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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I love the way Robin McKinley writes about magic - it's so subtle and normalized within her worlds. My favorite parts of Rose Daughter were the unveiling of the "curse," seeing how that played out for Beauty's sisters, and all of Beauty's interactions with the Beast (though, admittedly, there weren't that many.)
While I enjoyed parts of Rose Daughter, it definitely doesn't compare to her earlier novels - Beauty, Spindles End, The Hero and the Crown, etc. I think the novel would have been strengthened with more characterization of Beast and fewer descriptions of the palace and Beauty getting lost in it. I did enjoy the relationships between Beauty and her sisters, which added a fresh element to the traditional story.
Robin McKinley often struggles in her endings, especially when they involve any kind of action, which is not her strength. I didn't really understand the way in which Beast became a beast, despite the info dump in the last chapter. I also didn't understand the purpose of Jack Trueword's character - was he a villain? Or was Robin McKinley using him to make a statement about legends and gossip? I like the idea of the latter considering Jack's last name, but I still didn't feel like any statement was actually made in this area, since there was no resolution or tie in at the end.
Overall, I don't think I would read this again, opting instead for Robin McKinley's better constructed novels.
While I enjoyed parts of Rose Daughter, it definitely doesn't compare to her earlier novels - Beauty, Spindles End, The Hero and the Crown, etc. I think the novel would have been strengthened with more characterization of Beast and fewer descriptions of the palace and Beauty getting lost in it. I did enjoy the relationships between Beauty and her sisters, which added a fresh element to the traditional story.
Robin McKinley often struggles in her endings, especially when they involve any kind of action, which is not her strength. I didn't really understand the way in which Beast became a beast, despite the info dump in the last chapter. I also didn't understand the purpose of Jack Trueword's character - was he a villain? Or was Robin McKinley using him to make a statement about legends and gossip? I like the idea of the latter considering Jack's last name, but I still didn't feel like any statement was actually made in this area, since there was no resolution or tie in at the end.
Overall, I don't think I would read this again, opting instead for Robin McKinley's better constructed novels.
Robin McKinley wrote this version of Beauty and the Beast because she was unsatisfied with the way that Beauty (her first shot at it) turned out. I like the other one better.
I liked this one. The main character is the typical fairy tale youngest sister, but the siblings are anything but evil. In fact, they each are celebrated for their own kind of strength. One has a fiery personality, one a gift with words, and one her mother’s beauty (the protagonist). And in a very anti-fairy tale twist, the protag’s beauty is more of a cause of insecurity than anything else. In this world people are named for their characteristics and it leads her to wonder if that’s all she’ll truly ever have to contribute. Thus, when their father accidentally promises hs life to the company of a monster, Beauty is happy that she finally has something to contribute. The sisters have their differences ang get on each other’s nerves, but never stopped supporting each other financially or emotionally.
She is also the unquestioned hero of this tale, leaving her family to save it then spending her time exploring an enchanted castle with its own personality, learning the secrets of the Beast and his garden, and ultimately reviving both him and the castle with a little help from a mysterious magic lady. The Beast is the damsel in distress waiting to be rescued from emotional distress and magical imprisonment. It was an excellent choice on the author’s part to let the characters’ personalities dictate their roles instead of their genders. I really liked the main character (whose name I confess I can’t exactly remember right now). She very relatable and admirable, with believable and well-rounded flaws and strengths. She is kind and determined but not the smartest or the strongest. Her sense of curiosity and her gardening prowess alongside her bravery and her own personal brand of wisdom are what ultimately save the day.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly.
She is also the unquestioned hero of this tale, leaving her family to save it then spending her time exploring an enchanted castle with its own personality, learning the secrets of the Beast and his garden, and ultimately reviving both him and the castle with a little help from a mysterious magic lady. The Beast is the damsel in distress waiting to be rescued from emotional distress and magical imprisonment. It was an excellent choice on the author’s part to let the characters’ personalities dictate their roles instead of their genders. I really liked the main character (whose name I confess I can’t exactly remember right now). She very relatable and admirable, with believable and well-rounded flaws and strengths. She is kind and determined but not the smartest or the strongest. Her sense of curiosity and her gardening prowess alongside her bravery and her own personal brand of wisdom are what ultimately save the day.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly.
