Belle to have some semblance of chemistry with.
The last straw for me was definitely LeFou and the choices made there but that's definitely a spoiler so let me just say... what the hell was that?
Read
December 6, 2020I'm still trying to figure out how I felt about this. I liked it, but at the same time it didn't stick with me at all, and I didn't really connect with a single character. At this point I'm thinking three stars, but that may change the more I think about it.
did-not-finish
November 26, 2020DNF @ 10%. Honestly I'm glad that I recognised early on that this book was not going to match my hopes because I know just how disappointed I would have been if I had forced myself through it. There was something about Belle talking about her life back home and how hard it was now to be rich??? that just annoyed me.
November 2, 2020
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
What I enjoyed in Rebel Rose was how Theriault does not shy away from the rough spots in Adam and Belle's relationship. The inequality in their backgrounds becomes even more of an obstacle as they begin to advance their station and social calendar. While Belle may not be a Queen, she certainly is drawn into a space, not of her choosing, that does not truly know what it is like to be common. 1789 France is on the edge of revolution and it's possible Belle is the only person who can stop it from spilling over to Aveyon.
Rebel Rose is firmly centered on Belle and her character. Will she be able to stay true to herself, even as the nobility looks down at her, and the commoners might resent her? At the same time, will she be able to advocate for the rights of her friends and Aveyon against those who want to maintain the status quo? Because it quickly becomes apparent that the trials of their relationship are far from over even though the curse is broken.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
What I enjoyed in Rebel Rose was how Theriault does not shy away from the rough spots in Adam and Belle's relationship. The inequality in their backgrounds becomes even more of an obstacle as they begin to advance their station and social calendar. While Belle may not be a Queen, she certainly is drawn into a space, not of her choosing, that does not truly know what it is like to be common. 1789 France is on the edge of revolution and it's possible Belle is the only person who can stop it from spilling over to Aveyon.
Rebel Rose is firmly centered on Belle and her character. Will she be able to stay true to herself, even as the nobility looks down at her, and the commoners might resent her? At the same time, will she be able to advocate for the rights of her friends and Aveyon against those who want to maintain the status quo? Because it quickly becomes apparent that the trials of their relationship are far from over even though the curse is broken.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
October 14, 2020
2.5 stars, with the extra half star easily attributed to the way the elements of the fairytale and Disney film were woven into the story.
I’m sad to have to acknowledge that this book fell short of the expectations I had for it. The potential for a book that I would love was there, but the character execution just didn’t work for me personally. Combining that with the fact that this is a less action-driven plot, it just wound up being an okay story overall.
I’m sad to have to acknowledge that this book fell short of the expectations I had for it. The potential for a book that I would love was there, but the character execution just didn’t work for me personally. Combining that with the fact that this is a less action-driven plot, it just wound up being an okay story overall.
February 4, 2021
I FINISHED THIS DAMN BOOK
I have such a love-HATE relationship with this book, but let me make it clear that I do not claim this version of Belle whatsoever! Let me preface this review by saying I am an adult Disney nerd, so I may have been a little too invested in this book. Belle is also my favorite Disney princess so I am was extremely hopeful and excited, because this isn't just one of the million retellings out in the wild, it's a what happens next with Disney's stamp of approval since they helped publish this. So my feelings of excitement I feel are more than justified.
I actively hated on and simultaneously was enthralled by this book, that's why my rating is smack dab in the middle. Belle's character was literally the only thing I hated in this book. And I mean HATED. Which was a huge let down, because 1) I picked this book up because of Belle & 2) The story is ALL about her so...
Many other reviews have echoed this, but she was extremely selfish and self-centered. I get that maybe she needed to grow, but her growth did not have to be so out of left field. The story revolves around the theme of listening to your instincts especially if you are a woman being told no. That's awesome, and headstrong is good (that's Belle) but self-centered is bad (Belle in this book).
I highlighted passage after passage of instances where Belle was so dislikable. I think it was especially evident because of the juxtaposition between her character and Lio (aka the Beast). Lio was kind and supported Belle above anyone else. Like he makes some decisions and listens to Bastien (who wants to help and has knowledge about the court might I add unlike Belle) that some may argue he didn't always listen to her. BUT, IF she said "No listen to me I have a feeling about this," he would have dropped everything and been like "OK." Some quotes will be added at the end of my review if you would like to review the receipts.
When Belle doesn't extend those same supportive courtesies it's off putting. Towards the last 80% of the book she starts becoming a bit more supportive of Lio, but I wonder where was that energy in the beginning of the book??? I mean if she would acknowledge her lack of support at the end, then maybe I would be singing a different tune but she doesn't really. I mean they are married and supposed to be in love. So, if Lio is giving his 100% to her why is she only giving 50%. So frustrating. She also keeps secrets and is so whishy washy.
She is the single handed most annoying character in the book. I also rewatched the Disney movies to see if she was like this and guess what...NO. She is headstrong sure, she does things how she wants but she is still kind and thinks about others i.e. her father, the beast, and the people in the castle (Lumiere, Cogsworth, etc).
The whole book is about her not wanting to be royalty. Despite marrying Lio and living in the damn castle she refuses a title because of the responsibility and this feeling that it will cage her. Lio supports her and let's her do what she wants. That's all fine and dandy, but then Belle has the audacity to call the kingdom hers... like what???
