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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
A film I have seen countless times (both the original and the new versions of course!) however have never actually read the book. Well after owning this amazing edition created by MinaLima I absolutely had to finally get round to reading it!
In this book (if you weren't already aware of the story) we follow a prince who is cursed to become a beast for all time unless he can learn to love and be loved in return. Enter Belle, a beautiful young girl with a heart of gold. She rescues her father from the beast's castle and is forced to stay there forever as punishment. Can the curse be broken?
Like I said before, I absolutely love this film and so was really looking forward to reading the original story. However I quickly realised that the book and film are incredibly different. At the start of the book we learn more about Belle and her family, the story begins to make more sense as to why Belle is so devoted to her father and why she only asked for a rose. I particularly liked this part as it was easy to see how it can class as a fairy tale and explains so many unanswered questions that the film just glazes over.
From there the story for me somewhat slowed, the days became repetitive and had none of the magic of the film. However by no means was it bad, it just didn't live up to my views of the film. At about 3/4 of the way through though and where the film version finishes we find out exactly why the beast was cursed and what happened to all the people that lived there. Where as normally I love any additional information to learn more about the characters I love, this time it just became confusing. I had to reread several parts because so many new characters were introduced in such a short space of time.
Don't get me wrong it was interesting to read the original story and how the film was influenced by it. However for me it just lacked something special, maybe it was because I hold the film in such high regard and expected the book to be of the same level but it was different in its own way. I'm torn with reviewing this book, it wasn't a bad book, it was beautifully written and a true fairytale however if you are like me and want it to be as special as the film then I think you'll be disappointed.
Therefore I think ultimately I would recommend this book, it is a good book although a little confusing towards the end. It is a great story and beautifully written. I liked how the fantasy elements were slotted into the story making it sound so natural. If you like fantasy realism then I think you will enjoy this book. However for me it isn't a 5* because I went in to it comparing it to the film which I know is wrong but without my love for the film I never would have picked up the book to begin with.
My advice to you is to go into it with the understanding that it is its own story, it is unlike the film with only some certain parts that are alike. Don't make my mistake and try to compare the two. Also if you can afford it definitely pick up the MinaLima copy, it is beautiful and definitely adds to the beauty of the story.
In this book (if you weren't already aware of the story) we follow a prince who is cursed to become a beast for all time unless he can learn to love and be loved in return. Enter Belle, a beautiful young girl with a heart of gold. She rescues her father from the beast's castle and is forced to stay there forever as punishment. Can the curse be broken?
Like I said before, I absolutely love this film and so was really looking forward to reading the original story. However I quickly realised that the book and film are incredibly different. At the start of the book we learn more about Belle and her family, the story begins to make more sense as to why Belle is so devoted to her father and why she only asked for a rose. I particularly liked this part as it was easy to see how it can class as a fairy tale and explains so many unanswered questions that the film just glazes over.
From there the story for me somewhat slowed, the days became repetitive and had none of the magic of the film. However by no means was it bad, it just didn't live up to my views of the film. At about 3/4 of the way through though and where the film version finishes we find out exactly why the beast was cursed and what happened to all the people that lived there. Where as normally I love any additional information to learn more about the characters I love, this time it just became confusing. I had to reread several parts because so many new characters were introduced in such a short space of time.
Don't get me wrong it was interesting to read the original story and how the film was influenced by it. However for me it just lacked something special, maybe it was because I hold the film in such high regard and expected the book to be of the same level but it was different in its own way. I'm torn with reviewing this book, it wasn't a bad book, it was beautifully written and a true fairytale however if you are like me and want it to be as special as the film then I think you'll be disappointed.
Therefore I think ultimately I would recommend this book, it is a good book although a little confusing towards the end. It is a great story and beautifully written. I liked how the fantasy elements were slotted into the story making it sound so natural. If you like fantasy realism then I think you will enjoy this book. However for me it isn't a 5* because I went in to it comparing it to the film which I know is wrong but without my love for the film I never would have picked up the book to begin with.
My advice to you is to go into it with the understanding that it is its own story, it is unlike the film with only some certain parts that are alike. Don't make my mistake and try to compare the two. Also if you can afford it definitely pick up the MinaLima copy, it is beautiful and definitely adds to the beauty of the story.
3.5 stars, so I’ll round up.
The first half is perfectly fine but the second half is an overly elaborate backstory. I’m so glad that the story has been simplified over time and especially glad that Disney did what they did with the animated version, which will remain my favourite Beauty and the Beast adaptation ever.
I’m thankful for this author for writing the original (but the movie was better, in this case).
The first half is perfectly fine but the second half is an overly elaborate backstory. I’m so glad that the story has been simplified over time and especially glad that Disney did what they did with the animated version, which will remain my favourite Beauty and the Beast adaptation ever.
I’m thankful for this author for writing the original (but the movie was better, in this case).
Rating: 3/5
de Villeneuve's version of the story introduces familiar elements of the story - the daughter who takes her father's place, the enchanted rose, the enchanted castle. These are elements that have been distilled down into the most famous modern version - Disney's animated film.
