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lauraeduncan's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Murder, Gore, Violence, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization
skyegbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Police brutality, Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Gun violence, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
melsage1823's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
I'll start with the negatives first. My first negative is the beginning of the book, we did not get enough build up and it felt like it was going for a whole knew Twisted story whilst also trying to stick to the movie. It might just be my taste personally but I just couldn't get into it at all which didn't help with the fact that the characters personality felt off. Really did pick up for me in the second half though.
Did not like the characterisation of Belle at the beginning of the book. The Beast was understandble as that's the whole point of the original movie but Belle didn't feel like herself. It was like she was one of the people who constantly critise the story. Her hostility to the servants was also weird as in the films even when she didn't know they were cursed, she trusted the servants a lot more than the beast. It unfortunately spoilt my enjoyment a lot.
Finally, I appreciate the story they were trying to tell but it should have been longer with more chapters from The Enchantress pov. There's a lot Braswell could have done with this narrative but I feel like she didn't do enough. The Enchantress being Belles mother was just their for motivation. I would have loved more flashbacks and a longer established redemption and apology for literally cursing an eleven year old boy. I loved the Enchantress in this but I was expecting more.
Positives, this one actually bumped up my enjoyment of the book and gained it half a star. The mystery of what happened to the Encharmtes is a huge hook in the book and leads to some dark, shocking and disturbing. We know some stuff but don't know everything until we're trying to solve the mystery with Belle and Beast. I truly never expected things to go so dark and that's good because a good mystery needs to leave you speechless when you get the answers you were searching for.
If your a parent do not give this to your child if they're not 15 as this is definitely for older YA readers. Stuff gets dark really part and that was a huge hook for me.
As well as being probably one of the Darkest Beauty And The Beasts retellings it leans into heavy subliminal messaging and has a good moral to pass onto the readers. As a marginalised person the treatment of the Encharmtes hit deep. No more beauty is found within being the only message, we also learn how important to not harm or hurt people we do not understand. It's especially relevant to what's happening in modern times with political leaders but I won't spoil. Its so important that media starts teaching our youth that difference is not less or scary through the Encharmtes. Braswell doesn't execute this perfectly but she does it in a respectful and sensitive way.
Finally, I'd say I loved the fact that the horrors of the curse was developed more. The live action film touched on it a little bit but this really leans into it and it allows for High Stakes as the novel processes. Won't spoil but it creates some really suspenseful and horrifying moments that Disney would never even consider putting on the big screen. I'm also impressed that this is written well in a way that doesn't bleed into the adult genre instead of YA.
Overall not the best but it was enjoyable and made me think a lot. Definitely recommend checking out if your a Beauty And The Beast fan but maybe pass if your not into dark stories with real life undertones.
Graphic: Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny and Toxic friendship
Minor: Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
ailurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Classism, Murder, Genocide, Kidnapping, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Xenophobia
emilywemily6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Bullying, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Self harm, Alcohol, and Gun violence
joisaddler's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, and Religious bigotry
vixenreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Colonisation, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Medical trauma, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Body horror, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Gore, Alcohol, and Sexism
There are discussions of discrimination, segregation, and immigrating outside of a land because of fear for one’s own livelihood.gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I thought how everything was done with the history was impeccable and had me hooked from the start to the finish. I loved how this twist played out, and enjoyed how satisfying it was to finish.
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Torture, Death, Violence, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
flankaykay's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Murder
quartzbeesknees's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Torture, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Minor: Blood, Grief, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship