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Beast
Tall, meaty, muscle-bound, and hairier than most throw rugs, Dylan doesn’t look like your average fifteen-year-old, so, naturally, high school has not been kind to him. To make matters worse, on the day his school bans hats (his preferred camouflage), Dylan goes up on his roof only to fall and wake up in the hospital with a broken leg—and a mandate to attend group therapy for self-harmers.
Dylan vows to say nothing and zones out at therapy—until he meets Jamie. She’s funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. She’s also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his self-pitying and superficiality. As Jamie’s humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends. But there is something Dylan doesn’t know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasn’t listening. Something that shouldn’t change a thing. She is who she’s always been—an amazing photographer and devoted friend, who also happens to be transgender. But will Dylan see it that way?
Dylan vows to say nothing and zones out at therapy—until he meets Jamie. She’s funny, smart, and so stunning, even his womanizing best friend, JP, would be jealous. She’s also the first person to ever call Dylan out on his self-pitying and superficiality. As Jamie’s humanity and wisdom begin to rub off on Dylan, they become more than just friends. But there is something Dylan doesn’t know about Jamie, something she shared with the group the day he wasn’t listening. Something that shouldn’t change a thing. She is who she’s always been—an amazing photographer and devoted friend, who also happens to be transgender. But will Dylan see it that way?
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2016
98 people are currently reading
9,521 people want to read
About the author
Brie Spangler
17Ìýbooks113ÌýfollowersAuthor/illustrator of children's picture books and YA novels, Brie Spangler loves to draw and write stories and drink massive amounts of caffeine, but not quite Dave Grohl "Fresh Pot!"/require hospitalization levels. Writing down the ideas in her head was scary as a kid, so she turned to making pictures instead. Brie worked as an illustrator for several years before she began to write and immediately became a frothing addict. BEAST is her debut novel. Hit her up on twitter! @BrieSpangler
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 746 reviews
October 20, 2016
It took me a while to decide that I really liked . It's funny, it's charming, but it's also a tough read. Transphobia isn't skimmed over, and some of the bullying and trans-shaming was nauseating to me as a cis reader, so I can only imagine how upsetting it might be for trans readers.
That being said, I personally think it's a very important book. The darker aspects of the story draw sympathy for Jamie, allow her to tell her side of the story, and - ultimately - normalize teen trans relationships. And though I'm making it sound like a really awful tale of horror and bullying, for the most part it's a really sweet, heartwarming romance between two people who have been born with an appearance that doesn't match what's on the inside.
However: absolutely definitely DO NOT expect a Beauty & the Beast retelling. You will be disappointed. There's really nothing to link this story to the old fairy tale beyond the fact that Dylan's nickname is "Beast" and it's all about discovering how appearances can be far from the full story. Other than that, though, it's hard to find parallels between them.
The story is narrated by Dylan (AKA "Beast"), a fifteen-year-old boy who looks like a thirty-year-old man. He's not just tall but huge, and his enormous frame is covered with hair. He's spent his life being judged for the way he looks - having people assume he's a footballer at best, and shrink away in fear at worst. Truth is, he's really smart and aspires to be a Rhodes scholar, but no one would ever think it by looking at him. Everyone just sees the Beast.
When a bad day ends with him falling off a roof and breaking his leg, he's sent to a therapy group for those who self-harm. There he meets the pretty, snarky Jamie, who, through text conversations and meet-ups, he begins to fall for. In a breakdown of communication, Jamie believes that Dylan knows she is trans, but as it turns out, he is clueless until the day he introduces Jamie to his popular, good-looking friend, JP.
Dylan is shocked and Jamie is hurt as they both realize they misunderstood each other. What follows is a brutal look at transphobia in a high school and the real threat to the safety of trans women, as well as Dylan's journey to understanding that Jamie is the same person he always thought she was; the same girl.
Dylan shines in this book because he's such a lovable doofus, creating comic moments with his horny teenage boy narrative:
I also really love what was done with the secondary characters, though I never came to like JP. Dylan's relationship with his overbearing but well-meaning mom made me smile. She was trying so hard to be there for him and understand him, even if she went about it in a terrible way. Her love and worry for him was obvious throughout the book.
Most of all, I liked the realism portrayed by the author. Dylan feels, to me, like a typical teenage boy who has issues with his appearance. Jamie is likable and easy to love through Dylan's eyes. Perhaps some readers will disagree, but I was thankful that the book allowed Dylan to address some of the questions a teen boy in today's world would probably have in this situation. He considers the "Am I gay?" aspect, and while this is frustrating to educated readers, it also allows him to conclude that he isn't - he is just a boy who fell for a girl. A good and needed message, in my opinion.
I honestly think is a smart book, equal parts light, dark and educational to its teen readers. Trans books unfortunately tend to fall into two categories - either a horror story, or a utopian world we have yet to see in reality - but this one manages to be both realistic and positive. Transphobia is real; trans-shaming is real; but so is love, and it isn't defined by XX/XY chromosomes.
| | | | |
That being said, I personally think it's a very important book. The darker aspects of the story draw sympathy for Jamie, allow her to tell her side of the story, and - ultimately - normalize teen trans relationships. And though I'm making it sound like a really awful tale of horror and bullying, for the most part it's a really sweet, heartwarming romance between two people who have been born with an appearance that doesn't match what's on the inside.
However: absolutely definitely DO NOT expect a Beauty & the Beast retelling. You will be disappointed. There's really nothing to link this story to the old fairy tale beyond the fact that Dylan's nickname is "Beast" and it's all about discovering how appearances can be far from the full story. Other than that, though, it's hard to find parallels between them.
The story is narrated by Dylan (AKA "Beast"), a fifteen-year-old boy who looks like a thirty-year-old man. He's not just tall but huge, and his enormous frame is covered with hair. He's spent his life being judged for the way he looks - having people assume he's a footballer at best, and shrink away in fear at worst. Truth is, he's really smart and aspires to be a Rhodes scholar, but no one would ever think it by looking at him. Everyone just sees the Beast.
When a bad day ends with him falling off a roof and breaking his leg, he's sent to a therapy group for those who self-harm. There he meets the pretty, snarky Jamie, who, through text conversations and meet-ups, he begins to fall for. In a breakdown of communication, Jamie believes that Dylan knows she is trans, but as it turns out, he is clueless until the day he introduces Jamie to his popular, good-looking friend, JP.
Dylan is shocked and Jamie is hurt as they both realize they misunderstood each other. What follows is a brutal look at transphobia in a high school and the real threat to the safety of trans women, as well as Dylan's journey to understanding that Jamie is the same person he always thought she was; the same girl.
Dylan shines in this book because he's such a lovable doofus, creating comic moments with his horny teenage boy narrative:
She laughs.
I laugh.
We share a laugh! Time to buy prom tickets.
***
I get inside the library and listen. If I happen upon Fern “by accident,� it’ll be less weird than if I plow over to her table and am all, HI. IT IS I. I AM HERE.
I also really love what was done with the secondary characters, though I never came to like JP. Dylan's relationship with his overbearing but well-meaning mom made me smile. She was trying so hard to be there for him and understand him, even if she went about it in a terrible way. Her love and worry for him was obvious throughout the book.
Most of all, I liked the realism portrayed by the author. Dylan feels, to me, like a typical teenage boy who has issues with his appearance. Jamie is likable and easy to love through Dylan's eyes. Perhaps some readers will disagree, but I was thankful that the book allowed Dylan to address some of the questions a teen boy in today's world would probably have in this situation. He considers the "Am I gay?" aspect, and while this is frustrating to educated readers, it also allows him to conclude that he isn't - he is just a boy who fell for a girl. A good and needed message, in my opinion.
I honestly think is a smart book, equal parts light, dark and educational to its teen readers. Trans books unfortunately tend to fall into two categories - either a horror story, or a utopian world we have yet to see in reality - but this one manages to be both realistic and positive. Transphobia is real; trans-shaming is real; but so is love, and it isn't defined by XX/XY chromosomes.
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May 1, 2016
My name's Meredith Russo. I'm a transsexual. I got to read Beast early.
And I LOVED IT.
Funny story though, I actually kind of pulled a Dylan where this book is concerned. A mutual friend reached out asking if I wanted to read the book, and I agreed because, hey, free book, but I didn't pay attention when they told me I was doing a trans sensitivity read so I was completely confused; after all I was (am) just some nobody, right? So for the first half of the book I wasn't actually aware that Jamie was trans. I suspected, of course, because I suspect every character of being trans (they all should be), and also because Jamie is cuter, smarter, and better than everyone else (kidding, of course (but not really), Jamie is fully realized and has all her own tics and flaws). I wasn't completely surprised when the revelation came, but I also wasn't rolling my eyes or anything. Which, I think, is a testament to the strength of Spangler's writing. Jamie is the perfect balance: not SO trans that it overtakes her characterization, but not so detached from the realities and consequences of being trans (just in the first act, without saying it outright, the ways she spoke, the ways she acted, the ways she navigated, spoke to me) that her life is unrecognizable to a real trans person without having to get banged on the head with it.
So this book is good, obviously. I've got great taste, and I like it, so if YOU don't like it you should probably reconsider your life. Anyway, lots of people are gonna talk about how great the writing and plotting and etc etc are (and they ARE) but I want to talk about a SPECIFIC THING in this review and, surprise, it has to do with trans stuff, because the situation as it stands now is that, as I'm intimately aware, a book with a trans character can't JUST be a book with a trans character, right? And I mean it's one thing for me to write about a trans person, but because Brie isn't trans there are going to be HELLA people breathing down her neck, waiting for that one misstep to condemn the book as problematic. And I GET it, guys! I really do! I'm ambivalent about most trans guy representation because I'm not exactly clued into the nuances of what offends them, but I have DESPISED almost everything a cis writer has ever written about a trans lady. And I think Brie did an amazing job.
I've seen people describing Jamie as a "magical trans girl" (like the magical n*groe kind not the Sailor Moon kind) because she's Jamie's love interest and occasionally helper in the story, and I don't think that's fair, really. The magical... you know (hate saying it) trope and its cousins all rely on a character who is a member of a minority having a, well, "magical" level of insight into the moral and mystical workings of the world and the protagonist simply because they are Other. This doesn't describe Jamie at ALL: she is her own creature, with her own agenda, her own hang-ups, her own strengths, and her own desires. Her purpose in the story isn't served because being the Other makes her magically insightful or whatever, it's because I don't think anyone but a trans girl could actually have helped Dylan.
