androids_aliens_wizards's review
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kerrisbooks13's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 stars! This was a pretty good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Told from the perspective of the beast himself you get a different insight. Some points dragged a little and it relied heavily on the sub plot of Isabeau’s sisters but still fun
alyram4's review against another edition
3.0
I'm like a mega-fan for Beauty and the Beast. I will read any and all retellings I can find. This book just didn't quite hit the mark. I didn't care about the pacing, as many retelling tend to have a slow-burn feel to it. My issue with this was that I didn't feel the relationship between Beast and Isabeau grow. It was extremely sudden when her true feelings came out. You don't get the full experience of seeing the friendship blossom into a relationship, and that's what left me disappointed. The characters were quite lacking, which was a disappointment. This just ends up making the book fall into the "average" category of BATB retellings.
frost_witch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dalish's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
readingwithgee_'s review against another edition
3.0
This book was absolutely fine, the characters were fine, the plot was fine. I mean who doesn't enjoy a good re telling?? But it just wasn't 100% for me. I've never really been a huge reader of this specific genre and have been wanting to read more, this book just so happened to stand out to me and i think if I'd been more into this genre when reading it then I'd have probably really enjoyed this.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Monsieur de la Noue was a successful businessman but having been ruined he lives in a tumbledown cottage with his three daughters. Having travelled to Rouen in the middle of winter he and his exhausted horse decide to take a shortcut through the forest where a beast lies in wait. However after being taken in to a beautiful chateau, fed and watered overnight and sent on their way, he falls for a trick and plucks a rose from the garden as a gift for his youngest daughter, Isabel. The Beast demands that he bring his daughter to him but this is no ordinary beast.
At face value this is a simple retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale but from the perspective of the Beast. However it is also a love story about two lonely people and a sense of honour and duty. I found it compelling and incredibly emotional. The writing is very assured for a debut novelist and both Isabel and the Beast are far more complex characters than the reader initially thinks.
At face value this is a simple retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale but from the perspective of the Beast. However it is also a love story about two lonely people and a sense of honour and duty. I found it compelling and incredibly emotional. The writing is very assured for a debut novelist and both Isabel and the Beast are far more complex characters than the reader initially thinks.