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teawiththefates's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
mbomersheim's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I picked this book up because it was recommended by one of my favorite authors, Patrick Rothfuss.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is a story about (as the title suggests) the last known unicorn who embarks on a quest to find the other unicorns who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Along the way, she picks up some unlikely friends, and their journey becomes sidetracked as people get kidnapped, disguises are needed, etc. In some ways, this feels like a children's story. It has all of the timeless storybook elements and the writing creates a sort of nostalgia even though I did not read this as a child. It is a low-stakes and solid story, and I'd recommend picking it up if you liked books like The Chronicles of Narnia growing up.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is a story about (as the title suggests) the last known unicorn who embarks on a quest to find the other unicorns who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Along the way, she picks up some unlikely friends, and their journey becomes sidetracked as people get kidnapped, disguises are needed, etc. In some ways, this feels like a children's story. It has all of the timeless storybook elements and the writing creates a sort of nostalgia even though I did not read this as a child. It is a low-stakes and solid story, and I'd recommend picking it up if you liked books like The Chronicles of Narnia growing up.
go_devils's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bibliohannah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
manji's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
psoglav's review against another edition
3.0
My Rating: ★★★✫ 3.5/5
* Storyline ★★★★ 4/5
* World Setting ★★★ 3/5
* Writing Style ★★★ 3/5
* Characters ★★★★ 4/5
* Storyline ★★★★ 4/5
* World Setting ★★★ 3/5
* Writing Style ★★★ 3/5
* Characters ★★★★ 4/5
nymphoutofwater's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
thebooknerdscorner's review against another edition
3.0
In a fashion that combines the lyrical writing of "The Secret Garden" and the satirical musings of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," "The Last Unicorn" is a timeless tale that delivers messages of mortality, greed, and the human condition.
"The Last Unicorn" is the tale of the final unicorn and her epic quest to solve the mystery of what happened to the rest of her brethren. With the help of an eccentric magician named Schmendrick and a woman by the name of Molly Grue, the unicorn journeys beyond her wood to confront the calamity that is driving her species to the brink of extinction.
I've watched "The Last Unicorn" movie a long time ago, so I barely remember any of it. This made reading this book kinda feel like a fever dream, because I kept getting bits and flashes of the movie as I progressed through it. With the little I remember, the movie is quite freaky and I'm not really sure if the vibes between the book and movie are really all that similar.
This book heavily reminded me of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Between the nonsensical poems, the crazy cat, and the talking skull that ripped apart the human concept of time, I felt like I was reading a book by Carroll's cousin or something. I think satirical fantasies are really interesting, and I found these elements to be one of the most gripping parts of this book. The breaking of the fourth wall was also quite comical; the characters were aware that they were in a fairy tale, and Schmedrick often used this knowledge to his advantage.
The beginning of this book is quite wandering, so I found it a tad bit boring. The story eventually picks up though, and I found the end to be rather enjoyable.
Overall, "The Last Unicorn" was a decent fantasy read with an older feel to it (I mean, it was published in 1968). I wouldn't quite compare it to Tolkien, but I would liken it to Lewis Carroll and Frances Hodgson Burnett. The characters aren't anything special (though the name Schmendrick is quite unique), the world is pretty average for a fantasy setting, and the unicorn herself isn't all that likable. However, the writing style is pleasant to palate and the elements of satire and the fun poems still made it an enjoyable read. For avid fantasy readers like myself, "The Last Unicorn" is one of those books to check off the bucket list and I finally did it, so that's a win in my book.
"The Last Unicorn" is the tale of the final unicorn and her epic quest to solve the mystery of what happened to the rest of her brethren. With the help of an eccentric magician named Schmendrick and a woman by the name of Molly Grue, the unicorn journeys beyond her wood to confront the calamity that is driving her species to the brink of extinction.
I've watched "The Last Unicorn" movie a long time ago, so I barely remember any of it. This made reading this book kinda feel like a fever dream, because I kept getting bits and flashes of the movie as I progressed through it. With the little I remember, the movie is quite freaky and I'm not really sure if the vibes between the book and movie are really all that similar.
This book heavily reminded me of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Between the nonsensical poems, the crazy cat, and the talking skull that ripped apart the human concept of time, I felt like I was reading a book by Carroll's cousin or something. I think satirical fantasies are really interesting, and I found these elements to be one of the most gripping parts of this book. The breaking of the fourth wall was also quite comical; the characters were aware that they were in a fairy tale, and Schmedrick often used this knowledge to his advantage.
The beginning of this book is quite wandering, so I found it a tad bit boring. The story eventually picks up though, and I found the end to be rather enjoyable.
Overall, "The Last Unicorn" was a decent fantasy read with an older feel to it (I mean, it was published in 1968). I wouldn't quite compare it to Tolkien, but I would liken it to Lewis Carroll and Frances Hodgson Burnett. The characters aren't anything special (though the name Schmendrick is quite unique), the world is pretty average for a fantasy setting, and the unicorn herself isn't all that likable. However, the writing style is pleasant to palate and the elements of satire and the fun poems still made it an enjoyable read. For avid fantasy readers like myself, "The Last Unicorn" is one of those books to check off the bucket list and I finally did it, so that's a win in my book.