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Beastly Beauty
From New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Jennifer Donnelly comes a revolutionary, gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that will forever change how you think about beauty, power, and what it really means to follow your heart.
What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything , too badly?
That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be sweet and compliant so she can marry well, but try as she might, Arabella can't extinguish the fire burning inside her -- the source of her deepest wishes, her wildest dreams.
When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle.
As the years pass, Arabella abandons hope. The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love.
When a handsome thief named Beau makes his way into the castle, the captive servants are thrilled, convinced he is the one to break the curse. But Beau -- spooked by the castle's strange and forbidding ladies-in-waiting, and by the malevolent presence that stalks its corridors at night -- only wants to escape. He learned long ago that love is only an illusion.
If Beau and Arabella have any hope of breaking the curse, they must learn to trust their wounded hearts, and realize that the cruelest prisons of all are the ones we build for ourselves.
What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything , too badly?
That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be sweet and compliant so she can marry well, but try as she might, Arabella can't extinguish the fire burning inside her -- the source of her deepest wishes, her wildest dreams.
When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle.
As the years pass, Arabella abandons hope. The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love.
When a handsome thief named Beau makes his way into the castle, the captive servants are thrilled, convinced he is the one to break the curse. But Beau -- spooked by the castle's strange and forbidding ladies-in-waiting, and by the malevolent presence that stalks its corridors at night -- only wants to escape. He learned long ago that love is only an illusion.
If Beau and Arabella have any hope of breaking the curse, they must learn to trust their wounded hearts, and realize that the cruelest prisons of all are the ones we build for ourselves.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
About the author
Jennifer Donnelly
30 books7,978 followersJennifer Donnelly is the author of fourteen novels - Beastly Beauty, Poisoned, Stepsister, Lost in a Book, These Shallow Graves, Sea Spell, Dark Tide, Rogue Wave, Deep Blue, Revolution, A Northern Light, The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose - and Humble Pie, a picture book for children. She is a co-author of Fatal Throne, which explores the lives of King Henry VIII's six wives, for which she wrote the part of Anna of Cleves, Henry's fourth wife.
In 2023, she published Molly's Letter, the first in a series of novella-length stories called Rose Petals set in the world of her three-volume Tea Rose series -- followed by Where Roses Fall in August, 2024.
Jennifer grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.
See Jennifer's full bio on Wikipedia.
In 2023, she published Molly's Letter, the first in a series of novella-length stories called Rose Petals set in the world of her three-volume Tea Rose series -- followed by Where Roses Fall in August, 2024.
Jennifer grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.
See Jennifer's full bio on Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
May 8, 2024
Jennifer Donnelly's fairy tale retellings are always so creative with their twists, but they always fall short of perfection.
To understand why I think so, let me give you a rundown of the strengths of Beastly Beauty first:
• It has one of the most original interpretations of the curse that nobody else has done before.
• It has strong and well-defined characters for Beauty and for Beast.
• It respects the tale’s core theme, but characters have to work for their own redemption.
• It has the most original and heart-pounding Beauty-meets-Beast scene I’ve ever read.
• It has a nice cast of male and female secondary characters with their own personality and quirks.
• It has a setting that’s a mix of a realistic life in a castle and Alice-in-Wonderland whackery.
That’s a rock-solid foundation of positives, isn’t it? And taken together, they make this gender-swapped retelling one of the best I’ve read, which for me is saying a lot.
And yet, still qualifies as what I call an “imperfect favourite.”
Beastly Beauty is the story of a thief with the face of an angel that knows how to use it to unburden people of their valuables, and a noblewoman with grand dreams that languishes in a prison she doesn’t believe she can escape. They get trapped together and must work together to end the curse, a basic B&B plot that never fails. But it’s the working on it that makes up the entirety of the emotions and character growth that ensues. Initially, you might love Beau and not like Arabella much, like it happened to me, but I’d be greatly surprised if, by the end, you haven’t changed your assessment of both. Arabella certainly has the most brutal character growth shock pains, as should be since Beast is the one to transform in the original fairy tale. If you’re the kind to develop a fondness for side characters, you might also get attached to one of the servants. My personal favourite was Camille, but I also liked the apparently silly children very much.
Then, what makes this fall short of perfection for me?
Let’s see . . .
• The nature of the supernatural force behind the curse isn’t well explained organically—that is, within the text. Is it the castle itself? Is it Arabella? Is it independent of both and exists on its own? It’s not clear. Although, if you work your braincells hard enough, you could figure out what it is. I certainly did, but it took me some long figuring out.
• The strangeness of the short chapters inserted in-between chapters telling the story, written in present tense, and that don’t reveal who is talking or narrating, and what its purpose might be. I have my suspicions as to whom this POV is supposed to belong, and why it exists within the story, but right until the end I wasn’t and still am not 100 percent sure.
• Some grating aspects of the time and setting. It’s understood that the place is somewhere in the region of France going towards the border with Spain, which would make it the Pyrenees. But it’s not clear within the story. The timeline isn’t clear either, but given that the nobility still exist and have power in France, it can be assumed that it’s before the French Revolution (the original fairy tale is set before the French Revolution, too). But then, how do you explain stuff like that the daughter of a French duc has the very foreign name of Arabella, or that one of the servants also has a name in English, Percival, instead of the French version of it? You can’t argue those are Anglophiles—the very notion of French nobles being fans of their greatest historical rivals at the time is hilarious—so it’s up to authorial mistake, or creative licence if we’re generous.
• It’s curious that Arabella doesn’t have a surname. Her foreign-sounding name wouldn’t be as grating if her surname was resoundingly French, given that she’s meant to be a French duchesse. The omission is made all the more stark because the Beauty figure does have a surname. Or two, rather, following Spain’s custom to have a paternal and a maternal surname bestowed on children. But even there, Donnelly overplayed her hand trying to make Beau’s name half-French and half-Spanish and messed it up as a result. I mean, Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navarre? Without the tilde? It should’ve been Beaurégard Armando Fernández de Navarra, with tilde and A, thank you very much. And yes, I’m fastidious about proper signs in French and Spanish.
It’s all peanuts looking at the whole picture, in the end. Oh, what the Hell, I’m adding half a star just because Beau is Spanish. That’s worth my half star! A gender-swapped Beauty from Barcelona hasn’t been written before, so 4.5 stars it is.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
______________________________
Reasons I should get an ARC of this book, a sales pitch manifesto by yours truly:
1. Because I like Jennifer Donnelly, but that doesn't guarantee 5 stars.
2. Because regardless of whether I rate it highly or lowly, you get entertainment from my review. Guaranteed, or your bitcoins back.
3. Because I'm the resident B&B and B&B retellings expert on this site, and very humble, all right?
4. Because I own a ridiculously large B&B collection and this can't be missing from it. It's practically the Library of Congress of Beauty & Beast, Mr Publisher, sir!
5. Because I'm adorable.
To understand why I think so, let me give you a rundown of the strengths of Beastly Beauty first:
• It has one of the most original interpretations of the curse that nobody else has done before.
• It has strong and well-defined characters for Beauty and for Beast.
• It respects the tale’s core theme, but characters have to work for their own redemption.
• It has the most original and heart-pounding Beauty-meets-Beast scene I’ve ever read.
• It has a nice cast of male and female secondary characters with their own personality and quirks.
• It has a setting that’s a mix of a realistic life in a castle and Alice-in-Wonderland whackery.
That’s a rock-solid foundation of positives, isn’t it? And taken together, they make this gender-swapped retelling one of the best I’ve read, which for me is saying a lot.
And yet, still qualifies as what I call an “imperfect favourite.”
Beastly Beauty is the story of a thief with the face of an angel that knows how to use it to unburden people of their valuables, and a noblewoman with grand dreams that languishes in a prison she doesn’t believe she can escape. They get trapped together and must work together to end the curse, a basic B&B plot that never fails. But it’s the working on it that makes up the entirety of the emotions and character growth that ensues. Initially, you might love Beau and not like Arabella much, like it happened to me, but I’d be greatly surprised if, by the end, you haven’t changed your assessment of both. Arabella certainly has the most brutal character growth shock pains, as should be since Beast is the one to transform in the original fairy tale. If you’re the kind to develop a fondness for side characters, you might also get attached to one of the servants. My personal favourite was Camille, but I also liked the apparently silly children very much.
Then, what makes this fall short of perfection for me?
Let’s see . . .
• The nature of the supernatural force behind the curse isn’t well explained organically—that is, within the text. Is it the castle itself? Is it Arabella? Is it independent of both and exists on its own? It’s not clear. Although, if you work your braincells hard enough, you could figure out what it is. I certainly did, but it took me some long figuring out.
• The strangeness of the short chapters inserted in-between chapters telling the story, written in present tense, and that don’t reveal who is talking or narrating, and what its purpose might be. I have my suspicions as to whom this POV is supposed to belong, and why it exists within the story, but right until the end I wasn’t and still am not 100 percent sure.
