✨ ARC Review: A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald ✨

This was a wonderful book — fresh, fierce, and full of feeling. I’ve read plenty of Greek mythology retellings, but never one from Pandora’s perspective, and this one genuinely did her justice. I saw so much of myself in her: the curiosity that sometimes gets you in trouble, the sensory overwhelm, the hope you cling to even when it seems irrational. The author explicitly confirms Pandora is autistic in the afterword, and honestly, it meant the world to see that so thoughtfully woven into her character.

What really stood out was how the story didn’t gloss over the darker side of mythology — the misogyny, the way power is used to harm. It’s never graphic (this is YA), but it’s present, and it doesn’t flinch. There are moments where Pandora’s anger and indignation feel incredibly real and earned — and honestly, I felt it right alongside her.

But the real heart of this book is in the way it holds space for hope. Pandora carries it with her from the start, but when it falters, someone else helps her find her way back to it. That dynamic between them — full of quiet care, slow trust, and mutual survival — was so powerful. It’s a connection that builds, and by the end, it just fits.

If you like mythology, feminist rage, slow-burn romance, inclusive rep, and books that ultimately choose hope, you’ll want this on your list. If you prefer steamy romance or want to avoid any mention of SA (non-explicit but present), just be aware going in.

📚 I received this ARC from Penguin Random House on Netgallery in return for an honest review.

I loved Girl Godesses Queen and The End Crowns All, so I was very excited to dive into A Beautiful Evil.

It's the perfect summer read - a fresh, exciting and fun reimagining, with a slow burn romance, beautiful prose and full of sharp wit.

Bea really breathes a fresh voice into Greek Mythology retellings, and I adored her take on Pandora.

The first human woman, crafted by the Gods and gifted to the Titan Epimatheos. Her purpose to be love and be loved. But this is Greek Mythology. She seems to be failing at her very purpose. Or is she? There's something there, a connection they both find increasingly difficult to ignore. But as that slow burn intensifies, humanity becomes at risk and the end of the world is in peril. What would you do?

The characters leap from the pages, the romantic tension simmers, the stakes are high which makes it hard to put down!

The story doesn't shy away from the dark side of the Gods and life in Mount Olympus, however it is approached sensitively without being gratuitous, and shows how hope can overcome adversity.

It's relatable, it's representative and it has a strong message about being your true self.

A beautiful story 100% recommended, and although marketed as YA, older readers will throughly enjoy this one too!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley*
I fear I will never stop talking about this book. As soon as I saw 'a re-imagining of the Greek myth Pandora' I knew this book would be captivating. The story is truly beautiful, full of hope, curiosity, and acceptance. The neurodiverse representation is superb! And without giving too much away I loved the inclusion of a character with hearing issues, and a character in a bigger body that is just accepted.
I loved the plot and the dynamic between the main characters. I just truly loved the message of hope and acceptance present throughout this book. Pandora is a character who I think will stay with me, and I hope to find books with characters like her in the future. Everything about this story is incredible and I cannot recommend it enough. The plot is so unique and clever that it makes this book unputdownable. I do recommend looking at the trigger warnings before picking up this story as it touches on some darker subjects but is not graphic. I'm so grateful to have received an early copy of this book, and I cannot wait to read it again.

I loved this one so much!
I bought the first one purely on how beautiful the book was, but it was also such a great read.
Loved this one just as much, and can't wait to have my beautiful hardback copy!

A big thanks to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this ARC!

I’m a huge fan of myth retellings, and this one was absolutely brilliant! Pandora was portrayed as so much more than just the girl who opened the box, and I found her relationship with Matheos truly fascinating.

The characters are vibrant and beautifully written, and I really appreciated the neurodivergent representation.

Love love loved this one! I absolutely adored girl goddess queen so was so excited when I saw I had this arc.
I loved the character art at the beginning of the book showcasing how Pandora is a curvy gorgeous woman. We need more curvy fmcs!

The love story was obviously swoon worthy and I loved how strong Pandora was as a female - again another boss bit*h in Beas Greek mythology world.

I am really glad she chose the Pandora mythology for this as I haven’t read many before so enjoyed the freshness of the retelling!!

This was so beautiful, I was a mess in the end.

I have always loved Greek mythology, and the story of Pandora has always been intriguing to me. The story between her and Methos was beautiful, sweet, funny, and so pure.

It shows how the gods merely see the mortals as their playthings, and yet most honor them out of fear. The moments of comedy were both sharp and brilliant, and there was sarcasm for days. Pandora was truly a woman ahead of her time, and that scared Zeus,

All around a fantastic story, and I hope there are more to come.

thank you netgalley and penguin random house for a review copy

This was a very well done greek mythology reimagining of Pandora and I really enjoyed. I thought the perspective of this book was new and unique - the writing was also fantastic!! The character development was probably my favourite part of this book and I found the voice of Pandora consistent from the beginning! I enjoyed the other bits of greek mythology throughout and how the gods interact with each other. I don’t want to give any spoilers but if you loved any other books by Bea or are interested in a creative mythology retelling I highly recommend this book!!
4.75 ⭐️

Another great greek myth retelling from one of my favourite authors in this genre. The grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Pandora and Matheos was charming to read and I loved how it blossomed into something more

Thank you netgalley for an arc of this book. I absolutely loved every bit of it.
This is the story of pandora, the first woman, made to love and be loved by Epimatheos, but is all as it should be? I love the way Pandora was written and watching her come to find who she really is, and not just what the gods made her to be. Also watching her sarcasm and banter with Matheos was so enjoyable and amusing.
This was easily a 5 star book as always from Bea Fitzgerald.

A Beautiful Evil is a delightful, clever, and modern twist on the myth of Pandora. One of the most overlooked figures in Greek mythology, in my opinion.

Bea Fitzgerald brings humour, heart, and a fresh perspective to the classic tale. The plot is engaging, the dialogue sharp, and the characters are memorable and fun to follow.

Perfect for fans of feminist retellings with a splash of wit and a lot of heart. A lovely tread through mythology reimagined!

Bea managed to do it again. To write a book that is a reflection of the way our own world is- still believing that neurodivergent people have to fit the mould- and create stories of love, hardship and hope for the characters who reflect that- who break the mould and live as they so wish, like Pandora.

If there was ever a book I’d wished to have read as a young girl, unsure of where I stood, it would have been A Beautiful Evil.

Full of adventure, prophecies and Matheos’s snark, I implore anyone who wishes to read it to do so