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A review by rereader33
The Witch and the Beast, Vol. 1 by Kousuke Satake
5.0
I cannot BELIEVE I was going to pass on this book.
I loved this debut volume. From the stunning artwork to the intriguing premise to the characters, this volume had everything I could ask for and more. Before I discuss my favorite aspect, the characters, I want to discuss what makes this series so special: the twist on the fairytale script.
Generally speaking, fairytale heroines have the same default personality: demure, soft-spoken, and most importantly, a woe-is-me mentality. You'd think someone who's put in horrific situations would deviate from these personality traits, but apparently not. Obviously, this is because a) most of these tales were written by men with a strict view of how a woman/girl should act and b) having them be inherently good and pure makes them more likable and will make readers cheer them on. What I love about Guideau, our "damsel in distress," is that she has a MOTHERFUCKING TEMPER.
Guideau's personality is so refreshing because she wants revenge on the witch for cursing her and is pissed nearly 24/7, and honestly can you blame her? From what I can tell, she's been cursed so that her powers have been taken out of her indomitable, monstrous form and into a powerless, human form. Who wouldn't be pissed about that? And while many fairytale heroines go on quests to fix their circumstances, curses or not, the biggest difference again is Guideau's rage. I don't think I've read a single fairytale where the heroine is angry about what's happened to her; she's usually sad and waits for someone to fix it for her, or is determined to fix it, but determination and anger are not the same thing.
The other, more amusing, aspect of her character is that there are 3 methods to removing a witch's curse: 1. Have a prince give a true kiss 2. Hope that the witch has a change of heart and removes it 3. Touch the lips of the witch that cursed you. Now, ORDINARILY most women/girls would aim for method #1 as finding the witch that cursed them would be more difficult. But Guideau? NOPE! We're goin' for method #3, folks! And THAT'S what I love about her! Going for the option that offers her revenge! I will admit her character is pretty one-dimensional right now, but I am looking forward to seeing how her character grows.
But now I want to gush about Ashaf's and Guideau's character designs because I LOVE THEM. I love the dark circles surrounding Ashaf's eyes and how bright they are. It's such a stunning contrast and his effeminate design adds to that (plus, love his piercings!) Guideau's design is striking as well, with her prominent fangs, cat-like eyes, and long hair. Her piercings really add to it as well and she comes off as beautiful but dangerous.
Okay, I think I've raved long enough, I'll wrap this up. Basically, I really enjoyed this first volume and am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you're looking for a twisted fairytale with some badass characters, give this one a read.
I loved this debut volume. From the stunning artwork to the intriguing premise to the characters, this volume had everything I could ask for and more. Before I discuss my favorite aspect, the characters, I want to discuss what makes this series so special: the twist on the fairytale script.
Generally speaking, fairytale heroines have the same default personality: demure, soft-spoken, and most importantly, a woe-is-me mentality. You'd think someone who's put in horrific situations would deviate from these personality traits, but apparently not. Obviously, this is because a) most of these tales were written by men with a strict view of how a woman/girl should act and b) having them be inherently good and pure makes them more likable and will make readers cheer them on. What I love about Guideau, our "damsel in distress," is that she has a MOTHERFUCKING TEMPER.
Guideau's personality is so refreshing because she wants revenge on the witch for cursing her and is pissed nearly 24/7, and honestly can you blame her? From what I can tell, she's been cursed so that her powers have been taken out of her indomitable, monstrous form and into a powerless, human form. Who wouldn't be pissed about that? And while many fairytale heroines go on quests to fix their circumstances, curses or not, the biggest difference again is Guideau's rage. I don't think I've read a single fairytale where the heroine is angry about what's happened to her; she's usually sad and waits for someone to fix it for her, or is determined to fix it, but determination and anger are not the same thing.
The other, more amusing, aspect of her character is that there are 3 methods to removing a witch's curse: 1. Have a prince give a true kiss 2. Hope that the witch has a change of heart and removes it 3. Touch the lips of the witch that cursed you. Now, ORDINARILY most women/girls would aim for method #1 as finding the witch that cursed them would be more difficult. But Guideau? NOPE! We're goin' for method #3, folks! And THAT'S what I love about her! Going for the option that offers her revenge! I will admit her character is pretty one-dimensional right now, but I am looking forward to seeing how her character grows.
But now I want to gush about Ashaf's and Guideau's character designs because I LOVE THEM. I love the dark circles surrounding Ashaf's eyes and how bright they are. It's such a stunning contrast and his effeminate design adds to that (plus, love his piercings!) Guideau's design is striking as well, with her prominent fangs, cat-like eyes, and long hair. Her piercings really add to it as well and she comes off as beautiful but dangerous.
Okay, I think I've raved long enough, I'll wrap this up. Basically, I really enjoyed this first volume and am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you're looking for a twisted fairytale with some badass characters, give this one a read.