Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

Ok, let me just say I am SO harsh when it comes to reviewing books. I almost never love a book. Usually, I like books, think their decent but would never want to read them again and think some of the book was a waste of time. This book? Absolutely wonderful! The author is so amazing at writing, I've never seen someone be able to weave a story with such beautiful descriptions before without losing the reader's interest. The storyline is great too, like the classic but with enough of added details and character developments to fully engage the reader's attention. I really loved how Beauty's sisters were nice even though they were so beautiful, I was expecting the whole evil stepsister kind of attitude. I also liked the Beast's personality and how it differed between Beauty's father and herself. I liked the minor characters of Ger (one of Beauty's sisters' husbands) and the babies they have and the hints the Beast gives to one of these babies as well as the other characters. I like the neighbors and how self sufficient and kind they are with this heartfelt, rugged aspect the author gives them, like they've adapted to the raw and forlorn landscape they live in physically but without losing their sense of kindness. I love how the author portrays this landscape and how the characters depend on each other, with Beauty being the most independent yet finds a new sense of dependence as the story goes on.She really is an awesome character, one I could so easily be friends with. She's braver than I could ever be but she's an avid reader, knows what its like to stand in her sister's shadows, is a bit insecure about her appearance, is confident in herself mentally and physically but not when it comes to appearances. She's a huge animal lover, particularly of horses, which I really love about the story because I love horses as well so reading about them, what they look like and behave like in this fiction story was great. I really loved Beauty's horse and how he acted like a big puppy, following her around, protecting her, but being scared sometimes himself even though he's this giant draft horse. He reminded me of the white horse in the movie Tangled, he thinks he's a guard dog sometimes lol! I also loved the castle's enchantments, it was wonderful yet almost scary as Beauty began to adapt to it and become a part of it.The only critique I have!! The ending! It was a beautiful ending, predictable yes but we all knew what was going to happen. However, it was just too fast. I was a bit confused as to Beauty actually seeing her family parade through the woods or just see it in the mirror? There's no way it could happen in reality, how could they even know about the wedding let alone get there in a few minutes time frame when the castle was hours away? It was just way too rushed and confusing, I think the author was trying to end the book on a light note but it really could have used a few more pages so that it actually felt real rather than made up. I get the book is supposed to be fiction but the author actually kept a realness throughout the whole novel..up until the very last pages that it.Overall, I love this book to death! I actually had a hard time leaving its story behind, I was so ready to re-read the book again and I think I just might! Living in the author's descriptions felt so real and magical, I just have never felt that in a story before and trust me, I've read hundreds of books! I'm definitely going to be buying more of McKinley's books, but not many seem to get the rave reviews as this one. If anyone has any comments as to which book of hers is most like this one in writing style with a great story to go along with it, be free to comment! There is another Beauty and the Beast story of hers, but I hear its not nearly as good as this one!!

Once in a while, after reading difficult books about unpleasant people, it is lovely to take a break. This is the break and I am grateful for finding it.

The great thing about a fantasy is that some of it is timeless. That is totally the case with Beauty. It was originally published in 1978 shhhh but when you pick it up it is really a tale as old as time but it can be told throughout these decades seamlessly. It could as easily been published last month and because it is fantasy you’d never know.Why I liked this Re-Telling:It’s a classic beauty and the beast retelling the one I remember from my own childhood with an enchanted castle, the rose, the curse.*** Ger strode forwards and caught him in his arms as he staggered, and then half carried him to a seat near the fire. As he sank down with a sigh we all noticed that in his hand he held a rose: a great scarlet rose, bigger than any we had seen before, in full and perfect bloom. “Here, Beauty,” he said to me, and held it out. I took it, my hand trembling a little, and stood gazing at it. I had never seen such a lovely thing. ***I also saw where Disney might have got some of there ideas from. There are mysterious voices and servants in the castle that are invisible and always trying to ‘help’ Beauty with getting dressed and dancing a parade of food in front of her at meal times to chose from.The Castle itself is amazing with rooms that move and melodious giggling winds that try to direct you around the place. As soon as you start to feel lost just go around the corner and your room will be there.The Beast was sweet and charming and my heart broke for him as he tried to get close to a reluctant beauty. He has been lonely for so long and it really showed through in the story.*** “You fainted,” he said; his voice was a rough whisper. “I caught you before you reached the floor. You—you might have hurt yourself. I only wanted to lay you down somewhere that you could be comfortable.” I stared at him, still kneeling, with my fingernails biting into the sofa cushions. I couldn’t look away from him, but I did not recognize what I saw. “You—you clung to me,” he said, and there was a vast depth of pleading in his voice. ***This is a perfect story for MG and YA readers for an introduction to fantasy writing as well as great for older readers that want to feel transported back to their younger selves.DownfallsIf you are a semi-book snob like me you’d miss this book because it is ‘too old’. But I challenge everyone to get past that way of thinking at least in the fantasy genre.It takes a little time to pick up. The beginning was slightly slow for me especially as they are traveling out of the city to their new lives in the country. I sometimes get really board during traveling….just me. But once they are settled in the country and all the tales of the magical enchanted wood start cropping up I was totally hooked.*** “It’s said there’s a castle in a wild garden at the center of these woods; and if you ever walk into the trees till you are out of sight of the edge of the forest and you can see nothing but big dark trees all around you, you will be drawn to that castle; and in the castle there lives a monster. He was a man once, some tales say, and was turned into a terrible monster as a punishment for his evil deeds; some say he was born that way, as a punishment to his parents, who were king and queen of a good land but cared only for their own pleasure.” ***OverallThis is a beautiful retelling of a classic story with great imagery, a strong heroine and fantastic language in the telling. Totally worth a read.

I very good retelling of that story. I really enjoyed reading it. It's also good for a young reader. Read it

Wonderful

Un livre qui développe un peu plus le personnage de Belle.

I fell in love with this book in high school. One day recently I remembered this book and decided to look for it. I found it, which is surprising, because the last time I read it was over 30 years ago. Thank you for letting me walk down memory lane!Professional, prompt service.Highly recommend ☺️

La trama è ritagliata sullo stampo della classica storia della Bella e la Bestia, con qua e là qualche riaccorgimento che in inglese (dopotutto il libro è in inglese, NB!) non potrei che definire "endearing": la protagonista è molto più umana - se non nel finale dove appare puntualmente "bellissima" -, i (pochi) abitanti del castello sono caratterizzati in maniera diversa, la Bestia è quasi sempre gentilissima, e via di questo passo; ma nessuna sorpresa rilevante.Lettura piacevole che scorre bene, forse pochi di scena e ritmi di tanto in tanto lenti o, meglio, tranquilli; ma chi sceglie un libro del genere lo fa per il tema romantico/favolistico e non per la suspense o lo stile. Apparentemente meno originale, ma a mio parere più interessante di un libro che è un altro "Beauty and the Beast" sotto coperta, Dragon Rose [https://www.amazon.it/Dragon-Tales-Latter-Kingdoms-English-ebook/dp/B00A81XPX0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1483175863&sr=1-1&keywords=dragon+rose], questo chiaramente ricalcato sulla fiaba classica ma con minore scorrevolezza, forse pagando lo scotto di volersi differenziare per forza dalla matrice originale. Beauty invece non ha grandi pretese di originalità, ma come retelling moderno è apprezzabile.