One last thing I was thrown off by... why the fuck was the dog called Chou in here? The dog's name is Frou Frou. Was that a teaser for Mulan and the Chou/Zhou dynasty? If so why did you name THE DOG Chou. So offensive in my opinion. But, I may be blowing that way out of proportion because I am not Chinese, so I would like to know if anyone else cares.
OK here are the things I liked about this book, that saved it from being a 1 star:
-Bastien is awesome he is so damn dynamic and I loved reading about him
-Lio is a supportive and kind and that made him down right sexy in my opinion
-Marguerite is badass and a true example of being strong and independent
-The library
-The historical elements were FANTASTIC, loved the French Revolution making up the conflict of the story
-The writing. I will admit Emma Theriault is a damn good writer...baaaaad judge of character(read in the Grinch voice)
- The overall theme of being true to your self and following your instincts to meet your goals
-The last 20% of the book
OK rant over read further for quotes that PISSED ME OFF
(Spoilers mostly redacted only some story stuff added for context no major plot points)
"Lio still looked princely standing there among them, shooting her apologetic glances when he could, knowing she was probably tallying all the absurdities she’d been made to endure thus far. He owed her. She had half a mind to demand he present her with another library for her troubles." - She was at a party. I get it I am an introvert too but really...a library??? Also, the next day she refuses to go with him to Versailles despite him practically begging her.
"She despised the artifice of it all. Celebrating the [REDACTED] with members of Europe’s aristocracy did not feel like a step toward protecting her kingdom." There she goes saying it's her kingdom
"Maybe it was time to be honest with Lio about everything she had done and seen in his absence. Maybe she was ready to tell him about[REDACTED]. Maybe she was ready to ease the burden from her shoulders so they could share it, as they had shared everything else. It wasn’t right to assume he couldn’t handle it. Lio had handled much worse, and together they had defeated the curse once before." Spoiler...She DIDN'T... another instance of being whishy washy.
"Belle was assuaged by that, though she bristled at the thought of merely being Lio’s voice. And yet she couldn’t explain her reaction. She had rejected the titles that might have given her a voice of her own, but that didn’t mean she was powerless." So she is cognizant of being this way but really doesn't change her tune, whishy washy
"She faked a cough in Bastien’s direction as she left the room, relishing the way he flinched from her." Petty AF and CORONA makes me so disturbed by this
"Lio wouldn’t see her point of view, especially not when he valued Bastien’s counsel over hers." She literally thinks this when he has never given her any reason to doubt him
Here is Lio's sexiest line & moment:
“Belle can do whatever she pleases. If anyone has a problem with her, they can answer to me.” She was sure no one else would notice how, in anger, his voice still slipped into something akin to a growl"
“We have been forced to lie to the world; we cannot lie to each other.” “I know,” she started, but lost the words when he brought his hand to her cheek. “You have seen my darkest moments; don’t ever try to spare me yours.” He sat beside her on the mattress. “Come, tell me everything.”
Even Bastien was speaking facts to Belle, making her look like a total ass:
“I recommend walking this earth burdened by the notion that most anyone can surprise you. It will make your life easier."
“I’d caution you not to judge a whole group based on the actions of the violent minority."
THE END
I have such a love-HATE relationship with this book, but let me make it clear that I do not claim this version of Belle whatsoever! Let me preface this review by saying I am an adult Disney nerd, so I may have been a little too invested in this book. Belle is also my favorite Disney princess so I am was extremely hopeful and excited, because this isn't just one of the million retellings out in the wild, it's a what happens next with Disney's stamp of approval since they helped publish this. So my feelings of excitement I feel are more than justified.
I actively hated on and simultaneously was enthralled by this book, that's why my rating is smack dab in the middle. Belle's character was literally the only thing I hated in this book. And I mean HATED. Which was a huge let down, because 1) I picked this book up because of Belle & 2) The story is ALL about her so...
Many other reviews have echoed this, but she was extremely selfish and self-centered. I get that maybe she needed to grow, but her growth did not have to be so out of left field. The story revolves around the theme of listening to your instincts especially if you are a woman being told no. That's awesome, and headstrong is good (that's Belle) but self-centered is bad (Belle in this book).
I highlighted passage after passage of instances where Belle was so dislikable. I think it was especially evident because of the juxtaposition between her character and Lio (aka the Beast). Lio was kind and supported Belle above anyone else. Like he makes some decisions and listens to Bastien (who wants to help and has knowledge about the court might I add unlike Belle) that some may argue he didn't always listen to her. BUT, IF she said "No listen to me I have a feeling about this," he would have dropped everything and been like "OK." Some quotes will be added at the end of my review if you would like to review the receipts.
When Belle doesn't extend those same supportive courtesies it's off putting. Towards the last 80% of the book she starts becoming a bit more supportive of Lio, but I wonder where was that energy in the beginning of the book??? I mean if she would acknowledge her lack of support at the end, then maybe I would be singing a different tune but she doesn't really. I mean they are married and supposed to be in love. So, if Lio is giving his 100% to her why is she only giving 50%. So frustrating. She also keeps secrets and is so whishy washy.
