Rhen and his sole remaining guard, Grey, are doomed to live the same short time-frame over and over again. The results are always the same: disappointment, horror and death. The castle that used to be full of family and friends, servants and soldiers, now rings with emptiness. The only cure for the curse under which they labour is true love, and that seems to be unachievable.

Rhen, Grey and the Kingdom of Emberfall are running out of time. When Harper arrives in the Kingdom, snatched fr om our world one night and magically transported to Rhen’s castle, for the first time there is a glimmer of hope. Harper isn’t the stereotypical heroine. She has cerebral palsy but, although she’s tiny, she has the heart of a lion. Back in our world, her mother is dying and her brother is in deep trouble. At first, she hasn’t got time for Rhen’s nonsense; she needs to get home. However, her strong sense of justice drives her to intervene, even though there doesn’t seem to be an answer.

This is a twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. However, there’s nothing Disney about it. There’s no singing teapots and a large, fluffy beast dressed in a gentleman’s clothing. This is real. This story explores the agony, the frustration and the unending guilt that comes to a man who is engulfed in a dark and lonely curse. The characters are dynamic and endearing, the plot grows steadily in tension while hope is an ever-shining beacon, and the resolution is satisfying, while leaving room for a sequel. It’s more than a fairy-tale and more than a gothic horror story; it is an absorbing and compelling drama.

Reviewed by Wendy Noble
Age Guide 12+