Author: Robin McKinley
Published by: HarperCollins Publishers
325 pages
Beauty thinks her nickname doesn't fit her at all. She's short, gangling, and awkward. Her father is a merchant, but when his ships come up missing, he is lost of most of his revenue. Fleeting to a cheaper lifestyle, Beauty, her father and two older sisters move to a rural village away from the city. There Beauty's father has an encounter with a horrible beast and tells him he must give up his own life, or send one of his daughters to go and live with him in his castle.
Recently, I've been wanting to revisit the fairy tales I grew up with. One of my most beloved stories is Beauty and the Beast. To tell you the truth, I've already read this book. Second time going through, and I wasn't as amazed as I was last time.
Having read more fantasy books than when I first read this, I feel like I'm more educated in what makes up a good fantasy story. What bugs me in this book is the mention of Greek philosophers, poets, mythology. Usually, fantasy books avoid anything that has to do with our world because the book is in a different one. I wasn't sure if this book took place on Earth, or some made up land that is filled with magic and curses. There was no way I would have noticed that last time.
What I do like about this book is that it tells more about the back story behind Beauty and her family. It's not rushed to get to the good part where the Beast and romance comes in. It's a slow process which makes it more believable. Though I did find it slow in some points. I kind of wanted it to pick up the pace a little bit so it would keep my attention.
I have always admired Robin McKinley's writing. It's very elegant and paints a really nice picture without taking away from the plot. I hate it when there's so much description that you forget what's going on. That's no problem with this book.
I absolutely adore the ending of this book. It's probably what propelled me to reread this book. When I finished, a smile was plastered on my face for hours. It was just so adorable!
What's your favorite fairy tale?
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