I had this book one summer I worked at a campground. When I was finished my roommate picked it up. As she was still finishing it, another roommate started it. Then someone else, and someone else ... I got the book back three months later with a long line of people asking to borrow it next. While it seemed that more girls liked it than guys, the age range of people loving it was from sixteen to 50+. I have all the Robin McKinley books I can find, and this is one of the best.

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I would say, if asked, that I am a fairly jaded person. I always flip the shiny quarter over looking for the tarnished side. I wouldn't say this is a character flaw. I would say it's just the person I am.

It has the quality of making it hard for me to watch some movies or read some books. It's excrutiating for me to see some of the stuff that gets put out there. And it seemed to me that I would never ever make it through a retelling of the Beauty legend. I got the book because i've read some of Robin McKinley's other work and loved it. I thought I would try.

After three false starts I finally really *read* it. And I have to confess even knowing the ending and all. I had some tears.

This is a wonderfully retold story of love and loss and beauty. I was engaged from the very beginning. It was a fast read but that was part of it's charm.

If you are just thinking about getting this book and not sure. I'd say: Take the chance.

I found it was way worth it.

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This is a beautiful story that portrays all characters in an original light. Another masterpiece by McKinley!

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I read this book for the first time many years ago and remember loving it. On this reread, I found myself being a bit impatient at the beginning of the story - I think that I just wanted Beauty to get to the castle and the Beast, but once I let my patience settle down a bit, I got right back into the story and loved it once more.

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Ever wonder just exactly where Disney got their twist on "Beauty and the Beast"'s curse? Well, this is it. A delightfully enjoyable read, if you don't mind intense flashes of back-wards deja vu, as Ms McKinley's book definitely came first (I only wish I'd read it back then!). The whole cast is wonderful and the resolution satisfying, even with (or maybe because?) fewer singing teapots and candlesticks.

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I adore retelling and this book is why. It's well done, enchanting, and completely believable over the Disney version.

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LOVED this book! What a great retelling. It's a shame there wasn't tighter proofreading, but it doesn't spoil a lovely, well written story.

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Just like the title says - a retelling of the B&B story - sweet, if a little on the simple and traditional side - I was expecting a little more of a twist on the standard.

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A very awesome re-telling of the story of Beauty and the Beast. Robin McKinley does it well and we get close to the characters and root for the Beast.

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A sweet reasonably simplistic telling of this fairy tale. Could certainly see where the Disney version got it's inspiration. I enjoyed it as a nice comforting read, although it left a lot of questions that I hoped would be answered, like why the Beast suddenly can't actually live if she is gone from the castle, why exactly he was cursed. McKinley seems to like to leave all the details to your own imagination. I really didn't like that Beauty became a beauty in the end, why wasn't it enough that he fell in love with her as is. Also didn't like that he had fallen in love with her during their first meeting when she's literally falling over in fear of him. Ah, I guess I maybe wanted a less YA version. Otherwise, really, it is a good re-telling and worth reading.

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A lovely story! One of my favorite Beauty & the Beast retellings.

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I enjoyed this version of "Beauty and the Beast". I especially liked the interactions between Beauty and the two "spirits", and how Beauty and the Beast gradually became friends.

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Classic retelling of Beauty and the Beast story. Took me awhile to get into it but I liked it.

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This was a decent retelling of Beauty and the Beast that was wonderful until the end. I felt like the ending was very rushed. I loved the dynamics between Beauty and her family, but thought that the romance between Beauty and the Beast could have been done a bit better.

Most of this story is very similar to the Disney version or the original version done by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. I was a bit disappointed that McKinley didn't extend or elaborate on the original Beauty and the Beast tale.

The book is beautifully written and I really enjoyed the beautiful and kind relationships Beauty has with her sisters and father. However in the end I was hoping for something just a bit...more.

Overall this is a prettily written retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. There isn't a lot here that is unique or different from Beaumont's original story. I would recommend to those who enjoy the Beauty and the Beast story.

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