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To many, the book that taught them to love reading as a child was a well-known, exciting piece, such as Harry Potter. To me, it was this late-seventies, barely-reaching-four-stars-on-goodreads, unknown fairytale retelling. I had had teachers read McKinley novels out loud, and I was interested in them, but it wasn’t until I discovered this yellowed-page gem in a school library that I discovered that reading on my own could be magical. After getting lost in Beauty, I desperately wanted to consume all books for the rest of my life.

Some criticize McKinley’s pacing and plot structure in this story. While it’s true that Beauty does not contain a plot with many exciting events, it does almost exactly mirror the original tale by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740. By maintaining the original plot (more or less), she is able to perfectly reflect the essence of a true fairy tale genre. If you—like me—crave a peaceful, artistic mental retreat such as those within a Miyazaki masterpiece (as opposed to a fast-paced action plot) this book might be something you’d look for.

In fact, where McKinley’s magic lies is not within the plot but really within her language, particularly in developing setting and character. The images are so vivid I really do feel lost in the world� an infrequent experience for me when reading. Too often I find myself stopping on a page, closing my eyes, and just breathing as I soak up the images in my mind. The setting is so perfect in every way, and the characters are masterfully written. Every single character is deeply loved. In high school, I found myself relating so much to Beauty it gave me intense strength in my own life. While I can’t exactly remember the experience reading this book for the first time, it’s no wonder that it swept me up as it did.

I hadn’t picked it up since high school, but I’m so glad I rediscovered this treasure. If you’re a lover of fairy tale genres and are looking for an underrated artistic masterpiece, this is the one for you.