Review: The Beholder, Anna Bright

To be completely transparent I went into this book without many expectations. Firstly, because it came with a Fairyloot box so I didn't choose it myself and secondly, because it has a lot of mixed reviews. Also the premise of this book gave me mixed feelings: I liked the idea of a fairytale vibe, but not that the main character had several love interests.

Now that I have read the book I can't decide between a 4 or a 5. I can't decide if it will become one of my favorite or if it will just be a book I enjoyed  once upon a time... I think I need to read the second book to really decide.

Anyway, let's get to my review of The Beholder! 

Let's start with the fairytale references! I am a lover of fairytales and this book was just perfect for me. What made me love this book even more was that there was even references to ancient texts/legends. The references were sometimes obvious, but mostly subtle.

Selah is a strong main character. At first, I thought she was a bit slow, as she didn't seem to understand the conspiracy going on -> This part made me want to slap more than one character! However, once she embarks on the Beholder and gets to her first destination she gains confidence and becomes stronger. It is nice to see her grow up through all the new experiences and acquaintance she makes. You see her stand up for herself, but also for what she believes in. The author really mastered the growth of her character!

 

As for the love interest, you encounter only three in this book. Each one makes Selah grow up and learn a little bit more about herself. After being rejected by her first suitor Selah embarks on the Beholder to meet potential husbands. In the first book Selah goes to two different countries and meets two different boys whom she thinks she is in love with. It was a bit hard to believe she could fall in love so quickly with those boys, as each visit lasts two weeks, but the author takes our doubts into account and includes it in her story. Indeed, Selah herself doubts her feelings and thinks she is moving on too fast. The fact that Selah doubted her feelings made them more believable to me.

 

In the end, it is not the romance I loved the most in this book, but all the connections there was to fairytales and legends.