Beauty is a retelling of the Fairy Tale Beauty and the Beast, which I've read for my once upon a time challenge, and also because i wanted to :P
In this version there are some differences to the famous fairy tale; Beauty is one of three sisters, and was initially named 'honour' by her mother, but nicknamed Beauty when she was young, after claiming that honour was a boring name. Her sisters Hope and Grace are both gorgeous, but beauty is comparatively plain. She likes to read books and ride her gigantic horse known as Greatheart. When her father's shipping business goes under they are all forced to move inland to the countryside and set themselves up in a blacksmith's cottage by the woodlands, but there are eery tales wispered about the woods being haunted and of there being a terrible monster residing inside. Beauty's father at one point finds himself in this dark forrest, where he is caught picking a rose for Beauty in the garden. The beast lets him go only on the condition that he will bring back one of his daughters to stay with him forever. Thinking that she would be the least missed, Beauty offers to go and here our story starts...
This is a lovely re-telling of whats probably my favourite fairy tale and its interesting reading about Beauty and Beast growing closer together, and was an soothing way to spend an afternoon. Although the story is shelved under young adult, it is accessible to all ages, probably because its just so damned nice! Thankfully it isn't condescending in the way some YA storys are, and you find yourself growing to love the beast. The characters are generally well developed and i could go on but its just genuinely nice, with some new ideas thrown into the old, well-worn fairy tale we all know and love. As always at the end of this fairytale i was left feeling happy that it was all 'dreams come true' and yet sad that the beast was gone, as its always hard to come to terms with the beast being human when you kind of grow attatched to him in his hairy form, i dont know about other people but i always feel a little put-down by the overly-perfect happy endings, in the same way i get turned off by books about love at first sight.
Anyway, enough ramblings! This is a good book and one that i recomend anyone that anyone vaguely interested in this kind of thing reads. It is my first of Mckinley's but i hear that her other works are highly praised as well and Outlaws of Sherwood should be on the way from amazon as we speak...
Over the years of the Once Upon a Time Challenge several have read and recommended this and I really need to track down a copy and add it to my pile. Every review I read, including yours, makes it sound like a must read.
ReplyDeleteI do agree! About the beast, I mean. It seems to invalidate the lesson of the story - she learns to love him despite his monstrous appearance - and then "twinkle" he turns into a handsome prince.
ReplyDeleteI also loved this book, particularly the character of Greatheart the horse. I also liked how the sisters were not nasty and jealous as they are in the original story. But I found the ending a bit unbelievable - it got all magical at the end there, with everyone turning up in wedding robes - oops - that was a spoiler, I suppose :)
yes, I agree :) that part of end was just over-whelming in its happiness and seemed to almost spoil it, book was still incredible though,I'm not surprised everyone keeps recommending it!! :):)
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite memories of reading from when I was a little girl. I fell in love with Robin McKinley and this is still one of my favorite books. Nice review!
ReplyDeletety, its such a lovely book i read it twice. i haven't read any of her other work yet, but outlaws of sherwood is waiting on my bookshelves for some free time :P does anyone know which of her other books are good to read next, or are they all great?
ReplyDeleteBeauty is a great book. I really like Robin McKinley's writing..she did a fabulous job with this one.
ReplyDeleteGreat review!