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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Thank you to Jennifer Connelly, NetGalley, and Scholastic Press for an ARC of Beastly Beauty. All opinions are my own.
I was really excited for this one - as a big time Beauty and the Beast girlie, I was hype to read a gender-bent version with the typically masculine Beast role played by the FMC. Unfortunately, I don’t think the book really held up.
While the idea of the ladies of Arabella’s court being her emotions was clever, the chaotic presence of all of them went on too long without being explained. By the time the explanation came, I was too annoyed with their inexplicable role in the story and tired of hearing about them.
The multiple third person POVs also confused me a *lot*. I would be spending the first few lines trying to figure out who was speaking instead of engaging with the content.
My last big issue is that I think the “love” between Arabella and Beau came out of nowhere. They spent little to no time together, and suddenly were exchanging “I love you’s”? At least Belle/Beauty in the original story actually had some quality time with the Beast before falling in love.
The last 7% of the book redeemed a lot of the failings of the previous 93%, moving it from a 2 star to a 3.
I was really excited for this one - as a big time Beauty and the Beast girlie, I was hype to read a gender-bent version with the typically masculine Beast role played by the FMC. Unfortunately, I don’t think the book really held up.
While the idea of the ladies of Arabella’s court being her emotions was clever, the chaotic presence of all of them went on too long without being explained. By the time the explanation came, I was too annoyed with their inexplicable role in the story and tired of hearing about them.
The multiple third person POVs also confused me a *lot*. I would be spending the first few lines trying to figure out who was speaking instead of engaging with the content.
My last big issue is that I think the “love” between Arabella and Beau came out of nowhere. They spent little to no time together, and suddenly were exchanging “I love you’s”? At least Belle/Beauty in the original story actually had some quality time with the Beast before falling in love.
The last 7% of the book redeemed a lot of the failings of the previous 93%, moving it from a 2 star to a 3.
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jennifer Donnelly's "Beastly Beauty" is a gender-bending version of the beloved classic story of Beauty and the Beast, putting a refreshing spin on the traditional story. It has some moments that might appeal to a younger audience, even though it might not completely satisfy those looking for a complicated plot.
The way the book portrays villains and its overall message is one of its strong points. The narrative departs from the traditional tale, giving the themes additional nuance and complexity. Even though there is some ambiguity surrounding the names, the discovery of the villain provides a gratifying conclusion.
But Beau and Arabella's romance comes off as rushed and undeveloped. It has a weak build-up before going from zero to "insta-love," and its influence on the story could be greater. Another issue with the big cast is that none of them really stand out, which makes it hard for readers to identify with any of them. Key characters may have had greater depth and impact on the plot if their treatment had been more concentrated.
Although "Beastly Beauty" has a gratifying finale that is a saving grace, the path that leads there feels underutilized. The characters' evolution may have been more interesting and powerful if they had had more nuance and complexity.
The way the book portrays villains and its overall message is one of its strong points. The narrative departs from the traditional tale, giving the themes additional nuance and complexity. Even though there is some ambiguity surrounding the names, the discovery of the villain provides a gratifying conclusion.
But Beau and Arabella's romance comes off as rushed and undeveloped. It has a weak build-up before going from zero to "insta-love," and its influence on the story could be greater. Another issue with the big cast is that none of them really stand out, which makes it hard for readers to identify with any of them. Key characters may have had greater depth and impact on the plot if their treatment had been more concentrated.
Although "Beastly Beauty" has a gratifying finale that is a saving grace, the path that leads there feels underutilized. The characters' evolution may have been more interesting and powerful if they had had more nuance and complexity.
challenging
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly
I'll be honest, I was ready to put this book down about two chapters in, but I have it a second chance. The twist of having the genders switched in the story was interesting. But it took entirely too long to get momentum in the story. For that I couldn't get connected with them. Of course you want the curse to be broken, but I was more invested in Beau than Arabella.
I'll be honest, I was ready to put this book down about two chapters in, but I have it a second chance. The twist of having the genders switched in the story was interesting. But it took entirely too long to get momentum in the story. For that I couldn't get connected with them. Of course you want the curse to be broken, but I was more invested in Beau than Arabella.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that challenges societal expectations of women and encourages readers to defy limitations. The book's emotional narrative resonates with themes of hope, inspiration, and motivation. The author, Jennifer Donnelly, deserves to be praised for her extraordinary storytelling skills and vivid character creation. The book is not only an engaging read but also a testament to character strength, defiance of societal norms, and the power of hope.
*Nothing is more real than a dream, the voice was right. Dreams were powerful. They were mirrors to the soul.