Dylan is suffering from gender dysphoria, you see. He isn't transgender (dysphoria doesn't necessarily mean you're trans and a lack of it doesn't mean you're not, dig?), but still, he's a boy in a body whose growth and secondary sex characteristics have been causing him misery since puberty because he finds they don't reflect his idea of himself and because they cause an unwelcome social role to be imposed on him. He finds the way in which his body is gendered/sexed so disagreeable that he obsesses over the idea of medical intervention. I have felt this! This is dysphoria! And maybe one cis person/character in a million would actually know how to address it that way, with care and comfort (unless they're a therapist I guess). Jamie's transness is important not because being the Other imparts an offensive insight or mysticism into her, but because in a very believable, lovely way, she is the only kind of person who, especially at that age, could be equipped to see, understand, and empathize with his pain - and even then, like I said, it's not like her life revolves around helping him, and (spoiler alert) she's absolutely willing to bail on him when he drops the ball (go girl).
I'm rambling. I've talked to Brie about all this, but I just remembered tonight I've never really told anybody else. So here I am, telling you now! Go read this book when you can!
And I LOVED IT.
Funny story though, I actually kind of pulled a Dylan where this book is concerned. A mutual friend reached out asking if I wanted to read the book, and I agreed because, hey, free book, but I didn't pay attention when they told me I was doing a trans sensitivity read so I was completely confused; after all I was (am) just some nobody, right? So for the first half of the book I wasn't actually aware that Jamie was trans. I suspected, of course, because I suspect every character of being trans (they all should be), and also because Jamie is cuter, smarter, and better than everyone else (kidding, of course (but not really), Jamie is fully realized and has all her own tics and flaws). I wasn't completely surprised when the revelation came, but I also wasn't rolling my eyes or anything. Which, I think, is a testament to the strength of Spangler's writing. Jamie is the perfect balance: not SO trans that it overtakes her characterization, but not so detached from the realities and consequences of being trans (just in the first act, without saying it outright, the ways she spoke, the ways she acted, the ways she navigated, spoke to me) that her life is unrecognizable to a real trans person without having to get banged on the head with it.
So this book is good, obviously. I've got great taste, and I like it, so if YOU don't like it you should probably reconsider your life. Anyway, lots of people are gonna talk about how great the writing and plotting and etc etc are (and they ARE) but I want to talk about a SPECIFIC THING in this review and, surprise, it has to do with trans stuff, because the situation as it stands now is that, as I'm intimately aware, a book with a trans character can't JUST be a book with a trans character, right? And I mean it's one thing for me to write about a trans person, but because Brie isn't trans there are going to be HELLA people breathing down her neck, waiting for that one misstep to condemn the book as problematic. And I GET it, guys! I really do! I'm ambivalent about most trans guy representation because I'm not exactly clued into the nuances of what offends them, but I have DESPISED almost everything a cis writer has ever written about a trans lady. And I think Brie did an amazing job.
I've seen people describing Jamie as a "magical trans girl" (like the magical n*groe kind not the Sailor Moon kind) because she's Jamie's love interest and occasionally helper in the story, and I don't think that's fair, really. The magical... you know (hate saying it) trope and its cousins all rely on a character who is a member of a minority having a, well, "magical" level of insight into the moral and mystical workings of the world and the protagonist simply because they are Other. This doesn't describe Jamie at ALL: she is her own creature, with her own agenda, her own hang-ups, her own strengths, and her own desires. Her purpose in the story isn't served because being the Other makes her magically insightful or whatever, it's because I don't think anyone but a trans girl could actually have helped Dylan.
Dylan is suffering from gender dysphoria, you see. He isn't transgender (dysphoria doesn't necessarily mean you're trans and a lack of it doesn't mean you're not, dig?), but still, he's a boy in a body whose growth and secondary sex characteristics have been causing him misery since puberty because he finds they don't reflect his idea of himself and because they cause an unwelcome social role to be imposed on him. He finds the way in which his body is gendered/sexed so disagreeable that he obsesses over the idea of medical intervention. I have felt this! This is dysphoria! And maybe one cis person/character in a million would actually know how to address it that way, with care and comfort (unless they're a therapist I guess). Jamie's transness is important not because being the Other imparts an offensive insight or mysticism into her, but because in a very believable, lovely way, she is the only kind of person who, especially at that age, could be equipped to see, understand, and empathize with his pain - and even then, like I said, it's not like her life revolves around helping him, and (spoiler alert) she's absolutely willing to bail on him when he drops the ball (go girl).
I'm rambling. I've talked to Brie about all this, but I just remembered tonight I've never really told anybody else. So here I am, telling you now! Go read this book when you can!
December 6, 2016
A lot of positives here, but I just couldn't get over the fact that Jamie deserves so much better than Dylan.
Also, FYI that the gorgeous cover is totally misleading as to the tone and content of the story--and the retelling aspect is very slight.
Also, FYI that the gorgeous cover is totally misleading as to the tone and content of the story--and the retelling aspect is very slight.
June 22, 2016
I got a review copy/e-galley of this book and was so excited to read it! YA with trans characters is close to my heart, and we need more of it (and we need it to be good). Sadly, I had to drop this book about halfway through. The protagonist, a troubled teen boy with an anger problem, has spent half the book angry at the world, then in love with the first girl who was nice to him. He wasn't listening when she told him about herself when they met, so halfway through the book when someone points out that she's a trans girl, he flips out. He's cruel to her, smashes up his basement including the trains his father collected for him before he died of cancer when the protagonist was young. The anger and hurt at being 'lied to' by trans people is SUCH a toxic meme that centering the experience of a cis dude getting angry and violent about a trans person's identity, EVEN THOUGH the book is clearly intending on him learning a ~lesson~, is something I can't get behind. It's potentially damaging for trans kids to feel that they should expect this reaction and be patient/hope to ride it out if they experience it, and it validates a reaction that is dangerous to trans women. There are lots of YA books with trans protagonists out there that actually center their feelings and experience--try one of those instead of this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2016
I told myself I need something cute, a chaser per se in between of my The Young Elites readathon. In which I had hopes for Beast, the cover amazed me and I was intrigued by the blurb. Another bonus, Meredith Russo, who wrote one of my favorite reads this year titled If I Was Your Girl like it too.
However, Beast turned out to be a sordidly disappointing book. Maybe, I came in with the wrong expectations. No matter what reasons I can come up with I don’t see recommending this book to anyone.
As I am a cis woman, I can’t comment with the trans representation of the love interest Jamie. I like her character, she’s the silver lining of this novel. If it would’ve been written in her POV, maybe I would like it more. But, it’s told from the pov of Dylan; a fifteen years old boy who is going through a difficult time, because of what he looks. I think anyone could sympathize with what the protagonist is going through. All of us has been at a point where our society expects us to be something we are not, no matter how difficult it is we can’t fit into that box.
My problem with the novel mainly attributes with the protagonist. Dylan is that shady guy hell bent on thinking he’s one of the decent guys. Throughout the novel, readers could see him lamenting how “this is what nice guys do� instead of doing it out of the sincerity within him. That fucking turns me off. Honestly, I’m sick of white guys and their unwanted narrative. This one just screamed bad news to me. He has his moments where he learns a thing or two, but overall I couldn’t let this slide nor do I want to. It turns out, I don't want to empathize with him.
There’s the tiring back and forth loss of communication between the two main characters, bland writing. I’m only giving it one star purely because I managed to swallow the novel without dnf-ing it.
This is not a cute LGBT book, if you’re planning to read it, trigger warning for transphobia.
However, Beast turned out to be a sordidly disappointing book. Maybe, I came in with the wrong expectations. No matter what reasons I can come up with I don’t see recommending this book to anyone.
As I am a cis woman, I can’t comment with the trans representation of the love interest Jamie. I like her character, she’s the silver lining of this novel. If it would’ve been written in her POV, maybe I would like it more. But, it’s told from the pov of Dylan; a fifteen years old boy who is going through a difficult time, because of what he looks. I think anyone could sympathize with what the protagonist is going through. All of us has been at a point where our society expects us to be something we are not, no matter how difficult it is we can’t fit into that box.
My problem with the novel mainly attributes with the protagonist. Dylan is that shady guy hell bent on thinking he’s one of the decent guys. Throughout the novel, readers could see him lamenting how “this is what nice guys do� instead of doing it out of the sincerity within him. That fucking turns me off. Honestly, I’m sick of white guys and their unwanted narrative. This one just screamed bad news to me. He has his moments where he learns a thing or two, but overall I couldn’t let this slide nor do I want to. It turns out, I don't want to empathize with him.
There’s the tiring back and forth loss of communication between the two main characters, bland writing. I’m only giving it one star purely because I managed to swallow the novel without dnf-ing it.
This is not a cute LGBT book, if you’re planning to read it, trigger warning for transphobia.
May 31, 2024
Siiiiigh, I’m a bit neutral about this one. Because it was super fast-paced and very easy to read yet not THAT entertaining at the same time.
The story is about a teenage boy whose name is Dylan who falls in love with a trans girl named Jamie, but that he doesn’t know, is trans. They meet in a group therapy.
As any YA novel, they end up falling in love of course and then there’s drama because he has trouble accepting her and himself for whom she loves, and then Dylan also has no friends but just a singular guy who is a complete jackass.
And then, yeah� I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character, I get he’s a teenager and he’s struggling with bully but his personality� yeah, no.
The romance was okay, just meh. Didn’t see the spark. I just feel quite conflicted because I feel like there wasn’t enough character development overall or that it had lack of explanation.
The story is about a teenage boy whose name is Dylan who falls in love with a trans girl named Jamie, but that he doesn’t know, is trans. They meet in a group therapy.
As any YA novel, they end up falling in love of course and then there’s drama because he has trouble accepting her and himself for whom she loves, and then Dylan also has no friends but just a singular guy who is a complete jackass.
And then, yeah� I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character, I get he’s a teenager and he’s struggling with bully but his personality� yeah, no.
The romance was okay, just meh. Didn’t see the spark. I just feel quite conflicted because I feel like there wasn’t enough character development overall or that it had lack of explanation.
January 2, 2017
First book of the year turns out to be a disappointment, eh? Well, the main main was kind of a douche, sorry to say.
Full review soon!
Full review soon!
August 2, 2017
Reseña completa en:
La novela muestra la perspectiva ácida e irónica de la lucha de dos jóvenes por romper con los estereotipos y vivir su amor de una manera libre.
Cuando leà la sinopsis del libro, esperaba una carga dramática importante debido a los temas que se iban a tratar: transfobia, rechazo, falta de autoestima... sin embargo me he encontrado con una novela bastante amena, con un ritmo acelerado, cargada de mucha ironÃa y con un lenguaje muy desenfadado y directo. Todo esto, consigue relativizar, en gran medida, todo lo que siente el protagonista al no sentirse a gusto consigo mismo.
El libro refleja la crueldad de muchos jóvenes (y no tan jóvenes) a la hora de etiquetar y juzgar a las personas basándose únicamente en su aspecto fÃsico. No deja de ser un reflejo de lo que, desgraciadamente, podemos ver en nuestro dÃa a dÃa.
