“He cannot be so bad if he loves roses so much.”


I realized that what made his gaze so awful was that his eyes were human.


This book is a traditional Beauty and the Beast retelling with very classic story feels to it. Children named after virtues, magical castles that clean themselves, a rustic village that rests as a background for the story before it actually begins.

That is not to say that Robin McKinley does not do anything of her own. She adds little tidbits that help build the characters of Beauty and her family. It makes the reader sympathise a little more with her family and her sisters who ere poorly depicted in the original tale.

I think everyone's favourite part is got to be the Beast and his castle. I liked how Beauty got to know the Beast but then that's really not saying much because I always love that part. What I liked about this version of the story is that here the Beast is more gentle and kind than that of any other version. He seems more lonely and sad than tortured and frustrated. I liked how gentle both Beauty and the Beast were to each other. It didn't seem like a toxic relationship at all. I wish there was more confessions of love at the end but everything was magically resolved like a good fairy tale. I suppose its good that way.

This was a very sweet retelling. I didn't love it as I did [b:Cruel Beauty|15839984|Cruel Beauty|Rosamund Hodge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371652590l/15839984._SY75_.jpg|21580669] but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's a good read when you are looking for something familiar and easy going and when you want something to remind you of a good night story that you used to read as a kid.

Some bits from the book

“We are not asking that I be killed in your stead, but that I be allowed to save your life. It is an honourable Beast at least; I am not afraid.” Father stared at me, as if he saw the Beast reflected in my eyes. I said: “He cannot be so bad if he loves roses so much.”

“But he is a Beast,” said Father helplessly.

I saw that he was weakening, and wishing only to comfort him I said, “Cannot a Beast be tamed?”

-----------

“Can you see the future, then?” I asked uneasily.
“Not exactly,” said the shadow. “But I can see you.”

-----------


It was he who had cruelly taken me away from my family in the first place; how could they or I forgive him that? How could I make excuses? I couldn’t tell them that I—loved him. This thought came to me with an unpleasant jolt. Loved him?




Great book up until the ending. It's very rushed and lacking, but I knew that before I started reading.
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted slow-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: No

Fine, kind of vanilla story, but well-written for what it’s worth
reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous lighthearted fast-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: No

Just what I want from a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I like this interpretation of the beast much more than the angry Disney version. I do wish we had a little longer at the end and that the magic had given them less of an age gap, but I suppose magic can only do so much. 
emotional mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I recently stumbled across this book that I'd read when I was... maybe a pre-teen? Anyway, I wanted to see if I would enjoy it as much now as I did when I originally read it nearly forty years ago. I did.

Then and now, I relished McKinley's strong female character(s) and the way she weaves the tale, even though I already know the basic story. I won't deny there's a bit of nostalgia in rereading it, but it's also been long enough that her books feel new again and I'm still enjoying them immensely.