4.0

Robin McKinley's retelling of this famous tale really is a beauty! I quite enjoy fairy tale retellings, if done right, and this one was very, very good. (It's really a 4.5 star-rating.)

I find I prefer it when a retelling stays in the realm of "long long ago," rather than putting in random present-day cultural references which will date the story in a few years' time. McKinley creates a world to which we can connect without bringing it too far from its original setting.

The characters of Beauty and the Beast are both appealing and I spent the story getting to know them and looking forward to their happy ending (oh, you know it's coming - it's a retelling after all).

Highly recommended for any fairy tale fan!