As you might recall from my review of A Curse so Dark and Lonely, I’ve been in love with the Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer from the very first chapter of the first book. Rhen’s emotions felt so real that I was immediately drawn into the story and it gripped me until its final pages. Before I had finished book 1, I had already ordered book 2, A Heart so Fierce and Broken. I’m happy to report that – although the book was not at all as I expected – I equally loved this second part!
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the previous book!
An unexpected tale
At the end of A Curse so Dark and Lonely, Rhen, Harper, and Grey finally succeed in defeating Lilith and lifting the curse. But as Grey disappears with the dying enchantress, he learns a terrible truth: he’s Rhen’s older half-brother and therefore the true heir to the throne. Afraid for his newfound brother’s reaction and unwilling to endanger his claim to the crown, Grey decides to flee. Assuming a new name, he finds a job as a stable hand and tries his best to fly under the radar of the Royal Guard he once prided himself to belong to.
For Rhen and Harper, the disappearance of their friend is only the start of their problems. A neighbouring kingdom threatens with war, unless Rhen agrees to break off his engagement to Harper and marry Nolla Verin, the youngest daughter of the bloodthirsty Queen Karis Luran, instead. A stalemate that can only lead to more lives lost.
Eager to avoid more bloodshed on either side of the border, the Queen’s oldest daughter, Lia Mara, decides to try and take matters in her own hands. Much more diplomatic than the rest of her family, she reaches out to Grey and asks for an unlikely alliance. But is he willing to turn against the Prince he was once sworn to protect?
A Heart so Fierce and Broken
Although this series started out as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, there aren’t any elements of the original story in this second book. That was to be expected of course: the curse is broken, the Beast is a handsome prince once more and they lived happily … okay maybe not that last part.
What did surprise me, however, was the narration of A Heart so Fierce and Broken. I had expected the story to be told from the point of views of Rhen and Harper, but only the first and the last chapter are told by them. The other chapters are written from the perspective of Lia Mara and Grey. Grey was a fan favourite as of the start, so it’s not that weird, but still, I personally wouldn’t have minded a bit more quality time with Rhen and Harper.
Nevertheless, once I got over this initial slight disappointment, I devoured the story just as much as I did the first one. Those two are quite endearing: Lia Mara is a strong heroine, without being a cliché. The last thing I need is another 16 year old girl who manages magic better than even the most experienced wizard or wields a sword stronger than any seasoned warlord. Lia Mara is powerful and effective, but in a realistic way. She dares to doubt and fail, she dares to feel. I quite liked her, more than I liked Harper. Grey is quite a pleasant character too. Not as dashing or fairytale prince like as Rhen, but he’s very down to earth and basically a good guy. He reminds me a bit of Fitz from the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. That’s not fully a compliment, because I’ve always been annoyed by the stupid things that Fitz does, but he’s a no-nonsense decent sort of chap.
Thanks to the title, the book had me fearing for my heart the entire time. I won’t deny that it was on the verge of breaking a couple of times, but I got away without any tears. Isn’t that a feat. I was so relieved that book three was already waiting on my desk when I finished it though. I would not have been able to bear it otherwise. 5 out of 5 gemstones again:
Age Category: Young adult, suitable both for a younger teen audience and for adult readers.
Representation: Main character with a disability and LGBTQ+ supporting characters
Trigger Warnings (click here, may contain spoilers)
Mild. Warnings for torture and betrayalDo you want to discover more?
If my review inspired you to pick up the book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores. If you decide to buy it via one of the following links, I will receive a small percentage at no extra charge for you!
Fairyloot made a special edition of this second book as well, which was signed and which had a ribbon bookmark. Somehow, I do not succeed in finding this book on the second-hand market, so it must be rather rare.
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If you enjoyed A Heart so Fierce and Broken, you’re in luck! Part three, A Vow so Bold and Deadly has already been released! You can find my review here.
As I mentioned above, I was reminded of the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb while reading this story. This series tells the story of Fitz, a royal bastard trained in the art of espionage and assassination. Thanks to this training, he is allowed to stay close to the royal family, even though he can never really be part of it. Bound by duty and honour, Fitz is confronted with difficult choices between his love, his family and his friends. These books were the first fantasy books I’ve ever read and they will always have a special place in my heart.
Are you into fairy tale retellings? Then definitely also consider reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas, which is inspired by various fairy tales and folk tales like Beauty and the Beast, Tam Lin and East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Warning: heavily addictive (and not finished yet!). You can read my review of book one here.
I would also recommend Among the Beast & Briars by Ashley Poston. Strangely enough, I have not been able to find any online “proof” that this story was also based – although less clearly – on Beauty and the Beast, the entire book just screamed “Belle” at me. Not my favourite read of all time maybe, but definitely worth checking out and proud to have it in my collection. You can read my full review here.