This is one of my all time favorite books. I have read this book maybe four or more times. This last time I read it in less than three days thanks to my new glasses. I cannot tell you how excited I am at my new reading ability. I have not finished a book in over a year I hate to say. So I decided with my new talent I wanted to start doing book reviews of all the adventures I take. I love reading and I feel like it is such a gift we have to be able to learn and go on adventures just by reading. Maybe I am old fashioned but I would rather curl up with a good book than binge watch Netflix any day.
Beauty A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & the Beast by Robin McKinley will capture the hearts of those who love Beauty and the Beast. It does not follow the typical Disney plot line. I love that about it though. I always loved the Disney version but felt it just was not believable and felt to much like a fairy tale. Robin make it real and tangible. Instead of being an only child Beauty has 2 sisters. Her mother passed away when she was a child. Her father is the owner of a ship company in the city. They are very wealthy and the typical city girls of that time. Beauty is different though she is plainer and loves to read. She was not into courting and looking for guys but into books and horses. The fathers ship company takes a turn for the worst and he is forced to sell and move his family to the country where living is affordable. That is how they end up on the edge of the Beasts forest.
They end up moving their with one of the daughters fiancé who got a blacksmith job in the town of Blue Hill. The girls and their father are forced into a new life of labor and poverty. You get to follow the details of their life in the new land. They learn that enchantments and magic are believed in this new place and are not something to laugh about. They are told never to enter the forest for it is not safe because of this magic. The father eventually hears word that he has one ship that returned in the city that needs him to attend to. The father travels back and takes care of it. He returns weeks later on a blizzard night to come home. He has a rose in his hand and give it to Beauty. She is so pleased and the father mentions to what a huge price that rose came at. He doesn't leak the story till morning. When he tells the family of the castle and how he was welcome and fed and taken care. Then he tells of the lovely gardens and how he took a rose for Beauty but then a terrible Beast appeared and told him he must bring one of his daughters back in return for his life. He has one month to return alone to his death or bring one of his daughters that would willingly give her freedom for his life.
Beauty volunteers and after arguing the family complies. They mystery and adventure that awaits Beauty is so what I had dreamed. It is not like the Disney version at all. She doesn't try and tame the Beast. Instead the Beast truly tries to win her love. It is so romantic because in a gentle way the Beast tries to woo and pursue her. He makes her feel safe over time. He loves her more than his own life it self. It is a true story of love. Not the falling in lust and fairy tale dreams love, but a love that lasts. A love that is so pure and so true it is not based on outward appearances but of genuine care and love.
I cannot tell you how many little girl moments I have when reading this book. I giggle and blush! A part of me has always wanted a love like that. I had always wanted that pure deep devotion. Not to mention I would have loved the castle. Yes please I want personal maids and a kitchen staff. This book is not sexual at all. It is clean with no cursing. It is not scary for you never hear about the details of the Beasts temper. It is an amazing love story. I highly recommend it. If you are anything like me you won't be able to put it down till you are too tired to read any more.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! You can pick it up a Amazon or I got my copy at a local Half Priced Books. I seriously hope you will give it a try. This book has brought me such joy over the years and has taught me to dream again.
Beauty A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & the Beast by Robin McKinley will capture the hearts of those who love Beauty and the Beast. It does not follow the typical Disney plot line. I love that about it though. I always loved the Disney version but felt it just was not believable and felt to much like a fairy tale. Robin make it real and tangible. Instead of being an only child Beauty has 2 sisters. Her mother passed away when she was a child. Her father is the owner of a ship company in the city. They are very wealthy and the typical city girls of that time. Beauty is different though she is plainer and loves to read. She was not into courting and looking for guys but into books and horses. The fathers ship company takes a turn for the worst and he is forced to sell and move his family to the country where living is affordable. That is how they end up on the edge of the Beasts forest.
They end up moving their with one of the daughters fiancé who got a blacksmith job in the town of Blue Hill. The girls and their father are forced into a new life of labor and poverty. You get to follow the details of their life in the new land. They learn that enchantments and magic are believed in this new place and are not something to laugh about. They are told never to enter the forest for it is not safe because of this magic. The father eventually hears word that he has one ship that returned in the city that needs him to attend to. The father travels back and takes care of it. He returns weeks later on a blizzard night to come home. He has a rose in his hand and give it to Beauty. She is so pleased and the father mentions to what a huge price that rose came at. He doesn't leak the story till morning. When he tells the family of the castle and how he was welcome and fed and taken care. Then he tells of the lovely gardens and how he took a rose for Beauty but then a terrible Beast appeared and told him he must bring one of his daughters back in return for his life. He has one month to return alone to his death or bring one of his daughters that would willingly give her freedom for his life.
Beauty volunteers and after arguing the family complies. They mystery and adventure that awaits Beauty is so what I had dreamed. It is not like the Disney version at all. She doesn't try and tame the Beast. Instead the Beast truly tries to win her love. It is so romantic because in a gentle way the Beast tries to woo and pursue her. He makes her feel safe over time. He loves her more than his own life it self. It is a true story of love. Not the falling in lust and fairy tale dreams love, but a love that lasts. A love that is so pure and so true it is not based on outward appearances but of genuine care and love.
I cannot tell you how many little girl moments I have when reading this book. I giggle and blush! A part of me has always wanted a love like that. I had always wanted that pure deep devotion. Not to mention I would have loved the castle. Yes please I want personal maids and a kitchen staff. This book is not sexual at all. It is clean with no cursing. It is not scary for you never hear about the details of the Beasts temper. It is an amazing love story. I highly recommend it. If you are anything like me you won't be able to put it down till you are too tired to read any more.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! You can pick it up a Amazon or I got my copy at a local Half Priced Books. I seriously hope you will give it a try. This book has brought me such joy over the years and has taught me to dream again.
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