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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of my frequent re-reads. I just love the atmosphere of this version of Beauty and the Beast.
Summary: Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is compelled to stay, and through her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.
Summary: Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is compelled to stay, and through her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.
I thought McKinley did a great job with this version of the classic Beauty and the Beast story. My only gripe was that I thought the ending was rushed. There seemed to be so much detail leading up to the big conclusion, and the conclusion itself seemed to fly by in only a few pages. I liked the concept though, especially the invisible servants.
This is an old favorite, and though I view it a little differently now, it's still lovely and warm and bright and really where fairy tale retellings should start.
A sweet and whimsical version of the traditional fairy tale... I'm thinking Maya will be ready for this before too long.
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't think, even when I read the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson and the Blue/Green/Red etc. Fairy Books, that I was a great fan of the Beauty and the Beast story. And I can't stand the Disney animated fairy tales. But I enjoyed this book - it's a sweet retelling of the story, with a bit of flesh on Beauty's family.
It's a pity the ending had to have Beauty turning into the most beautiful woman in the world (or some such) - plain to attractive would have been sufficient. Mind you, the yearning for beautiful looks was there throughout, so I wasn't surprised. But I'm not writing about how we raise our children to be miserable, or at least dissatisfied, because of their looks ...
It's a pity the ending had to have Beauty turning into the most beautiful woman in the world (or some such) - plain to attractive would have been sufficient. Mind you, the yearning for beautiful looks was there throughout, so I wasn't surprised. But I'm not writing about how we raise our children to be miserable, or at least dissatisfied, because of their looks ...
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
My love for this book cannot be described. I've read it 3-4 times now, and each time I find myself eagerly reading each page, excited to get to my next favorite part. I grow to love this story more every time I read it. After seeing the live action Beauty and the Beast movie, I just had to re-read this.
This is one of my favorite books in the world. I first found it at our town library when I was in third grade or so (early/middle '80s), and after a while ended up getting my own copy, which has traveled with me to adulthood. I read it again when I need something familiar and comfortable, and especially when I need reassurance that life will be okay and I'll get through the current crisis; the last time was when I was fresh out of the hospital and on hemodialysis.
Ms. McKinley's version of the story, told in the first person, really plays up the underlying theme of the fairy tale, but not in an obtrusive way. Not only are Beauty and her Beast engaging characters, but so are Greatheart (her horse and only connection to her previous life), the invisible servants, and even the castle itself.
The prose is spare but beautiful, and Beauty is written in a way that lets the reader identify with her easily. I highly recommend this as a "grown-up" exploration of a classic, well-loved fairy tale.
Ms. McKinley's version of the story, told in the first person, really plays up the underlying theme of the fairy tale, but not in an obtrusive way. Not only are Beauty and her Beast engaging characters, but so are Greatheart (her horse and only connection to her previous life), the invisible servants, and even the castle itself.
The prose is spare but beautiful, and Beauty is written in a way that lets the reader identify with her easily. I highly recommend this as a "grown-up" exploration of a classic, well-loved fairy tale.