• Some grating aspects of the time and setting. It’s understood that the place is somewhere in the region of France going towards the border with Spain, which would make it the Pyrenees. But it’s not clear within the story. The timeline isn’t clear either, but given that the nobility still exist and have power in France, it can be assumed that it’s before the French Revolution (the original fairy tale is set before the French Revolution, too). But then, how do you explain stuff like that the daughter of a French duc has the very foreign name of Arabella, or that one of the servants also has a name in English, Percival, instead of the French version of it? You can’t argue those are Anglophiles—the very notion of French nobles being fans of their greatest historical rivals at the time is hilarious—so it’s up to authorial mistake, or creative licence if we’re generous.
• It’s curious that Arabella doesn’t have a surname. Her foreign-sounding name wouldn’t be as grating if her surname was resoundingly French, given that she’s meant to be a French duchesse. The omission is made all the more stark because the Beauty figure does have a surname. Or two, rather, following Spain’s custom to have a paternal and a maternal surname bestowed on children. But even there, Donnelly overplayed her hand trying to make Beau’s name half-French and half-Spanish and messed it up as a result. I mean, Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navarre? Without the tilde? It should’ve been Beaurégard Armando Fernández de Navarra, with tilde and A, thank you very much. And yes, I’m fastidious about proper signs in French and Spanish.
It’s all peanuts looking at the whole picture, in the end. Oh, what the Hell, I’m adding half a star just because Beau is Spanish. That’s worth my half star! A gender-swapped Beauty from Barcelona hasn’t been written before, so 4.5 stars it is.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
______________________________
Reasons I should get an ARC of this book, a sales pitch manifesto by yours truly:
1. Because I like Jennifer Donnelly, but that doesn't guarantee 5 stars.
2. Because regardless of whether I rate it highly or lowly, you get entertainment from my review. Guaranteed, or your bitcoins back.
3. Because I'm the resident B&B and B&B retellings expert on this site, and very humble, all right?
4. Because I own a ridiculously large B&B collection and this can't be missing from it. It's practically the Library of Congress of Beauty & Beast, Mr Publisher, sir!
5. Because I'm adorable.
June 28, 2024
I believe both Jennifer Donnelly and Christina Henry excel in crafting dark fairy tale retellings, or rather, redefining them as midnight tales. Donnelly's "Stepsister," a retelling of Cinderella from the stepsister's perspective, immediately captured my interest. She breathes life into the overlooked characters of fairy tales, allowing readers to see them in a new light. When I learned she had penned a gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast tale with a werewolf twist, I was sold before even delving into Arabella's journey.
Arabella's character is a delightful blend of quirkiness, intelligence, refinement, and emotional depth. Despite her rare capabilities and passion for architecture, she's treated as an outsider by her family, who push her towards conventional pursuits. Trapped in a castle with a mysterious council of eccentric women, Arabella faces earth-shattering tragedies and secrets lurking within the castle walls, including a child held captive and a midnight monster threatening lives.
Enter Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navare, a charming but troubled thief who finds himself unexpectedly entangled in the castle's mysteries. Desperate to escape and protect his brother, he forms an unlikely alliance with Arabella. Their burgeoning connection, amidst danger and deception, adds layers of intrigue to the story.
The book's rich symbolism, psychological depth, magical realism, and nods to other fairy tales create a captivating narrative. The dynamic between Beau and Arabella, filled with witty banter and simmering chemistry, elevates the story, blending elements of opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers tropes. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is among the best I've encountered, and the poignant epilogue left me yearning for more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this captivating book in exchange for my honest opinions.
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Arabella's character is a delightful blend of quirkiness, intelligence, refinement, and emotional depth. Despite her rare capabilities and passion for architecture, she's treated as an outsider by her family, who push her towards conventional pursuits. Trapped in a castle with a mysterious council of eccentric women, Arabella faces earth-shattering tragedies and secrets lurking within the castle walls, including a child held captive and a midnight monster threatening lives.
Enter Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navare, a charming but troubled thief who finds himself unexpectedly entangled in the castle's mysteries. Desperate to escape and protect his brother, he forms an unlikely alliance with Arabella. Their burgeoning connection, amidst danger and deception, adds layers of intrigue to the story.
The book's rich symbolism, psychological depth, magical realism, and nods to other fairy tales create a captivating narrative. The dynamic between Beau and Arabella, filled with witty banter and simmering chemistry, elevates the story, blending elements of opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers tropes. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is among the best I've encountered, and the poignant epilogue left me yearning for more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this captivating book in exchange for my honest opinions.
medium.com
May 11, 2024
“good architects build buildings. great ones build dreams.”
♫ ~ the prophecy by taylor swift
જ⁀➴ lol my thoughts are kind of scattered, so plz bear with me
👑 ꒱ overall thoughts :
well, that was disappointing. I adored stepsister and poisoned, but this one wasn’t nearly as good. a great idea, sure, but executed a bit poorly. the first half had an air of gothic mystery and lots of intrigue. I thought it would be four stars! then it all went down hill in the second half. I don’t even know what happened. maybe send it back to the editor?! still, it wasn’t all bad. I am partial to fairytale retellings, after all. But I wouldn’t say it was worth reading, unless you’re a devoted jennifer donnelly fan. (such as myself)
🕰️ ꒱ writing :
so obviously 'funny’ dialogue is not the author’s strong point! every time a character made a joke, I cringed like crazy. it was cheesy, but not the yummy kind, yk? but the rest of the writing? amazing!
🗝️ ꒱ plot/romance :
the plot was pretty solid, though a few points were weak. some of the scenes felt like fillers, and weren’t essential to the actual plot. I liked how many elements she included from the Disney adaptation. also, the author has a unique way she writes her fantasy worlds, and I love it. I wished it would’ve been more dramatic, though. I mean, there wasn’t even a ball scene! which brings us to the romance. the most underdeveloped love story I ever did read omg. it was giving failed enemies to lovers, imo. one minute they ‘hated’ each other, and the next they were falling head over heels in love! all the while trying to convince themselves it wasn’t true. then they acted like they’d loved each other for all their lives! it was veryyy insta love at this point, and a bit all over the place.
🥂 ꒱ characters :
જ Beau & Arabella :
when you have nothing interesting (or particularly nice) to say about either of the main characters helppp- they were fine ig. they switched personalities halfway thru the book! that was… fun.
જ the side characters :
LOVE THEM! the best part! jus like in the Disney adaptation! they were all so funny (bc they weren’t really trying to be) and cute! especially Camille! She would’ve been an amazing fmc, tbh. I liked her mini povs!
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
જ⁀➴ thank you to netgalley, for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
⤿ xoxo, Ava<3
♫ ~ the prophecy by taylor swift
જ⁀➴ lol my thoughts are kind of scattered, so plz bear with me
👑 ꒱ overall thoughts :
well, that was disappointing. I adored stepsister and poisoned, but this one wasn’t nearly as good. a great idea, sure, but executed a bit poorly. the first half had an air of gothic mystery and lots of intrigue. I thought it would be four stars! then it all went down hill in the second half. I don’t even know what happened. maybe send it back to the editor?! still, it wasn’t all bad. I am partial to fairytale retellings, after all. But I wouldn’t say it was worth reading, unless you’re a devoted jennifer donnelly fan. (such as myself)
🕰️ ꒱ writing :
so obviously 'funny’ dialogue is not the author’s strong point! every time a character made a joke, I cringed like crazy. it was cheesy, but not the yummy kind, yk? but the rest of the writing? amazing!
🗝️ ꒱ plot/romance :
the plot was pretty solid, though a few points were weak. some of the scenes felt like fillers, and weren’t essential to the actual plot. I liked how many elements she included from the Disney adaptation. also, the author has a unique way she writes her fantasy worlds, and I love it. I wished it would’ve been more dramatic, though. I mean, there wasn’t even a ball scene! which brings us to the romance. the most underdeveloped love story I ever did read omg. it was giving failed enemies to lovers, imo. one minute they ‘hated’ each other, and the next they were falling head over heels in love! all the while trying to convince themselves it wasn’t true. then they acted like they’d loved each other for all their lives! it was veryyy insta love at this point, and a bit all over the place.
🥂 ꒱ characters :
જ Beau & Arabella :
when you have nothing interesting (or particularly nice) to say about either of the main characters helppp- they were fine ig. they switched personalities halfway thru the book! that was… fun.
જ the side characters :
LOVE THEM! the best part! jus like in the Disney adaptation! they were all so funny (bc they weren’t really trying to be) and cute! especially Camille! She would’ve been an amazing fmc, tbh. I liked her mini povs!
