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A review by theamyleblanc
Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is easily the most creative Beauty & the Beast adaptation I've ever read!
I was hooked from the very beginning. The elements you expect to see in a Beauty & the Beast story were all there but they were reimagined in inventive and impactful ways. Beau's first encounter with the castle and the Beast was more thrilling and harrowing than others. The sense of magic, of not-rightness, was woven through the story in ebbs and flows that pulled me further in.
That said, the magic system or curse or whatever you want to call it wasn't explained very well. We get a bit of an explanation at the end but it felt haphazard and forced. In addition to that, there were a lot of things that felt anachronistic. The setting isn't described in immense detail but I still felt that the castle was situated on the French side of the border with Spain. It felt like it fell post-Black Death but pre-Renaissance in time. But words like "cancer" and the variety of names used stuck out in an odd way.
Arabella and Beau have incredible character arcs. There were moments that felt too easy but others were hard-won. It was a pleasure to see.
I enjoyed the social commentary at play here! It was done in an entertaining, gradual way that was easily understood. It felt like a continuation of the conversation started by the original tale, added to and updated for a modern audience.
I'd happily recommend this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Scholastic, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked from the very beginning. The elements you expect to see in a Beauty & the Beast story were all there but they were reimagined in inventive and impactful ways. Beau's first encounter with the castle and the Beast was more thrilling and harrowing than others. The sense of magic, of not-rightness, was woven through the story in ebbs and flows that pulled me further in.
That said, the magic system or curse or whatever you want to call it wasn't explained very well. We get a bit of an explanation at the end but it felt haphazard and forced. In addition to that, there were a lot of things that felt anachronistic. The setting isn't described in immense detail but I still felt that the castle was situated on the French side of the border with Spain. It felt like it fell post-Black Death but pre-Renaissance in time. But words like "cancer" and the variety of names used stuck out in an odd way.
Arabella and Beau have incredible character arcs. There were moments that felt too easy but others were hard-won. It was a pleasure to see.
I enjoyed the social commentary at play here! It was done in an entertaining, gradual way that was easily understood. It felt like a continuation of the conversation started by the original tale, added to and updated for a modern audience.
I'd happily recommend this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Scholastic, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.