Quotes
“The Belles series delivers the high-stakes action of the Disney princess movies we grew up with, but with a hero who doesn’t look like Snow White.” Refinery29
“The sequel to Clayton’s The Belles freezes blood and steals breath. Narrative craft that can hold the tension of the implicit value of black and brown features as beautiful as it intertwines with incisive commentary on the overall commodification of beauty is no small feat, and Clayton manages thrills of action, magic, romance, and revolution as well.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Clayton seizes the opportunity to expound upon Orléans, rendering a world that is breathtaking and crushing, beautiful and vile, and whimsical and terrifying. She poignantly uses a harrowing, fantastical tale to illuminate the very real horrors of unattainable beauty standards and the enslavement of marginalized bodies. As relevant as it is exquisite.” Booklist (starred review)
“This unique story remains a terrific metaphor for beauty and its place in society and culture.” School Library Journal
“Belles fans will be eager to revisit this lavishly imagined, immersive fantasy realm, which Clayton effectively uses to critique several ugly aspects of our own society.” Horn Book Magazine