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Summary: A beautiful retelling of a fairy tale
Review: Beauty (real name Honour)with her big feet and hands, is not as beautiful as her two elder sisters. But what she lacks in Beauty she makes up in courage and intelligence. When her father wanders into the magical forests that surrounds her house, and plucks a rose from a forbidden garden, he is faced with a hard choice. Give up one of his daughter to live with a beat or die. Beauty, unwilling to see her father die goes to live with the beast. But things are different in the castle, almost magical and sometimes frighteneing. What shall she do? In my opinion this story was a wonderful retelling of a story that I used to love when I was just a kid. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales.
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Summary: Absolutely Incredible!
Review: This book is one of my all-time favorites. Any future authors can only hope to mimic Robin McKinley's superb character developments and vivid images of scenes. The heroine, Beauty, is a lady that women can only hope to be like. She is a fantastic role-model for girls because she is relateable to everyone. Her virtues of honesty and compassion do not make her "above" her peers, but rather fill-out a complex person with her own sets of problems. The Beast is multi-faceted. He changes from tyrant to prince so vividly that the reader feels like they are right in the book with the characters. This book will make an exceptional gift and is sure to be a treasured member of any well-rounded library.
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Summary: Amazing, Powerful Read...
Review: Beauty and the Beast had always been my favorite fairy tale, especially with the Disney movie, but when I read this novel, I was blown away! Robin McKinley tells the ancient tale with so much detail and authority that it changes the story completely, but for the better... A complete romanticist myself, I fell deep into the tale, actually feeling what the characters were feeling, but meanwhile knowing that even as some people like reading hard facts and realistic plots, they must at one time or another need the comforting ending of "happily ever after"--Beauty: A Retelling of the Story Beauty and the Beast, by Robin McKinley, gives a glimpse of both worlds, starting out more realistic and ending complete fairy tale... I loved it, and more than likely, if you give it a chance, you will too... :)
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Summary: A GREAT book
Review: If you haven't read this book, I recomend you read it as soon as possible. It was written beautifuly.
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Summary: One of my favorites
Review: Don't pay attention the Joseph McGrath thing, cuz I am actually a 14 year old using my dad's account (just in case you might find it odd to see someone with that name reviewing this book) But anyways, Beauty is one of my absolute favorite books. Robin McKinley tells the story of Beauty and the Beast wonderfully, changing it in some places to create a fairy tale on its own. It is just so great. The story, is that Beauty, unlike the her nickname, is not nearly so lovely as her sisters, Hope and Grace. Her nickname was given to her when she was little, when her father was unable to explain the meaning of Honour, her given name. Beauty tries not to dwell on her plainness, and concentrates on books. When she is about sixteen, her sister's fiance, Robbie, and the boats he was sailing with, experience some trouble, and therefore, the end of their father's fortune. They move to an old smith's house, which her other sister's fiance got for them, and live a harder, but pleasant life on the edge of an enchanted wood. But on a journey home, Beauty's father encounters the castle of the Beast, and makes a horrible promise when he unknowing plucks a forbidden rose: either he or one of his daughters must come back to the castle. Brave Beauty, who believes she will be no loss to the family, takes her father's place. There, she discovers the Beast is not some horrible monster, but human in many ways. Though he asks her to marry him every night, Beauty and the Beast become friends, until Beauty discover her feelings in her heart, and the curse is broken. This is a wonderful, wonderful book. One I've reread countless times. It is one of my favorites, maybe even my absolute favorite; it is that good. McKinley has retold the classis fairy tale in a new way, and this is a book that you will treasure forever.
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Summary: This book made me love Robin McKinley
Review: I read this book eight years ago; I was in the fifth grade. It was a beautiful story, and I was quickly drawn in by it. I've read this book over and over, and it has never lost its totally unique magic. The descriptions are beautiful and always effective; I fell in love with the enchanted castle. I wanted to BE Beauty, strong and smart and slef-sufficient. And the Beast was much more than a prince cast down from his lofty height. This is one of my favorite books.
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Summary: A Beautiful Remastering
Review: McKinley's first book, which was never meant to be published, is still one of her best. Her complex yet flowing writing style is unequalled by any other modern author. Robin McKinley has excellent insights into the heart of the story of Beauty and the Beast, and she brings them to light superbly. The character of Beauty is the best-developed I have ever read of, excepting perhaps Lloyd Alexander's Vesper Holly and Anne McCaffrey's Menolly.
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Summary: A BEAUTY IN AND OF ITSELF!
Review: This book is definitely a beauty. I have read it five times,once twice in a row. It's not that that the subject matter requiresit; on the contrary, this book is one of the easiest to understand, while still conveying a beautiful fairy tale. McKinley retells fairy stories in such a way that they have more depth and help you to fall in love with the characters all over again, in a whole new way. This book is no Blue Sword or the Hero and the Crown, with their long and tedious passages. Without a doubt, Beauty is McKinley's best work ever!
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Summary: absolute favorite
Review: I don't remember the first time I read this book, but I do know I've reread it every year since then. The world McKinley describes is the perfect setting for the well known tale. This book is great for young adults and also a great reminder for others who wish to explore the fairytale world again.
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Summary: My new favorite fairytale.
Review: I never found the story of Beauty and the Beast particularly appealing. It could've been that most of the versions I came across weren't so well written or that I was (for shame)introduced to the story with the Disney movie. But after reading this book...WOW! Robin McKinley knew just what I like. Unlike most fairytales, the main character is a person, not some pretty porceline princess with a sweet temper and bland countenance. No. Beauty is at first no beauty, is the clever one in the family, and acts more like a boy than a girl. The beast isn't so much of a beast and the whole feeling of the book has an enchanting elegance flowing through it. Write more, Robin McKinley.
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