Ratings2
Average rating2.5
Told in two voices, sixteen-year-old Comtesse Emilie, whose yearning to be a physician is below her station, switches places with Annette, who needs training to develop her magic, as their homeland is threatened by war.
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Belle Revolte is a re imagining of prince and the pauper In an elemental magical world. It's french inspired and set a time not yet in the French revolution of a country called Demeine. Emilie and Anette are the nobility and pauper stand ins. Emilie desperately wants to be a good force to the world and be trained and use the noon arts but she's forbidden to. She's girl of nobility, lower ranking but still of nobility and is not allowed. Ladies should be proper and not harm their bodies with strong labour. The switch happens on the ride to the school her mother attended in her youth . The another narrator, Annette is introduced at this point.
I love how the magic is split equally between the Lord Sun and Mistress Moon. Illusionary arts are moon based and the noon day arts sun based. Power drawn from Lord Sun is stronger and more fickle. Immense amounts of power is required to change the world through the fighting and healing Arts. Magic always comes with a price and extreme use can lead to an early died of all the ravages to the body . While illusions, scrying and divinations belong to Mistress Moon. It a safer and slower burn it can not change the world.
I have to address my complaints with this title . The beginning 60 pages were a bore to read . It picks up the after page 70. I do have to say Emilie and Annette got me through it. Although their voices sounds similar I grew attacked to the girls and the bond they shared. I did love the lore and magic system but I think Fantasy of manners or similar fantasy fiction isn't for me. I liked parts but sadly I have to say this book wasn't for me.