The Beauty and the Beast
By Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN:978-0-06-245621-2 It is so very exciting to be holding in my hands the novel that is considered to be the original version of Beauty and the Beast. All the other novels and stories are based from this woman's work. But I would like to take a moment to be as historically accurate as I can be. Almost all fairy tales can be traced back to thousands of years ago and so the idea for this novel probably came from some spoken tale that the author heard. Will anyone ever know for certain where this fairy tale started? Probably not, but we know who wrote the first published version of it. However, most people are confused and believe that the woman, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, who re-wrote it, after Villeneuve's death is the original author. Hopefully that clears up any confusion and upset that I've heard over saying Villeneuve's is the original author. I would like to get my hands on Beaumont's version because I have a feeling it is the one we all know closest to the picture book story I have talked about throughout my Beauty and the Beast book review series. But that is for another day! First of all, this book was written in the 1700's and published in 1740. So the first thing I should warn any potential readers of is the language difference. If you have trouble with classical novels and older dialect than you may not enjoy reading this story. Here's an example of a sentence directly from the book, "For some time they flattered themselves that, when their father's intention became known, their lovers, who had hitherto sued in vain, would be only too happy to find they were inclined to listen to them." (14). If you're good with that, then the rest of the book should be fine. I have met a lot of readers who can't concentrate when reading old dialogue so I felt it only fair to warn people about that. Also with the dialogue difference you need to remember the time of this novel being written was a vastly different time from that which we currently live in, so some words may have a different meaning than you're familiar with. Personally, I think that's why I enjoy older novels so much, because there is a wonder in learning. If you don't recognize something, or you think it was used strangely, open up google and find out something new! Books can teach us all sorts of things, even if they're not 'educational'. Also going along with the time frame in which this novel was written, subplots and interconnected stories were a very popular writing style. For that reason, I want to get into the actual story! I have to say that the beginning is sooo very close to that of Robin McKinley's version that I have to tip my hat to her for really researching her rewrite! In this, we have a wealthy merchant whose fortune takes an unfortunate turn and he finds himself quite poor. However, unlike other versions instead of three children, he has twelve. Yes, twelve. Six girls and six boys, Beauty is the youngest child. So he finds himself very poor and his children, particularly his daughters, distraught by this new way of life. His sons take to working the land and taking care of the family while in comparison his daughters mope about all that they have lost. All except for Beauty who is more determined than ever to raise everyone's spirits and make their new life easier. Her sister's dislike her very much, having a jealousy of her so strong that it's a borderline hatred. This is more the vision of her sisters that I remember as a child. Inevitably, their father goes on a business trip and asks each of his children what they would like. The daughters, all expecting this trip to be favorable with wealth, demand jewels, dresses, and finery. Beauty insists that she wants nothing but his safe return, and while this touches her father, her sister's grows angry at her. So her father persuades her to pick something, she finally tells him she would love a rose as she had not seen one since they left the city. After an unfavorable business meeting and a terrible journey through the snow the man finds himself in a castle where his every need is seen to. Upon leaving the castle, he takes a rose to give to his daughter and thus he meets the Beast. A bargain is struck that the man should come back to him in a month’s time or bring a daughter to the Beast at that time. The man refuses to give up a child to save himself, but upon returning home, he tells them all the tale of what happened to him. Beauty insists that she goes in her father's place as it was her gift that caused this. It should also be said that she is the only child, aside from his sons (but the Beast insisted on a daughter) who loved him enough to die for him. For the sisters all believed that the Beast meant only to devour her. Now, the story goes that Beauty goes to stay with the Beast in place of her father, and is surprised that he does not eat her. Though she is honestly repulsed by his appearance, she faces him and dines with him every night. She quickly learns that he is no danger to her and that he loves her. As the typical story goes every night he asks her to marry him, and every night she says no. WHAT'S NOT TYPICAL, and I found this amazing, is that she discovers galleries with birds and even monkey servants! In every other version they act as if all animals flee from the kingdom due to the Beast's existence. Perhaps in this version they are enchanted to be there for