I do like that this version originates so much of the story I first encountered growing up. That said, I'm very grateful that later versions dispensed with the dreams where the unknown knight appeared to Beauty. Those are rather pushy and suggestive, I feel.
The other negative thing about this version is how much it meanders. The story of Beauty's real mother and her true origins make her decidedly Mary-Sue-ish, which isn't endearing. de Beaumont's more streamlined version certainly improved the narrative, though I do find de Villeneuve's depiction of Beauty's mother as a fairy interesting, and it's not something that many retellings of the story (that I've encountered so far) actually explore.
de Villeneuve's version of the story introduces familiar elements of the story - the daughter who takes her father's place, the enchanted rose, the enchanted castle. These are elements that have been distilled down into the most famous modern version - Disney's animated film.
I do like that this version originates so much of the story I first encountered growing up. That said, I'm very grateful that later versions dispensed with the dreams where the unknown knight appeared to Beauty. Those are rather pushy and suggestive, I feel.
The other negative thing about this version is how much it meanders. The story of Beauty's real mother and her true origins make her decidedly Mary-Sue-ish, which isn't endearing. de Beaumont's more streamlined version certainly improved the narrative, though I do find de Villeneuve's depiction of Beauty's mother as a fairy interesting, and it's not something that many retellings of the story (that I've encountered so far) actually explore.
I am known to be a fairy tale enthusiast. I had always wanted to read the original tale of Beauty and the Beast. I was not disappointed. The magic and wonder bleeds out of the story. I loved reading all of the details that are often left out of the thousands of retellings that I have read and watched. If you loved the story of Beauty and the Beast you should 100% pick up the original tale.
I'm a sucker for all and anything Beauty and the Beast so I was very happy to read the original finally. It was good, different from what I'm used to but I still really enjoyed it. The only rough parts were sometimes getting used to the language used, but even that wasn't too bad.
reflective
slow-paced
Way different than the Disney version but I still liked it a lot. Was a challenging read for me personally. I want to revisit this again someday and see my growth as a reader. Probably the most difficult book I’ve ever read.
emotional
medium-paced
The Beauty and the Beast By Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve - This is an OG version of my favorite fairy tale! Happy Reading!
Reading the original "La Belle et la Bete" was a trip. I read it in English because I'm a dumb American and only speak one language. Whomp whomp - maybe it's more exquisite in the original French? I'll never know because learning French to read a single book is not on my to-do list.
The story itself was not what I expected. In most versions of Beauty and the Beast, the story concludes after Beauty agrees to marry the Beast and he transforms back into a prince. In Villeneuve's version, once Beauty agrees to marry the Beast, we are only at the halfway point. The next half of the book is entirely exposition.
And there is a lot of exposition.
The topics included in this "ending": are how an evil, ugly fairy transformed the prince into a beast, the story of the prince's mother, the truth behind Beauty's parentage, how her real parents met, and the course of their relationship, political drama on her true father's island, and the rules of fairies.
It is extensive and somewhat confusing, but the stories within the ending were engaging. Unfortunately, the book's pacing suffers due to all of this expository story. It's not fun to read a fairy tale and then read all of the machinations behind it (especially if those descriptions are more detailed than the actual story). I am glad to have read the original story because it contains an impressive roster of characters and has an interesting message.
I think that message is "appearances are deceiving" and "trust someone by their actions, not their fancy words or good looks," but it did get a bit lost in the massive tons of exposition towards the end of the story.
The story itself was not what I expected. In most versions of Beauty and the Beast, the story concludes after Beauty agrees to marry the Beast and he transforms back into a prince. In Villeneuve's version, once Beauty agrees to marry the Beast, we are only at the halfway point. The next half of the book is entirely exposition.
And there is a lot of exposition.
The topics included in this "ending": are how an evil, ugly fairy transformed the prince into a beast, the story of the prince's mother, the truth behind Beauty's parentage, how her real parents met, and the course of their relationship, political drama on her true father's island, and the rules of fairies.
It is extensive and somewhat confusing, but the stories within the ending were engaging. Unfortunately, the book's pacing suffers due to all of this expository story. It's not fun to read a fairy tale and then read all of the machinations behind it (especially if those descriptions are more detailed than the actual story). I am glad to have read the original story because it contains an impressive roster of characters and has an interesting message.
I think that message is "appearances are deceiving" and "trust someone by their actions, not their fancy words or good looks," but it did get a bit lost in the massive tons of exposition towards the end of the story.
This book is everything I would've loved to know about the story as a child. I don't know why Disney created such a film when this masterpiece exists. Getting to know Beauty, their family, the growing relationship between Beauty and the Beast and, lastly, that amazing second part... I guess it's the one less know but WHY? It's the best part (if you want to know what I'm talking about, go read it)
I highly recommend you to read it and explore new versions of this beautiful story
I highly recommend you to read it and explore new versions of this beautiful story