Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Beast Within by Serena Valentino

6 reviews

melissaloritz's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood and Death

Minor: Animal death

fiercereadsfiction's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Kidnapping

rhionline's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, and Death

destinystowe14's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This was a good second installment in the Villains series. I enjoyed finding out exactly how and why the Prince was cursed, and it was interesting to learn how the changes happened over time. I also liked how certain familiar characters had back stories I was not expecting. The aspect of the Prince seeing the curse differently than everyone else was a nice touch in my opinion. 

This was a super fast read. I read this in a day which is unheard of for me! 😱 I really enjoy villain origin stories, and this one did not disappoint. I am looking forward to continuing the series. On to book 3! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Murder, Blood, Animal death, and Suicide attempt

shannasbooksnhooks's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"They had always been alike, Gaston and the Prince, and the Prince supposed that was why they had enjoyed each other's company so well. Or perhaps he had felt it was better to keep his competition close at hand."
Once I read Fairest of All, I immediately jumped into The Beast Within. The first 16 chapters were great. However, once I hit chapter 17, the book just felt like too much in too little space. I enjoyed it, which is why I felt it deserved 4 stars. However, if the last 10 chapters didn't feel overloaded and too fast-paced, it would have been 5 stars. This book had such an interesting concept, and it almost reached it. Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha (who we're introduced to in Fairest of All) got too involved in the Beast's fate. From the beginning, we know that Gaston and the Prince were childhood friends, which is a unique take that I actually enjoyed. However, I do wish that Gaston was more in character with the original animated film because that would have added to why he and the Prince got along so well. However, I felt like the last 38% or so, as I've said, was just too inundated with information, and that Valentino had added too many plot points for a 215-page book that needed to be wrapped up. However, I do recommend this as a read. Although, as mentioned in other reviews (mainly on Goodreads), the Prince/Beast is more of an anti-hero, and despite all the chaos in the last 10 capters, it still was a fun book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Animal death, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Suicide

I do understand why Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha got so involved. Their sister, Circe, who's also revealed to be the Enchantress, was the Prince's original fiance until he thought she wasn't good enough because she was "a pig keeper's daughter." (And fuck Gaston for bringing this up.) However, I just felt like they got too involved in the Beast's story/curse and that it should have been closer to the original animated film's storyline with some influence from the three sisters.

Something I did find interesting was that once the curse began taking effect, Gaston and the Prince/Beast both began forgetting each other - and the servants began forgetting about Gaston as well.

z_thatsit's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, and Confinement

Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Violence, Misogyny, Animal death, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide, Alcohol, and Death