She is the single handed most annoying character in the book. I also rewatched the Disney movies to see if she was like this and guess what...NO. She is headstrong sure, she does things how she wants but she is still kind and thinks about others i.e. her father, the beast, and the people in the castle (Lumiere, Cogsworth, etc).
The whole book is about her not wanting to be royalty. Despite marrying Lio and living in the damn castle she refuses a title because of the responsibility and this feeling that it will cage her. Lio supports her and let's her do what she wants. That's all fine and dandy, but then Belle has the audacity to call the kingdom hers... like what???
One last thing I was thrown off by... why the fuck was the dog called Chou in here? The dog's name is Frou Frou. Was that a teaser for Mulan and the Chou/Zhou dynasty? If so why did you name THE DOG Chou. So offensive in my opinion. But, I may be blowing that way out of proportion because I am not Chinese, so I would like to know if anyone else cares.
OK here are the things I liked about this book, that saved it from being a 1 star:
-Bastien is awesome he is so damn dynamic and I loved reading about him
-Lio is a supportive and kind and that made him down right sexy in my opinion
-Marguerite is badass and a true example of being strong and independent
-The library
-The historical elements were FANTASTIC, loved the French Revolution making up the conflict of the story
-The writing. I will admit Emma Theriault is a damn good writer...baaaaad judge of character(read in the Grinch voice)
- The overall theme of being true to your self and following your instincts to meet your goals
-The last 20% of the book
OK rant over read further for quotes that PISSED ME OFF
(Spoilers mostly redacted only some story stuff added for context no major plot points)
"Lio still looked princely standing there among them, shooting her apologetic glances when he could, knowing she was probably tallying all the absurdities she’d been made to endure thus far. He owed her. She had half a mind to demand he present her with another library for her troubles." - She was at a party. I get it I am an introvert too but really...a library??? Also, the next day she refuses to go with him to Versailles despite him practically begging her.
"She despised the artifice of it all. Celebrating the [REDACTED] with members of Europe’s aristocracy did not feel like a step toward protecting her kingdom." There she goes saying it's her kingdom
"Maybe it was time to be honest with Lio about everything she had done and seen in his absence. Maybe she was ready to tell him about[REDACTED]. Maybe she was ready to ease the burden from her shoulders so they could share it, as they had shared everything else. It wasn’t right to assume he couldn’t handle it. Lio had handled much worse, and together they had defeated the curse once before." Spoiler...She DIDN'T... another instance of being whishy washy.
"Belle was assuaged by that, though she bristled at the thought of merely being Lio’s voice. And yet she couldn’t explain her reaction. She had rejected the titles that might have given her a voice of her own, but that didn’t mean she was powerless." So she is cognizant of being this way but really doesn't change her tune, whishy washy
"She faked a cough in Bastien’s direction as she left the room, relishing the way he flinched from her." Petty AF and CORONA makes me so disturbed by this
"Lio wouldn’t see her point of view, especially not when he valued Bastien’s counsel over hers." She literally thinks this when he has never given her any reason to doubt him
Here is Lio's sexiest line & moment:
“Belle can do whatever she pleases. If anyone has a problem with her, they can answer to me.” She was sure no one else would notice how, in anger, his voice still slipped into something akin to a growl"
“We have been forced to lie to the world; we cannot lie to each other.” “I know,” she started, but lost the words when he brought his hand to her cheek. “You have seen my darkest moments; don’t ever try to spare me yours.” He sat beside her on the mattress. “Come, tell me everything.”
Even Bastien was speaking facts to Belle, making her look like a total ass:
“I recommend walking this earth burdened by the notion that most anyone can surprise you. It will make your life easier."
“I’d caution you not to judge a whole group based on the actions of the violent minority."
THE END
December 12, 2020
From what i remmeber beauty and the beast was my all time favorite disney character and i sweared this oath to read any content about this film. And this book is no exeption.
The concept of the book when i first saw the sinopsis simply attracted me and i knew i should pick this up.and i'm glad i did it.
This book is like a season 2 right after the happily ever after of belle and the beast ( our boy lio) and since all the fairy tales leave in that part, i always wanted to know what will become after their happy ending and this can be 1 in a milion possiblity.
I easily adore all the charater here and all the refrences to the real fairy tale if beauty and beast and it was just refreshing( also the minor plot twist of gaston and lefou which was intresting) and i seriosly am looking forward to see how the author will bring other belived disney character in this amazing series.
So sign me the hell up for the rest.🙋♀️
The concept of the book when i first saw the sinopsis simply attracted me and i knew i should pick this up.and i'm glad i did it.
This book is like a season 2 right after the happily ever after of belle and the beast ( our boy lio) and since all the fairy tales leave in that part, i always wanted to know what will become after their happy ending and this can be 1 in a milion possiblity.
I easily adore all the charater here and all the refrences to the real fairy tale if beauty and beast and it was just refreshing( also the minor plot twist of gaston and lefou which was intresting) and i seriosly am looking forward to see how the author will bring other belived disney character in this amazing series.
So sign me the hell up for the rest.🙋♀️
November 11, 2020
Belle has always been one of my favorite Disney princess. From our love of reading, to our ferocity and independence, I have always seen myself in Belle. So getting approved for this book and reading what happened to Belle and the Beast after the curse is broken was heavenly. And to top it off, it's set during the French Revolution and historically accurate? I already knew this was going to be a winner for me.
