A Whisper of Bells and Prayers: A Sapphic Hunchback of Notre Dame Retelling

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A Whisper of Bells & Prayers by C.C. González was an interesting, sapphic take on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The novella was well-written and atmospheric, making it easy to become immersed in this gothic tale, with its dark themes of cruelty and obsession in medieval Paris. The relationship between Mirela, the scarred and hidden bellringer, and Claire, the woman abandoned by her family to the convent, is a bit of an insta-lust/love dynamic as both women seek to fill a deep, desperate desire for acceptance and belonging. The two love interests bond over shared feelings of being imprisoned by unjust circumstances. The tension between the two is thick, and the suspense of the forbidden relationship created an aura of danger that kept me on edge. The villain is vicious and easy to hate. This story includes first-time/first-time-with-a-woman smut along with a possessive 'touch-her-and-die' vibe. The ending was explosive and satisfying. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the dark, twisty plot. Quoteworthy: "They taught me to love God. They never said what to do when I found something holier." "...silence claimed her again. It pressed against her ribs until she whispered to the stones just to hear a voice. She spoke to herself, to the saints, the pigeons, the gargoyles…" To her, love was soft and tender, a loving caress to a broken soul, a promise of companionship through anything. Love was freedom, pleasure, warmth…" "She sang not for God, but to fill the hollow ache of…

I ended up pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to immerse myself in the story. There were moments of joy, moments of indignation and disgust, moments of fear, and moments when I had to ask Jesus for forgiveness for reading this during Lent. Imprisonment can take many forms, but some spirits like Claire’s and Mirela’s cannot be contained. I liked them right away. Claire has a deep longing for freedom, and the care she shows Mirela is heartwarming. Mirela activates my protection mode, but make no mistake, she is a strong one. Their relationship is slow, full of care and longing. I was rooting for them so hard. On the other hand, Claude Ferron and Sister Margareth can rot in a ditch for all I care. I can’t finish this review without talking about C.C. Gonzalez’s writing. The universe and characters she creates always make you long for more. Also, she really knows how to write a good worship, damn.

This felt like a gothic love story that just slowly wraps around you. Claire and Mirela’s connection is tender, patient, and deeply emotional. Mirela choosing the world because Claire was in it. Yeah…I felt that. The ending was fantastic.

I was one of the lucky readers who received an ARC copy of this incredible love story. As soon as I read the tagline I was hooked, a sapphic Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling was everything my Disney loving heart ever wanted. I loved this book. It was so well written and atmospheric. Notre Dame was a character itself. The romance between Claire and Mirela was beautiful. The epilogue was such a heartwarming and perfect ending. My one complaint was that it was far too short, I want more Mirela and Claire. C. C. Gonzalez has become an auto buy author for me. I look forward to reading what she writes next. If sapphic love stories, Disney retellings, or beautiful atmospheric writing is your thing then definitely give this little gem of a book a try!