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
જ⁀➴ thank you to netgalley, for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
⤿ xoxo, Ava<3
September 26, 2024
5⭐️
No amount of words will ever be able to describe the joy and excitement I felt when I received this ARC. Growing up, the only Disney Princess Movie that I wanted to watch on repeat was Beauty & The Beast. Even in my adult years, that movie still holds a special place in my heart. At least, three times a month, I have to make room in my schedule to watch both the animated version and live-action version. Sometimes, I find myself watching both versions right after the other. Some might read this and think that I have a problem but I honestly don’t care. We are all allowed to have a movie that we just cannot quit and Beauty & The Beast is that movie for me.
Trying to compose this review right now is extremely difficult for three reason: (a) I just finished reading this beautiful novel and the urge to spoil the entire thing is on high alert; (b) my heart is overflowing with so much emotion on how amazing this novel was written as well as how the important themes were covered with gentleness and grace; and (c) I am currently in a review slump so my thoughts are kind of limited and all over the place
But… I can say this:
Beastly Beauty is a very unique retelling of the original Beauty & The Beast. What makes this story so unique is the gender-swap element that Jennifer Donnelly decided to create. Instead of a story being told from a Female Main Character (FMC) perspective, this story is told majority through the eyes of a Male Main Character (MMC ), Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navarre. Additional chapters are included that focus on the FMC Arabella (no last name mentioned) as well as and the background stories of all the side characters (i.e., the chef, footmen, lady maids, the baker, etc). Because I typically avoid retellings at all cost and though I was excited to request and receive this one, I am unsure as to how many different retellings of Beauty & The Beast currently exist. What I can say for certain though is that: NO ONE HAS DONE ONE QUITE LIKE THIS!!!
The way I am making room on my personal bookshelf for this beautifully written novel is not even funny. I mean, SERIOUSLY!!! Jennifer Donnelly created her own version of a fairytale that shines light on how the world, no matter the year of time, will make a woman feel so small just for wanting things outside of the norm. She shines light on how, at just the right time and place, someone will come along and show you why the world is the problem and not you. Jennifer Donnelly has written a story that reminds me of not only why I love reading so much but also why it is very important to both fall in love with myself and stay true to myself. There are a number of people in this world who are going to say: “No”; “You do not deserve this or that”; or “You aren’t good enough.” Your goal: BE STRONGER THAN THEIR OPINIONS BUT ALSO BE STRONGER THAN YOUR OWN INNER VOICES!!! Create the life you want and do it without any regrets!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Scholastics Press for granting an Advance Reader’s Copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
~~~~~~~
***Pre-Read:***
😮💨😮💨😮💨. I AM SO OVER THIS READING SLUMP!!!
Fingers crossed this ARC with a BEAUTIFUL cover will fix my life!!!
🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽!!! 🥰🥰🥰!!!
No amount of words will ever be able to describe the joy and excitement I felt when I received this ARC. Growing up, the only Disney Princess Movie that I wanted to watch on repeat was Beauty & The Beast. Even in my adult years, that movie still holds a special place in my heart. At least, three times a month, I have to make room in my schedule to watch both the animated version and live-action version. Sometimes, I find myself watching both versions right after the other. Some might read this and think that I have a problem but I honestly don’t care. We are all allowed to have a movie that we just cannot quit and Beauty & The Beast is that movie for me.
Trying to compose this review right now is extremely difficult for three reason: (a) I just finished reading this beautiful novel and the urge to spoil the entire thing is on high alert; (b) my heart is overflowing with so much emotion on how amazing this novel was written as well as how the important themes were covered with gentleness and grace; and (c) I am currently in a review slump so my thoughts are kind of limited and all over the place
But… I can say this:
Beastly Beauty is a very unique retelling of the original Beauty & The Beast. What makes this story so unique is the gender-swap element that Jennifer Donnelly decided to create. Instead of a story being told from a Female Main Character (FMC) perspective, this story is told majority through the eyes of a Male Main Character (MMC ), Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navarre. Additional chapters are included that focus on the FMC Arabella (no last name mentioned) as well as and the background stories of all the side characters (i.e., the chef, footmen, lady maids, the baker, etc). Because I typically avoid retellings at all cost and though I was excited to request and receive this one, I am unsure as to how many different retellings of Beauty & The Beast currently exist. What I can say for certain though is that: NO ONE HAS DONE ONE QUITE LIKE THIS!!!
The way I am making room on my personal bookshelf for this beautifully written novel is not even funny. I mean, SERIOUSLY!!! Jennifer Donnelly created her own version of a fairytale that shines light on how the world, no matter the year of time, will make a woman feel so small just for wanting things outside of the norm. She shines light on how, at just the right time and place, someone will come along and show you why the world is the problem and not you. Jennifer Donnelly has written a story that reminds me of not only why I love reading so much but also why it is very important to both fall in love with myself and stay true to myself. There are a number of people in this world who are going to say: “No”; “You do not deserve this or that”; or “You aren’t good enough.” Your goal: BE STRONGER THAN THEIR OPINIONS BUT ALSO BE STRONGER THAN YOUR OWN INNER VOICES!!! Create the life you want and do it without any regrets!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Scholastics Press for granting an Advance Reader’s Copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
~~~~~~~
***Pre-Read:***
😮💨😮💨😮💨. I AM SO OVER THIS READING SLUMP!!!
Fingers crossed this ARC with a BEAUTIFUL cover will fix my life!!!
🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽!!! 🥰🥰🥰!!!
Want to read
September 27, 2023YESSS SHE’S WRITING A THIRD FRACTURED FAIRYTALE RETELLING!!!
I adoredddd the first two and I’m sooo excited for this 🥹
I adoredddd the first two and I’m sooo excited for this 🥹
April 3, 2024
*an ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
1.5 stars. I waffled between 1 and 2, leaned towards 2 briefly because I didn't despise it with every fiber of my being, but landed on 1 because it just sucks.
I jumped on this on Netgalley because it's a fairytale retelling, and it's a gender-bent Beauty and the Beast so think of the potential, but I'm in the minority because I didn't like this at all.
This is marketed as YA, but remove some cursing and you could easily slide this in the MG category, which is great, I love a good MG, but not when it's not meant to be children's lit. The writing and dialogue, even the plot, is often far more childish than I was expecting.
For a Beauty and the Beast retelling, we see a shocking lack of the Beast character, Arabella. (A nice nod to “Belle”). And to put it plainly, she's not very Beastly for most of it. It's more of a reverse East of the Sun, West of the Moon situation. Because we hardly see her and it's difficult to sympathize with her. Given how the curse shakes out, the reasoning behind it and how to break it, it was incredible to me than we spend so little time with Arabella or in her head.
Beau and Arabella hardly interact, and when they do, I neither liked their characters (Arabella herself is a snoozefest, and Beau (outside of his one redeeming quality, his love for his brother) is no better) nor believed their romance. It was fairly instantaneous and has zero buildup so ends up being completely forced, and when we are shown that they do take actions that would be loving towards the other, I'm left confused as to how and why they got to that point. There is no relationship development, and almost no character development either. Which is bad enough in any story, but in a B&B retelling?? Blasphemy. Go to Jail immediately, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
I had read “Poisoned” by Donnelly in 2021 (and forgot almost everything about it now in 2024). I was not a fan of that one, and turns out after reading my review for that one, that she re-used a few plot devices (some of my least favorite, it turns out) in Beastly Beauty. Having not read “Stepsister”, I'm curious if all her fairytale retellings rely on this specific device.
Speaking of this specific device, I don't generally care for it, but maybe that's because I feel like it's not usually very well done. And it especially came across as juvenile in this case, I was confused and hoping for an excellent plot twist, turns out I was just overthinking the whole thing. I think really good things could have been done with this overall idea, but it was not well-excecuted.
I expected a lot better, but this was so just so poorly contrived and written.
1.5 stars. I waffled between 1 and 2, leaned towards 2 briefly because I didn't despise it with every fiber of my being, but landed on 1 because it just sucks.
I jumped on this on Netgalley because it's a fairytale retelling, and it's a gender-bent Beauty and the Beast so think of the potential, but I'm in the minority because I didn't like this at all.
This is marketed as YA, but remove some cursing and you could easily slide this in the MG category, which is great, I love a good MG, but not when it's not meant to be children's lit. The writing and dialogue, even the plot, is often far more childish than I was expecting.
For a Beauty and the Beast retelling, we see a shocking lack of the Beast character, Arabella. (A nice nod to “Belle”). And to put it plainly, she's not very Beastly for most of it. It's more of a reverse East of the Sun, West of the Moon situation. Because we hardly see her and it's difficult to sympathize with her. Given how the curse shakes out, the reasoning behind it and how to break it, it was incredible to me than we spend so little time with Arabella or in her head.
Beau and Arabella hardly interact, and when they do, I neither liked their characters (Arabella herself is a snoozefest, and Beau (outside of his one redeeming quality, his love for his brother) is no better) nor believed their romance. It was fairly instantaneous and has zero buildup so ends up being completely forced, and when we are shown that they do take actions that would be loving towards the other, I'm left confused as to how and why they got to that point. There is no relationship development, and almost no character development either. Which is bad enough in any story, but in a B&B retelling?? Blasphemy. Go to Jail immediately, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
I had read “Poisoned” by Donnelly in 2021 (and forgot almost everything about it now in 2024). I was not a fan of that one, and turns out after reading my review for that one, that she re-used a few plot devices (some of my least favorite, it turns out) in Beastly Beauty. Having not read “Stepsister”, I'm curious if all her fairytale retellings rely on this specific device.