Jamie me ha gustado porque tenÃa sus ideas bastante claras y era bastante honesta y sincera con Dylan. Me hubiese gustado mucho que la historia estuviese contada por Jamie porque creo que serÃa mucho más especial y profunda ya que como personaje no podrÃa ponerle ninguna pega. Jamie ha pasado muy malos momentos debido al rechazo que ha sufrido por ser transexual y, a pesar de todo ello, en todo momento se muestra mucho más madura y respetuosa que cualquiera de los demás personajes.
En cuanto a la prosa de la autora, he tenido la sensación de que querÃa expresar demasiadas cosas de una manera demasiado rápida y esto hace que algunos párrafos, además de largos, sean un poco confusos. Los diálogos, en ocasiones, carecen de alguna nota explicativa que podrÃa ayudar a imaginarnos mejor la situación de los personajes y lo que estarÃan expresando al mantener esas conversaciones.
La novela muestra la perspectiva ácida e irónica de la lucha de dos jóvenes por romper con los estereotipos y vivir su amor de una manera libre.
Cuando leà la sinopsis del libro, esperaba una carga dramática importante debido a los temas que se iban a tratar: transfobia, rechazo, falta de autoestima... sin embargo me he encontrado con una novela bastante amena, con un ritmo acelerado, cargada de mucha ironÃa y con un lenguaje muy desenfadado y directo. Todo esto, consigue relativizar, en gran medida, todo lo que siente el protagonista al no sentirse a gusto consigo mismo.
El libro refleja la crueldad de muchos jóvenes (y no tan jóvenes) a la hora de etiquetar y juzgar a las personas basándose únicamente en su aspecto fÃsico. No deja de ser un reflejo de lo que, desgraciadamente, podemos ver en nuestro dÃa a dÃa.
Jamie me ha gustado porque tenÃa sus ideas bastante claras y era bastante honesta y sincera con Dylan. Me hubiese gustado mucho que la historia estuviese contada por Jamie porque creo que serÃa mucho más especial y profunda ya que como personaje no podrÃa ponerle ninguna pega. Jamie ha pasado muy malos momentos debido al rechazo que ha sufrido por ser transexual y, a pesar de todo ello, en todo momento se muestra mucho más madura y respetuosa que cualquiera de los demás personajes.
En cuanto a la prosa de la autora, he tenido la sensación de que querÃa expresar demasiadas cosas de una manera demasiado rápida y esto hace que algunos párrafos, además de largos, sean un poco confusos. Los diálogos, en ocasiones, carecen de alguna nota explicativa que podrÃa ayudar a imaginarnos mejor la situación de los personajes y lo que estarÃan expresando al mantener esas conversaciones.
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July 25, 2016I feel like I just wanna sit and think about this book forever. It really is such a smart concept, and I think Spangler executed it really well and really sensitively. One thing that really stuck out to me in contrast to my last review of a trans YA is that it consciously refuses to fall into the Thing of a person having to be queer in order to be attracted to a trans person. I don't think it would read true if it wasn't something he considered, and I'm glad that he does for that reason, and but I'm equally glad he comes away with "Nope, I'm straight - I'm a guy attracted to a girl."
I also really like how both Dylan and Jamie are super fleshed-out, flawed, real characters - they both screw up, they both say and do things they regret, they both make some poor choices in people - and that the book gives little views into other ways to experience dysphoria/general discomfort in your skin and how much other people's gazes contribute to it.
I had kind of a hard time getting a handle on the major secondary characters, specifically JP and Dylan's mom, but not in a bad way, I don't think. They too felt very human, very realistically flawed, and I'd be curious to know where both of them landed emotionally a few weeks after the book ended. Curiosity about what comes after The End? Rarely a bad thing.
Definitely recommend, especially for a book club - this is the kind of book you wanna DISCUSS.
I also really like how both Dylan and Jamie are super fleshed-out, flawed, real characters - they both screw up, they both say and do things they regret, they both make some poor choices in people - and that the book gives little views into other ways to experience dysphoria/general discomfort in your skin and how much other people's gazes contribute to it.
I had kind of a hard time getting a handle on the major secondary characters, specifically JP and Dylan's mom, but not in a bad way, I don't think. They too felt very human, very realistically flawed, and I'd be curious to know where both of them landed emotionally a few weeks after the book ended. Curiosity about what comes after The End? Rarely a bad thing.
Definitely recommend, especially for a book club - this is the kind of book you wanna DISCUSS.
February 20, 2017
I'm gonna go ahead and voice the unpopular opinion here: I did not like this book.
Sure, this may appear to be a really good book to introduce teens to trans protagonists, but in my opinion is does more harm than good as it advises that an acceptable narrative towards trans teens is to batter them with your misconceptions until you grow enough to understand and finally behave like a decent human being.
Honestly, I would have disliked Dylan just as much had he been so horrible to anyone. He's a large boy. At seventeen years old, he's already able to go and buy alcohol without getting carded. He has hair all over his body. The kids at school have nicknamed him Beast.
Then he comes off a roof, breaks his leg and needs to go in for a group counselling session, which is where he meets Jamie.
Even before I disliked Dylan as a character, I thought that the beginning and set up of the story was a little bit weak. But then he meets Jamie, tunes out during the part where she announces that she's trans to the group, misses references that his mum and Jamie repeatedly make to the fact that she's trans, and then somehow it's her fault when he finally realises just who he's been kissing.
The blatant misgendering that occurs from this point is only one of the things that I took exception to.
Another is the part where his mum, who had been so amazing up till that point, makes a complete departure from character and blames all of Dylan's behavioural issues on Jamie for being a bad influence on him for no other plot reason that I could see other than her being trans. Never mind that he 'fell' off the roof that ended him up in counselling before he even met Jamie...
Dylan also has rage issues.
His mum has a tracking app on his phone that she lies about.
Dylan blames the fact that he's so horrible to Jamie on the fact that he's been 'waiting on a sign' from his dead father that it's actually okay for him to kiss someone like Jamie.
It seemed like this was going to be a young adult Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I see some reviews that stand by that, but I don't understand how any writer of LGBT fiction could be so unaware or uncaring of the tropes that exist all around trans acceptance narratives in their attempt to write this Beast's story.
You know, the more I list out problems I found with this novel, the more I realise it needs to go down to one star. I almost put down this book multiple times, but needed to actually see if the book redeemed itself by the very end.
It didn't. I think that the only thing I could have accepted after the rest of what happened would have been Dylan and Jamie putting aside any hope for a romance between them and just being friends. Why did they need to be pushed into a romantic relationship in the end when Dylan's being with Jamie was so dependant on what other people thought, and Jamie's own self esteem didn't seem to matter to anyone at all. I wanted to curl around her and reassure her that everything would be fine if she just got away from all these toxic people in her life.
I will say that the characterisation of Jamie as a young trans woman was the one perfect depiction of the story.
Sure, this may appear to be a really good book to introduce teens to trans protagonists, but in my opinion is does more harm than good as it advises that an acceptable narrative towards trans teens is to batter them with your misconceptions until you grow enough to understand and finally behave like a decent human being.
Honestly, I would have disliked Dylan just as much had he been so horrible to anyone. He's a large boy. At seventeen years old, he's already able to go and buy alcohol without getting carded. He has hair all over his body. The kids at school have nicknamed him Beast.
Then he comes off a roof, breaks his leg and needs to go in for a group counselling session, which is where he meets Jamie.
Even before I disliked Dylan as a character, I thought that the beginning and set up of the story was a little bit weak. But then he meets Jamie, tunes out during the part where she announces that she's trans to the group, misses references that his mum and Jamie repeatedly make to the fact that she's trans, and then somehow it's her fault when he finally realises just who he's been kissing.
The blatant misgendering that occurs from this point is only one of the things that I took exception to.
Another is the part where his mum, who had been so amazing up till that point, makes a complete departure from character and blames all of Dylan's behavioural issues on Jamie for being a bad influence on him for no other plot reason that I could see other than her being trans. Never mind that he 'fell' off the roof that ended him up in counselling before he even met Jamie...
Dylan also has rage issues.
His mum has a tracking app on his phone that she lies about.
Dylan blames the fact that he's so horrible to Jamie on the fact that he's been 'waiting on a sign' from his dead father that it's actually okay for him to kiss someone like Jamie.
It seemed like this was going to be a young adult Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I see some reviews that stand by that, but I don't understand how any writer of LGBT fiction could be so unaware or uncaring of the tropes that exist all around trans acceptance narratives in their attempt to write this Beast's story.
You know, the more I list out problems I found with this novel, the more I realise it needs to go down to one star. I almost put down this book multiple times, but needed to actually see if the book redeemed itself by the very end.
It didn't. I think that the only thing I could have accepted after the rest of what happened would have been Dylan and Jamie putting aside any hope for a romance between them and just being friends. Why did they need to be pushed into a romantic relationship in the end when Dylan's being with Jamie was so dependant on what other people thought, and Jamie's own self esteem didn't seem to matter to anyone at all. I wanted to curl around her and reassure her that everything would be fine if she just got away from all these toxic people in her life.
I will say that the characterisation of Jamie as a young trans woman was the one perfect depiction of the story.
December 14, 2016
Dylan Ingvarsson doesn’t fit in -- quite literally, because at 15 years old, he’s well over 6 feet tall and covered in muscles that no one can see because he’s also covered in hair, from his feet to his neck. Not surprisingly, he’s known as “Beast.� The only thing that makes school tolerable is his friendship with good-looking, popular rich-boy JP, but that friendship has strings attached. When Dylan falls off a roof and breaks a leg, he’s sentenced to group therapy, where he meets Jamie, a girl who’s funny and insightful, and who demands authenticity from Dylan instead of his usual defensive BS. But Dylan has managed to miss one very important thing about Jamie -- and when he realizes that, it feels like his whole life crashes at once.I’m not exactly sure how to review this book, because part of me really wishes I hadn’t known the plot twist going in so I could have been as surprised by it as Dylan was, but on the other hand, I probably wouldn’t have read the book if I hadn’t known. I’m going to keep the twist to myself. If you want to know, you can look at virtually every other review for this book, since 9 out of 10 of them give it away right up front. If you don’t want to know, don’t read the GR summary, the library jacket flap, or any other reviews.
This is a bit of a rough read. Dylan has hit one of those points in life where he realizes that things can’t go on the way they have been, but he doesn’t know how to change anything. He wants to stop growing. He wants people, especially girl people, to see him, and not just his fur. He wants signs from his dead father to show that they have some kind of relationship. He wants healthy, genuine friendships, and it’s not clear where that leaves him and JP. He’s lonely and stressed, and all of that comes through in his narration.
Jamie is the bright point. She’s made a conscious decision that she knows who she is, and she doesn’t have time for people who want to hide their truths or their real selves. She calls Dylan out on how superficial he can be, since after years of being teased and reviled, he’s convinced that everyone is as obsessed with appearances as he is. Dylan falls for her, hard, and because she thinks he knows her truth and accepts her as she is, she falls for him, too. But then Dylan learns what he missed, and has to decide if he can handle the truth.