I've been waiting to read this for a while, but was a bit disappointed in it. I still enjoyed the story, but 'Beauty' will forever be one of my absolute favourites. Perhaps if I hadn't read that first, I would have enjoyed this story more.
I felt 'Rose Daughter' was far more rushed, and I never got to connect to the characters. The magic aspect was also slightly more confusing and I had to re-read the end to see what was happening.
I felt 'Rose Daughter' was far more rushed, and I never got to connect to the characters. The magic aspect was also slightly more confusing and I had to re-read the end to see what was happening.
March 2022: Just relistened to this as an audiobook. Was painfully struck by how young Beauty is. A beautiful, introspective book, which is probably just as much about falling in love with gardening and your own life as it is about any sort of Beast.
Probably 4 hand a half stars really. I don't quite know what to say about this book and I'm not a particularly eloquent write so you'll have to deal with a bullet point review.
The good things:
- I loved Beauty, the Beast, Jeweltongue, Lionheart and so on.
- The Beast was brilliantly created.
- This is an amazing portrayal of my favourite story. One of the best.
- I finished this book completely in a daze of how brilliant it is.
The bad:
- I really struggle with McKinley's writing style, it veers off from the main point, is detailed at strange points in awkward ways and I feel like I missed many paragraphs throughout this book just wanting to get to the action.
- I'm not sure, had I put this book down, I could've picked it up.
- It is very slow to start.
- I definitely need to re-read this book I missed so much due to silly structured paragraphs but I will never be able to bring myself to.
Another thing I need to note is this book is very similar to Deerskin, I appreciate the similarity in the basic fairytales both are based on, and Rose Daughter had a slower start than this one, but I did feel like I was hearing the same wife dies, Father falls into a depressin, forgets all about his daughter(s). Both Dad's (when sad) as described so similarly, they're the same characater (allowing a difference that Beauty's dad doesn't later rape her and turn into an evil b******)
But yeah, despite her writing style McKinley does create some amazing characters and fabulous storylines.
I think I reccomend this book.
The good things:
- I loved Beauty, the Beast, Jeweltongue, Lionheart and so on.
- The Beast was brilliantly created.
- This is an amazing portrayal of my favourite story. One of the best.
- I finished this book completely in a daze of how brilliant it is.
The bad:
- I really struggle with McKinley's writing style, it veers off from the main point, is detailed at strange points in awkward ways and I feel like I missed many paragraphs throughout this book just wanting to get to the action.
- I'm not sure, had I put this book down, I could've picked it up.
- It is very slow to start.
- I definitely need to re-read this book I missed so much due to silly structured paragraphs but I will never be able to bring myself to.
Another thing I need to note is this book is very similar to Deerskin, I appreciate the similarity in the basic fairytales both are based on, and Rose Daughter had a slower start than this one, but I did feel like I was hearing the same wife dies, Father falls into a depressin, forgets all about his daughter(s). Both Dad's (when sad) as described so similarly, they're the same characater (allowing a difference that Beauty's dad doesn't later rape her and turn into an evil b******)
But yeah, despite her writing style McKinley does create some amazing characters and fabulous storylines.
I think I reccomend this book.
I loved this book... up until the ending. Then I almost threw it across the room. (I didn’t because that would have broken my kindle.)The ending is just not right.
While I think McKinley's first foray into the world of Beauty and the Beast -- the aptly named Beauty -- will forever be my favourite take on the tale for sentimental/formative reasons, this is still a very solid outing. There's a real sense of "old-timey folklore" in this retelling, where everything from the names -- Jeweltongue and Lionheart the sisters, Whitehand the baker, etc. -- to the whimsical asides about hydra valets and retired salamanders evoke a very classic and removed time. There are some great twists to the "tale as old as time", and so much detail and description you can practically smell the roses in the greenhouse. Definitely a worthwhile read from a woman who knows just how to freshen up classic stories.
I was loving this until the end. Then I got confused in the description. I'm not totally sure what happened except she chose family over fame and power.
Well, it started out strong, but ultimately was a little disappointing.