Speaking of this specific device, I don't generally care for it, but maybe that's because I feel like it's not usually very well done. And it especially came across as juvenile in this case, I was confused and hoping for an excellent plot twist, turns out I was just overthinking the whole thing. I think really good things could have been done with this overall idea, but it was not well-excecuted.
I expected a lot better, but this was so just so poorly contrived and written.
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 25, 2024DNF at 80%. I'm so bored, I can't push through anymore
May 7, 2024
Release Day: 07May2024
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Beastly Beauty is the first book I've read by Jennifer Donnelly. She did a very interesting reimagining of Beauty and the Beast that is also a gender swap. The beauty is a young man trying to get back to his sickly brother who happens to end up in an enchanted castle. The Beast, a woman stuck in time with a deadline to find love or sentence all in her castle to death.
Arabella is stuck and has lost almost all hope. She tried over the years to find love and failed each time. She was resigned to her fate, that is until Beau showed up and with him the glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps this thief might be able to steal her heart and break the curse that is just days from killing everyone in the castle. As the story unfolds the reader gets to see not only through Arabella's but also through Beau's eyes the story of the past and an inkling of how Beau might be able to save the future.
I really enjoyed this re-imagining of one of my favorite fairytales. It was interesting how Arabella was the Beast and who all of her ladies in waiting were. Beau is just as broken in so many ways. He has traded on his looks to survive and while he hates the life he is in an wants an escape he is stuck with some feelings of worthlessness that are hard to overcome. Arabella and Beau understand each other in their feelings of inadequacy, how they have let down the people they love and how they aren't sure how to break the chains that bind them.
This is a story of redemption and breaking all of the odds against you. It had enough going on that I was always engaged and really loved the idea of the magic of the curse that was on the castle and how Arabella was supposed to break it. There is some great imagery and tender moments to awe over without going too overboard. Really a great read for those who enjoy Beauty and the Beast retellings.
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Beastly Beauty is the first book I've read by Jennifer Donnelly. She did a very interesting reimagining of Beauty and the Beast that is also a gender swap. The beauty is a young man trying to get back to his sickly brother who happens to end up in an enchanted castle. The Beast, a woman stuck in time with a deadline to find love or sentence all in her castle to death.
My story isn’t for the heroes out there, for the shining knights and perfect princesses. My story is for the screwups. For those of us who never seem to get it right. The ones who say too much, or not enough.
Arabella is stuck and has lost almost all hope. She tried over the years to find love and failed each time. She was resigned to her fate, that is until Beau showed up and with him the glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps this thief might be able to steal her heart and break the curse that is just days from killing everyone in the castle. As the story unfolds the reader gets to see not only through Arabella's but also through Beau's eyes the story of the past and an inkling of how Beau might be able to save the future.
I really enjoyed this re-imagining of one of my favorite fairytales. It was interesting how Arabella was the Beast and who all of her ladies in waiting were. Beau is just as broken in so many ways. He has traded on his looks to survive and while he hates the life he is in an wants an escape he is stuck with some feelings of worthlessness that are hard to overcome. Arabella and Beau understand each other in their feelings of inadequacy, how they have let down the people they love and how they aren't sure how to break the chains that bind them.
“Do not speak for love, Lady Espidra,” she said, her eyes blazing. “Do not hold that word in your mouth when you do not hold it in your heart.” She swept her finger in front of her, pointing at all the ladies in turn. “Not one of you knows anything of love. Love does not run. It does not turn tail. Love never, ever gives up.”
This is a story of redemption and breaking all of the odds against you. It had enough going on that I was always engaged and really loved the idea of the magic of the curse that was on the castle and how Arabella was supposed to break it. There is some great imagery and tender moments to awe over without going too overboard. Really a great read for those who enjoy Beauty and the Beast retellings.
“You must do one thing and one thing only— become the person you were meant to be. No matter how daunting that task may be. Otherwise, your life is not a life; it is merely a long, protracted death.”
June 15, 2024
It's one of the most original B&B retellings I've read, not because it's gender-swapped, but because of the main point delivered at the very end. I find that it fits this story so much better than how the OG ended. I'm being intentionally vague because it's sort of a twist revealed at the end.
I guessed early on who the ladies of the court were but it didn't lower the value of the story to me at all. I found this whole concept to be fascinating and enjoyable.
While the pacing is not the greatest (it's quite slow for me), it does have a valid reason. I believe this story focuses more on the character developments and internal battles - which it does very well.
I found all of the characters to be wonderful and the side characters didn't feel like "filler people." There's also no real "villain" just this scary beast and the emotional damage the characters have to overcome 😂😂 Both Beau and Belle were reasonable people and I definitely rooted for them from the start.
I have only 2 small issues with this - a) as I mentioned above, it sometimes gets really slow and b) it feels just a tiny bit like insta-love
Let's be real, the OG Disney movie has this same thing - they're in the castle for a short period of time and they're already in love. So I can't really blame Donnelly for doing the same thing in her book.
BEFORE READING:
a gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast?!?
it's like I'm back in the 2012-2015 era, Hunger Games is in, retellings are back in style and Josh Hutcherson is everywhere. I'M LOVIN' IT
😂😂
I guessed early on who the ladies of the court were but it didn't lower the value of the story to me at all. I found this whole concept to be fascinating and enjoyable.
While the pacing is not the greatest (it's quite slow for me), it does have a valid reason. I believe this story focuses more on the character developments and internal battles - which it does very well.
I found all of the characters to be wonderful and the side characters didn't feel like "filler people." There's also no real "villain" just this scary beast and the emotional damage the characters have to overcome 😂😂 Both Beau and Belle were reasonable people and I definitely rooted for them from the start.
I have only 2 small issues with this - a) as I mentioned above, it sometimes gets really slow and b) it feels just a tiny bit like insta-love
Let's be real, the OG Disney movie has this same thing - they're in the castle for a short period of time and they're already in love. So I can't really blame Donnelly for doing the same thing in her book.
BEFORE READING:
a gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast?!?
it's like I'm back in the 2012-2015 era, Hunger Games is in, retellings are back in style and Josh Hutcherson is everywhere. I'M LOVIN' IT
😂😂
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 9, 2024well this was a lame gender-bent beauty n beast retelling……the girl wasnt even a beast she was just some rando blondie
May 5, 2024
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
So this was mid. Honestly, I can't say much more than this. The two main leads (Beau and Arabella) were not memorable. I thought that only really some of the secondary characters were developed well. And I thought that Donnelly's writing with the breaking of the fourth wall or whatever we want to call it with other fairy tale characters started getting tiresome after a while. She writes the whole story like something dark and crazy was going to happen and I was like, um this is it? Okay then.
"Beastly Beauty" follows thief Beau and Lady Arabella. Beau and his band of merry thieves come across a castle and then a horrible beast chases them out and Beau's supposed "family" leaves him to die. Beau though finds that he is not able to leave the castle and instead is trapped there like the servants in the castle and Arabella and her court. Beau does what he usually does (tries to charm people with his face) to figure out a way to escape. Things change though when he realizes that Arabella is not like the women he has met before. She seems unbothered by him and he wants to find out what she is hiding.
There's a lot going on plot-wise with Beau and Arabella and the whole book doesn't start to gel til about the 60 percent part. I think that is when most of the "secrets" were revealed and you just wanted things to get a move on. The flow was awful. I already guessed at things before the reveal and I found out I was right. I was also bored by it too.
The best I can say is that this is definitely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but you also get some Sleeping Beauty in here as well. But it's not something I can see myself reading again and again.
So this was mid. Honestly, I can't say much more than this. The two main leads (Beau and Arabella) were not memorable. I thought that only really some of the secondary characters were developed well. And I thought that Donnelly's writing with the breaking of the fourth wall or whatever we want to call it with other fairy tale characters started getting tiresome after a while. She writes the whole story like something dark and crazy was going to happen and I was like, um this is it? Okay then.
"Beastly Beauty" follows thief Beau and Lady Arabella. Beau and his band of merry thieves come across a castle and then a horrible beast chases them out and Beau's supposed "family" leaves him to die. Beau though finds that he is not able to leave the castle and instead is trapped there like the servants in the castle and Arabella and her court. Beau does what he usually does (tries to charm people with his face) to figure out a way to escape. Things change though when he realizes that Arabella is not like the women he has met before. She seems unbothered by him and he wants to find out what she is hiding.
There's a lot going on plot-wise with Beau and Arabella and the whole book doesn't start to gel til about the 60 percent part. I think that is when most of the "secrets" were revealed and you just wanted things to get a move on. The flow was awful. I already guessed at things before the reveal and I found out I was right. I was also bored by it too.
