Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin Mckinley Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
Book Review: A Beautiful Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I must tell you that Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, and Beauty was a wonderful retelling of it. This was way different then the original tale. Most authors can't pull it off, but McKinley did a wonderful job. It was deep and rich with description and thoughts. You really got to know what Beauty was thinking throughout the whole story. You really get a sense of how Beauty changes from the insecure scrawney girl at home to the beautiful confident girl after she meets the beast. I liked this story most of all because it descibes the romance between Beauty and the beast gradually so it seems a little more natural (or as natural as a story like Beauty and teh Beast can be.) I highly recomend this book for anyone who enjoys a good retelling of any fairy tale.Book Review: The most indepth and beautiful love story of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
I can't get enough of this book! I've read it twice in 24 hours and I'm starting on it for the third time right now. I've never really heard the story of Beauty and the Beast, except of course the old Disney animated film. After I read Beauty I read other versions of Beauty and the Beast, but they didn't even come close. Beauty goes indepth with the girls time at the castle and how she gets to know the Beast. This isn't just your average fairytale, it was like a romance to me. We'll yah Cinderella, Snow White, and all those other stories could be condsidered romances too, but not in the same sense. In all the other storeis they fall in love at first sight and all that other gooy stuff. But Beauty was actually believeable and it just really knocked me off my feet. In some other versions for example, the charcters have no depth. You know, oh Beauty, and he's a Beast, got it. In Beauty though the charcters come alive and seem like real people and go beyond the limits of an average fairy tale. What also bothers me is in the Disney version Beast is mean and selfish bascially until Gaston gets there and stabs him. Then when he turns into the Prince, he seems like an entirely different person. For this book I could tell that Beast and the Prince were the same people. This was the first book I've read by Robin McKinley, and it certainly won't be the only one now, after of course, I read this one another ten times or so. If you haven't read this book you're missing out on a lot, and currently so am I, because I'm not busy reading it! Book Review: Great book for all
Summary: 5 Stars
I originally read this book when I was in 8th grade and wrote a book report on it. However, I recently re read the book and it is just brilliantly done. I'd reccamend it to anyone.Book Review: Absolutely exquisite
Summary: 5 Stars
Robin McKinley's classic novel 'Beauty' tells the timeless fairy tale of "Beauty and the Beast" -- in the most beautiful language I've ever read.
McKinley captures beautiful scenes through her words, painting a clear picture in the mind's eye. Beauty is the third daughter of a merchant, and in spite of her name, she's anything BUT a beauty. She's thin, plain, and awkward, and she knows it. Rougher and more tomboyish than her sisters, she loves to read and ride horses.
She also happens to be very brave. When her father comes home after a long journey telling a panicked tale of a horrible beast in a distance castle who demands that either he or one of his daughters return to live with him within a given timeframe, Beauty decides to go.
Nervously she makes the trek to the Beast's castle to live with him. She learns that, while his appearance may not be attractive, he has a good heart and a deep soul. As she lives in his castle, she is plunged into a world of mystery and magic. Who is the Beast? How did he become as he is? The halls are filled with magical breezes that are clearly invisble servants --- but what do they want?
This is truly the most beautiful version of "Beauty and the Beast" to be found. It's a cherished classic, filled with romance, magic, and exquisite beauty.
Book Review: A Beauty and the Beast for the Ages.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first Robin McKinley book I ever read and will always be my favorite. It was given to me by a teacher in Jr High School and both she and the book have left lasting impressions.
The tale begins with Beauty and presents a deeper vision of the often forgettable "Beauty". She is revealed to be a woman of depth substance and learning and one ill-suited to the restrictions of a woman's life of this time.
The Beast too is shown as a man of greater depths and mysteries then the simple misspent youth often depicted. We discover him much as Beauty does and our knowledge of him is seen through her.
The castle and it's surroundings are truly magical in this presentation of the tale, I fancy I've seen some of her ideas in other re-tellings on page and screen.
I find it difficult to describe the magic of this re-telling, I found that it lingers in my mind like a favorite melody. I've re-read it countless times, so many that I purchased a used copy to protect my much re-read original.
In fact the best testament I can give it, is that no matter how many times I re-read it I put it down with a sigh of complete contentment as I finish the last page and close the book.