Scarred

Scarred, like many dark romances, explores the often-unforgiving dynamics of romantic relationships that develop against the backdrop of an inherently violent world. Such novels often contain elements akin to suspense thrillers or horror stories, and topics like revenge, forbidden love, stalking, sexual assault, kidnapping, dominance and submission, and violence are often normalized within the confines of the story. Although many dark romances feature morally gray protagonists who are murderers, assassins, or criminals, these stories still generally conform to the common conventions of the romance genre—the most dominant expectation of which is that the two main protagonists become a couple by the end of the novel. While dark romance characters exhibit some growth and healing, the conclusions of such tales are often complex and morally ambiguous. In Scarred, for example, Tristan realizes that his newfound love for Sara means far more to him than the political power that he so desperately craves, and he must come to terms with the fact that all the power in the world means nothing if he cannot share it with Sara.

As a closely related category, fractured fairy tales often subvert the rhythms of traditional narratives, and Scarred is no exception. With this novel, McIntire changes the protagonist and the setting, launching a violent retelling of The Lion King and incorporating additional elements from Hamlet, the Shakespearean play upon which The Lion King is very loosely based. By changing the character and focus of existing stories, authors of fractured fairy tales prioritize the perspectives and goals of traditionally “evil” characters, portraying them as misunderstood or even heroic while simultaneously highlighting the flaws or hidden motives of ostensibly “virtuous” characters. This shift adds depth and complexity to the story and challenges preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil. Prince Tristan—who is loosely based on the character of Scar from The Lion King—is the main male protagonist and a primary focus of the narrative, while his brother, Michael—based on the heroic Mufasa—becomes the antagonist. In McIntire’s version, Michael is portrayed as a corrupt, power-hungry king who is indifferent toward his subjects’ suffering. While Tristan is still portrayed as villainous in many ways, his motives are shown in a sympathetic light in order to mitigate his own acts of violence, manipulation, and mayhem.