The best I can say is that this is definitely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but you also get some Sleeping Beauty in here as well. But it's not something I can see myself reading again and again.
Read
March 8, 2024To you wonderful early readers of BEASTLY BEAUTY, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart – your enthusiasm for the story and your thoughtful comments mean more than I can say.
If you’re here to learn more about the book, here’s a spoiler-free Q&A (if you have a question that’s not answered here, ask it in the comments below or on my website).
Q: Didn’t you already do Beauty and the Beast?
A: Well, I did Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book, which Disney asked me to write to accompany the 2017 hit Beauty and the Beast film. That story was specifically written to fit within the overall plot of that movie (it was a lot of fun to go behind the curtain of a Hollywood blockbuster several months before it came out – I just had to swear on my first born child not to leak what I saw!).
BEASTLY BEAUTY is my own interpretation of Beauty and the Beast – the centuries-old folk tale, not the Disney production you may be most familiar with. My version is a little bit different. A little darker, perhaps. Rather more Brothers Grimm than Walt Disney.
In my version, Belle is a thief named Beau who trades on his dashing good looks. And the beast is a girl.
Q: A gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast?
A: Not so far-fetched, when you think about it. Know any females? Know any of them who are fierce, and tough, and proud, and intense, and ambitious, and fearsome? Yeah, that would be just about all of them. But they are often not allowed to show it – still, in 2024 – and wind up locking their true selves away in a proverbial cursed castle.
Q: Why do you love Beauty and the Beast – and fairy tales in general – so much?
A: Fairytales speak deep truths, and humans hunger for truth—no matter our age, or the age in which we live. These ancient stories were therapy before therapy existed. They give voice to our deepest hopes and fears. Fairy tales acknowledge that the world can be a very dark and hard place, but they also tell us that we have all we need right inside us—smarts and guts—to find a path through the dark woods and make our way home.
Beauty and the Beast was told way back in 18th century France, some scholars believe, as a way to prepare young women for marriage. Often, a girl was betrothed to an older man. He likely owned his own home, or castle. He may have been bearded. He was quite possibly loud and bossy, used to calling the shots, prone to angry outbursts if his wishes were not carried out quickly and well. In other words, a bit of a beast. The old wives knew that a young girl wielded little clout in her marriage. She was not an equal. All she could hope for was to tame the beast, to soften and civilize him, by being sweet, pleasant, loving and forbearing.
Now it’s time for us to look at this ancient tale through a more current lens. And I hope that’s what BEASTLY BEAUTY does.
Q: Is this the third in a series, following Stepsister and Poisoned?
A: Not exactly. It is the third fairy tale retelling I have written for my publisher, Scholastic – but the collection is not a series where you have to read them in order. They’re all completely standalone – just like the fairy tales themselves. But, as with, say, the Grimm’s versions of these timeless stories, I think you’ll find a distinct family resemblance in terms of tone and perspective.
Q: Where can I learn more about BEASTLY BEAUTY?
A: Watch my video preview : About My New Book, Beastly Beauty
Q: Where can I pre-order BEASTLY BEAUTY?
A: Wherever you like to buy your books! Links to booksellers are on my site here: https://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/book/beastly-beauty/
If you’re here to learn more about the book, here’s a spoiler-free Q&A (if you have a question that’s not answered here, ask it in the comments below or on my website).
Q: Didn’t you already do Beauty and the Beast?
A: Well, I did Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book, which Disney asked me to write to accompany the 2017 hit Beauty and the Beast film. That story was specifically written to fit within the overall plot of that movie (it was a lot of fun to go behind the curtain of a Hollywood blockbuster several months before it came out – I just had to swear on my first born child not to leak what I saw!).
BEASTLY BEAUTY is my own interpretation of Beauty and the Beast – the centuries-old folk tale, not the Disney production you may be most familiar with. My version is a little bit different. A little darker, perhaps. Rather more Brothers Grimm than Walt Disney.
In my version, Belle is a thief named Beau who trades on his dashing good looks. And the beast is a girl.
Q: A gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast?
A: Not so far-fetched, when you think about it. Know any females? Know any of them who are fierce, and tough, and proud, and intense, and ambitious, and fearsome? Yeah, that would be just about all of them. But they are often not allowed to show it – still, in 2024 – and wind up locking their true selves away in a proverbial cursed castle.
Q: Why do you love Beauty and the Beast – and fairy tales in general – so much?
A: Fairytales speak deep truths, and humans hunger for truth—no matter our age, or the age in which we live. These ancient stories were therapy before therapy existed. They give voice to our deepest hopes and fears. Fairy tales acknowledge that the world can be a very dark and hard place, but they also tell us that we have all we need right inside us—smarts and guts—to find a path through the dark woods and make our way home.
Beauty and the Beast was told way back in 18th century France, some scholars believe, as a way to prepare young women for marriage. Often, a girl was betrothed to an older man. He likely owned his own home, or castle. He may have been bearded. He was quite possibly loud and bossy, used to calling the shots, prone to angry outbursts if his wishes were not carried out quickly and well. In other words, a bit of a beast. The old wives knew that a young girl wielded little clout in her marriage. She was not an equal. All she could hope for was to tame the beast, to soften and civilize him, by being sweet, pleasant, loving and forbearing.
Now it’s time for us to look at this ancient tale through a more current lens. And I hope that’s what BEASTLY BEAUTY does.
Q: Is this the third in a series, following Stepsister and Poisoned?
A: Not exactly. It is the third fairy tale retelling I have written for my publisher, Scholastic – but the collection is not a series where you have to read them in order. They’re all completely standalone – just like the fairy tales themselves. But, as with, say, the Grimm’s versions of these timeless stories, I think you’ll find a distinct family resemblance in terms of tone and perspective.
Q: Where can I learn more about BEASTLY BEAUTY?
A: Watch my video preview : About My New Book, Beastly Beauty
Q: Where can I pre-order BEASTLY BEAUTY?
A: Wherever you like to buy your books! Links to booksellers are on my site here: https://www.jenniferdonnelly.com/book/beastly-beauty/
Want to read
October 31, 2023YES!!! I love Jennifer Donnelly's other fairytale retellings and I love Beauty and the Beast so I think, hope, I'm going to enjoy this.
June 5, 2024
3.5 stars
What I liked:
- The retelling aspect was really well-done. Very original. I liked it a lot.
- The whole twist on the curse was very interesting.
- There were slight gothic vibes, especially throughout the first half.
- I actually really liked both Beau and Arabella. At first, I didn't really know Arabella very well, but by the end, I think she may have been my favorite.
- The servants. I loved them.
- I appreciated how there were several nods to the Disney adaption, without it feeling like a retelling of just the Disney version.
- Arabella and Beau were cute together for the most part.
- The meet-not-so-cute. if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. It was exciting. And rather original. For B&B at least.
What I didn't like:
- This is supposedly set in 18th century France, but somehow, it didn't feel like it was. I felt like there were some inaccuracies, although I'm not 100% sure about those, but the dialogue? Definitely didn't feel 18th century.
- If the castle has been frozen in time for a century, things should have changed a lot more in the outside world. Arabella even mentions a certain noblewoman and her jewels. And while the said jewels were probably passed down through the family, that particular noblewoman would certainly have died. And their clothes should certainly be outdated. Something I would think Beau would have noticed.
- The romance felt rather rushed.
- Medical inaccuracies. Always with the medical inaccuracies.
- There were some comments that I found... inappropriate.
All things considered, I did really enjoy this. It was a fun gender-swapped B&B retelling. And I will def be trying Jennifer Donelly's other fairytale retellings.
What I liked:
- The retelling aspect was really well-done. Very original. I liked it a lot.
- The whole twist on the curse was very interesting.
- There were slight gothic vibes, especially throughout the first half.
- I actually really liked both Beau and Arabella. At first, I didn't really know Arabella very well, but by the end, I think she may have been my favorite.
- The servants. I loved them.
- I appreciated how there were several nods to the Disney adaption, without it feeling like a retelling of just the Disney version.
- Arabella and Beau were cute together for the most part.
- The meet-not-so-cute. if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. It was exciting. And rather original. For B&B at least.
What I didn't like:
- This is supposedly set in 18th century France, but somehow, it didn't feel like it was. I felt like there were some inaccuracies, although I'm not 100% sure about those, but the dialogue? Definitely didn't feel 18th century.
- If the castle has been frozen in time for a century, things should have changed a lot more in the outside world. Arabella even mentions a certain noblewoman and her jewels. And while the said jewels were probably passed down through the family, that particular noblewoman would certainly have died. And their clothes should certainly be outdated. Something I would think Beau would have noticed.
- The romance felt rather rushed.
- Medical inaccuracies. Always with the medical inaccuracies.
- There were some comments that I found... inappropriate.