The story itself was amazing. The Disney characters, like Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts all kept their original tone and personality. It felt like someone had taken the ended script, the part after the wedding, and printed it in a book. Belle had that independence, her wits, and her kindness while Lio was not only kind, but had that same sense of humor and slight temper. Emma does an amazing job replicating the same personalities as the movie characters making the transition so smooth.
I absolutely loved this book and loved the historical aspects included. To see how Belle and Lio (The Beast) handle the French Revolution, as royals themselves, was so interesting. I found myself unable to stop reading as I wanted to experience more of this book. By the end I was almost in tears. This book captured my love for Beauty and the Beast and fostered it on the page. Thank you for letting me experience more of this world! I adored it.
The story itself was amazing. The Disney characters, like Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts all kept their original tone and personality. It felt like someone had taken the ended script, the part after the wedding, and printed it in a book. Belle had that independence, her wits, and her kindness while Lio was not only kind, but had that same sense of humor and slight temper. Emma does an amazing job replicating the same personalities as the movie characters making the transition so smooth.
I absolutely loved this book and loved the historical aspects included. To see how Belle and Lio (The Beast) handle the French Revolution, as royals themselves, was so interesting. I found myself unable to stop reading as I wanted to experience more of this book. By the end I was almost in tears. This book captured my love for Beauty and the Beast and fostered it on the page. Thank you for letting me experience more of this world! I adored it.
December 16, 2020
"A kingdom is best served by a tapestry of voices and viewpoints."
I liked the idea this book was trying to accomplish. A Beauty and the Beast retelling set after the classic tale with the French Revolution brewing and tensions rising to the breaking point would have been fascinating. Sadly, this book did not accomplish what it set out to do. Belle, the main character, was flat and rather dumb. Instead of focusing on ways to actually help her struggling people (charity work, tax reforms, building projects, appeasing foreign powers, etc) she decided to host a salon and organize a library in the midst of a political crisis, because that would obviously be the best use of her time *facepalms*. She also ignored her (usually correct) instincts and trusted people blindly (which is clearly something you should do when people are actively trying to overthrow you).
"You must not wait for others to save Aveyon. You need to trust your instincts and become the queen you're capable of being."
The villain was easy to spot the moment he appeared, and it didn't help that Belle was constantly alluding to him. She would wonder why he was acting suspicious or going behind her back to do things, but would then move on with her day instead of trying to solve the problem. Additionally, he had literally no motivation, and his actions were extreme for someone who should have been invested in the opposite cause. The Beast (whose name is apparently Lio) was rather abusive towards Belle. He wouldn't trust her word, he didn't value her opinion, he ignored her complaints, he tried to keep her at the castle in the name of "protection" and honestly acted a lot like Tamlin in ACOMAF. Both Belle and Lio kept secrets from each other, and constantly found reasons not to communicate with their partner. Though Lio's abusive behavior was seen as wrong by some of the house staff, it was never fully addressed, and the romance was still glorified.
"It was a bit like falling in love in a place out of time. It didn't matter that we didn't make sense together; it didn't matter who he was or who I was. We just...fell."
The plot was pretty slow, and when the conflict did pick up, everything resolved way too quickly. None of the side characters were developed at all, and they were rather easy to sway over to Belle's side should she want them to be there. There was magic that appeared at random points in the story that was never explained and I didn't really find it necessary either. The plot could have stood without it. The one thing that saved this book from being one star is that it wasn't poorly written, and Belle did get some character development towards the end.
I liked the idea this book was trying to accomplish. A Beauty and the Beast retelling set after the classic tale with the French Revolution brewing and tensions rising to the breaking point would have been fascinating. Sadly, this book did not accomplish what it set out to do. Belle, the main character, was flat and rather dumb. Instead of focusing on ways to actually help her struggling people (charity work, tax reforms, building projects, appeasing foreign powers, etc) she decided to host a salon and organize a library in the midst of a political crisis, because that would obviously be the best use of her time *facepalms*. She also ignored her (usually correct) instincts and trusted people blindly (which is clearly something you should do when people are actively trying to overthrow you).
"You must not wait for others to save Aveyon. You need to trust your instincts and become the queen you're capable of being."
The villain was easy to spot the moment he appeared, and it didn't help that Belle was constantly alluding to him. She would wonder why he was acting suspicious or going behind her back to do things, but would then move on with her day instead of trying to solve the problem. Additionally, he had literally no motivation, and his actions were extreme for someone who should have been invested in the opposite cause. The Beast (whose name is apparently Lio) was rather abusive towards Belle. He wouldn't trust her word, he didn't value her opinion, he ignored her complaints, he tried to keep her at the castle in the name of "protection" and honestly acted a lot like Tamlin in ACOMAF. Both Belle and Lio kept secrets from each other, and constantly found reasons not to communicate with their partner. Though Lio's abusive behavior was seen as wrong by some of the house staff, it was never fully addressed, and the romance was still glorified.
"It was a bit like falling in love in a place out of time. It didn't matter that we didn't make sense together; it didn't matter who he was or who I was. We just...fell."
The plot was pretty slow, and when the conflict did pick up, everything resolved way too quickly. None of the side characters were developed at all, and they were rather easy to sway over to Belle's side should she want them to be there. There was magic that appeared at random points in the story that was never explained and I didn't really find it necessary either. The plot could have stood without it. The one thing that saved this book from being one star is that it wasn't poorly written, and Belle did get some character development towards the end.