This is a deep and meaty little book, as Dylan confronts his relationships with Jamie, JP, his mother, his dead father, and himself, all at the same time. It’s raw, honest, and heartbreaking.
And in the end, it’s a story about loving and accepting other people for who they are, baggage and all, accepting that maybe they can feel the same way about you, and extending some of that love to oneself, too. It’s a story about being brave and making your own path in the world without driving yourself crazy over other people’s reactions to what makes you happy.
So while this is a bit of a tough read, it’s all worth it. Definitely recommended.
December 26, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5*
Dani and I are reviewing this on for our BAMF Review book for December!
I had a love-hate relationship with BEAST because I loved the story but I didn't like the MC and that made it really hard to connect to anyone BUT Jamie. I feel like had the story been from Jamie's POV, I would have enjoyed it more. She was perfectly flawed and written so well in my opinion and I loved every second of it. Jamie is transgender, so I read some reviews from people who identify as transgender to better understand how they felt about her characterization before writing my review. There were some that thought she was well written and others that had issues with some of the characterizations, so please take my review with a grain of salt as I can only talk about this to the extent of my knowledge and realize that my voice should not be the one listened to the most over others who have lived experiences.
I liked the retelling aspect of it and thought that Spangler did a good job working in elements of the original story and twisting it to fit into contemporary times. I enjoyed that Dylan's personality and aspects of his life made him more of a "Beast" rather than a curse on him or anything like that. I also really liked the therapy scene where the majority of the characters talked about their body issues -- both the teen girls in the session and Dylan who felt uncomfortable in his body. I felt like I could really relate to everyone there because it took me years to feel comfortable in my own skin and even to this day I still have body image issues. Of course, not to the same extent as what others may feel.
I did like that it didn't really feel like a "reveal" that Jamie was transgender because there were clues along the way that if you know what to look for, you would have understood and picked up on them along the way. I thought that the majority of the aspects of Jamie being transgender were handled well and I felt as though I learned something from reading this book. I do agree with Wesaun's review that there was too much focus on genitalia and that is a huge thing for cis people to get caught up on and highlighting that over everything else reinforces this type of thinking rather than breaking free of it in the narrative. I would recommend reading both Wesaun's and Meredith Russo's review as they have differing opinions on the transgender representation in the novel and their opinion matters more than mine.
However, I did not like Dylan's POV at all. He didn't need to be super likeable for me to understand his perspective, but I felt like he kept making the wrong choice -- and the stupid choice -- over and over again. You never really saw any character development until the VERY end of the novel and it was too late for me by that point. I did love the narration (I listened to this as an audiobook) but I did not love Dylan. And that really hindered my enjoyment of the novel.
As a caution, there are a lot of transphobic thoughts in Dylan's mind during this novel, so please be advised of that if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. I would recommend this to people who are beginning their journey to learning more about transgender but please recognize that this may not be the best representation that you can find.
Dani and I are reviewing this on for our BAMF Review book for December!
I had a love-hate relationship with BEAST because I loved the story but I didn't like the MC and that made it really hard to connect to anyone BUT Jamie. I feel like had the story been from Jamie's POV, I would have enjoyed it more. She was perfectly flawed and written so well in my opinion and I loved every second of it. Jamie is transgender, so I read some reviews from people who identify as transgender to better understand how they felt about her characterization before writing my review. There were some that thought she was well written and others that had issues with some of the characterizations, so please take my review with a grain of salt as I can only talk about this to the extent of my knowledge and realize that my voice should not be the one listened to the most over others who have lived experiences.
I liked the retelling aspect of it and thought that Spangler did a good job working in elements of the original story and twisting it to fit into contemporary times. I enjoyed that Dylan's personality and aspects of his life made him more of a "Beast" rather than a curse on him or anything like that. I also really liked the therapy scene where the majority of the characters talked about their body issues -- both the teen girls in the session and Dylan who felt uncomfortable in his body. I felt like I could really relate to everyone there because it took me years to feel comfortable in my own skin and even to this day I still have body image issues. Of course, not to the same extent as what others may feel.
I did like that it didn't really feel like a "reveal" that Jamie was transgender because there were clues along the way that if you know what to look for, you would have understood and picked up on them along the way. I thought that the majority of the aspects of Jamie being transgender were handled well and I felt as though I learned something from reading this book. I do agree with Wesaun's review that there was too much focus on genitalia and that is a huge thing for cis people to get caught up on and highlighting that over everything else reinforces this type of thinking rather than breaking free of it in the narrative. I would recommend reading both Wesaun's and Meredith Russo's review as they have differing opinions on the transgender representation in the novel and their opinion matters more than mine.
However, I did not like Dylan's POV at all. He didn't need to be super likeable for me to understand his perspective, but I felt like he kept making the wrong choice -- and the stupid choice -- over and over again. You never really saw any character development until the VERY end of the novel and it was too late for me by that point. I did love the narration (I listened to this as an audiobook) but I did not love Dylan. And that really hindered my enjoyment of the novel.
As a caution, there are a lot of transphobic thoughts in Dylan's mind during this novel, so please be advised of that if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. I would recommend this to people who are beginning their journey to learning more about transgender but please recognize that this may not be the best representation that you can find.
November 14, 2016
Beast by Brie Spangler is about Dylan a 15 year old boy who is nearly 7 feet tall & well over 300Lbs & is constantly made fun of and called the beast. To make matters worse one day he falls off of his High Schools roof and breaks his leg. The doctor & his mother are worried about him and send him to group therapy for self-harmers. Where he meets Jamie the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.
I know this sounds mad cheesy but its not. Beast is not a light & fluffy coming of age story about a boy falling in love for the first time. Its honest and at times hard to read. It doesn't sugarcoat the issues it covers, like depression, body image, & transphobia. In spite of my 5 star rating I did have a minor problem with the book. I thought at times it turned Jaime into a bit of a "Manic Pixie Dream girl" which I think was a disservice but other than that I really loved Beast & I highly recommend it to not just YA lovers but lovers of good storytelling.
I know this sounds mad cheesy but its not. Beast is not a light & fluffy coming of age story about a boy falling in love for the first time. Its honest and at times hard to read. It doesn't sugarcoat the issues it covers, like depression, body image, & transphobia. In spite of my 5 star rating I did have a minor problem with the book. I thought at times it turned Jaime into a bit of a "Manic Pixie Dream girl" which I think was a disservice but other than that I really loved Beast & I highly recommend it to not just YA lovers but lovers of good storytelling.
March 13, 2017
Reseña completa:
Tengo muchos sentimientos encontrados con esta historia: me ha gustado, pero no llegado a conectar con el protagonista. Además, no me esperaba que los personajes fueran tan jóvenes, 15 años, y es una edad que se me queda un poco lejos, pero bueno.
La historia en general me ha gustado. Trata muchos temas actuales como: el acoso escolar, los complejos, las auto lesiones, la homofobiaâ€� Y sinceramente, me esperaba una historia con más drama, pero no, tiene un punto cómico e irónico que eclipsa el drama, y no sé si eso me ha llegado a gustar del todo. Me ha faltado un poco de drama sin ironÃas de por medio, puede que yo sea una "dramas". La verdad que es una historia muy amena y que se lee muy rápido. Y lo que más me ha gustado es la normalidad que la autora transmite en la historia de amor. Eso es lo que deberÃa ser en realidad; una historia de dos personas viviendo su primer amor y felices, porque el género de ellos no tiene que ser un problema y mucho menos para la gente. Cuanto nos queda por aprenderâ€�
En cuanto a los personajes� Dylan, el protagonista, no he llegado a entenderle del todo. Entiendo sus dudas y su lucha por sus complejos, la muerte de su padre y que no sabe si está bien querer o no a una chica transexual� Pero me ha parecido muy infantil y paga todos sus problemas con todos. Supongo que tiene que ver la edad que tiene, 15 años, aunque eso tampoco le justifica. Además, creo que es muy injusto con Jamie y la hace sufrir sin venir a cuento. En cambio, Jamie es un personaje que me ha parecido adorable y valiente, porque va a su rollo y le importa bien poco lo que piensen de ella. Me hubiera gustado más que la historia la contara Jamie, hubiera sido totalmente diferente. Y voy a mencionar al amigo, JP, porque no hay personaje más odioso que ese� y con eso os digo todo.
Por si alguien se lo pregunta, supone que esta historia es un retelling de La Bella y la Bestia, pero yo no he encontrado muchos parecidos, aunque creo que es el primer retelling que leo en mi vida y tampoco sé muy bien cómo funciona este tipo de historias.
En resumen, El corazón de la Bestia es una historia juvenil de un amor libre y sin prejuicios. Muy recomendada para jóvenes.
Tengo muchos sentimientos encontrados con esta historia: me ha gustado, pero no llegado a conectar con el protagonista. Además, no me esperaba que los personajes fueran tan jóvenes, 15 años, y es una edad que se me queda un poco lejos, pero bueno.
La historia en general me ha gustado. Trata muchos temas actuales como: el acoso escolar, los complejos, las auto lesiones, la homofobiaâ€� Y sinceramente, me esperaba una historia con más drama, pero no, tiene un punto cómico e irónico que eclipsa el drama, y no sé si eso me ha llegado a gustar del todo. Me ha faltado un poco de drama sin ironÃas de por medio, puede que yo sea una "dramas". La verdad que es una historia muy amena y que se lee muy rápido. Y lo que más me ha gustado es la normalidad que la autora transmite en la historia de amor. Eso es lo que deberÃa ser en realidad; una historia de dos personas viviendo su primer amor y felices, porque el género de ellos no tiene que ser un problema y mucho menos para la gente. Cuanto nos queda por aprenderâ€�
En cuanto a los personajes� Dylan, el protagonista, no he llegado a entenderle del todo. Entiendo sus dudas y su lucha por sus complejos, la muerte de su padre y que no sabe si está bien querer o no a una chica transexual� Pero me ha parecido muy infantil y paga todos sus problemas con todos. Supongo que tiene que ver la edad que tiene, 15 años, aunque eso tampoco le justifica. Además, creo que es muy injusto con Jamie y la hace sufrir sin venir a cuento. En cambio, Jamie es un personaje que me ha parecido adorable y valiente, porque va a su rollo y le importa bien poco lo que piensen de ella. Me hubiera gustado más que la historia la contara Jamie, hubiera sido totalmente diferente. Y voy a mencionar al amigo, JP, porque no hay personaje más odioso que ese� y con eso os digo todo.
Por si alguien se lo pregunta, supone que esta historia es un retelling de La Bella y la Bestia, pero yo no he encontrado muchos parecidos, aunque creo que es el primer retelling que leo en mi vida y tampoco sé muy bien cómo funciona este tipo de historias.
En resumen, El corazón de la Bestia es una historia juvenil de un amor libre y sin prejuicios. Muy recomendada para jóvenes.