All things considered, I did really enjoy this. It was a fun gender-swapped B&B retelling. And I will def be trying Jennifer Donelly's other fairytale retellings.
July 24, 2024
3.5 Stars ✨
YA Retelling
“Not even God can teach a man to pray like fear can.”
Audio Version 🎧
Narrator Steve West 5/5 (as always!)
Beastly Beauty is a gender swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It’s told from a male POV (mostly) which I loved because it’s so hard to find that these days! Beau was a very likable character. I must have read a ton of Beauty and the Beast retellings over the years, and this one stands out as a very unique version. Not only because of the gender swap, but because of its themes. It took a while for me to fully get invested in the story, it does start off a bit slow - but once I hit the halfway mark, and the curse was explained, I was hooked. I don’t want to spoil it, so I will not say too much. It was the story behind the story that really kept me reading, it’s about how we can become own worst enemies sometimes and have a tendency to let our emotions rule over who we truly are.
Faith, hope and love are a huge part of the story, but so are hate, rage and shame. At its core, the story puts emphasis on letting go of our shame and finding ourselves once more. I liked this aspect of the book more than anything. The romance was kind of a sub to what was really going on and not the focus.
Overall, I thought this authors writing was great and will definitely try another of her books. It was a clean read, other than some mild language. Would recommend.
Content ⚠️
*mild language
*kissing
*light violence/thriller
YA Retelling
“Not even God can teach a man to pray like fear can.”
Audio Version 🎧
Narrator Steve West 5/5 (as always!)
Beastly Beauty is a gender swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It’s told from a male POV (mostly) which I loved because it’s so hard to find that these days! Beau was a very likable character. I must have read a ton of Beauty and the Beast retellings over the years, and this one stands out as a very unique version. Not only because of the gender swap, but because of its themes. It took a while for me to fully get invested in the story, it does start off a bit slow - but once I hit the halfway mark, and the curse was explained, I was hooked. I don’t want to spoil it, so I will not say too much. It was the story behind the story that really kept me reading, it’s about how we can become own worst enemies sometimes and have a tendency to let our emotions rule over who we truly are.
Faith, hope and love are a huge part of the story, but so are hate, rage and shame. At its core, the story puts emphasis on letting go of our shame and finding ourselves once more. I liked this aspect of the book more than anything. The romance was kind of a sub to what was really going on and not the focus.
Overall, I thought this authors writing was great and will definitely try another of her books. It was a clean read, other than some mild language. Would recommend.
Content ⚠️
*mild language
*kissing
*light violence/thriller
March 7, 2024
I will read any fairy tale this woman writes. <3
May 13, 2024
Lovely Retelling
"Beastly Beauty" by Jennifer Donnelly is a remarkable read that served as the perfect antidote to my day's blues. It was a day dedicated to the comfort of books and tea, which was a delightful respite, despite not feeling my best.
This novel offers a fresh take on the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale, with a twist that includes a gender reversal and a profound message about embracing one's imperfections. The protagonist, Beau, is a thief burdened with the responsibility of caring for his younger brother—the last of his kin. Intent on using a hidden stolen ring to forge a new future for them, Beau's plans are unexpectedly thwarted when he and his band of thieves encounter a castle that seems deserted. A chase by a mysterious beast leads to Beau being abandoned by his comrades, forcing him to face his inner self and the castle's hidden perils in order to survive.
Jennifer Donnelly's storytelling took unexpected paths that captivated me, a quality I've come to admire in her writing. From the intriguing opening with Espidra and a young girl engaged in card games, to the cleverly disguised identities of Arabella's court ladies—each revelation was a delight. The narrative masterfully interwove elements like the enigmatic clock that initially intrigued but later terrorized the thieves. Although I anticipated the conclusion upon learning about Arabella's curse, the way it unfolded was nothing short of exquisite.
I eagerly anticipate revisiting "Beastly Beauty" to uncover any subtle clues I may have overlooked on my initial journey through its pages. Prepare to be so engrossed that you'll want to devour this book in one sitting, and perhaps keep a box of tissues within reach, just in case emotions run high.
"Beastly Beauty" by Jennifer Donnelly is a remarkable read that served as the perfect antidote to my day's blues. It was a day dedicated to the comfort of books and tea, which was a delightful respite, despite not feeling my best.
This novel offers a fresh take on the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale, with a twist that includes a gender reversal and a profound message about embracing one's imperfections. The protagonist, Beau, is a thief burdened with the responsibility of caring for his younger brother—the last of his kin. Intent on using a hidden stolen ring to forge a new future for them, Beau's plans are unexpectedly thwarted when he and his band of thieves encounter a castle that seems deserted. A chase by a mysterious beast leads to Beau being abandoned by his comrades, forcing him to face his inner self and the castle's hidden perils in order to survive.
Jennifer Donnelly's storytelling took unexpected paths that captivated me, a quality I've come to admire in her writing. From the intriguing opening with Espidra and a young girl engaged in card games, to the cleverly disguised identities of Arabella's court ladies—each revelation was a delight. The narrative masterfully interwove elements like the enigmatic clock that initially intrigued but later terrorized the thieves. Although I anticipated the conclusion upon learning about Arabella's curse, the way it unfolded was nothing short of exquisite.
I eagerly anticipate revisiting "Beastly Beauty" to uncover any subtle clues I may have overlooked on my initial journey through its pages. Prepare to be so engrossed that you'll want to devour this book in one sitting, and perhaps keep a box of tissues within reach, just in case emotions run high.
April 28, 2024
Fairytale retelling✔️
My favorite fairytale✔️
My favorite author for fairytale retellings ✔️
This book was written for me. I adore a reimagined fairytale and I love Jennifer Donnelly’s writing. She creates altered stories that retain so much of the classic but are fresh and original. Her stories raise questions about expectations placed on women to be good, be quiet, follow the rules. In many versions of fairy tales women are pretty and sparkly but that comes with a price. Donnelly shows that price. She also shows a different way for her heroines.
In this version of the classic Beauty and the Beast, the roles are flipped. The Beauty is the man and our beast is the woman. Loved this flip! Beau and Arabella are complex characters with layers of mistakes, pain and guilt. Beau is forced into a life of seduction and robbery after being orphaned. He is teased but he other thieves for his good looks. Arabella lives an isolated life with her court of ladies that are just a little bit odd and scary.
The castle is isolated and there is a library. The magic behind this version is a little bit different than some other versions. Took me a little bit to understand some of the pieces. The magic is clever. Arabella and Beau have great chemistry with plenty of witty banter. Fantastic character development and vivid atmosphere. SIde characters, both court ladies and servants, were important to the story. The castle felt cold, creepy and isolated.
As with Donnelly’s other stories, I was left thinking about the important messages long after finishing. While society might force expectations on us, individually we are each responsible for our own happiness.. With any fairytale retelling, love is important. Arabella must figure out if societal expectations are worth the pain and suffering or if can she be true to herself.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good fairytale that isn’t all sugar and sweetness.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic PRess for the ARC in exchange for my honest reveiw. I look forward to reading Jennifer Donnelly’s next book!
March 7, 2024
Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly
I absolutely adore dark fantasy versions of fairy tale retellings! A midnight tale, indeed! Previously overlooked characters from our favorite classic novels are thrown under a new vantage point and I am loving it.
Beauty and the Beast meets a gender-swapped twist with elements of lycanthropy and there we meet the main character Arabella.
Quirky, cute, and charming are all attributes I would give to our relatable MC. This endearing character has an obsession and fiery passion for architecture.
I loved the atmospheric setting. The giant and refined and elegant castle, a women-led council, mysterious kidnappings, and terrifying monsters.
Thief Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navare, quite a mouthful, swoops in and makes a pact with Arabella out of love for his brother.
There are Gothic romance elements to this story, combined with magical realism, is made even more unique and rounded out with werewolf aspects.
A love begins to simmer and boil, ending in a raging flame of chemistry. Definitely recommend to any reader who love fairy tale retellings. Thank you to NetGalley, who allowed me to read Rhys intriguing tale 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
I absolutely adore dark fantasy versions of fairy tale retellings! A midnight tale, indeed! Previously overlooked characters from our favorite classic novels are thrown under a new vantage point and I am loving it.
Beauty and the Beast meets a gender-swapped twist with elements of lycanthropy and there we meet the main character Arabella.
Quirky, cute, and charming are all attributes I would give to our relatable MC. This endearing character has an obsession and fiery passion for architecture.
I loved the atmospheric setting. The giant and refined and elegant castle, a women-led council, mysterious kidnappings, and terrifying monsters.
Thief Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navare, quite a mouthful, swoops in and makes a pact with Arabella out of love for his brother.
There are Gothic romance elements to this story, combined with magical realism, is made even more unique and rounded out with werewolf aspects.
