A review by story_singer_101
Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I think this just wasn't the book for me. It had some very creative elements and twists on the Beauty and the Beast story that I'd never seen in a Beauty and the Beast retelling before, and I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator and Beau's perspective. I had a harder time with the way the themes were handled and the fact that it was they overt, which made it feel more like telling than showing at times. I also struggled with Arabella's perspective as it hit too many of the YA character tropes for me. I think younger me would have absolutely adored this book, and I'm a little sad I didn't read it back then when I would have devoured it and been enraptured. Even where I am now, I enjoyed Jennifer Donnely's creativity. It just wasn't the book for the season I'm in.