**spoiler alert** It's challenging for me to write a B&tB retelling review, since I already have my own cherished version sitting in my trunk. So this**spoiler alert** It's challenging for me to write a B&tB retelling review, since I already have my own cherished version sitting in my trunk. So this review can't be very analytical. Here's what I will say:
I enjoyed it. I was sucked into the story, and even though the plot itself carries very few surprises, I was so satisfied by what was there. I love the bringing together of the Russian Ivan stories and the Beaumont B&tB. The book felt cold (setting) and lovely. I always get tense as Beauty keeps putting off returning to the Beast, and for some reason I felt more tense than usual in this one. I was so relieved when she left.
I enjoyed the alternate POVs, and as always, I have a soft spot for a Beast who is not as bad as he seems at first. I also enjoyed, though, that there was a section that addressed the issue of whether it was all just Stockholm syndrome--such a sticky issue with B&tB.
I really enjoyed how the author used the elements of Beauty and the Beast and wove a quite believable tale (as far as any romance novel goes, anyway! I really enjoyed how the author used the elements of Beauty and the Beast and wove a quite believable tale (as far as any romance novel goes, anyway! ;) ) from the bare bones. She incorporated plenty of the classic bits in nice ways. As you know (and by "you," I mean my friends and family who share reviews, not random strangers), I have a thing for B&tB tales, and I really did like what she did with this one. It was fun. A Regency romance, so not exactly deep, but a nicely written, clean romance. Totally worth a romance read. ...more
My very favorite: “The Thief and the Spy,� by Katelyn Barbee.
Clean rating: PG mostly, but some PG-13 stories, largely for fOverall rating: 3.5ÂÂ stars
My very favorite: “The Thief and the Spy,� by Katelyn Barbee.
Clean rating: PG mostly, but some PG-13 stories, largely for fairy tale-ish violence or for thematic elements (you just can’t get away from Bluebeard, remember). “Bluebeard’s Wives� and “Goodbye, Gigi� had the most, as I recall.
I received an ARC from the publisher, but my opinions were not influenced in any way.
For the rest of my review, see my blog post below.
Having read a bajillion versions of the story, I have to have some unusual elements to get excited about the retelling. This was the standard telling,Having read a bajillion versions of the story, I have to have some unusual elements to get excited about the retelling. This was the standard telling, including the ring and evil sisters. A perfectly good into version.
The best part was that some of the scenes of the Beast's castle had background tapestries of the same scene but with the attendants in their human forms. Clever....more
Well, I wrote my own version of the story, so I am not an unbiased judge here, am I? But I do love B&theB retellings overall. I loved the concept of tWell, I wrote my own version of the story, so I am not an unbiased judge here, am I? But I do love B&theB retellings overall. I loved the concept of this rewrite. It was a fun and different twist, and I liked the way James took the basics of the story and fiddled with them a lot. Truly, I was behind the concept the whole way.
I didn't love how the characters were portrayed in a lot of scenes. Also (and I don't blame the author for this so much as the publisher), as the book progressed, there were increasing numbers of typos and grammatical issues. The first half was far more clean (speaking grammatically, not morally--morally it was all clean)....more
Loved it. Beautifully told story with a surprising yet quite lovely description of Death in the end. I can't explain why, but I thought it was wonderfLoved it. Beautifully told story with a surprising yet quite lovely description of Death in the end. I can't explain why, but I thought it was wonderful.
Rating: PG (after all, it is about death and the plague and all that fun jazz)...more
What I really liked about this book was the way the author took all the things that bugged her about Rumpelstiltskin and came up with plausible explanWhat I really liked about this book was the way the author took all the things that bugged her about Rumpelstiltskin and came up with plausible explanations for why those things would have happened. And she did it not once, but six times! So there's six different versions of Rumpelstiltskin, all answering questions like "why would a father brag about something so stupid (my daughter spins straw into gold) to the king?"
Some of the stories were also fairly funny on their own, but they were most entertaining as a compilation of ways to solve the original fairy tale's problems.
Rating: PG
Note: Even though it's on my B&B shelf, it has nothing to do with B&B. It's there because the author has done what I want to do for B&B--provide reasonable explanations for all the inexplicable occurrences in the story. ...more
Super-basic version of B and B with super-basic illustrations. The best part about it was the Beast himself, who was definitely one of my favorite verSuper-basic version of B and B with super-basic illustrations. The best part about it was the Beast himself, who was definitely one of my favorite versions of Beast illustrations. He was so silly and cute you just wanted to hug him (probably not what the Beast would want, but you can't have everything!). Took about 3 minutes to read.
Loosely based on Cupid and Psyche. By far my least favorite Gail Carson Levine.
As a side note, the portrayal of Admat, the "one god," annoyed me a biLoosely based on Cupid and Psyche. By far my least favorite Gail Carson Levine.
As a side note, the portrayal of Admat, the "one god," annoyed me a bit because it was fairly clearly a version of the Christian God with all of the stereotypical complaints generally aired about Him. It just seemed unfortunate and unnecessary. And, did I mention, annoying?
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