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A review by marshmallowbooks
Belle: A Retelling of "beauty and the Beast" by Cameron Dokey
2.0
I am a huge fan of fairy tales retold, and Cameron Dokey is one of the authors I enjoy reading in this series. However, this one fell a little short of my expectations, at least as far as the storyline was concerned.
I thought Dokey's approach to the fairy tale was engaging, and Belle's reflections on Beauty, with a capital B, thought-provoking. I also liked that there were no evil, ugly step-family members, or un-step-family members, or other individuals who are there for readers to dislike, as tend to be included among the characters in stories such as this, whether or not they were there originally.
However, I felt that the back story and build-up preceding the classic fairy tale was a bit drawn out, leaving the fairy tale to be wrapped up rather quickly, with little further development of characters or plot. I would have liked to get to know the Beast as well as I felt I knew Belle and her sisters, Celeste and April. But all I got was a short summary of Belle's frustrating time at the Beast's castle, unable to fulfill her role there, then suddenly pining for him when she returned to her family. There was no real evidence for me that the relationship between Belle and the Beast had grown into one of love. It was just all of a sudden that way. Of course, that could have been the point.
I thought Dokey's approach to the fairy tale was engaging, and Belle's reflections on Beauty, with a capital B, thought-provoking. I also liked that there were no evil, ugly step-family members, or un-step-family members, or other individuals who are there for readers to dislike, as tend to be included among the characters in stories such as this, whether or not they were there originally.
However, I felt that the back story and build-up preceding the classic fairy tale was a bit drawn out, leaving the fairy tale to be wrapped up rather quickly, with little further development of characters or plot. I would have liked to get to know the Beast as well as I felt I knew Belle and her sisters, Celeste and April. But all I got was a short summary of Belle's frustrating time at the Beast's castle, unable to fulfill her role there, then suddenly pining for him when she returned to her family. There was no real evidence for me that the relationship between Belle and the Beast had grown into one of love. It was just all of a sudden that way. Of course, that could have been the point.