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A review by reveriesociety
Enchant: Beauty and the Beast Retold by Demelza Carlton
2.0
I love love B&B retellings but I was very disappointed with this one.
I went in cautiously, but also pretty excited because I was dying for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. In the end, it was just... it was pretty dull. I don't see the point of anything.
There is an abuse scene right at the beginning. And I remember thinking 'Okaay, this is going to be way deeper and darker than I'd initially expected.' Everytime there is abuse in a story, I'm paying close attention, because it is not something you can use whenever you please to make your character more interesting.
I feel this book danced precariously on that line. Because while it did have consequences on this character's perceptions, something was off about the cause and effect situation. I didn't perceive those effects beyond the MC's decision to swear off men.
Something that also bothered me was the absence of the beast we all love to no end. I mean, nice and gentle men are lovely and one of god's gifts to the world, but if I read something based off Beauty and the Beast, I go in with certain expectations.
For example, the beast needs to be a grumpy cinammon roll that secretely pines for love. SECRETELY. AS IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF HIS BEASTLY HEART.
Instead, this prince was different. I could almost hear him asking:
"Can you find it in your heart to love me? Can you? Please just let me luv u!" (Quote NOT taken literally from the text, but comes pretty close."
So, I would go with the GR rating here and say it was OK, but not what I expected.
I went in cautiously, but also pretty excited because I was dying for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. In the end, it was just... it was pretty dull. I don't see the point of anything.
There is an abuse scene right at the beginning. And I remember thinking 'Okaay, this is going to be way deeper and darker than I'd initially expected.' Everytime there is abuse in a story, I'm paying close attention, because it is not something you can use whenever you please to make your character more interesting.
I feel this book danced precariously on that line. Because while it did have consequences on this character's perceptions, something was off about the cause and effect situation. I didn't perceive those effects beyond the MC's decision to swear off men.
Something that also bothered me was the absence of the beast we all love to no end. I mean, nice and gentle men are lovely and one of god's gifts to the world, but if I read something based off Beauty and the Beast, I go in with certain expectations.
For example, the beast needs to be a grumpy cinammon roll that secretely pines for love. SECRETELY. AS IN THE VERY DEPTHS OF HIS BEASTLY HEART.
Instead, this prince was different. I could almost hear him asking:
"Can you find it in your heart to love me? Can you? Please just let me luv u!" (Quote NOT taken literally from the text, but comes pretty close."
So, I would go with the GR rating here and say it was OK, but not what I expected.