November 12, 2020
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Rebel Rose is the first installment in what's being called The Queen's Council series. Happily, ever after is only the beginning to this epic YA reimagining of the princesses as young rulers of their lands, aided by a mystical group of women called the Queen's Council, whose job it is to advise queens throughout history. Instead of calling this a retelling or re-imaging, let's say that the author writes her own story which takes place after the ending of Beauty and the Beast’s story. She also adds a historically accurate account of one of the most turbulent moments in French History, the French Revolution, and the Reign of Terror.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Rebel Rose is the first installment in what's being called The Queen's Council series. Happily, ever after is only the beginning to this epic YA reimagining of the princesses as young rulers of their lands, aided by a mystical group of women called the Queen's Council, whose job it is to advise queens throughout history. Instead of calling this a retelling or re-imaging, let's say that the author writes her own story which takes place after the ending of Beauty and the Beast’s story. She also adds a historically accurate account of one of the most turbulent moments in French History, the French Revolution, and the Reign of Terror.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
December 27, 2020
I was so into the premise of this! I always want "after the happily ever after" stories and Belle is a favorite!
Buuut. It didn't really work. I don't understand why Belle didn't want to be queen and, at the same time, since this is so much about the French revolution, I didn't understand why she didn't ever think "hey, maybe there shouldn't be queens!" It just didn't work.
Buuut. It didn't really work. I don't understand why Belle didn't want to be queen and, at the same time, since this is so much about the French revolution, I didn't understand why she didn't ever think "hey, maybe there shouldn't be queens!" It just didn't work.
January 31, 2021
Review to come
September 29, 2020
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss and Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. Review can also be found on *Milky Way of Books*
There is nothing more beautiful that going back into the world of Beauty and the Beast! As a fan who actually worships anything inspired by the tale as old as time, this book was an amazing surprise! Not only because it hit me in the memory lane with the descriptions, the characters and the historical setting but also because it was a testament on what happened to Belle after the curse was broken.
Sure we were left in that amazing dancing scene at the end of the animated movie but it was the after that became the true challenge. Born a commoner and thrust into the French higher society as a princess of the principality where Beast's castle was, Belle has to balance between the new duties and also her love for her older life.
When she and Lio (Beast by the way whose name was a very clever combination), travel to Paris in order to meet with the French King, they will find themselves in the midst of the beginnings of the French Revolution and political plots that may threaten to tear them apart.
I enjoyed also the slight appearance of magic and some scenes were very well written. I felt that the book was centered around both Belle and Lio but towards the end it made Belle the one who used her own wit and brain to solve this mystery.
Additionally, the book also deals with the trauma after the curse. Mrs Potts, Lumiere in his carefree fashion even Cogsworth have the emotional trauma of the years they lived in the curse, so yes I really appreciated this aspect of the side characters too.
There were both old and new characters appearing and Bastien was also one of them. I didn't trust that guy from page one.
Overall this was a very powerful beginning in this series and I am very excited to see which princess will be next! Personally, I am rooting for Cinderella.
Also? The marriage proposal scene? *chef's kiss* epic!
There is nothing more beautiful that going back into the world of Beauty and the Beast! As a fan who actually worships anything inspired by the tale as old as time, this book was an amazing surprise! Not only because it hit me in the memory lane with the descriptions, the characters and the historical setting but also because it was a testament on what happened to Belle after the curse was broken.
Sure we were left in that amazing dancing scene at the end of the animated movie but it was the after that became the true challenge. Born a commoner and thrust into the French higher society as a princess of the principality where Beast's castle was, Belle has to balance between the new duties and also her love for her older life.
When she and Lio (Beast by the way whose name was a very clever combination), travel to Paris in order to meet with the French King, they will find themselves in the midst of the beginnings of the French Revolution and political plots that may threaten to tear them apart.
I enjoyed also the slight appearance of magic and some scenes were very well written. I felt that the book was centered around both Belle and Lio but towards the end it made Belle the one who used her own wit and brain to solve this mystery.
Additionally, the book also deals with the trauma after the curse. Mrs Potts, Lumiere in his carefree fashion even Cogsworth have the emotional trauma of the years they lived in the curse, so yes I really appreciated this aspect of the side characters too.
There were both old and new characters appearing and Bastien was also one of them. I didn't trust that guy from page one.
Overall this was a very powerful beginning in this series and I am very excited to see which princess will be next! Personally, I am rooting for Cinderella.
Also? The marriage proposal scene? *chef's kiss* epic!
Want to read
April 23, 2020I smashed that want to read button hard as soon as I saw the magical words "Disney Princesses". Count me in!
Want to read
May 25, 2020disney princess but after the happily ever after?? put me on the list
October 31, 2020
**Thank you to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my rating**
The Queen's Council answers the question of Disney fans everywhere: What happens after the kiss and the Happily Ever After? In this case, Belle has to try and stop the French Revolution from knocking on the doors of the home she's made with Prince Lio.
This book is the first in a series (the next princesses reported to be Mulan and Jasmine). I am very interested in seeing what they do with this. I enjoy the premise of "what's next" mixed with historically important events in the time period and/or culture of the princesses so much.