May 13, 2017
Rating changed on 13/05/17
Honestly there's both a lot of positive and negatives for this book. Beast tells the story of an ever growing 15 year old guy called Dylan who ends up falling for a girl who happens to be Transgender. Essentially I knew it was going to be just a little like every other YA contemporary book I've read; and I was right. Both Dylan and Jamie were naïve to the point where I felt like they were going two steps forward a hundred steps back the entire novel. Dylan was forever looking for a sign that was never going to come hurting Jamie in the process. The sad thing is that I don't think issues for Transgender people were represented in the best way possible. That's not me saying they were highlighted in a bad light, because I'm not. I just think the author could have spent a few more weeks researching into those specific deadly issues.
And while this has mainly been filled were negatives I did enjoy the book. The writing was nice, easy to follow and told the story greatly. I loved how Dylan's mother was so open into learning about different genders and sexual identities because I know hands on how many LGBT people don't get that. I also appreciated both characters on their own, aside their naivety. I really related to Jamie and her want to just be accepted as a girl, not a girl with a penis. I also loved how Dylan had a strong personality among his insecurities.
Really this was just a nice stepping stone for people who'd like to learn a little more about Transgender people.
Honestly there's both a lot of positive and negatives for this book. Beast tells the story of an ever growing 15 year old guy called Dylan who ends up falling for a girl who happens to be Transgender. Essentially I knew it was going to be just a little like every other YA contemporary book I've read; and I was right. Both Dylan and Jamie were naïve to the point where I felt like they were going two steps forward a hundred steps back the entire novel. Dylan was forever looking for a sign that was never going to come hurting Jamie in the process. The sad thing is that I don't think issues for Transgender people were represented in the best way possible. That's not me saying they were highlighted in a bad light, because I'm not. I just think the author could have spent a few more weeks researching into those specific deadly issues.
And while this has mainly been filled were negatives I did enjoy the book. The writing was nice, easy to follow and told the story greatly. I loved how Dylan's mother was so open into learning about different genders and sexual identities because I know hands on how many LGBT people don't get that. I also appreciated both characters on their own, aside their naivety. I really related to Jamie and her want to just be accepted as a girl, not a girl with a penis. I also loved how Dylan had a strong personality among his insecurities.
Really this was just a nice stepping stone for people who'd like to learn a little more about Transgender people.
July 7, 2017
Un 3,5
Reseña completa:
No sé muy bien que esperaba de este libro, pero desde luego no era la historia que me encontré entre sus páginas, aún asà ha sido una historia muy bonita que ha conseguido conquistarme poquito a poco. Con la voz de Dylan como narrador en primera persona iremos viendo su dÃa a dÃa -en el instituto, con sus amigos, su madre y Jamie-, sus sentimientos y miedos, su conflicto interno y lo mal que lo pasa al no sentirse normal. Es una novela muy sencilla en cuanto a trama, que se lee en un suspiro, gracias en gran medida a la pluma de Brie Spangler que es muy coloquial, directa y con un toque de sarcasmo y humor que hace más distendida y natural toda la historia... y se agradece porque es una historia con temas realmente duros como la transfobia, la depresión, el bullying o la poca autoestima. Asà que a pesar de contar una historia juvenil de amor también toca cuestiones importantes y actuales, que pueden concienciar y me ha parecido maravilloso la forma en la que lo ha hecho.
Reseña completa:
No sé muy bien que esperaba de este libro, pero desde luego no era la historia que me encontré entre sus páginas, aún asà ha sido una historia muy bonita que ha conseguido conquistarme poquito a poco. Con la voz de Dylan como narrador en primera persona iremos viendo su dÃa a dÃa -en el instituto, con sus amigos, su madre y Jamie-, sus sentimientos y miedos, su conflicto interno y lo mal que lo pasa al no sentirse normal. Es una novela muy sencilla en cuanto a trama, que se lee en un suspiro, gracias en gran medida a la pluma de Brie Spangler que es muy coloquial, directa y con un toque de sarcasmo y humor que hace más distendida y natural toda la historia... y se agradece porque es una historia con temas realmente duros como la transfobia, la depresión, el bullying o la poca autoestima. Asà que a pesar de contar una historia juvenil de amor también toca cuestiones importantes y actuales, que pueden concienciar y me ha parecido maravilloso la forma en la que lo ha hecho.
October 25, 2016
I was really excited to read a Beauty & the Beast retelling with a transgender character. Though it hasn't much to do with B&tB (except Dylan is called "Beast" because of his huge and hairy self), it's still a book many should read. I can't deny it bored me a little at the beginning, because Dylan exhausted me with his complaints about himself. I've seen a few reviews despising him because of his reaction when he finds out Jamie is trans, and though some of the things he did wasn't very nice, I kind of understand him and his questionings. This book is sweet, heartwarming, and even romantic, but it's also real and painful at times. It debates things like transphobia, and "am I gay or not for liking a trans girl?", and bullying, and self-harm, and self-acceptance. This is an important book, and the world should know it.
September 9, 2017
Mais um livro lgbt para a pilha dos lidos. Este livro foi diferente do que esperava. Normalmente torcemos para que o casal fique junto mas admito que aqui não queria a Jamie com o Dylan, ele tinha atitudes tão imaturas..enfim, boys.
Fala sobre um assunto complicado, o preconceito que se tem com pessoas transgéneras.
Não tem muito de retelling, só mesmo o facto do Dylan ser grande e peludo e ser chamado de Monstro.
É um bom livro, gostei de o ler e passa mensagens importantes, sendo um YA e direccionado para este público, tem a capacidade de ensinar e desmitificar algumas ideias erradas que se possa ter portanto aconselho.
______
Temos Dylan, um jovem de 16 anos que mede quase 2 metros e é peludo em todas as partes do corpo e cara. Como alcunha de escola, é chamado de Monstro (ou Beast, daà o tÃtulo do livro). Pronto acabou aqui a parte do livro em que é parecido com a Bela e o Monstro. A sério, não estou a brincar, é só isto de parecenças.
Dylan sofre uma relação conturbada com a mãe e ainda sente o luto do pai. A escola é o seu refúgio e apesar da sua aparência de jogador de futebol americano, Dylan é na verdade um aluno brilhante e o seu divertimento é fazer tpcs da escola para seguir carreira na ciência. Devido a um acontecimento é inserido num grupo de apoio da escola e é lá que vai conhecer Jamie, a nossa 'Bela'.
Jamie é uma rapariga transgénera e isto não é segredo no livro -todos sabem - menos Dylan que no momento da revelação de Jamie ao grupo, se encontrava distraÃdo. Portanto esse detalhe passa-lhe ao lado e quando começa a nutrir sentimentos pela Jamie, nem lhe passa pela cabeça que ela possa ser transgénera. Claro que não ocorre muito tempo até Dylan ser confrontado com isso (pelos colegas da escola) e não agindo da melhor maneira, acaba por não ter a melhor atitude para com a Jamie.
O livro aqui acaba por ganhar contornos um pouco mais crus mas também mais realistas. Achei que a autora abordou o tema da fobia de género muito bem. Temos aqui muito preconceito não só da parte de Dylan - rapazes! - mas também da mãe do Dylan que pensa que Jamie é uma má influência para o seu filho. Isto tudo resulta numa vida complicada para Jamie, que como ela diz, só quer viver em paz, nem precisa que a aceitem. O que gostei mais da relação da Jamie e do Dylan é que ela diz-lhe umas quantas verdades e acaba por mostrar-lhe que ela sempre foi a mesa rapariga desde sempre. Para alguém que tem tanto preconceito com a sua imagem (Dylan) é muito preconceituoso da parte dele, julgar a Jamie pela sua aparência do passado. Gostei disso.
(...)
Não é um retelling como se calhar muitos esperavam mas é um livro importante pelo tema que abordam. Achei que o assunto do preconceito das relações amorosas com adolescentes trangéneros foram tratadas de uma maneira muito realista e honesta.
Recomendo.
Opinião completa:
Fala sobre um assunto complicado, o preconceito que se tem com pessoas transgéneras.
Não tem muito de retelling, só mesmo o facto do Dylan ser grande e peludo e ser chamado de Monstro.
É um bom livro, gostei de o ler e passa mensagens importantes, sendo um YA e direccionado para este público, tem a capacidade de ensinar e desmitificar algumas ideias erradas que se possa ter portanto aconselho.
______
Temos Dylan, um jovem de 16 anos que mede quase 2 metros e é peludo em todas as partes do corpo e cara. Como alcunha de escola, é chamado de Monstro (ou Beast, daà o tÃtulo do livro). Pronto acabou aqui a parte do livro em que é parecido com a Bela e o Monstro. A sério, não estou a brincar, é só isto de parecenças.
Dylan sofre uma relação conturbada com a mãe e ainda sente o luto do pai. A escola é o seu refúgio e apesar da sua aparência de jogador de futebol americano, Dylan é na verdade um aluno brilhante e o seu divertimento é fazer tpcs da escola para seguir carreira na ciência. Devido a um acontecimento é inserido num grupo de apoio da escola e é lá que vai conhecer Jamie, a nossa 'Bela'.
Jamie é uma rapariga transgénera e isto não é segredo no livro -todos sabem - menos Dylan que no momento da revelação de Jamie ao grupo, se encontrava distraÃdo. Portanto esse detalhe passa-lhe ao lado e quando começa a nutrir sentimentos pela Jamie, nem lhe passa pela cabeça que ela possa ser transgénera. Claro que não ocorre muito tempo até Dylan ser confrontado com isso (pelos colegas da escola) e não agindo da melhor maneira, acaba por não ter a melhor atitude para com a Jamie.
O livro aqui acaba por ganhar contornos um pouco mais crus mas também mais realistas. Achei que a autora abordou o tema da fobia de género muito bem. Temos aqui muito preconceito não só da parte de Dylan - rapazes! - mas também da mãe do Dylan que pensa que Jamie é uma má influência para o seu filho. Isto tudo resulta numa vida complicada para Jamie, que como ela diz, só quer viver em paz, nem precisa que a aceitem. O que gostei mais da relação da Jamie e do Dylan é que ela diz-lhe umas quantas verdades e acaba por mostrar-lhe que ela sempre foi a mesa rapariga desde sempre. Para alguém que tem tanto preconceito com a sua imagem (Dylan) é muito preconceituoso da parte dele, julgar a Jamie pela sua aparência do passado. Gostei disso.
(...)
Não é um retelling como se calhar muitos esperavam mas é um livro importante pelo tema que abordam. Achei que o assunto do preconceito das relações amorosas com adolescentes trangéneros foram tratadas de uma maneira muito realista e honesta.
Recomendo.
Opinião completa:
February 22, 2017
I was so excited to dive into Beast. I love Beauty and the Beast retellings! A retelling with a transgender character? Yes, please! Unfortunately, Beast wasn’t anything like I had hoped and expected. I think most of my problems with this book stem from the wrong set of expectations, but either way I did not enjoy it.
