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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
- Narrated by: Kate Handford, Davis Brooks, Matt Reeves
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, read by Kate Handford, Davis Brooks and Matt Reeves.
A New York Times best seller!
In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives listeners another romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his 18th year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall...and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
Critic reviews
"Has everything you'd want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale." (Jodi Picoult, New York Times best-selling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things)
"I couldn't get this creative, suspenseful take on 'Beauty and the Beast' out of my head." (Sara Holland, New York Times best-selling author of Everless)
"Absolutely spellbinding." (Stephanie Garber, number one New York Times best-selling author of Caraval and Legendary)
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What listeners say about A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- blue
- 05-01-21
Trying to be original but failing
Trying to be original but failing!
Every think about this story Felt un original and boring everything was so predictable
did not enjoy !
Though the voice acting was good just don’t like the storyline
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Corinne
- 13-07-20
Wonderfully Imagined.
I read the book and loved it so added it to my audible library too. The world of Emberfall is described in such a way that you feel that you have been. The characters of Harper, Rhen, Grey and too many others to mention are beautifully written and I definitely felt a connection to them. The next book in the series is also a fantastic read and I’m adding that to my audible library too. Brigid is an incredibly talented writer and her characters get under your skin.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sista Soliman
- 10-03-23
I really enjoyed this
📚The narration is beyond captivating
📚 I will certainly look at your names as motivation to read a book🥳❤️
📚 The only reason I expected some of the events was because it's a beauty and the beast retelling
📚 The plot twist at the end was really unexpected and far away from the original beast story
📚 I am completely hooked into this series
📚 Kremmer's writing style is exceptionally great and you feel like you're just part of the book
📚 glad I chose this one
📚 now, let me go finish the rest of the series💎😂
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stacey Rodgers
- 29-07-20
Mindblown
I am amazed. I have never read a book so much in my life and I think this series is gonna be Awesome!!!! Hope you enjoy 😁
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Pola
- 24-04-22
Very entertaining
I really liked the story and characters. It was one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I've read, but... not because of the romance part.
Not that it was bad, it wasn't just the best part of this book. Not even the biggest part.
It is more of a fantasy adventure with a romance subplot.
The three main characters are great, very well developed, with very entertaining dynamics between one another.
The ending was great. Exactly how I love the best my endings. Eventful and emotional.
* Chief's kiss * 🤌
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Emily
- 28-01-21
Mixed Emotions
I really wanted to love this book it sounded just so interesting and the fact that Harper has a disability is what really drew me in originally! I feel it was very up and down for every part of the book I did like another thing I didn't pops its head up. The writing was wonderful it was one of my favourite parts if I'm being honest but just certain parts of the plot and narration for Rhen are what drag the rating down for me. she gives such vivid descriptions of everything and it really paints a picture in my head but the constant "My Ladys" grew to be quite repetitive and really took away from the experience. The narration for Rhen was fine when he was just voicing Rhen but the voices for Lilith left a tad to be desired and I found myself cringing on the chapters when he was voicing the monster but all and all an enjoyable enough read and I have book 2 to follow.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Charlotte
- 26-03-21
Review by The Disney Bookworm
Have you ever finished a book and just felt bereft afterwards? Unable to figure out what on earth you are supposed to do now? That is how I felt earlier today when I finished A Curse So Dark And Lonely.
Brigid Kemmerer's retelling of Beauty and the Beast is the first in the Curse breaker series but it is nothing short of brilliant. It possibly took me 5 whole minutes to buy book 2: A Heart So Fierce and Broken once I had finished.
Now you may have gathered that I have read my fair share of retellings but this one has teeth! Split between Washington DC and the kingdom of Emberfall this is simply 480 ish pages of tension, angst and gritty violence.
Elements of ACSDAL mirror the traditional fairytale : enchantress, tick; cursed Prince, tick; true love is the only way to break the curse, (sickening) tick. However, this enchantress sticks around for a bit of torture, the cursed Prince is more of a beast than you expect and if the girl does not fall in love with the Prince? Then he has to start all over again!
If that hasn't got you heading for your local bookshop then Brigid Kemmerer also throws in a female protagonist with cerebral palsy, an enemies to lovers relationship and torn loyalties wherever you turn.
Kemmerer's characters are incredibly well developed and really seem to stay with the reader. Harper manages to be simultaneously vulnerable and kick ass; Grey is stoic and loyal, barely ever showing glimpses of his true heart or personality; and Rhen is the epitomy of a cursed Prince. You don't want to like Rhen sometimes but slowly you find yourself rooting for him and, maybe even falling a little bit in love with him.
This is a non-stop story with a fast-paced plot that leaves you guessing until the very end... Only to have you reeling at the epilogue. This is no fairytale and love doesn't always save the day!
Now everyone leave me alone... I'm reading book 2!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tori
- 16-07-22
Fantastic read!
An utterly thrilling book filled with action, adventure, excitement, heartache and humour. The narration was outstanding and I was instantly transported into the world of Harper, Wren and Grey. I highly recommend it x
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 26-06-23
Struggled to finish it
I’m getting a little tired of boring books that leave everything for the last chapters. The narration didn’t help either, especially for the female part. It felt like I was listening to a funeral the entire time, except towards the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-06-23
Beauty and the Beast
A new and captivating Beauty and the Beast.
I really like Gray, he is a better match than Rhen and I think that Harper and Gray has a better chemistry together.
The "romance" with Rhen is a little forced, but still a good listen though.
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