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sm_almon's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
I'm running out of superlatives to apply to T. Kingfisher's books... this Beauty and the Beast-inspired fantasy romance is exquisite, and the darker elements of this story - that rose is a really nasty one! - add excitement and drama to the romance as well. A more mature female main character and her entertaining relationship with her siblings enhanced my enjoyment of this story as well. I loved this book and can't wait to continue my journey through the Kingfisher backlog.
kusine's review
dark
funny
mysterious
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? No
3.75
jellievayas's review
3.0
Not my favorite of Kingfisher's novels, but still a nice retelling of beauty and the beast
tiffany_sostar's review against another edition
4.25
I liked everything about this book except that Bryony is 17. She reads like mid-20s and that would have been better.
liza_loo_who's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
milavis's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
symbra9's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
4.75
A magical and fun read that I loved. Full of gardening and humor with enough seriousness to take it all seriously. The ending was perfect!
chia_s's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
rene_gade's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I love this book too much and can't wait until I forget the details so I can reread. The humour is there and the female main character is funny, resourceful, and has realistic flaws that don't make you roll your eyes and want to bash her over the head with a rutabaga. It is a lovely and fresh retelling of a classic story without reducing the characters to caricatures. The naming of the first victim as Beauty was a bit too on the nose but in the moment I squealed happily . I came to really love House and I got a bit teary when it started falling apart while still trying to help them . The secondary characters were a bit lackluster and I'm not sure why they were there as the inclusion didn't add to the story in a significant way.
The ominous moments were written quite well and the love story was more show not tell which was nice. Looking back I suppose it's not very clear as to whythey would fall in love but it still felt believable.
Critiques: I wish the story would have leaned into the dark aspects a bit more bc they were so well done and teased. There is also no major character development as both main characters were pretty well rounded to begin with.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact thatBeast remains a beast in the end and that Bryony isn't specifically gorgeous . I felt that really conveyed the point of the classic tale. While I was hoping for some more romance I understand that in this case it might not be everyone's cup of tea. I would suggest not trying to figure out the mystery and to just go along for the ride!
The ominous moments were written quite well and the love story was more show not tell which was nice. Looking back I suppose it's not very clear as to why
Critiques: I wish the story would have leaned into the dark aspects a bit more bc they were so well done and teased. There is also no major character development as both main characters were pretty well rounded to begin with.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact that
whosevita's review against another edition
5.0
Second read 2024:
-
"He turned to her, and took both her hands. His eyes were beautiful and golden, and his face was hideous. And Bryony loved him"
//
This book still SLAPS. Upon rereading it I couldn't help but draw parallels from the house (as creature and as magic) to AI. It can create things by mixing all that it knows, but the things are hollow inside. It isn't a real thing but just a wild combination of all the knowledge the house has; it can write books, but the books are just a couple words over and over again.
Two souls try to find some purpose in a house where everything is created for them. But the thing that House creates has no soul. It can create clocks, but it only ticks on magic and doesn't actually work because the house doesn't understand clockwork. It just reminds of the way AI can make a painting of something like a crowd of people or a house, but when you look closely all the faces are smudged or the architecture is sludge.
That's why the Beast chooses to still make art (or clockwork) because only he knows the actual inner workings of creating.
I don't think Kingfisher wrote it as an allegory on purpose since the book was written way before Chat.GPT came to the market. But it is strangely comforting to me as an artist in the midst of the AI crisis.
-
First read 2022:
-
This book was everything I've ever wanted from a beauty and the beast retelling. Beauty and the Beast except the Beauty isn't beautiful and the beast doesn't turn human in the end. (Really, why does a story about INNER beauty always ends with both the MC's both being physically beautiful in the end). Amazing added intrigue and an expensian of the fairytale making it more complex and interesting than before.
I was a little let down after reading "the twisted ones" but this one really set me straight. Kingfisher has proven once again that in writing romance she is just one of my absolute favourites. At the end of her books you always believe in the romance. Your truly believe, these people will last. Is a large reason for that the romance build by healthy conversation and interaction? YES.
