The Queen’s Council Rebel Rose (Queen’s Council, 1)

Product Description

“Lush and intricate, Theriault breathes new life into the tale as old as time.”―Victoria Aveyard, #1
New York Times best-selling author of the Red Queen series

Torn between two worlds, neither of which she truly belongs…
Happily ever after is only the beginning as Belle takes on the responsibility of becoming queen and learns to balance duty, love, and sacrifice, all while navigating dark political intrigue―and a touch of magic.

It’s 1789, and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has broken the enchantress’s curse, restoring the Beast to his human form and bringing life back to their castle in the principality of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it’s only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.

Not so very long ago, Belle dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. Now she finds herself living in a lush palace, torn between her past as a commoner and her future as royalty. While Belle grapples with her newfound position, there are those who would do anything to keep her from power.

When she stumbles across a magic mirror that holds a dire warning, Belle wants nothing more than to ignore the mysterious voice calling her to accept a crown she never desired. But violent factions of the revolution may already be lurking within her own castle, and doing nothing would endanger everything she holds dear. With the fate of her country, her love, and her life at stake, Belle must decide if she is ready to embrace her own strength–and the magic that ties her to so many female rulers before her–to become the queen she is meant to be.

Rebel Rose continues the story of one of Disney’s most beloved classic Beauty and the Beast. It is the first in the Queen’s Council series, an empowering fairy tale reimagining of the Disney Princesses―and the real history behind their stories―like you’ve never seen before.

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Belle’s story continues where Beauty and the Beast left off, catching the peasant-turned-princess on the wrong side of the French Revolution. All memory of the curse has been erased except for those who lived it; outside the kingdom of Aveyon the prince’s 10-year absence is explained away as an illness. Now Belle and her new husband are traveling to Paris to see his cousin Bastien and revive Prince Lio’s relationship to King Louis. Lio heads to Versailles and Belle explores Paris—on what is about to be known as Bastille Day. Lured into a magical mirror shop, Belle is given a dire warning to save Aveyon and follow her heart before it’s too late. She flees right into the path of a growing mob and the violence that ushered in the French Revolution. Theriault’s writing is perfectly paced and the cast of characters developed with historical realism; fans of the movies will be satisfied by this evolution of a favorite Disney princess. Belle struggles with her change in station, especially in light of the French Revolution, and Lio struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder from his curse. The personal and national stakes of this novel root it in history but also within its backstory as a Disney classic. Side characters Marguerite and her brother are Black; the other characters are white. VERDICT The French Revolution with a Disney twist, Theriault’s debut is rich in historical detail while answering the long-asked question, “What happens after happily ever after?” Recommended for general purchase.—Emmy Neal, Lake Forest Lib., IL

Review

Fairy-tale fans will enjoy the care and depth given to Belle’s character and the touches of magic…A promising start to a new series of fairy-tale continuations grounded in historical events.―
―Kirkus

Theriault’s writing is perfectly paced and the cast of characters developed with historical realism; fans of the movies will be satisfied by this evolution of a favorite Disney princess…The personal and national stakes of this novel root it in history but a