For this book, Belle struggles with not wanting a title (She doesn't want to be "Princess Belle". Just Belle), trying to rule a kingdom in the prince's absence, and thwarting the plans of an insider revolutionary. I think these are all struggles I could realistically see that character dealing with, but she also struggles with not believing in herself and not listening to her instincts throughout the book, which is not something I see Belle having a problem with in the film. Belle is very headstrong, stubborn, and brave. Someone who questioned their own instincts wouldn't have had the bravery to take her father's place or to stand up to a village mob. She is good at making quick decisions. It was nice seeing her grow into her own as a ruler and seeing her and Prince Lio grow as a couple, but this one character aspect confused me.
I would also say that it's very easy to tell who the villain is. The narration often says things like "there was something off about them, but Belle didn't know what it was" or "there was something not quite right about them". I am a little more lenient with this because I know this is Theriault's first book and especially for a first book, this was well researched and executed. However, in terms of the villain, giving so many hints about them being "off" comes off like she doesn't trust the reader to figure out who the villain is on their own. She was so blunt about it that I actually thought it must have been done on purpose as a red herring. I'm hoping if she writes another book in the series that she trusts her reader a bit more to figure out where allegiances lie on their own instead of telling them at every turn. The villain in general kind of has unclear motives which aren't made any clearer towards the end.
The historical aspects of this were well done. You can tell Theriault did a lot of research into the French Revolution, which makes the world building aspect of the book phenomenal. She has a talent for putting you right in the middle of the scene. Each beat you'd expect is there (e.g. "Let them eat cake", storming the Bastille, etc.). I was the most excited to see how this aspect fit, so I was happy it was well done.
The characters in general feel very familiar to the ones we know and love from the movie. I was glad to see that Cogsworth, Lumiére, and Mrs. Potts still played large roles in the story, along with new friends for this book. I also rather enjoyed that Belle has great female friends in Mrs. Potts and in a new character named Marguerite. Disney Princesses are often criticized for not having female friends, so it's nice to see that being addressed.
Overall, this was a strong start to a series and a great debut novel. I'm very likely to continue this series if this is how they're going to be. There was great historical background added to classic Disney stories with a few minor character hiccups along the way. I was very pleased to be able to revisit a kingdom from my childhood with additional historical aspects added.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
The Queen's Council answers the question of Disney fans everywhere: What happens after the kiss and the Happily Ever After? In this case, Belle has to try and stop the French Revolution from knocking on the doors of the home she's made with Prince Lio.
This book is the first in a series (the next princesses reported to be Mulan and Jasmine). I am very interested in seeing what they do with this. I enjoy the premise of "what's next" mixed with historically important events in the time period and/or culture of the princesses so much.
For this book, Belle struggles with not wanting a title (She doesn't want to be "Princess Belle". Just Belle), trying to rule a kingdom in the prince's absence, and thwarting the plans of an insider revolutionary. I think these are all struggles I could realistically see that character dealing with, but she also struggles with not believing in herself and not listening to her instincts throughout the book, which is not something I see Belle having a problem with in the film. Belle is very headstrong, stubborn, and brave. Someone who questioned their own instincts wouldn't have had the bravery to take her father's place or to stand up to a village mob. She is good at making quick decisions. It was nice seeing her grow into her own as a ruler and seeing her and Prince Lio grow as a couple, but this one character aspect confused me.
I would also say that it's very easy to tell who the villain is. The narration often says things like "there was something off about them, but Belle didn't know what it was" or "there was something not quite right about them". I am a little more lenient with this because I know this is Theriault's first book and especially for a first book, this was well researched and executed. However, in terms of the villain, giving so many hints about them being "off" comes off like she doesn't trust the reader to figure out who the villain is on their own. She was so blunt about it that I actually thought it must have been done on purpose as a red herring. I'm hoping if she writes another book in the series that she trusts her reader a bit more to figure out where allegiances lie on their own instead of telling them at every turn. The villain in general kind of has unclear motives which aren't made any clearer towards the end.
The historical aspects of this were well done. You can tell Theriault did a lot of research into the French Revolution, which makes the world building aspect of the book phenomenal. She has a talent for putting you right in the middle of the scene. Each beat you'd expect is there (e.g. "Let them eat cake", storming the Bastille, etc.). I was the most excited to see how this aspect fit, so I was happy it was well done.
The characters in general feel very familiar to the ones we know and love from the movie. I was glad to see that Cogsworth, Lumiére, and Mrs. Potts still played large roles in the story, along with new friends for this book. I also rather enjoyed that Belle has great female friends in Mrs. Potts and in a new character named Marguerite. Disney Princesses are often criticized for not having female friends, so it's nice to see that being addressed.
Overall, this was a strong start to a series and a great debut novel. I'm very likely to continue this series if this is how they're going to be. There was great historical background added to classic Disney stories with a few minor character hiccups along the way. I was very pleased to be able to revisit a kingdom from my childhood with additional historical aspects added.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
August 23, 2021
Basado en la bella y la bestia solo que aquí la historia inicia al terminar el original. Es el primero de una serie y el final es casi cerrado. Suerte que no me ha dejado con la inquietud de no tener el siguiente libro.