I want to mention first that this book is barely a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The parallels were few and far between. I found that really disappointing when I was led to believe that this was a retelling. I’m not sure how I got that idea now…what it in the blurb before? Either way, that made me expect more Beauty and the Beast elements and when it didn’t happen I was disappointed.
My main issue with the book is Dylan. He was so unlikable! Almost unbearable at times. He was horribly misogynistic. He judged and demeaned every girl he looked at from page one. He also thinks he’s a ‘good guy�. He repeats things like ‘be a good guy� to himself throughout the book. How he was so caught up on this and still managed to be an ass most of the time I do not know. There also wasn’t much character growth to be had. I found him still utterly unlikable at the end…or maybe I was still just holding a grudge. I just couldn’t get past Dylan’s personality to like this book.
Jamie was the best thing about the book. She was definitely the high point of the book. Her charisma was fabulously done. I really don’t understand why she even wanted to be around Dylan. She deserved better friends than him.
I really wasn’t a fan of Beast, I ended up skimming the end. It does have some fantastic reviews. It just wasn’t for me. If it sounds like something a book you would like then I say read it. I’m pretty sure my expectations played a large role in my initial dislike of the story.
I want to mention first that this book is barely a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The parallels were few and far between. I found that really disappointing when I was led to believe that this was a retelling. I’m not sure how I got that idea now…what it in the blurb before? Either way, that made me expect more Beauty and the Beast elements and when it didn’t happen I was disappointed.
My main issue with the book is Dylan. He was so unlikable! Almost unbearable at times. He was horribly misogynistic. He judged and demeaned every girl he looked at from page one. He also thinks he’s a ‘good guy�. He repeats things like ‘be a good guy� to himself throughout the book. How he was so caught up on this and still managed to be an ass most of the time I do not know. There also wasn’t much character growth to be had. I found him still utterly unlikable at the end…or maybe I was still just holding a grudge. I just couldn’t get past Dylan’s personality to like this book.
Jamie was the best thing about the book. She was definitely the high point of the book. Her charisma was fabulously done. I really don’t understand why she even wanted to be around Dylan. She deserved better friends than him.
I really wasn’t a fan of Beast, I ended up skimming the end. It does have some fantastic reviews. It just wasn’t for me. If it sounds like something a book you would like then I say read it. I’m pretty sure my expectations played a large role in my initial dislike of the story.
April 29, 2024
DNF at 45%
I got this off audible + a long time ago because i'd heard about it. Queer retelling, of course I checked it out. I check today and see audible says on May 3rd it'll be removed from audible +, so I start listening to it, finally. But I have since seen fellow trans people, hate this book. I'm a trans man. The MC is a guy who falls for a trans girl without realizing she's trans because he zoned out and wasn't paying attention when she said so. I agree with another review that says "I don’t need more cis writers to write trans pain."
I gave it a chance anyway. And because of that, I wasted hours of my life on a Sunday. I want those hours back.
I got this off audible + a long time ago because i'd heard about it. Queer retelling, of course I checked it out. I check today and see audible says on May 3rd it'll be removed from audible +, so I start listening to it, finally. But I have since seen fellow trans people, hate this book. I'm a trans man. The MC is a guy who falls for a trans girl without realizing she's trans because he zoned out and wasn't paying attention when she said so. I agree with another review that says "I don’t need more cis writers to write trans pain."
I gave it a chance anyway. And because of that, I wasted hours of my life on a Sunday. I want those hours back.
February 1, 2017
So when I bumped into this book I immediately added it to my tbr. I mean, a "Beauty and the beast" retelling featuring a trans girl as Beauty? Hell yes!!
And do you know what I love the most about this book? That it doesn't focus on the struggle of being a trans girl, that it doesn't make a tragedy of her story. Jamie is perfecetly okay with who she is, and it's Dylan who has issues with his body. It's very interesting how being so big and hairy affects him in many different ways and how he faces his problems. Because he makes mistakes (like a lot), but he aknowledges them and is willing to learn and rectify. So hurrah for character development!!
And what about Jamie? I love her because she's amazing, and badass. And, as she says, it's not her job to educate people, she doesn't exist to be anybody's tragedy, nor is she brave for being trans. This is simply who she is and she just wants to live in peace.
TRIGGER WARNING for transphobia and self-harm.
And do you know what I love the most about this book? That it doesn't focus on the struggle of being a trans girl, that it doesn't make a tragedy of her story. Jamie is perfecetly okay with who she is, and it's Dylan who has issues with his body. It's very interesting how being so big and hairy affects him in many different ways and how he faces his problems. Because he makes mistakes (like a lot), but he aknowledges them and is willing to learn and rectify. So hurrah for character development!!
And what about Jamie? I love her because she's amazing, and badass. And, as she says, it's not her job to educate people, she doesn't exist to be anybody's tragedy, nor is she brave for being trans. This is simply who she is and she just wants to live in peace.
TRIGGER WARNING for transphobia and self-harm.
March 21, 2017
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN
La nueva adaptación cinematográfica de la La Bella y la Bestia ha traÃdo consigo la publicación de numerosas novelas que se basan en el clásico cuento de Disney. Es este el caso de El corazón de la bestia de Brie Spangler, un nuevo retelling de temática LGBTQ al que poco le queda del original más que alguna que otra reminiscencia en los personajes protagonistas.
Dylan está cansado de que solo se le conozca por su gran tamaño y por lo peludo de su cuerpo, por lo que decide tirarse desde el tejado de su casa con el fin de romperse la pierna y que le conozcan como "el de las muletas" y no como Bestia. Cuando el doctor descubre que esta caÃda ha sido a propósito, le enviará a terapia, donde conocerá a Jamie: una chica que le va a encandilar desde el primer momento y que pondrá su vida patas arriba.
Con un argumento tan llamativo, Brie Spangler consigue engancharte a su novela desde la primera página y hasta que termina. Es imposible no devorar una historia como la que ha creado la autora, con un ritmo tan ágil y fluido que convierte la novela en una lectura rápida.
La trama esconde temas tan duros como el bullying, la autolesión, la homofobia y la transfobia, pero la forma en que están tratados todos estos temas es la adecuada. Están reflejados mediante la primera persona por parte de Dylan, que los ha sufrido en su propia carne, con una profundidad que habrÃa que destacar por lo bien llevada que está. Además, está muy bien expresada la marabunta de sentimientos contradictorios que tiene nuestro protagonista cuando se entera de que Jamie es transexual, que no podrÃa estar mejor tratado.
La nueva adaptación cinematográfica de la La Bella y la Bestia ha traÃdo consigo la publicación de numerosas novelas que se basan en el clásico cuento de Disney. Es este el caso de El corazón de la bestia de Brie Spangler, un nuevo retelling de temática LGBTQ al que poco le queda del original más que alguna que otra reminiscencia en los personajes protagonistas.
Dylan está cansado de que solo se le conozca por su gran tamaño y por lo peludo de su cuerpo, por lo que decide tirarse desde el tejado de su casa con el fin de romperse la pierna y que le conozcan como "el de las muletas" y no como Bestia. Cuando el doctor descubre que esta caÃda ha sido a propósito, le enviará a terapia, donde conocerá a Jamie: una chica que le va a encandilar desde el primer momento y que pondrá su vida patas arriba.
Con un argumento tan llamativo, Brie Spangler consigue engancharte a su novela desde la primera página y hasta que termina. Es imposible no devorar una historia como la que ha creado la autora, con un ritmo tan ágil y fluido que convierte la novela en una lectura rápida.
La trama esconde temas tan duros como el bullying, la autolesión, la homofobia y la transfobia, pero la forma en que están tratados todos estos temas es la adecuada. Están reflejados mediante la primera persona por parte de Dylan, que los ha sufrido en su propia carne, con una profundidad que habrÃa que destacar por lo bien llevada que está. Además, está muy bien expresada la marabunta de sentimientos contradictorios que tiene nuestro protagonista cuando se entera de que Jamie es transexual, que no podrÃa estar mejor tratado.
October 26, 2016
Trigger warnings: Transphobia, insensitivity to self-harm, self-harm, mental illness, mild violence
Dylan looks nothing like a fifteen year-old. He’s well over 6 feet tall, his body’s covered with muscle, and as he describes it- he’s hairier than a throw rug. He’s been made fun of his entire life, ever since he hit puberty in the fourth grade. Nicknamed “Sasquatch,� or more commonly, “Beast,� Dylan gets along with his mother well enough, but she can sometimes be overbearing. And more often than not, he wishes his father was alive, or up in the heavens just listening, so he could have someone to relate to. On the worst day of his life when hats and long hair are banned at school, Dylan falls off the roof of his house. Although he insists that he fell while trying to retrieve a football, his mother insists that he go to at least one session of therapy. There, he meets a beautiful girl named Jamie whom he bonds with immediately. Their connection is something special. But when Dylan was wallowing in self-pity and had zoned out during his first therapy session, he missed it when Jamie revealed that she was a trans girl. This shouldn’t change anything, but will it?
Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I had the idea that it would be a cutesy love story, but the fact that it’s a Beauty & the Beast retelling threw me off. And while the cutesy romantic aspect is very much there, Beast is an incredibly layered, complicated tale revolving around characters so human and so flawed that it will leave you breathless from the thrill of it, from the reality of it. And it took me a while to realize just how much I was enjoying the story- perhaps because I was caught up in the retelling aspect of it initially, wondering how it was going to come into play apart from our protagonist’s nickname. But as the story naturally unraveled, as pieces of the puzzle started to simultaneously come together and fall apart, this novel was a delight to read.
The relationships in Beast are so layered and strong- especially, Dylan’s relationship with his mother. There’s so much negativity and tension in their dynamic, (I believe he’s even slapped once in the novel.) but they rely so much on each other that it becomes beautiful in its imperfect nuance. A lot like how our relationships are with parents. We don’t always love them, we’re sometimes sick of them. But ultimately, they’re who we go to. I loved that part of this book. And the symbiotic romance between Dylan and Jamie was also incredible, full of slow-burn build-up and chemistry that was almost tangible.
But my favorite aspect of this story was definitely our main character. His heart’s in the right place- that much becomes apparent from the very start. But Spangler created this incredibly complex, broken teenager who’s trying very hard to be as tough as his exterior suggests he is, but he’s simply not. He’s a fifteen year old boy with many, many insecurities- particularly with how he looks (I would actually argue that he has body dysphoria, even though that’s not on-the-page mentioned, although the Meredith Russo review linked above makes a good case for gender dysphoria). He looks like a man, but his inner monologues remind us that he’s still a child who has much to learn. He has a best friend, JP, who’s kind of an asshole, but Dylan sticks with him because JP is the good-looking, popular kid that offers Dylan the protection from straight-up bullying. Dylan misses his father, and is constantly looking for signs from above to guide him to the right path. And he tries to hide his pain and sorrow behind sarcastic quips- but you can only hide for so long.