*Love wasn't for the weak. It took courage to love another human being. It took ferociousness.
*Without the light we would not appreciate the darkness. There i good to be found in difficult feelings.
I love Beauty and the Beast and tend to read anything that has anything to do with it. Love retellings of the story and this wasn't any different. While it wasn't my favorite retelling, I still really enjoyed the story!
This is my 4th Jennifer Donnelly with the others being her other retellings (Poisoned, Lost in a Book, and Stepsister) and I love the way she brings a new twist to an already loved story! I can't wait to see what other stories she retells and read those!
*Love wasn't for the weak. It took courage to love another human being. It took ferociousness.
*Without the light we would not appreciate the darkness. There i good to be found in difficult feelings.
I love Beauty and the Beast and tend to read anything that has anything to do with it. Love retellings of the story and this wasn't any different. While it wasn't my favorite retelling, I still really enjoyed the story!
This is my 4th Jennifer Donnelly with the others being her other retellings (Poisoned, Lost in a Book, and Stepsister) and I love the way she brings a new twist to an already loved story! I can't wait to see what other stories she retells and read those!
This was an engaging retelling of beauty and the beast. Arabella, trapped inside an old castle on an island, trapped with her emotions given life, has worked very hard to figure out a way out of this life. But how? It can't be possible. Espirda has made sure of that.
Beau has been abandoned by his friends, caught in the middle of stealing everything they could from the mysterious castle. Destroying the bridge on their way out, he's left here with the monsters within, just as Arabella has been.
Only when they begin to work together is there hope. Slow, but very good.
Beau has been abandoned by his friends, caught in the middle of stealing everything they could from the mysterious castle. Destroying the bridge on their way out, he's left here with the monsters within, just as Arabella has been.
Only when they begin to work together is there hope. Slow, but very good.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
BEASTLY BEAUTY, to me, was full of promise but underdelivered. It had a really wonderful premise, a gender flipped Beauty and the Beast, and, as one of my favorite movies, I was hoping I would love the book. However, I felt that the character development was lacking, the story itself was a bit confusing and rushed, and was more juvenile, almost middle grade, than I expected.
With all of that being said, I am in the minority. A lot of early reviewers really liked this book, and with the parts that I read that were well done, for good reason. I loved how the author made the FMC, Arabella (get it?) "beastly" because she did not fit into the stereotypical woman of her time period. She had hopes and dreams beyond just marriage and being biddable and silent. I thought that this was a great twist and spin on this retelling and is one of the main things I liked about it.
However, there were a lot of things that I struggled with while reading this book. The two main characters really don't interact or engage much until about halfway through the book. I'm all for a slow burn, but this felt unnecessarily long. And when they did interact, it wasn't enough for me to understand how they could possibly fall in love. They felt one dimensional and bland. This wasn't helped by the story being confusing. There were lots of POV shifts, and some side characters had a lot of time in the book that really didn't seem to serve a purpose. "Mysteries" were mysteries because the characters just never followed up. There's a wolf attacking people and attacks the MMC multiple times? Let's just move on to the next scene.
Quite honestly, I think it has to do with the story itself. I echo other early reviewers who are saying that this book trends more towards middle grade readers than young adults. For those readers, this book would be a great read: it has romance, a positive message, magical realism, and is age appropriate.
Overall, I think this book would be perfect for older elementary and middle school individuals. But for an older audience, I think they might have the same problems I did when reading. Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
BEASTLY BEAUTY is Jennifer Donnelly’s gender-switched retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and it is everything you would expect in a novel written by Ms. Donnelly. While the castle’s occupants aren’t furniture or other household items, they are as much a part of the curse as Arabella is. Unlike the Disney version, the castle occupants do not see Beau as the answer to the curse but rather another failure waiting to happen. There are other stark differences as well. Beau and Arabella both have some major trauma in their past, and both must work to overcome that trauma before either can obtain peace and happiness. Also, unlike most fairy tales, true love’s kiss is not the key here. There is another form of love Ms. Donnelly deems more important than true love, and it is the one thing I most appreciate about BEASTLY BEAUTY. While it is still a fairy tale and it follows the fairy tale formula, the “rescue” comes in a completely different form - one better suited for the modern reader. My only complaint with BEASTLY BEAUTY is that it happens too fast. Ms. Donnelly’s world is so lush, and all of her characters are larger than life. I wanted more time with them all, especially because Ms. Donnelly does not publish novels as frequently as some of her contemporaries, and I know it will be another few years before we get our next novel from her. Still, all of her novels are worth the wait, and BEASTLY BEAUTY Is no different in that regard!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes