Helpful Score: 2
A retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast, told from the Beast's perspective. (it's also told in present tense, which I found rather distracting - but overall, it was quite good, although not as good as the other book I've read by Napoli, 'Zel'.)
Here, the Beast is a young Persian prince. Inadvertently, is crosses a peri, who curses him that his father will kill him the next day. The next day, his father has a lion hunt planned - and the prince realizes that he has physically become a lion.
He manages to avoid being killed, and hopes that the curse will wear off, but it doesn't - and he learns that his only hope is to have a woman love him for who he is, without knowing that he is under an enchantment. He finds that to be hopeless, so he simply goes in search of a place where he could live as a lion, without the danger inherent in staying in his father's hunting park.
In an unlikely and quickly-skipped-over journey, he gets from Persia to France, and finds an abandoned castle (which mystifyingly, still has lots of useful stuff in it), and from there, the story-as-we've-heard-it basically ensues...
Here, the Beast is a young Persian prince. Inadvertently, is crosses a peri, who curses him that his father will kill him the next day. The next day, his father has a lion hunt planned - and the prince realizes that he has physically become a lion.
He manages to avoid being killed, and hopes that the curse will wear off, but it doesn't - and he learns that his only hope is to have a woman love him for who he is, without knowing that he is under an enchantment. He finds that to be hopeless, so he simply goes in search of a place where he could live as a lion, without the danger inherent in staying in his father's hunting park.
In an unlikely and quickly-skipped-over journey, he gets from Persia to France, and finds an abandoned castle (which mystifyingly, still has lots of useful stuff in it), and from there, the story-as-we've-heard-it basically ensues...
Helpful Score: 2
I thought this was an awesome retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Definitely worth reading.
Helpful Score: 2
I LOVE Beauty and the Beast- my all time favorite fairytale....and so I was fired up about finding this...
Yes, it has a different take on the tale, as all attempt...but I felt that for ME, the style was a little amateur.... Ugghh, I feel bad saying it...but I did try...gave it about 100 some pages of its 250...and couldn't take anymore....I believe that is probably why it's suggested for young readers, although I did find some of the content to be a bit suggestive and think it may be a little inappropriate for them....
You may not mind...your preference may be different...if you like the B&Beast story- you may like it...but if you order it- order if from my bookshelf! ; )
Yes, it has a different take on the tale, as all attempt...but I felt that for ME, the style was a little amateur.... Ugghh, I feel bad saying it...but I did try...gave it about 100 some pages of its 250...and couldn't take anymore....I believe that is probably why it's suggested for young readers, although I did find some of the content to be a bit suggestive and think it may be a little inappropriate for them....
You may not mind...your preference may be different...if you like the B&Beast story- you may like it...but if you order it- order if from my bookshelf! ; )
Helpful Score: 1
This was a fairly good book though the content is sometimes meant only for people older than teenagers. It is an interesting take of one of the age old fairy tales.