A love begins to simmer and boil, ending in a raging flame of chemistry. Definitely recommend to any reader who love fairy tale retellings. Thank you to NetGalley, who allowed me to read Rhys intriguing tale 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
September 20, 2024
4.5 Stars
"Some say that fairy tales are windows that show us a make-believe world. Full of impossible creatures. But they are wrong. Fairy tales are mirrors, not windows. They show us this world. They show us ourselves. . . . Come closer to the mirror, child. Closer. What do you see? Troll? Witch? Ogre? Beast? Hunt the beast, the old ones say. Kill the beast. But what if you are the beast?"
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! At first I was very confused by the magic system and it honestly felt creepy to me. This is something that could turn some people away, because the magic system is never really explained, it's more of each magical thing being a metaphor or symbol for something that you will discover as you read, which was something I personally loved! It had me wanting to go back and read some of the scenes because when my eyes were opened to what the author was getting at, I was quite literally reading in a whole new way!
This was such a good story portraying what happens when the world tells you to act a certain way and you begin to hate your emotions until you eventually wrap yourself in despair and hate yourself.
The romance was also super cute and very wholesome and true to the emotional battle that giving your heart to someone is and should be.
Content: Brief mention of two of the servant men being in a relationship however it wasn't described or even talked about for very long.
"Some say that fairy tales are windows that show us a make-believe world. Full of impossible creatures. But they are wrong. Fairy tales are mirrors, not windows. They show us this world. They show us ourselves. . . . Come closer to the mirror, child. Closer. What do you see? Troll? Witch? Ogre? Beast? Hunt the beast, the old ones say. Kill the beast. But what if you are the beast?"
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! At first I was very confused by the magic system and it honestly felt creepy to me. This is something that could turn some people away, because the magic system is never really explained, it's more of each magical thing being a metaphor or symbol for something that you will discover as you read, which was something I personally loved! It had me wanting to go back and read some of the scenes because when my eyes were opened to what the author was getting at, I was quite literally reading in a whole new way!
This was such a good story portraying what happens when the world tells you to act a certain way and you begin to hate your emotions until you eventually wrap yourself in despair and hate yourself.
The romance was also super cute and very wholesome and true to the emotional battle that giving your heart to someone is and should be.
Content: Brief mention of two of the servant men being in a relationship however it wasn't described or even talked about for very long.
March 7, 2024
I screamed when I received an ARC of Beastly Beauty from NetGalley! Jennifer Donnelly's feminist fairytale retellings have added years to my life and I thank her every day for it. I have been looking forward to this ever since I finished Poisoned, her Snow White retelling. And this did not disappoint. This book was full of such intriguing and thought-provoking twists. I didn't any of them coming! It was such a unique take I have never seen in another book. The story was engaging and thrilling and enchanting! However, despite the great storytelling, where Jennifer's tales shine is the heart she puts into her stories. Her takeaways for life always hit you right in the feels and are deeply poetic and moving. I had a few tears spring to my eyes in the end because of how beautiful the twist and message was. I knew I would love this book, and I'm so glad it exceeded all expectations. Cannot wait for her to write more retellings, because they are healing my soul. Bless her beautiful storytelling skills. This was a masterpiece.
Want to read
February 25, 2024new fairy tale retelling by jennifer donnelly?? oh we're so back
April 13, 2024
this took me a while to finish, because i was even having difficulty to get through it in the first place. and yes, i got through it but, past 40%, i mostly just skimmed the book. i’m not sure why. maybe i wasn’t in the mood for this book, but i just wasn’t feeling it even since i first picked it up. i was really excited to read one of donnelly’s books though, especially to be reading a reverse batb retelling (one of my favorite disney movies and belle’s my favorite disney princess). maybe i’ll reread this later or read one of her other books in the future and end up loving it.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC <3
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC <3
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 31, 2024DNF 20%
Жесткий августский нечитун завершается DNF-ом новинки от Дженнифер Доннелли. Концепт гендер- реверса Красавицы и Чудовища не нов, но есть в нем что-то притягательное. Сама Дженнифер Доннелли сделала себе имя на сказочных ретеллингах, так что все, вроде как, должно было сработать как нельзя лучше. Но что-то пошло не так, причем сразу.
ИМХО, есть конкретные причины почему Красавица и Чудовище работает как история. Чудовище - воплощение идеи, что уродство души отражается на оболочке. Во многих вариациях сказки (в том числе, и в диснеевском мультике, которым большинство авторов ретеллингов вдохновляются) у Чудовища, помимо безобразной внешности, есть еще и противный характер в придачу. Проклинают его чаще всего в наказание за какой-то проступок, все-таки. Красавица же показывает, что в любом чудовище можно разглядеть и полюбить красивую душу. Концепт сказки довольно гибкий и поэтому актуален до сих пор. Ходячий Замок Хаула, Пенелопа, Шрек - все это вариации Красавицы и Чудовища, которые сохраняют в себе основные темы сказки. Если эти вещи убрать или слишком поменять, то это уже не Красавица и Чудовище .
По аннотации, у меня сложилось впечатление, что Арабелла будет каноным Чудовищем, ака покрытой шерстью, с огромными клыками, но ее проклятие похоже на проклятие Фионы: она превращается только ночью. Вот только в Шреке у Фионы была роль Красавицы, а Чудовищем был именно Шрек. При том, замысел Доннелли мог бы сработать если бы Арабелла была красивой настолько, что появлялся бы эффект зловещей долины или мужчины сходили бы от ее вида с ума. Но нет, она красива по вполне себе человеческим меркам. Можно было подумать, что роль Чудовища отведена Бо, мол, у него красивая внешность, но уродливая душа, однако и тут мимо. Доннелли с самого начала выливает всю его слезливую предысторию, чтобы читатель пожалел бедняжку. В итоге, у нас есть Красавец с чистой душой и Чудовище, которая большую часть дня все равно красивая. И из-за этой малюсенькой детали Beastly Beauty - не ретеллинг Красавицы и Чудовища , а очередное фэнтези про то, как два красивых человека влюбились друг в друга, просто у одного из них ликантропия. Мы по этим морям уже плавали, Wolfstar не первый год существует.
Это все, конечно, в большей мере мои ожидания, которые не оправдались, но объективные причины у меня тоже есть. Например, за 20% я так и не поняла, в каком временном периоде происходит эта история. Похоже на 18-19 век, однако замок Арабеллы и все живущие в нем слуги были прокляты за 200 лет до прихода туда Бо. Но Бо ни разу не отмечает, что они, например, одеты как-то странно или старомодно. Не исключено, что позже Доннелли это как-то объяснит, но я слабо в это верю. Даже в лайв-экшн ксероксе от Диснея эту дыру залатали (там с проклятья не так много времени прошло), а тут этот факт упорно игнорируется . Так же меня немного коробит сюжетная арка Бо. Он испытывает огромную вину из-за того, что вступил на тропу преступности. Но это не просто вина, а именно религиозная вина. Религия и сказки плохо мешаются на мой взгляд. Тут это было прям совсем не в тему, примерно, как и сабплот со смертью мамы Белль от чумы в лайв-экшн фильме. Ах, да, еще тут крайне не смешной юмор.
Не знаю, как с другими книгами писательницы, но эта написана крайне... по-графомански кинематографично. Практически каждая глава заканчивается клиффхенгером, чтобы подсадить читателя на иглу и заставить читать дальше. В какой-то момент это начинает дико раздражать.
Не исключено, что Доннелли бы разогналась по ходу, но у меня нет сил пробираться через книгу, в которой я изначально не вижу ничего стоящего.
Мой Телеграм Канал
Жесткий августский нечитун завершается DNF-ом новинки от Дженнифер Доннелли. Концепт гендер- реверса Красавицы и Чудовища не нов, но есть в нем что-то притягательное. Сама Дженнифер Доннелли сделала себе имя на сказочных ретеллингах, так что все, вроде как, должно было сработать как нельзя лучше. Но что-то пошло не так, причем сразу.
ИМХО, есть конкретные причины почему Красавица и Чудовище работает как история. Чудовище - воплощение идеи, что уродство души отражается на оболочке. Во многих вариациях сказки (в том числе, и в диснеевском мультике, которым большинство авторов ретеллингов вдохновляются) у Чудовища, помимо безобразной внешности, есть еще и противный характер в придачу. Проклинают его чаще всего в наказание за какой-то проступок, все-таки. Красавица же показывает, что в любом чудовище можно разглядеть и полюбить красивую душу. Концепт сказки довольно гибкий и поэтому актуален до сих пор. Ходячий Замок Хаула, Пенелопа, Шрек - все это вариации Красавицы и Чудовища, которые сохраняют в себе основные темы сказки. Если эти вещи убрать или слишком поменять, то это уже не Красавица и Чудовище .