August 21, 2022
(4,5)
Quedé fascinado con este libro, porque al inicio (antes de siquiera iniciarlo) creí que iba a ser muy Disney, muy blando y sin tanto contexto histórico; pero no, resultó siendo una mezcla muy buena de los personajes del clásico de la Bella y la Bestia (tomando la película como base), una Francia pre revolución, juegos de cortes, palacios y una guerra civil a punto de estallar.
Me sorprendió también por cómo una buena ficción histórica tomaba personajes y situaciones reales y las transformaba en algo canon dentro del libro. Tanto que me dio unas vibes enormes a Outlander por como eran manejados los hechos y la interacción con estos (sin ser narrados enteramente de manera explícita, pero sí dándolo a entender en muchas ocasiones).
Además tiene magia, de una manera sutil y que al igual que la película, se entrelaza con los personajes, especialmente Bella. Y Bella siendo Bella, tiene sus ideas revolucionarias y feministas que me hicieron amarla aún más y eso sin hablar de la enorme biblioteca que tiene.
Y algo que se HABLA MUY POCO de este libro es que tiene inclusión Queer en varios de sus personajes y lo hace de manera tan orgánica que uno queda sorprendido por las revelaciones que ocurren.
Lo único que no terminó de convencerme es el hecho que el final se sintió algo apresurado (a mi parecer) y esperaba un poco más.
——
Dos cosas para tener en cuenta al leerlo:
* Es ficción histórica por lo que ya puede que conozcas la historia 🤨
* Al parecer estos libros serán sagas con varias de las princesas de Disney, pero son autoconclusivos; por lo que podrán leerse en cualquier orden, pero para entender un poco más sí sería perfecto iniciar por este libro.
Quedé fascinado con este libro, porque al inicio (antes de siquiera iniciarlo) creí que iba a ser muy Disney, muy blando y sin tanto contexto histórico; pero no, resultó siendo una mezcla muy buena de los personajes del clásico de la Bella y la Bestia (tomando la película como base), una Francia pre revolución, juegos de cortes, palacios y una guerra civil a punto de estallar.
Me sorprendió también por cómo una buena ficción histórica tomaba personajes y situaciones reales y las transformaba en algo canon dentro del libro. Tanto que me dio unas vibes enormes a Outlander por como eran manejados los hechos y la interacción con estos (sin ser narrados enteramente de manera explícita, pero sí dándolo a entender en muchas ocasiones).
Además tiene magia, de una manera sutil y que al igual que la película, se entrelaza con los personajes, especialmente Bella. Y Bella siendo Bella, tiene sus ideas revolucionarias y feministas que me hicieron amarla aún más y eso sin hablar de la enorme biblioteca que tiene.
Y algo que se HABLA MUY POCO de este libro es que tiene inclusión Queer en varios de sus personajes y lo hace de manera tan orgánica que uno queda sorprendido por las revelaciones que ocurren.
Lo único que no terminó de convencerme es el hecho que el final se sintió algo apresurado (a mi parecer) y esperaba un poco más.
——
Dos cosas para tener en cuenta al leerlo:
* Es ficción histórica por lo que ya puede que conozcas la historia 🤨
* Al parecer estos libros serán sagas con varias de las princesas de Disney, pero son autoconclusivos; por lo que podrán leerse en cualquier orden, pero para entender un poco más sí sería perfecto iniciar por este libro.
May 19, 2021
What happened after Beauty and the Beast? Well, it looks like my favourite Disney Princess is going to become my favourite Disney Queen. Plus, there's going to be real life history (the French Revolution). Fantastique!
So at first I was like why isn't the prince called Adam??? But, then Emma Theriault put a bit of fresh backstory in and I could see him as a Lio.
I liked how Belle and Lio have a happy ever after but the curse has not been forgotten. It is acknowledged that there are aftereffects and everyone is trying to adapt to their new lives.
I liked how we were reunited with the original gang and I also liked there were some interesting new characters.
I could see where bits of the story were going but there were also some very good twists.
All in all, a passable sequel to one of my favourite films.
So at first I was like why isn't the prince called Adam??? But, then Emma Theriault put a bit of fresh backstory in and I could see him as a Lio.
I liked how Belle and Lio have a happy ever after but the curse has not been forgotten. It is acknowledged that there are aftereffects and everyone is trying to adapt to their new lives.
I liked how we were reunited with the original gang and I also liked there were some interesting new characters.
I could see where bits of the story were going but there were also some very good twists.
All in all, a passable sequel to one of my favourite films.
September 4, 2021
Rebel Rose is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. As well as the first installment in The Queen's Council series. Even though this hasn't been on my TBR for that long, less than a year - woohoo! - I was still very excited to finally dive into it. There's just something about retellings that makes me all happy inside. Plus I've been dying to get my hands on a book that deals with everything after the curse has been lifted.
In this, Belle and Lio are happily married and their kingdom is somewhat back to normal. It's a little tense since Belle wants nothing to do with her title but I don't think Lio really cares either. Of course, that doesn't mean other people are liking it.
After receiving orders to come to Paris, it's up to Belle to make sure Lio and her are in good favors with the King of France. Ah Paris - love and miss that beautiful city. So it was a lot of fun to see it through Belle's eyes. As for meeting Lio's cousins, Bastien, eh - he just wasn't my cup of tea. Just got weird vibes from him throughout the book.