The beast was just so lovable. Is it my inner monster-lover or my love for emotionally damaged, melancholic lords sulking in their lonesome castles, retaining their sharp wit even as the days flounder by? Probably both.
You could easily emphasise with his insecurity about his beastly form. And it made Bryony loving him that much more satisfying.
And the FMC was the usual funny, independent, average looking but with a heart of gold protagonist. I kept forgetting that she was supposed to be seventeen though. Kingfisher mostly writes middle aged (or at least in their 30s) female characters but for the story that the girl is paired with someone that's like 200 years old, she picks a seventeen year old girl. Why???
Besides that -which I don't think is that agregious (fairytale logic and all)- she didn't read like seventeen. She read like a 20 something woman who had her live together. So why just not make her older? Maybe for that young adult label authors seem the covet nowadays?
Anyway.
The way Kingfisher writes her horror/scarier elements is always so good. She has this way of writing sort of gloomy horror. Another dimension filled with looming willow trees that seem to murder people but no one knows how (The Hollow Places) or in this case a forgotten mansion with an unknown voice, moving the characters like pawns. UGH its just so good!! I will never stop loving how Kingfisher is able to relish on the scary details of ordinary things. Like roses. If you think about it, those thorny fuckers ARE kind of scary.
-
"He turned to her, and took both her hands. His eyes were beautiful and golden, and his face was hideous. And Bryony loved him"
//
This book still SLAPS. Upon rereading it I couldn't help but draw parallels from the house (as creature and as magic) to AI. It can create things by mixing all that it knows, but the things are hollow inside. It isn't a real thing but just a wild combination of all the knowledge the house has; it can write books, but the books are just a couple words over and over again.
Two souls try to find some purpose in a house where everything is created for them. But the thing that House creates has no soul. It can create clocks, but it only ticks on magic and doesn't actually work because the house doesn't understand clockwork. It just reminds of the way AI can make a painting of something like a crowd of people or a house, but when you look closely all the faces are smudged or the architecture is sludge.
That's why the Beast chooses to still make art (or clockwork) because only he knows the actual inner workings of creating.
I don't think Kingfisher wrote it as an allegory on purpose since the book was written way before Chat.GPT came to the market. But it is strangely comforting to me as an artist in the midst of the AI crisis.
-
First read 2022:
-
This book was everything I've ever wanted from a beauty and the beast retelling. Beauty and the Beast except the Beauty isn't beautiful and the beast doesn't turn human in the end. (Really, why does a story about INNER beauty always ends with both the MC's both being physically beautiful in the end). Amazing added intrigue and an expensian of the fairytale making it more complex and interesting than before.
I was a little let down after reading "the twisted ones" but this one really set me straight. Kingfisher has proven once again that in writing romance she is just one of my absolute favourites. At the end of her books you always believe in the romance. Your truly believe, these people will last. Is a large reason for that the romance build by healthy conversation and interaction? YES.
The beast was just so lovable. Is it my inner monster-lover or my love for emotionally damaged, melancholic lords sulking in their lonesome castles, retaining their sharp wit even as the days flounder by? Probably both.
You could easily emphasise with his insecurity about his beastly form. And it made Bryony loving him that much more satisfying.
And the FMC was the usual funny, independent, average looking but with a heart of gold protagonist. I kept forgetting that she was supposed to be seventeen though. Kingfisher mostly writes middle aged (or at least in their 30s) female characters but for the story that the girl is paired with someone that's like 200 years old, she picks a seventeen year old girl. Why???
Besides that -which I don't think is that agregious (fairytale logic and all)- she didn't read like seventeen. She read like a 20 something woman who had her live together. So why just not make her older? Maybe for that young adult label authors seem the covet nowadays?
Anyway.
The way Kingfisher writes her horror/scarier elements is always so good. She has this way of writing sort of gloomy horror. Another dimension filled with looming willow trees that seem to murder people but no one knows how (The Hollow Places) or in this case a forgotten mansion with an unknown voice, moving the characters like pawns. UGH its just so good!! I will never stop loving how Kingfisher is able to relish on the scary details of ordinary things. Like roses. If you think about it, those thorny fuckers ARE kind of scary.