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adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
As a huge Disney fan I love these books. But iv'e never like the Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin movies. They seemed cliche and boring. But reading this book brought new light to the story and now I enjoy the movie. I love seeing the twists and turns and new character development. You grow to love the characters that didn't really play a large part in the movie who now have new life in the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder
Minor: Blood, Abandonment
Though these are mentioned in the book I would say it is still appropriate as a YA novel.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, just an interesting twist that could even make sense just by watching the animated film or live action (especially)!! But some of the little details that they added were so good and genuinely had me flipping the pages like a mad person, and possibly tearing up a little here and there as well. Like most books, compared to the film there was much more depth to any sort of relationship The Beast and Belle created. Plus they dive into certain characters back stories that I’ve never really thought about before.
Though I was thrown off in the beginning of the book with the chapters flipping back and forth through time once I reached part 2 I was enthralled and it became much easier!! I would say be warned that part 1 does repeat mostly the same story that we already know and love with few differences so it can be hard to get through at times.
Though I was thrown off in the beginning of the book with the chapters flipping back and forth through time once I reached part 2 I was enthralled and it became much easier!! I would say be warned that part 1 does repeat mostly the same story that we already know and love with few differences so it can be hard to get through at times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wasn't expecting this story to be as complex (in a good way!) As it was but there was adventure, mystery, intrigue, an interesting twist on a Disney tale with a surprisingly dark underbelly that felt like a full and well done story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really liked this book. The story was very confusing at the beginning as it was hard to keep up with the changing of perspectives in each chapter. It was slow to build up. But had a nice tone to it. There were quite a few graphic things in this book and I think it should include a content warning, especially because of the torture descriptions (screaming and such) in the asylum towards the end of the book I did not like the last chapter of the book, and I definitely would have written it differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Death
Minor: Murder
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well this was a fun time. The romance was definitely the weakest part of this retelling, mostly because it is just so fast-paced that there really isn't a ton of time for Belle and Beast to grow to love each other. The beginnings of something cute is there, but it's not a deep romance. Where this book shines is the portrayal of Belle's mother as the enchantress. I almost would have liked for the book to start somewhere around the time Belle comes to the castle, no prologue, then move to all the exciting action bits, and then have the last third or so be about Belle learning to be around her mother that she isn't sure she exactly likes as a person as she falls more in love with Beast. The book just comes into its own when it does its own thing and breaks away from the Disney movie, and I wish Braswell had had more space to do that.
It does lean on the "fantasy creatures as an allegory for real marginalized people," which isn't a trope I love. I don't know, other than these complaints, I had fun while reading it.
It does lean on the "fantasy creatures as an allegory for real marginalized people," which isn't a trope I love. I don't know, other than these complaints, I had fun while reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia
Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Blood
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It is a fun retelling of the Disney version for Beauty and the Beast - in this retelling, we get to hear more about Belle's parents, the town she's from, and the curse that the Beast is under. While it is clever and the ultimate reveal/ending was surprising, the beginning was rather slow and didn't pick up pace until Part II of the book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Toxic relationship, Murder
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Animal death