По аннотации, у меня сложилось впечатление, что Арабелла будет каноным Чудовищем, ака покрытой шерстью, с огромными клыками, но ее проклятие похоже на проклятие Фионы: она превращается только ночью. Вот только в Шреке у Фионы была роль Красавицы, а Чудовищем был именно Шрек. При том, замысел Доннелли мог бы сработать если бы Арабелла была красивой настолько, что появлялся бы эффект зловещей долины или мужчины сходили бы от ее вида с ума. Но нет, она красива по вполне себе человеческим меркам. Можно было подумать, что роль Чудовища отведена Бо, мол, у него красивая внешность, но уродливая душа, однако и тут мимо. Доннелли с самого начала выливает всю его слезливую предысторию, чтобы читатель пожалел бедняжку. В итоге, у нас есть Красавец с чистой душой и Чудовище, которая большую часть дня все равно красивая. И из-за этой малюсенькой детали Beastly Beauty - не ретеллинг Красавицы и Чудовища , а очередное фэнтези про то, как два красивых человека влюбились друг в друга, просто у одного из них ликантропия. Мы по этим морям уже плавали, Wolfstar не первый год существует.
Это все, конечно, в большей мере мои ожидания, которые не оправдались, но объективные причины у меня тоже есть. Например, за 20% я так и не поняла, в каком временном периоде происходит эта история. Похоже на 18-19 век, однако замок Арабеллы и все живущие в нем слуги были прокляты за 200 лет до прихода туда Бо. Но Бо ни разу не отмечает, что они, например, одеты как-то странно или старомодно. Не исключено, что позже Доннелли это как-то объяснит, но я слабо в это верю. Даже в лайв-экшн ксероксе от Диснея эту дыру залатали (там с проклятья не так много времени прошло), а тут этот факт упорно игнорируется . Так же меня немного коробит сюжетная арка Бо. Он испытывает огромную вину из-за того, что вступил на тропу преступности. Но это не просто вина, а именно религиозная вина. Религия и сказки плохо мешаются на мой взгляд. Тут это было прям совсем не в тему, примерно, как и сабплот со смертью мамы Белль от чумы в лайв-экшн фильме. Ах, да, еще тут крайне не смешной юмор.
Не знаю, как с другими книгами писательницы, но эта написана крайне... по-графомански кинематографично. Практически каждая глава заканчивается клиффхенгером, чтобы подсадить читателя на иглу и заставить читать дальше. В какой-то момент это начинает дико раздражать.
Не исключено, что Доннелли бы разогналась по ходу, но у меня нет сил пробираться через книгу, в которой я изначально не вижу ничего стоящего.
Мой Телеграм Канал
May 22, 2024
Listened to this while painting a Bluey mural for summer reading at work - the vibes were immaculate.
I mean - gender swapped beauty & the beast retelling with swan princess undertones ??? and actual interesting as FUCK magic ??? The whole concept went so hard.
But there was something about how the writing (or perhaps the narration though his accent was lovely & he also narrated the dude from the atlas six but anyway) gave way to feeling a little standoffish, like a good friend divulging in a secret but somehow still holding you an arms length away.
So while the concept and the fancy narration made for a swell afternoon of painting, I wasn’t particularly invested in the MCs but it didn’t bother me too much.
3.5⭐️
I mean - gender swapped beauty & the beast retelling with swan princess undertones ??? and actual interesting as FUCK magic ??? The whole concept went so hard.
But there was something about how the writing (or perhaps the narration though his accent was lovely & he also narrated the dude from the atlas six but anyway) gave way to feeling a little standoffish, like a good friend divulging in a secret but somehow still holding you an arms length away.
So while the concept and the fancy narration made for a swell afternoon of painting, I wasn’t particularly invested in the MCs but it didn’t bother me too much.
3.5⭐️
May 18, 2024
ARC reader for NetGalley
I thoroughly enjoyed this gender bent twist to the classic Beauty & the Beast. Certainly a unique retelling. Jennifer Donnelly has a special way to captivate her audience with the tales she spins.
I thoroughly enjoyed this gender bent twist to the classic Beauty & the Beast. Certainly a unique retelling. Jennifer Donnelly has a special way to captivate her audience with the tales she spins.
July 12, 2024
Another short iPad review
I liked this but the inside flap gave too much away. It should’ve been kept secret. But this was a good retelling, not overwhelming feminist (in a way that feels forced) but a great story. I loved both MCs.
I liked this but the inside flap gave too much away. It should’ve been kept secret. But this was a good retelling, not overwhelming feminist (in a way that feels forced) but a great story. I loved both MCs.
February 16, 2024
I’m a sucker for retelling of classic Fairytales especially, Beauty and the Beast. With the idea of the roles reversed and the raw story that comes from this I jump in super excited to read this book.
The only way to tame the beast is to set her free.
The idea of a gender swapped retelling of The Beauty and the Beast was something that attracted me to the story. I love when authors take classic fairytales and add their own little spin on it.
Jennifer Donnelly is for sure one of those rare authors that takes a beloved story and always leaves you with a lasting impression that follows you long after you finish reading the last page.
We meet Beau, the belle character of our story, and Arabella, the beast of our story, trapped in Arabella’s cursed castle. She turns into a beast at the stroke of midnight and Beau is determined to uncover the truth behind the beasts origins and way to leave the castle alive.
What I loved about this story is the chemistry between our two lead characters. Beau is a thief with a witty attitude and Arabella is an intelligent socially repressed sophisticated woman who is hiding a dark secret.
As this story unfolds I started to fall in love with these characters and hope they find a way to break this curse that could end them all.
It did have its moments of being sluggish at times but they were over in a blink and jumped right into the central theme of this story which is, embracing your emotions and fighting for the life you want to live.
Arabella for sure had my heart aching with the time period she lived in. Being a woman and seen as an accessory instead of a living breathing human being. Beau for sure had a way of helping her fight to forgive herself. For holding herself back from finding her own voice.
Overall this book for sure was about a 4 star read for me. Again I just love how Jennifer is able to leave a lasting impression on you with her fairytale retellings. This book I would for sure recommend to anyone who loves retellings of fairytales and deep resonating lessons.
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Y’all are the best. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
The only way to tame the beast is to set her free.
The idea of a gender swapped retelling of The Beauty and the Beast was something that attracted me to the story. I love when authors take classic fairytales and add their own little spin on it.
Jennifer Donnelly is for sure one of those rare authors that takes a beloved story and always leaves you with a lasting impression that follows you long after you finish reading the last page.
We meet Beau, the belle character of our story, and Arabella, the beast of our story, trapped in Arabella’s cursed castle. She turns into a beast at the stroke of midnight and Beau is determined to uncover the truth behind the beasts origins and way to leave the castle alive.
What I loved about this story is the chemistry between our two lead characters. Beau is a thief with a witty attitude and Arabella is an intelligent socially repressed sophisticated woman who is hiding a dark secret.
As this story unfolds I started to fall in love with these characters and hope they find a way to break this curse that could end them all.
It did have its moments of being sluggish at times but they were over in a blink and jumped right into the central theme of this story which is, embracing your emotions and fighting for the life you want to live.
Arabella for sure had my heart aching with the time period she lived in. Being a woman and seen as an accessory instead of a living breathing human being. Beau for sure had a way of helping her fight to forgive herself. For holding herself back from finding her own voice.
Overall this book for sure was about a 4 star read for me. Again I just love how Jennifer is able to leave a lasting impression on you with her fairytale retellings. This book I would for sure recommend to anyone who loves retellings of fairytales and deep resonating lessons.
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Y’all are the best. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
September 27, 2023
This is a retelling masterpiece. It does all the right things – familiar story with a brilliantly inventive twist, an upgraded cast of characters, a different “moral” altogether, and the all-important gender swapping. Here’s the clincher, though; this is the way this fairy tale should have been written in the first place – Beauty as the Beast!
The strength in this novel is the way the characters shine. The beast has a personality that is equal to but also independent of Arabella. The castle itself is a character. Characters like The Clockmaker (Death) turn into entities and emotions personified. The story is simple but also very complex and there were two places in particular where the narrator broke down fairy tales (and, perhaps, real life) with such power, it brought actual tears to my eyes.
The strength in this novel is the way the characters shine. The beast has a personality that is equal to but also independent of Arabella. The castle itself is a character. Characters like The Clockmaker (Death) turn into entities and emotions personified. The story is simple but also very complex and there were two places in particular where the narrator broke down fairy tales (and, perhaps, real life) with such power, it brought actual tears to my eyes.
April 2, 2024
4/5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite movies growing up and I was so excited to see a book spin off of the original tale. I love that she was the “beast” in this story but not because of doing something terribly bad but for going against societal norms of the time and wanting to be something more. I did not expect this book to be SO funny at times it truly was entertaining and so interesting. I like that the story wasn’t all smut and only romance it had depth and meaning that went beyond the romance aspect.
I really enjoyed this book. Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite movies growing up and I was so excited to see a book spin off of the original tale. I love that she was the “beast” in this story but not because of doing something terribly bad but for going against societal norms of the time and wanting to be something more. I did not expect this book to be SO funny at times it truly was entertaining and so interesting. I like that the story wasn’t all smut and only romance it had depth and meaning that went beyond the romance aspect.
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