Dylan’s development throughout the narrative is- at the risk of sounding ineloquent- such goals. If I could write a character that deeply flawed and transform him into such a lovable, such an empathetic individual, I will have succeeded as a writer, in my eyes. You know those characters where you know they have flaws, but the flaws are still endearing? Not with Dylan. He’s actually an asshole in the beginning of the book- to the point of being characterized as an anti-hero even. When he goes to therapy for self-harm, he makes condescending and insensitive remarks towards the other people in his group, and when he finds out that Jamie is a trans girl, he lashes out. Not at her, but in a general sense. Spangler doesn’t sugarcoat this at all. Although it’s discomforting and almost disturbing to read, he asks questions that I’d imagine every teenage boy would ask. And from that insensitive, clueless teenage boy, he grows and grows to become a beautiful, wonderful young man.
So, it’s obvious here that I really enjoyed this book. Which is not to say that it was perfect. Primarily, my problem was with Jamie’s character. I feel that all the other characters were so flawed and complicated that she stuck out as this almost-perfect girl, which inhibited me from being as invested in her character as I was in Dylan’s. Moroever, I felt that there were a couple of loose ends that weren’t resolved, particularly with regards to Dylan and JP’s relationship. I also thought that mental illness plays such a prominent role in this novel, particularly with Dylan (can’t say much for the risk of spoilers) that I definitely wish it had been explored more. And finally, Dylan looking for a sign from his father was a little overdone, but apart from these issues, this was a solid, solid read that I would highly recommend.
Dylan looks nothing like a fifteen year-old. He’s well over 6 feet tall, his body’s covered with muscle, and as he describes it- he’s hairier than a throw rug. He’s been made fun of his entire life, ever since he hit puberty in the fourth grade. Nicknamed “Sasquatch,� or more commonly, “Beast,� Dylan gets along with his mother well enough, but she can sometimes be overbearing. And more often than not, he wishes his father was alive, or up in the heavens just listening, so he could have someone to relate to. On the worst day of his life when hats and long hair are banned at school, Dylan falls off the roof of his house. Although he insists that he fell while trying to retrieve a football, his mother insists that he go to at least one session of therapy. There, he meets a beautiful girl named Jamie whom he bonds with immediately. Their connection is something special. But when Dylan was wallowing in self-pity and had zoned out during his first therapy session, he missed it when Jamie revealed that she was a trans girl. This shouldn’t change anything, but will it?
Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I had the idea that it would be a cutesy love story, but the fact that it’s a Beauty & the Beast retelling threw me off. And while the cutesy romantic aspect is very much there, Beast is an incredibly layered, complicated tale revolving around characters so human and so flawed that it will leave you breathless from the thrill of it, from the reality of it. And it took me a while to realize just how much I was enjoying the story- perhaps because I was caught up in the retelling aspect of it initially, wondering how it was going to come into play apart from our protagonist’s nickname. But as the story naturally unraveled, as pieces of the puzzle started to simultaneously come together and fall apart, this novel was a delight to read.
The relationships in Beast are so layered and strong- especially, Dylan’s relationship with his mother. There’s so much negativity and tension in their dynamic, (I believe he’s even slapped once in the novel.) but they rely so much on each other that it becomes beautiful in its imperfect nuance. A lot like how our relationships are with parents. We don’t always love them, we’re sometimes sick of them. But ultimately, they’re who we go to. I loved that part of this book. And the symbiotic romance between Dylan and Jamie was also incredible, full of slow-burn build-up and chemistry that was almost tangible.
But my favorite aspect of this story was definitely our main character. His heart’s in the right place- that much becomes apparent from the very start. But Spangler created this incredibly complex, broken teenager who’s trying very hard to be as tough as his exterior suggests he is, but he’s simply not. He’s a fifteen year old boy with many, many insecurities- particularly with how he looks (I would actually argue that he has body dysphoria, even though that’s not on-the-page mentioned, although the Meredith Russo review linked above makes a good case for gender dysphoria). He looks like a man, but his inner monologues remind us that he’s still a child who has much to learn. He has a best friend, JP, who’s kind of an asshole, but Dylan sticks with him because JP is the good-looking, popular kid that offers Dylan the protection from straight-up bullying. Dylan misses his father, and is constantly looking for signs from above to guide him to the right path. And he tries to hide his pain and sorrow behind sarcastic quips- but you can only hide for so long.
Dylan’s development throughout the narrative is- at the risk of sounding ineloquent- such goals. If I could write a character that deeply flawed and transform him into such a lovable, such an empathetic individual, I will have succeeded as a writer, in my eyes. You know those characters where you know they have flaws, but the flaws are still endearing? Not with Dylan. He’s actually an asshole in the beginning of the book- to the point of being characterized as an anti-hero even. When he goes to therapy for self-harm, he makes condescending and insensitive remarks towards the other people in his group, and when he finds out that Jamie is a trans girl, he lashes out. Not at her, but in a general sense. Spangler doesn’t sugarcoat this at all. Although it’s discomforting and almost disturbing to read, he asks questions that I’d imagine every teenage boy would ask. And from that insensitive, clueless teenage boy, he grows and grows to become a beautiful, wonderful young man.
So, it’s obvious here that I really enjoyed this book. Which is not to say that it was perfect. Primarily, my problem was with Jamie’s character. I feel that all the other characters were so flawed and complicated that she stuck out as this almost-perfect girl, which inhibited me from being as invested in her character as I was in Dylan’s. Moroever, I felt that there were a couple of loose ends that weren’t resolved, particularly with regards to Dylan and JP’s relationship. I also thought that mental illness plays such a prominent role in this novel, particularly with Dylan (can’t say much for the risk of spoilers) that I definitely wish it had been explored more. And finally, Dylan looking for a sign from his father was a little overdone, but apart from these issues, this was a solid, solid read that I would highly recommend.
Find me elsewhere:
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February 19, 2017
It’s books like this one that remind me why I am so in love with reading; the books that I can lose myself in for hours without getting bored or needing to take a break.
absolutely enthralled me. It’s one of the best contemporary novels I’ve read this year, and definitely the best debut. I know I’ll be reading anything this author comes out with for the rest of her career.
This story follows Dylan, a 15 year old boy dubbed “the Beast�. He’s ridiculously tall, built, and covered in hair. He’s always had to deal with the assumptions and judgements people make of him based on this. When his school bans hats and long hair, Dylan is rather upset and ends up falling off his roof in despair.
Dylan is sent to group therapy for those who self-harm, where he meets Jamie, a smart and talented photographer. Dylan falls head over heels for Jamie, but when he zoned out in group therapy he happened to miss the fact that Jamie is transgender, and when he realizes this he must decide how this affects him and his feelings for her.
I adored everything about this story. I can see where others won’t. There are a lot of things said from nearly all the characters that are extremely misguided, and if transphobia is a trigger for you I would avoid this one. It is dealt with in depth and, in my opinion as a cis girl, handled very well.
The narration style is fantastic, realistic for a teen and sprinkled with humor. I was laughing out loud at moments, which I did not expect going in. The writing fit the story perfectly. Dylan is a cynical narrator and he carries the story fantastically.
The characters are incredibly well drawn and feel very realistic for their age. I loved how each character was complex, distinguishable, and had relationships outside of the immediate story. There were elements of characters that were morally grey, and I do love my morally grey characters.
Dylan is one of those narrators that at times I felt like I shouldn’t like, but I adored him nonetheless. He’s flawed, and he expresses opinions that were wrong, but it just made him feel all the more real. He makes mistakes and says awful things, but he learns from them and has some of the best character development I’ve seen.
As far as the other characters, I loved basically all of them. Jamie is awesome. She stands up for herself and is strong and independent. Dylan’s mom is super cute. I love seeing parent-child relationships in books. I shouldn’t like JP because he could be really sketchy but I still absolutely loved him.
This book is so underread. I want to see this book in the hands of more people, even though I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. For now, I’ll just welcome my copy of Beast to the favorites shelf.
absolutely enthralled me. It’s one of the best contemporary novels I’ve read this year, and definitely the best debut. I know I’ll be reading anything this author comes out with for the rest of her career.
This story follows Dylan, a 15 year old boy dubbed “the Beast�. He’s ridiculously tall, built, and covered in hair. He’s always had to deal with the assumptions and judgements people make of him based on this. When his school bans hats and long hair, Dylan is rather upset and ends up falling off his roof in despair.
Dylan is sent to group therapy for those who self-harm, where he meets Jamie, a smart and talented photographer. Dylan falls head over heels for Jamie, but when he zoned out in group therapy he happened to miss the fact that Jamie is transgender, and when he realizes this he must decide how this affects him and his feelings for her.
I adored everything about this story. I can see where others won’t. There are a lot of things said from nearly all the characters that are extremely misguided, and if transphobia is a trigger for you I would avoid this one. It is dealt with in depth and, in my opinion as a cis girl, handled very well.
The narration style is fantastic, realistic for a teen and sprinkled with humor. I was laughing out loud at moments, which I did not expect going in. The writing fit the story perfectly. Dylan is a cynical narrator and he carries the story fantastically.
The characters are incredibly well drawn and feel very realistic for their age. I loved how each character was complex, distinguishable, and had relationships outside of the immediate story. There were elements of characters that were morally grey, and I do love my morally grey characters.
Dylan is one of those narrators that at times I felt like I shouldn’t like, but I adored him nonetheless. He’s flawed, and he expresses opinions that were wrong, but it just made him feel all the more real. He makes mistakes and says awful things, but he learns from them and has some of the best character development I’ve seen.
As far as the other characters, I loved basically all of them. Jamie is awesome. She stands up for herself and is strong and independent. Dylan’s mom is super cute. I love seeing parent-child relationships in books. I shouldn’t like JP because he could be really sketchy but I still absolutely loved him.
This book is so underread. I want to see this book in the hands of more people, even though I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. For now, I’ll just welcome my copy of Beast to the favorites shelf.
October 3, 2016
Read more of my reviews at !
Initial reaction:
Beast is one of those books that I knew I had to have as soon as I saw it! The cover is gorgeous and, well, it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling (sort of)! In case you're new to my reviews, I am obsessed with retellings. Even though I'm not a usual reader of contemporary fiction, this combined with a trans main character made this one a must-read for me!
Dylan is the protagonist of this story and he has some problems. For reasons unknown he is huge and won't stop growing. He's also plagued with way too much hair and it's everywhere, hence why he's called Beast by the kids at school. One day Dylan goes onto the roof and falls off, breaking his leg and landing him in group therapy where he meets Jamie. Dylan was a difficult character to like at times. His decision making was not always sound and he was sometimes an asshole to everyone around him. Somehow I think I actually liked him more because of it, though. It's nice to see a character evolve.
