Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - The Last Unicorn

Oh dear. I really wanted to like this. I have a nostalgic fondness for the 1982 animated film and I was hoping the book would have the same mesmerizing quality. From my recollection, the film actually follows the story and dialogue pretty accurately, if abbreviated. I wonder if it's this abbreviation that worked for me? The art style of the movie is so striking, and tonally works with the sometimes unnatural, meandering, and riddle-like way the characters often speak. In the text though, it feels like a bit too much. It almost feels like the characters are just reciting segments of nonsense poems like the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll to each other sometimes, they barely feel like people. The whole book is sort of like reading an epic poem that spends a lot of time describing things rather than on anything happening. Sometimes these descriptions are clever and well-placed, and sometimes they are just slowing an already slow story down. I wish this type of writing worked for me, and I wish I had enjoyed listening to this audiobook, but I know I didn't by how much I actively avoided listening to it. I found myself folding my laundry in silence rather than putting this on. I'm sorry, Peter S. Beagle, for not being able to properly appreciate the whimsy and imagery you cultivated here, and I'm sorry Patrick Rothfuss because your intro to the book was lovely and I wish I felt the same way about it as you do.

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theothergrl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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

4.5

The last unicorn is such a simple but sweet story of courage and love. The characters love each other in the truest sense, not for any role they play, not for any expectation on who they should be, but for the joy or comfort their presence brings. They support and encourage one another, even when it hurts themselves.
I loved the prince's character, he's so devoted to his cause as to be a martyr to what is right. He holds compassion for everyone.
The courage and strength of the unicorn to keep going despite every single adversity is very moving. She is not immune to wavering, she wavers constantly, but she has such a persistent faith.
Thr exploration of emotion and morality in this book is very interesting and done incredibly poetically that it inspires you to look beneath the surface. I really enjoyed that, it made it more fantastical.

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palebluehorse's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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princesscurio's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I had wanted to read The Last Unicorn for years. Now I have I'm glad to say it was worth the wait! Beagle has such a poetic way with words. It's a delight to read.

What I didn't expect was how funny the book is. Mixed in with the poetry are one-liners and jokes that are so silly and yet not at odds with the overall tone of the story. Utterly fantastic book.

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