It was very interesting to be vibing with Belle when it came to this guy too. Not sure how Lio couldn't see it but then again the guy was a beast for a long ass time. So I guess I can give him a break.. for now.
Other than that, I just really enjoyed seeing all the other characters I grew up watching in this. It definitely put a smile on my face and now I kind of want to drop everything and watch the movie. In the end, I definitely enjoyed this book and I can't wait to dive into Mulan's story next.
In this, Belle and Lio are happily married and their kingdom is somewhat back to normal. It's a little tense since Belle wants nothing to do with her title but I don't think Lio really cares either. Of course, that doesn't mean other people are liking it.
After receiving orders to come to Paris, it's up to Belle to make sure Lio and her are in good favors with the King of France. Ah Paris - love and miss that beautiful city. So it was a lot of fun to see it through Belle's eyes. As for meeting Lio's cousins, Bastien, eh - he just wasn't my cup of tea. Just got weird vibes from him throughout the book.
It was very interesting to be vibing with Belle when it came to this guy too. Not sure how Lio couldn't see it but then again the guy was a beast for a long ass time. So I guess I can give him a break.. for now.
Other than that, I just really enjoyed seeing all the other characters I grew up watching in this. It definitely put a smile on my face and now I kind of want to drop everything and watch the movie. In the end, I definitely enjoyed this book and I can't wait to dive into Mulan's story next.
December 17, 2020
Sadly, this book missed the mark for me. I was bored from the beginning and the more I read, the more I wanted to be done with this book. I know it's harsh but I feel like I didn't get what I thought I would find when I requested this book. If you're like me, when you see this book, you think you'll get a Beauty and Beast retelling with at least some of the story focused on the romance. Here, I didn't feel any love or chemistry as the two characters already had broken the curse and were married. Instead, for most of the book the Beast is gone, away on some political mission as King and Belle is left on her own. She didn't want to be Queen and let other people make the decisions way too easily. As for the revolution and politics, I didn't care much about those which left me disappointed.
Overall, this book was not for me but perhaps it will be for you.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
Overall, this book was not for me but perhaps it will be for you.
(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)
October 23, 2020
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Disney books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love Beauty and the Beast, so naturally when I came across a continuation of their story, I jumped right on it. The Queen's Council Rebel Rose followed Belle as she navigates ruling beside her husband. This takes place during the time of the French Revolution and the author did a great job of weaving that event and this story together. For me, this book read like a movie so it made for an easy reading experience.
Overall, I gave this 3 stars because I wish there had been just a little more interaction between Beast and Belle.
However, I would recommend this to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast or just Disney in general.
I love Beauty and the Beast, so naturally when I came across a continuation of their story, I jumped right on it. The Queen's Council Rebel Rose followed Belle as she navigates ruling beside her husband. This takes place during the time of the French Revolution and the author did a great job of weaving that event and this story together. For me, this book read like a movie so it made for an easy reading experience.
Overall, I gave this 3 stars because I wish there had been just a little more interaction between Beast and Belle.
However, I would recommend this to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast or just Disney in general.
December 12, 2022
This was corny and cheesy. But it was also exactly what I needed
I was starting to slump a little and this pulled me straight out. I loved seeing characters I love so much from Beauty and the Beast; it was like revisiting old friends and seeing what they are up to now. Seeing Belle step even more into her own power was awesome as well
I was starting to slump a little and this pulled me straight out. I loved seeing characters I love so much from Beauty and the Beast; it was like revisiting old friends and seeing what they are up to now. Seeing Belle step even more into her own power was awesome as well
September 18, 2020
I was given an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review:
Rebel Rose is the story of Beauty and the Beast after the spell is broken. Belle and Lio are now married, living in their castle in Aveyon. After 10 years of the curse and letting people believe that the prince was ill all those years, Belle and Lio go to visit King Louis in the city where they stay with Lio’s cousin. They see that a revolution is coming and soon realize that a revolution could happen in Aveyon. Belle must figure out how to be a queen, even though she doesn’t want to be one, and bring her people together.
I feel like this was an overall good story. I loved seeing Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, and Cogsworth as humans. It was interesting to see Belle and Lio in time of the French Revolution. The author did a good job of bringing fantasy and history together. The only issue I really had was I felt like Belle’s character felt a little weak at times. For someone who grew up with the Belle from the Beauty and the Beast movie, I wanted to see more of her strength. Other than that, the story was a good and I loved seeing these characters in a new story.
Rebel Rose is the story of Beauty and the Beast after the spell is broken. Belle and Lio are now married, living in their castle in Aveyon. After 10 years of the curse and letting people believe that the prince was ill all those years, Belle and Lio go to visit King Louis in the city where they stay with Lio’s cousin. They see that a revolution is coming and soon realize that a revolution could happen in Aveyon. Belle must figure out how to be a queen, even though she doesn’t want to be one, and bring her people together.
I feel like this was an overall good story. I loved seeing Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, and Cogsworth as humans. It was interesting to see Belle and Lio in time of the French Revolution. The author did a good job of bringing fantasy and history together. The only issue I really had was I felt like Belle’s character felt a little weak at times. For someone who grew up with the Belle from the Beauty and the Beast movie, I wanted to see more of her strength. Other than that, the story was a good and I loved seeing these characters in a new story.
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