In the vast world of literature, there are countless novels that explore the themes of love, romance, and the power of a single kiss. However, there is one novel that stands out among the rest, as it delves into the sinister curse that can be unleashed by a seemingly innocent kiss. This novel, aptly titled "The Curse of a Kiss," takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with mystery, suspense, and forbidden desires. The story begins with a young woman named Evelyn, who finds herself irresistibly drawn to a mysterious stranger she encounters one stormy night. Unable to resist the magnetic pull between them, Evelyn allows herself to be kissed by the stranger, unaware of the profound consequences this seemingly harmless act will have on her life. From that moment on, she is cursed.
And it’s such an oddly paced book. I don’t expect a ton of plot from “romcom” books, but given there is some sort of paranormal presence, I wish that part had been developed a little more. The “Big Bad” shows up really late into the book, only to be defeated very quickly and anticlimactically.
In regards to Barry, even if Barry and Iris hadn t started dating this would still work as they had been friends since childhood and this could have been portrayed as platonic. That I was in my shitty beater Toyota made no difference; maybe the town could sense one of its daughters coming home, even after almost five years away.
From that moment on, she is cursed. The curse, however, is not a typical hex or enchantment. It is a curse that manifests in the form of unrequited love, heartbreak, and tragedy.
Let’s Talk: The Trope “True Love’s Kiss Breaks the Curse/Spell”
This post is heavily inspired by the recent musical episode of The Flash, which was a crossover with Supergirl. Just to clear something up this is not a review of this episode but rather my take on a popular trope that found it’s way into this episode’s plot. This trope is the idea that true love’s kiss, true love usually portrayed as romantic love, can break the curse/spell. Which leads to romantic love being shown as the most powerful form of love and how it can conquer anything.
I should say that this episode left me angry and dissatisfied for many reasons other than the reason that inspired this post, but because this isn’t a review episode I won’t go into any details of the other reasons for my anger or dissatisfaction (but if you follow me on Tumblr you would probably know my other reasons, as I liveblogged the episodes).
If you didn’t watch the SuperFlash musical episode I’ll some up what this post was inspired by. Basically the villain of the episode, played by Glee star Darren Criss, puts Barry Allen (The Flash) and Kara Danvers (Supergirl) into a coma and takes them to a hallucination world where they are basically in a musical. Darren Criss’ character’s whole reasoning behind doing this is to prove that Westallen (Barry x Iris)’s love can conquer all and that they are “true love” and the same goes for Karamel (Kara x Mon-El). Basically Iris kissing Barry and Mon-El kissing Kara broke them from this musical dream. I won’t go any further because I don’t want to start a shipping war and this post isn’t about my dissatisfaction of the comparison of Westallen and Karamel.
I want to talk about how harmful this trope is to aromantic people. If “true love” is equal to romantic love, which was portrayed in the SuperFlash episode, even in the majority of Fairytales, and most of the time in shows like Once Upon A Time. If someone like me, an aromatic person, was out into this situation where romantic love is supposed to break the curse/spell or wake us up or whatever the scenario than we’d remain cursed. We’d never wake up. Because we don’t experience romantic attraction so who is going to break the curse/spell/etc if we don’t experience what has been showed in many shows “true love”? That in itself is very invalidating.
The next thing I want to talk about is how this episode, and many other shows/books/movies/etc, use this trope to portray that romantic love is the strongest form of love out there. When it isn’t. Romantic love isn’t the most important and strongest love in the world. It’s not. And it will never be. Romantic love is not stronger than platonic and/or familial love. Every type of love is strong.
I think this is why I love the Maleficent live action movie. They proved that true love is not always romantic and that platonic and familial love is strong as well. It proves that no matter what type of love you feel it’s strong enough to break the curse. That no matter what love you feel it’s strong enough to empower you. This trope, that romantic love is the strongest version of love, isn’t just damaging and invalidating towards aromantic people, it also invalidates non romantic types of relationships. And it’s tropes likes this that lead to people prioritizing romantic relationships over platonic ones.
