Fallen Beauty

By Astrid Scholte
** Publication Date 3 November 2026 **
4 stars


As the author herself said, this is a gothic novel combined with a fairytale, and she couldn’t be more correct. Fallen Beauty combines all the best things of a fairytale—a beautiful maiden, a handsome prince, a wicked queen—with those elements of a gothic novel—a curse, a castle, a wicked queen and evil king, a villain. 


Thorelea has lived in a high tower all her life. She’s never witnessed the outside. She’s had only her mother for company. Even her mother would disappear now and again, and come back smelling awful. Her mother would tell her that they were in the tower for their own safety. Yet Thorelea longed to leave.


Eventually Thorelea found that her mother was whisked away to paint portraits. Portraits of dead things. Then the paintings would disappear, and her mother would be so tired. One day her mother was taken from the tower forever. Thorelea went on with her painting and her sequestered life. Until one day she, too, was taken from the tower. Then it was all made clear to her. She was to follow in her mother’s footsteps and be the court painter. 


The court painter is rather important to the royalty of Lagonia. On Thorelea’s first night out, she meets Prince Kelter, who is also mortal. During the dinner, the queen is killed by the king. The next morning, Thorelea is taken to a painting room, where the queen sits, alive. It is Thorelea’s job to keep the royal court alive with her paintings, which offer immortality. Only, she will still be a prisoner. Perhaps Prince Kelter will hold the keys to her freedom. 


When I first started this novel, I wasn’t convinced I would enjoy it. Girl locked away in a tower. Mother has a secret. Mother disappears. But as the pages turned, I became more invested in the story, especially once Thorelea left her tower. While this novel definitely has the feel of a fairytale, it is also quite dark and gory. It is a fascinating premise that a painter can keep people alive by painting them back together. Magical, really. But there is such a darkness to this story. The king and queen go beyond evil. The curse that is coming for Lagonia cannot be fought. Overall I have to say I truly enjoyed this one. 


Recommend to those who already like fantasy, romantasy, and a little bit of horror.