Today I’m happy to say I am on the Book tour for Dreadful Beauty by L.M Rapp and translated by L.O Boult. Thanks to L.M Rapp for the copy of the book to bring you my review
Nymphosis, a disease that turns humans into Chimeras, is ravaging the land of Gashom.
The More-Than-Pure, determined to protect themselves, have seized power and enacted segregationist laws.
Neria, the daughter of a high dignitary, witnesses more and more of the Chimeras being ruthlessly executed.
When she learns she is afflicted by the very disease her father is determined to eradicate, she’s forced to surrender her privileges. She flees the capital amid her terrifying transformation and traverses the strange wilds to seek refuge with others like her.
But she knows what’s happening isn’t right.
Find out how Neria develops the courage to fight oppression in this inspiring and elegantly written fantasy novel that pushes all to look deeper.
This is a cover that attracted me straight away. I have discovered fantasy as a genre over the last few years. Dreadful Beauty was a book I really wanted to read so when it arrived, I sat down immediately to read. After what was supposed to be a few chapters, that turned into about three hours reading! It hooked me from the start.
The world building was vivid enough to transport me to the world of the More-Than-Pure who keep as far away as possible from the Chimera, the supernatural. Only a select few Chimera are kept as servants for the More-Than-Pure. These have their wings chopped of and don’t speak about anything- not how they Came to be caught by their masters, or even the Chimera society.
Neria is the child of one of the More-Than-Pure leaders, wealth and privilege is her life…until the day she begins to transform.
Vivid worldbuilding with strong characters that are believable and well developed. I was easily captivated by this story. The different groups are unique and play their own part in this fantasy. Neria’s mother is a very realistic parent. Her strength in how she sacrifices everything for her child is amazing, I could easily relate to this woman.
The reader follows Neria on her journey and its such a fast paced plot. We see her finding herself being able to unite groups so easily that she becomes a leader. This intrigued me and kept me wanting to find out how this would end up, the pages turned even faster the more I became immersed in this skilful tale.
A fast paced, gripping and captivating fantasy book that transports the reader so easily out of real life and makes them feel like they are with friends experiencing the journey together.
I have just found another fantasy author that I shall be looking out for in the future!
Buy Link https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B9QRSTQ8/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_BCTRBRZ4NTGKAQGE2WPC
Author Bio
L.M. Rapp has lived in a few countries and practiced several professions: dentist, web developer, artist, Aikido teacher, farmer. Eager to learn and discover, she uses her experiences to enrich her stories. She has published her first fantasy novel “A dreadful beauty” and is currently completing her second book.
Translator
L. O. Boult is a Welsh writer, editor and translator, working with the Japanese, French and Spanish languages. Having worked as an editor and translator on many novels, fiction and non-fiction, and as a story developer, localisation consultant and translator on games, his debut novel, the black comedy Stag Hunt, was published in 2020. His second novel, Atom Man, was released in 2022, focusing on cults and the live music scene in Cardiff. His translation of L.M. Rapp’s Dreadful Beauty from French to English was published in 2022. He is now working on an anthology and his third novel.
He is the former editor of the Welsh arts and culture magazine Buzz. He currently lives in south Wales and spends much of his time writing, reading and traveling with his fiancée
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