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Summary: I'm on my third copy!
Review: Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, and Robin McKinley's beautiful reworking of the "tale as old as time" just makes me love it even more. It's a feel-good story that I go back to time and time again, rereading my favorite parts. After wearing out two paperback copies, I finally invested in the hardcover edition. This masterful novel is perfect for young adults to children at heart. The proof? I'm a freshman in college, and earlier this year I read it aloud to my two roommates, who both adored it. And a literature course I'm taking right now has this wonderful novel on its reading list! Beauty is a strong, likeable heroine that adolescent girls will easily identify with. The Beast is a wise and noble character, and the reader finds it easy to care about him and empathize with him. Beauty's father, sisters, and brother-in-law are strong, warm supporting characters. This is the perfect novel.
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Summary: "Beauty" is a beautiful novel:)
Review: In Beauty, an new version of the classic tale, Beauty and the Beast, Robin McKinley does a spectacular job of bringing the story to life. This being McKinley's first novel, it is a wonderful debut and it is destined to become a classic, much like the original tale. We are introduced to Honour, nicknamed Beauty when she is born. Beauty grows up as a wealthy city girl, the youngest of three daughters of the renowned shipping merchant, Roderick Huston. She grows up with everything she desires, as many books and as much horseback riding as she could ever want. Her sister's and herself have never known anything besides the wealth they were born into until one fateful day. Her father had sent out four ships, and it was that dreadful day that he was notified that all four were lost to the seas in a whirlwind of unexpected storms. Having no money left, Beauty, her two older sister's and their father are forced to sell almost everything they own and move out to the country with Beauty's new brother-in-law, Gervain, who had just married her sister, Hope. The family becomes accustomed to country living and have a very uneventful life for two calm yeasr until Father hears that one of his ships has survived and he feels that he must go to the city to find out more. When Father returns in the midst of a snow storm, he has a terrifying tale to repeat full of doom that is imminent. He tells his tale of being lost in the forest and somehow stumbling through the gates of an enormous castle. He finds himself being taken care of by invisible servants, but no master. The next day as he is about to return home, he spots a wonderful rose garden, and stops to pick a rose for Beauty. Enraged that his rose was plucked, the master of the castle emerges and Father finds himself faced with a horrible beast. The beast tells him that either he or one of his daughters must return within a month, or Father will meet his doom. Beauty tells the family that she is to go, and she does, knowing that she will never see her family again. She befriends the beast out of loneliness and eventually finds herself falling for the unlikely creature. Will she be the one to break the enchantments set upon this castle by a hateful magician more then two centuries past by falling in love and marrying the Beast?? "Will you marry me, Beauty?" (244). Read the book, and you shall discover the answer to that question and more. This is the second book I have read of Robin McKinley's and I have yet to be disappointed. She writes with strength and intelligence, weaving an old tale into a new and more entrancing novel. Her characters are extremely well portrayed and her descriptions are perfect. After reading the book you felt as if you knew the characters. I was thoroughly impressed with her version of one of my personal favorite tales, and recommend it to anyone that loves a fairy tale, and is a mush ball at heart!
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Summary: I keep buying this book
Review: I keep buying this book... and giving it away. I am so glad that it has finally been reprinted in paperback form. It's a wonderful realistic retelling of a favorite fairy tale but let me make a suggestion, buy two. This is one you will want to share... but you won't want to be without it. Besides, your first copy will be read to death in no time. But it, read it, share it.
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Summary: An absolute beauty
Review: Although I had enjoyed Robin McKinley's work before, Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast was the book that made her my absolute favorite author. The tale is completely enchanting. I first read it when I was 14, and strongly identified with the intelligent, gangly, unnattractive (she thought) Beauty who would rather read than primp. McKinley totally captures the problems and concerns of a teenage girl -- without making Beauty into a stereotyped teenaged heroine. Part of her charm is that Beauty uanabshedly acts her age -- solemn, playful, loving, horse-mad... The Beast is equally well drawn, and the reader can't help falling in love with him along with Beauty. My copy of this book is well worn with many taped together pages. The book is a quick read, and a delightful one. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: My favorite version of the story
Review: Many versions of this story have been told but since I picked McKinley's version up over a decade ago, this has been my Favorite. She paces the story well, she follows classical fairy tale story telling by setting it in a world very close to ours and her characters are all very real people. She has taken the classical story line and done something that can be hard to do - followed it while keeping the reader interested in the story. I would (and have!) recommend this to pre-teens and teenagers.
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Summary: Classic in its own right
Review: Beauty is a sweet love story, the tale of a geek girl (bookish, pimpley, awkward, with simply gorgeous sisters!) who comes out on top. Beauty (an unfortunate nickname) is brave, smart, and quite a tomboy who is happiest with books or horses and is often breaking fine china. Her character is very likeable and very drawn, and the magical alternate world in which she lives is believable and interesting.Early teens to adults will like this story most, although there is nothing "harmful" in it. Despite knowing how it will all come out, McKinley draws the reader into her storytelling - like all truely good stories, it is the getting there that really matters.
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Summary: Wonderful Retelling
Review: This book is so cute!! It's a wonderful version of the classic tale. Anyone who likes fairy tales will love this book!!
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Summary: A Classic for all ages
Review: This is truly my favorite book since I read it as a teenager 10 years ago. It retells the classic Beauty and the Beast story with an added intellectual level adults and teens alike will find stimulating, yet is still so sweet that younger readers can enjoy this beautiful tale. I also highly recommend the 'Outlaws of Sherwood', 'The Hero and the Crown' and 'The Blue Sword'.
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Summary: A book that gets better with each read!
Review: I fisrt discovered this book at the same time my school was putting on a production of "Beauty and the Beast". Needless to say, it had become my favorite book, and had remained that way for the last five years. Each time I've read it, I've discovered some new facet to it, that makes me understand things a little more. I don't think I've ever failed to ask what if after I've read this book. I think that it is a great book for people wanting to find a new twist to the same old story
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Summary: Beauty is beautiful
Review: I loved this book. Actually it is one of the best books I have ever read. It is romantic, pure and inspiring. It sparks the imagination and pulls at your heart. It is a wonderful fairy tale/fantasy book yet it has a touch of reality that makes the story believable. It is a must read for young and old alike.
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