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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Cute retelling of Beauty and the Beast, a bit slow but that's the writing style of it's time I think. I wish the ending wasn't wrapped up so quickly, it to half the book just to get her to the castle and meet the beast, then it ended abruptly. Also I wish they have more background on the Beast, it was so vague and I don't understand him not remember his name.
I can sort of see how this would have been a groundbreaking retelling when it was written in the 70s, but 'not like other girls' stories are thankfully going out of fashion by now and the rest was just overwhelmingly dull.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enjoyable, straightforward "Beauty and the Beast" story. I'm only disappointed in the pacing of the ending. We got so much lovingly detailed backstory on Beauty and her family and their lives even years before the Beast becomes relevant -- it seemed odd and wrong for the story to finish immediately upon the breaking of the spell.
I would have wished for some more backstory for the Beast, and at least a glimpse of their future. If the Beast is some long-forgotten royalty, does that matter anymore or are he and his family irrelevant? Did the Beast do anything to deserve being enchanted? He seemed to rather gloss over that detail. If the enchantment gave the Beast his magical powers, did that all go away when the spell broke? Is he now a normal mortal, with a crumbling giant castle in a random bit of woods and no way to support himself? Will he have to get a job, or does part of the magic stay or something? What are they going to do? This book lingered with such detail on the pre-Beast part, it seemed unbalanced and hasty to instantly shut everything down after a single "I love you."
I would have wished for some more backstory for the Beast, and at least a glimpse of their future. If the Beast is some long-forgotten royalty, does that matter anymore or are he and his family irrelevant? Did the Beast do anything to deserve being enchanted? He seemed to rather gloss over that detail. If the enchantment gave the Beast his magical powers, did that all go away when the spell broke? Is he now a normal mortal, with a crumbling giant castle in a random bit of woods and no way to support himself? Will he have to get a job, or does part of the magic stay or something? What are they going to do? This book lingered with such detail on the pre-Beast part, it seemed unbalanced and hasty to instantly shut everything down after a single "I love you."
2022: 8th time around. It definitely is one that just hits the spot when I get in a mood for a Beauty and the Beast story.
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2020: 7 times the charm. I still get so much enjoyment from this story.
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I believe this will forever remain one of my favorite stories. 6th time I have read this.
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2020: 7 times the charm. I still get so much enjoyment from this story.
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I believe this will forever remain one of my favorite stories. 6th time I have read this.
i was really enjoying this and didn't expect it to end so suddenly. i feel sure the chapters that would have followed the ending would have been the best yet.
This is my favorite version of the fairy tale, the Beauty and the Beast. Beautifully written.
One of the most magical tales of ALL TIME. This is my favorite version of the "Beauty of the Beast" story and I have read it at least 10 times. Of course, I own it. You will not be disappointed with this book and it is very obvious where Disney stole their material from for the movie.
Well after all the hype, what could I be but slightly disappointed? I have recommended it to my daughter as a light and happy read for when she's in that mood.
But I do have reservations:
- I think the story really suffers from being de-villainised. Everybody is too damn nice.
- The sense of place seems insecure. Domestic scenes seem rather "Little House"-ish but other indicators suggest that the book is supposed to be set in Europe.
- Although the telling is very fine in places the feeling of the book seems somewhat stodgy and unadventurous. The story is being re-told by padding out rather than being re-invented.
- And (this is a personal thing) while I know that the horse is a very useful beast in a pre-industrial society, I really hate cuddly horse scenes. I tend to think that little girls who love horses need to see the doctor. This may have something to do with my little sister being horse-mad. Anyway there was too much of the horse stuff, and the scene where the horse is forced to approach the Beast struck me as downright cruel. Rather odd in a book where, as noted above, everyone seems extraordinarily nice...--
But I do have reservations:
- I think the story really suffers from being de-villainised. Everybody is too damn nice.
- The sense of place seems insecure. Domestic scenes seem rather "Little House"-ish but other indicators suggest that the book is supposed to be set in Europe.
- Although the telling is very fine in places the feeling of the book seems somewhat stodgy and unadventurous. The story is being re-told by padding out rather than being re-invented.
- And (this is a personal thing) while I know that the horse is a very useful beast in a pre-industrial society, I really hate cuddly horse scenes. I tend to think that little girls who love horses need to see the doctor. This may have something to do with my little sister being horse-mad. Anyway there was too much of the horse stuff, and the scene where the horse is forced to approach the Beast struck me as downright cruel. Rather odd in a book where, as noted above, everyone seems extraordinarily nice...--