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ashefaye 's review for:
Rebel Rose
by Emma Theriault
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm not even gonna bother with content warnings. Just know that this story is about the French Revolution and there's your warning.
Normally I don't rant review, but unfortunately with this book that's what I have to do. The author's concept for this book sounded very interesting, but unfortunately it wasn't executed very well. I just don't think Disney characters fit into a major time of history. Furthermore, these really weren't the characters that I know and love from Beauty and the Beast. I don't want to doubt the author having love for this movie, but I think she needs to watch it again.
First off, Belle and Beast, who is now human and named Lio, seem to have a lot of trauma surrounding the curse. It's almost to the point where they seem to need a lot of time in therapy. Yet, I fail to see where Belle has trauma with the curse. The other characters, especially the Beast, I can understand but Belle? The only trauma I can see from her is when Beast is killed and then revived. It also plays on the trauma of her being locked in the castle. If you have actually watched the movie, you'll know that:
1. Belle was "locked" in the castle, but none of the servants took it seriously. They literally were just excited that she might be the girl to break their curse.
2. After the incident with the rose in the west wing, Belle literally runs out the front door. It wasn't locked. Then she gets attacked by wolves, the Beast saves her, and she's still about to continue running away until she realizes maybe the Beast has a good heart.
So there's no reason for her fear of being locked up again, when she was never locked up in the first place.
I really didn't understand Belle not wanting the title of being Queen. Sorry, but that's not the Belle I know from the movie. The Belle that I know is strong, confident, willing to learn and teach, also willing to see the good in people. This Belle was really timid and closed off from others. Like she kept saying she just wanted to be Belle and not be among the nobles. What? Belle questioning her position because of her previous status, sure I can make sense of that, but she knows she can lead and that she would be good for her people. So why is she brushing off her ideas and status and letting men make the decisions instead?! Also a lot of the problems in this story would've been resolved if Beast/Prince and Belle had a conversation. She doesn't want to say anything because it'll make things worse. Well guess what happens because she doesn't say anything?! They finally have a conversation in the 4th to last chapter and guess what gets resolved! Man, this would've been a novella if they had just talked.
My last minor thoughts are that the new villain was unnecessary. The whole story would've played out the same even if he wasn't there. Cogsworth was a huge jerk throughout the book, which is nothing of what he's like in the movie. Yeah he's strict but he doesn't treat Belle like trash beneath him. The inclusivity of LGBTQ+ characters wasn't needed. I understand it, but it added nothing to the story or characters and just felt like it was put in for marketing or something. I also skim read the last 100 pages and literally missed nothing. Even the big climax wasn't anything crazy.
I wish I could like this book but it just took on such a dark and boring tone. It didn't fit at all with the beauty and magic of the Disney movie. I could understand it if the inspiration had come from the French Revolution and was entirely rewritten to fit the world of Beauty and the Beast. Instead we tried to smash history with fantasy and it just didn't work.
Normally I don't rant review, but unfortunately with this book that's what I have to do. The author's concept for this book sounded very interesting, but unfortunately it wasn't executed very well. I just don't think Disney characters fit into a major time of history. Furthermore, these really weren't the characters that I know and love from Beauty and the Beast. I don't want to doubt the author having love for this movie, but I think she needs to watch it again.
First off, Belle and Beast, who is now human and named Lio, seem to have a lot of trauma surrounding the curse. It's almost to the point where they seem to need a lot of time in therapy. Yet, I fail to see where Belle has trauma with the curse. The other characters, especially the Beast, I can understand but Belle? The only trauma I can see from her is when Beast is killed and then revived. It also plays on the trauma of her being locked in the castle. If you have actually watched the movie, you'll know that:
1. Belle was "locked" in the castle, but none of the servants took it seriously. They literally were just excited that she might be the girl to break their curse.
2. After the incident with the rose in the west wing, Belle literally runs out the front door. It wasn't locked. Then she gets attacked by wolves, the Beast saves her, and she's still about to continue running away until she realizes maybe the Beast has a good heart.
So there's no reason for her fear of being locked up again, when she was never locked up in the first place.
I really didn't understand Belle not wanting the title of being Queen. Sorry, but that's not the Belle I know from the movie. The Belle that I know is strong, confident, willing to learn and teach, also willing to see the good in people. This Belle was really timid and closed off from others. Like she kept saying she just wanted to be Belle and not be among the nobles. What? Belle questioning her position because of her previous status, sure I can make sense of that, but she knows she can lead and that she would be good for her people. So why is she brushing off her ideas and status and letting men make the decisions instead?! Also a lot of the problems in this story would've been resolved if Beast/Prince and Belle had a conversation. She doesn't want to say anything because it'll make things worse. Well guess what happens because she doesn't say anything?! They finally have a conversation in the 4th to last chapter and guess what gets resolved! Man, this would've been a novella if they had just talked.
My last minor thoughts are that the new villain was unnecessary. The whole story would've played out the same even if he wasn't there. Cogsworth was a huge jerk throughout the book, which is nothing of what he's like in the movie. Yeah he's strict but he doesn't treat Belle like trash beneath him. The inclusivity of LGBTQ+ characters wasn't needed. I understand it, but it added nothing to the story or characters and just felt like it was put in for marketing or something. I also skim read the last 100 pages and literally missed nothing. Even the big climax wasn't anything crazy.
I wish I could like this book but it just took on such a dark and boring tone. It didn't fit at all with the beauty and magic of the Disney movie. I could understand it if the inspiration had come from the French Revolution and was entirely rewritten to fit the world of Beauty and the Beast. Instead we tried to smash history with fantasy and it just didn't work.