Jamie was a fantastic character! She is unlike any girl Dylan has ever met and he quickly falls head over heels. Although I clearly have no idea what it would be like to be transgender, I felt it easy to sympathize with her throughout the book. I also loved how fearless and unapologetically herself she was. She took no crap from anyone and didn't let the haters bring her down for long, and her reactions always felt sincere.
The story in Beast, while adorable, wasn't really Beauty and the Beast to me. Other than the fact that one character was literally called "Beast" and the other was really pretty, I couldn't see much of a connection. Still, the story was amazing, and this is coming from someone who doesn't usually care for contemporary fiction. I loved the evolution of the relationship between Dylan and Jamie. Watching it was kind of like a train wreck at times, but I loved it so much! I laughed, I cried (okay, not really)!
Brie Spangler did a wonderful job of creating a world and characters who were incredibly strong, yet imperfect enough to be sympathetic. She handled the multiple issues presented in Beast, including death and substance abuse, in such an amazing way. Although this book is totally adorable and a really fun read, the messages Beast drives home are also important and I think (and hope) they'll make an impact with YA readers.
Beast was a really great read that I can't recommend enough! I loved almost every second of it and was actually sad when the story ended. I'm really excited to see what Brie Spangler writes next - she has been added to my auto buy list! If you're a fan of contemporary fiction or are looking to diversify your bookshelf, this one is definitely for you!
Initial reaction:
Beast is one of those books that I knew I had to have as soon as I saw it! The cover is gorgeous and, well, it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling (sort of)! In case you're new to my reviews, I am obsessed with retellings. Even though I'm not a usual reader of contemporary fiction, this combined with a trans main character made this one a must-read for me!
Dylan is the protagonist of this story and he has some problems. For reasons unknown he is huge and won't stop growing. He's also plagued with way too much hair and it's everywhere, hence why he's called Beast by the kids at school. One day Dylan goes onto the roof and falls off, breaking his leg and landing him in group therapy where he meets Jamie. Dylan was a difficult character to like at times. His decision making was not always sound and he was sometimes an asshole to everyone around him. Somehow I think I actually liked him more because of it, though. It's nice to see a character evolve.
Jamie was a fantastic character! She is unlike any girl Dylan has ever met and he quickly falls head over heels. Although I clearly have no idea what it would be like to be transgender, I felt it easy to sympathize with her throughout the book. I also loved how fearless and unapologetically herself she was. She took no crap from anyone and didn't let the haters bring her down for long, and her reactions always felt sincere.
The story in Beast, while adorable, wasn't really Beauty and the Beast to me. Other than the fact that one character was literally called "Beast" and the other was really pretty, I couldn't see much of a connection. Still, the story was amazing, and this is coming from someone who doesn't usually care for contemporary fiction. I loved the evolution of the relationship between Dylan and Jamie. Watching it was kind of like a train wreck at times, but I loved it so much! I laughed, I cried (okay, not really)!
Brie Spangler did a wonderful job of creating a world and characters who were incredibly strong, yet imperfect enough to be sympathetic. She handled the multiple issues presented in Beast, including death and substance abuse, in such an amazing way. Although this book is totally adorable and a really fun read, the messages Beast drives home are also important and I think (and hope) they'll make an impact with YA readers.
Beast was a really great read that I can't recommend enough! I loved almost every second of it and was actually sad when the story ended. I'm really excited to see what Brie Spangler writes next - she has been added to my auto buy list! If you're a fan of contemporary fiction or are looking to diversify your bookshelf, this one is definitely for you!
November 26, 2016
I loved this book. Recently I've been all iffy about YA contemporaries and their high school setting because I couldn't relate to characters and their problems. Beast completely swept me off my feet and I'm so happy I got to read the book.
What I like the most about Beast is realistic teenagers. 15 year olds are difficult and I remember myself at that age and I was absolutely horrible (I'm still horrible but for other reasons now fyi). Brie Spangler perfectly captured teenagers, I liked her characters, even when they were unlikable and shitty (quite often btw). Dylan was an exciting protagonist because I often switched between wanting to punch or hug him. He was awful and he grew up and I'm proud of him. I liked Jamie, too. She's a round well-drafted character who has her own personality and life, she isn't just a love interest in epic life of Epic Dylan, she is a transgender person, but her characterization isn't definitely only by her transness.
JP is spoilt rich kid and I didn't like him much, I felt even smth warm for him tho.
Special shoutout for Dylan's mom. I love this woman.
The writing of the book was good, the book is a total page-turner!
All in all, I highly recommend to read the book. Beast is an amazing contemporary and one of my best reads of the year.
What I like the most about Beast is realistic teenagers. 15 year olds are difficult and I remember myself at that age and I was absolutely horrible (I'm still horrible but for other reasons now fyi). Brie Spangler perfectly captured teenagers, I liked her characters, even when they were unlikable and shitty (quite often btw). Dylan was an exciting protagonist because I often switched between wanting to punch or hug him. He was awful and he grew up and I'm proud of him. I liked Jamie, too. She's a round well-drafted character who has her own personality and life, she isn't just a love interest in epic life of Epic Dylan, she is a transgender person, but her characterization isn't definitely only by her transness.
JP is spoilt rich kid and I didn't like him much, I felt even smth warm for him tho.
Special shoutout for Dylan's mom. I love this woman.
The writing of the book was good, the book is a total page-turner!
All in all, I highly recommend to read the book. Beast is an amazing contemporary and one of my best reads of the year.
September 22, 2016
I am obsessed with this gorgeous & inventive transgender teen love story, inspired by "Beauty & the Beast." Brie Spangler's BEAST is a brilliantly conceived and beautifully written story of acceptance and unconditional love.
May 27, 2017
Dylan es un adolescente de 15 años que se siente el ser humano más espantoso sobre la faz de la tierra, porque a su corta edad mide casi dos metros de altura, y tiene casi todo el cuerpo cubierto de pelo, un fÃsico por el cual lo apodaron La Bestia en el colegio. Con una vida social casi inexistente, repulsivo para las chicas y con un mejor amigo que le hace bullying como si fuera su enemigo, Dylan termina asistiendo a terapia después de tener un accidente que su madre temÃa haya sido intencional.
Aunque renuente, Dylan asiste a la primera sesión de la terapia, un grupo conformado entre pura chica, todas hermosas, y Dylan duda de que pudieran sufrir algo en sus vidas siendo tan hermosas (Para ser una persona que se queja del prejuicio, resultaba ser un ser humano muy juzgón). Entre éstas chicas se encuentra también Jamie, una chica alegre y aficionada a la fotografÃa. Pronto Jamie y Dylan se vuelven inseparables, pero Dylan ignoraba el pasado de Jamie ¿Podrá eso cambiar las cosas entre ellos? ¿Qué tan fuerte es la relación que están iniciando?
¿Me gustó? SÃ, bastante. ¿Cumplió con mis expectativas? No, para nada. Y no me mal entiendan, como ya dije, sà me gustó, me lo devoré en dos dÃas (bastante rápido considerando el hecho de que ya casi no tengo tiempo para leer) es un libro entretenido que te intriga pero me esperaba algo un tanto diferente.
Me encanta que uno de los personajes fuera transexual, pero me molestó un poco que a pesar de decir en la sinopsis "Una historia de amor transgénero" como algo principal, sea realmente algo secundario. Jamie en sà es un personaje secundario. Ya que nos pasamos leyendo sólo sobre Dylan, es un libro sobre los problemas de Dylan, y pues entre ellos, pasa que se enamora de una chica que solÃa ser chico. Pero en sÃ, enamorarse de Jamie no es el punto central de la historia tal cual. Y pues fue una historia bastante light, a pesar de que no soy fan del género dramático, me hubiera gustado leer un poco más de drama en la historia. Pero drama bien, no del tipo "Me odian por feito".
Además, sucede algo con el mejor amigo de Dylan que a mi parecer estaba totalmente fuera de lugar con la historia. Sentà como que la autora no supo como meterle drama a la historia y se armó un cuento chino sin pies ni cabeza. No sé ni cómo explicarlo. Todo iba bien, todo iba perfecto, pero luego meten al mejor amigo de Dylan en la ecuación y como que perdió credibilidad para mÃ.
Repito, es una historia entretenida y divertida, me gustó mucho leerlo. Además que la autora sabe cómo mantener al lector interesado. Pero tal vez me hubiera gustado que los temas centrales de la historia hubieran sido diferentes. Éste es un libro literalmente sobre el bullying, pero bullying hacia la apariencia de Dylan y ya.
DirÃa que es un libro palomero, tal vez no te deje nada sustancial pero lo puedes disfrutar, logrará su misión de distraerte de tu vida diaria. Pero al cerrarlo, es poco probable que te deje alguna emoción permanente. Pero eso no lo convierte en un mal libros, no todos los libros tienen que dejarnos algo. Algunos simplemente cumplen con la misión de entretenernos y ya, y sólo por eso son dignos de ser leÃdos. Éste es un caso como ese.
April 16, 2018
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book from a co-worker at the bookstore I work at. So, what can I say....
I loved this book. I can really break it down to two main reason why:
1. I am so happy that this book exists and is going to be out there in the world. There has been such an increase in awesome gay, lesbian and bi literature for young adults in the last few years. There is still a serious lack of YA with trans characters and storylines. What makes this book special is that its a love story between a straight boy and a trans girl. While Jamie being trans is part of the story and a source of conflict, I would argue its not even the main conflict between Dylan and Jamie. Both characters have issues with their bodies, and that is the core of the story. And the best part is that, even when Dylan has issues with Jamie being trans, its always obvious that he is the one with the problem. It presents a type of relationship that definitely exists but we almost never get to see or read about.
2. It's just a really good, well written YA novel. It's an incredibly sweet love story without being too gushy and over the top. Plus it's a really unique interpretation of Beauty and the Beast without beating you over the head with it.
I can't wait for this to come out and recommend it to people. Thank you Brie Spangler for this incredible book!
I loved this book. I can really break it down to two main reason why:
1. I am so happy that this book exists and is going to be out there in the world. There has been such an increase in awesome gay, lesbian and bi literature for young adults in the last few years. There is still a serious lack of YA with trans characters and storylines. What makes this book special is that its a love story between a straight boy and a trans girl. While Jamie being trans is part of the story and a source of conflict, I would argue its not even the main conflict between Dylan and Jamie. Both characters have issues with their bodies, and that is the core of the story. And the best part is that, even when Dylan has issues with Jamie being trans, its always obvious that he is the one with the problem. It presents a type of relationship that definitely exists but we almost never get to see or read about.
2. It's just a really good, well written YA novel. It's an incredibly sweet love story without being too gushy and over the top. Plus it's a really unique interpretation of Beauty and the Beast without beating you over the head with it.
I can't wait for this to come out and recommend it to people. Thank you Brie Spangler for this incredible book!
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