I’m not saying that this trope needs to die I’m saying that shows/books/etc need to portray “true love” as something other than romantic love. And in SuperFlash‘s case not use it to prove and drive ships into being canon and being together. For Kara, why did they have to use Mon-El, who she broke up with in the recent episode of Supergirl, to prove “true love” or that Mon-El’s love is strong enough to wake Kara? Why couldn’t it be her sister Alex? (don’t get me started on the fact that 2 of the Supergirl main characters, including Alex, weren’t in this episode). Even J’onn J’onzz, who was actually there, who sees Kara like a daughter. Why couldn’t they have used him to wake Kara up? In regards to Barry, even if Barry and Iris hadn’t started dating this would still work as they had been friends since childhood and this could have been portrayed as platonic. So it could have non romantic connections. But even so, why wouldn’t Joe try to save him too? Joe’s like a father to him. I can’t believe Caitlin and Cisco wouldn’t want to save Barry, their close friends and I doubt either of them want to lose another person. I just would like to see this trope used in other ways than proving that romantic love is “stronger” than other versions of love.
To end on a positive note I’m going to list some positive uses of this trope that doesn’t dehumanise aromantic people, or non romantic relationships that I’ve seen:
- Maleficent being the one to break Aurora’s sleeping curse – Maleficent (Familial love)
- Emma Swan breaking the curse and saving Henry – Once Upon a Time (Familial love)
- Regina Mills breaks the one year memory loss curse – Once Upon a Time (Familial love)
- Merida breaks curse on her mother and brothers – Brave (Familial love)
From the ones I’ve seen, which is a very few, it seems that there needs to be more uses of this trope using platonic love.
The follow-up to Erin Sterling’s New York Times bestselling hit The Ex Hex features fan favorite Gwyn and the spine-tinglingly handsome Wells Penhallow as they battle a new band of witches and their own magical chemistry.
Every person Evelyn kisses from that point forward is destined to suffer a terrible fate. As she navigates through her life, Evelyn becomes acutely aware of the curse's power, making her fearful of forming any romantic connections and condemned to a life of loneliness. While the curse weighs heavily on Evelyn, it also serves as a catalyst for introspection and self-discovery. As she grapples with her fate, she begins to question the nature of love and the consequences of her actions. Throughout the novel, the reader is compelled to ponder the price one has to pay for passion and the extent to which one is willing to risk their own happiness for the sake of others. "The Curse of a Kiss" delves into the depths of human emotion and explores themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the complexities of love. The curse serves as a metaphor for the profound impact our choices can have on our lives and the lives of those around us. The novel challenges readers to examine their own beliefs about love and the power of a single moment. As the story unfolds, Evelyn's journey becomes a quest for freedom from the curse that plagues her. Along the way, she encounters a cast of compelling characters, each with their own desires and secrets. The plot twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat as they follow Evelyn's quest for redemption. "The Curse of a Kiss" is a mesmerizing novel that pushes the boundaries of traditional love stories. It highlights the destructive power of a single kiss and the far-reaching consequences it can have. Through its captivating narrative and thought-provoking themes, this novel explores the intricate relationship between love, choices, and the human condition. Ultimately, it poses the question: can one break free from the curse of a single kiss, or is destiny irreversible?.
Reviews for "The Curse's Embrace: Trapped in a Haunting Kiss"
- Kelly - 2 stars - I really did not enjoy "A novel portraying the curse of a kiss". The premise of the book was promising, but the execution fell flat for me. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with them on any level. The pacing was also quite slow, and the story felt disjointed at times. Overall, I found it difficult to stay engaged and ended up feeling disappointed with the outcome.
- Mark - 1 star - "A novel portraying the curse of a kiss" was an absolute bore. The writing was overly descriptive to the point of being tedious, and the plot was unoriginal and predictable. The main character was incredibly unlikable, and I couldn't muster any empathy for their situation. The whole concept of a curse tied to a kiss felt cliché and poorly executed. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and unique read.
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was initially intrigued by the concept of "A novel portraying the curse of a kiss," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was quite slow, with long stretches of nothing happening, and then sudden bursts of action that felt disjointed. The dialogue between characters was also stiff and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in their interactions. Additionally, the resolution to the curse felt rushed and unsatisfying. Overall, I found myself disengaged and disappointed with the novel.
- Jeff - 1 star - I can't even begin to articulate how much I disliked "A novel portraying the curse of a kiss." The writing was atrocious, filled with clichés and uninspired prose. The characters were flat, and their motivations were completely unbelievable. The plot itself was convoluted and lacked any semblance of coherence. Every page felt like a chore to get through, and I was left feeling annoyed and frustrated by the end. Save yourself the time and skip this book entirely.