Beauty's sake, but none-the-less what a change! On top of that the castle also has gardens, riches and paintings, a large library, and a room of many mirrors. What's interesting about these mirrors is that instead of seeing yourself in them, you look through them as if looking into a TV screen. Each mirror had a different purpose, to name a few: one was an opera, one was a fair, one was a great theater where performances were put on. The castle surely had a rich amount of entertainments for the young beauty. And then each night since coming to the castle, she dreams of a handsome lad who whispers sweet nothings in her ear and promises her a world of happiness. She fell in love with the dream man and so became more and more confused by the Beast's constant proposals. Though she fell for the dream man she had not forgotten the warning in all of her dreams to not be deceived by appearances. Of course we all know how the story goes, eventually the Beast sets her free, with the promise to return, and when she does she finds him at death's door. So when this occurs, we are half way through the novel and there's about a hundred pages left. Too long of an ending for the story we all know. In this the subplots emerge and the backstories of both Beast and Beauty are revealed as well as new characters. What I found so interesting was the inclusion of so many fairies. In the story we all know he is cursed for some reason or another and left in the castle until someone can love him the way he is. It's supposed to be a lesson, but in Villeneuve's original version it was less of a lesson and more of a cruel act of an evil character who did it out of spite. A character who you learn has been wickedly causing problems in other's lives as well. We also find out that Beauty is not the daughter of the merchant she loves so dearly, but the daughter of a King and a Fairy. And on top of all that the reason the Beast's castle is so enchanted and so many things run their course, so smoothly is because a third fairy has been helping him. The ending is a mass of subplots and crazy information, she even explains why the Beast is 'savage', which was meant in this time period to mean 'stupid', and why he could hold only the simplest conversations. Of course, it's a fairy tale and the law of those is that there is always a happy ending. In conclusion, it was quite an interesting turn of events to learn of both characters family's and heritage. The work of the good fairy helping it all be possible, it's basically like looking behind the scenes at who is actually pulling the strings to make it all work out exactly as we have come to know. It makes sense to me why so many versions have cut the ending though. As the time periods progressed and authors like Beaumont rewrote it, they simplified it to represent less of the monarchies, which had been loosing their power, and also to focus it on the main character's romance rather than sub plotting a bunch mini romances. I think it was worth the read and gives a little insight into where the common traits of all the novels such as: the animals, the servants, the mirrors, the roses, etc., come from Each author tells it a little differently being careful to leave enough of the classic novel for their readers. As this author has been dead for more than a century I cannot exactly link you to her profiles, but a quick google search of her will bring up other works she's famous for as well as some bits about her personal life, though honestly there isn't much to go on.
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Roses
By G.R. Mannering Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 9781620879887 Oh. My. Goodness. This book was strange from the very beginning. And I don't mean that in a bad way. Let me just clarify that Mannering has written the most unique take on Beauty and the Beast that I have ever read! And while she made it her own story (one I discovered is sort of a series) I did not fail to notice the similarities that almost all these stories hold dear. In most versions of this story magic is fairly uncommon, only talked about in fairy tales, that is until Beauty finds her Beast and his enchanted castle. However in this world Magic is prevalent and magical beings are looked down on and attacked by non-magical beings. Years ago there was a war in which the Magic Bloods won, but some would say the war was never really over. So where does a Beauty and a Beast fit into all this? Let's start with Part One. The story starts off with the birth of an unusual looking baby. In fact, she is so unusual that the nurse and doctor find her hideous and wish to be rid of her immediately. Her mother vanishes after giving birth to her and she is left orphaned upon the doorstep of a woman who holds the same family crest as was left with the baby. The House of Rose. Now, before I get too far ahead of myself let's back up and discuss why Beauty is so different from other versions. She is born with pale silver skin, violet eyes, and white hair. Yeah. Not exactly the version of Beauty we're all used to seeing *cough* Disney *cough*. So everyone fears this child to be a demon of some sort but regardless all believe she is of magical decent somewhere in her bloodline. Everyone is cruel to this little girl, her keeper, her nanny, the maids in the mansion, etc. She eventually is presented to society as a charity act, a street-walkers child, and nothing special, just strange looking. People come to gawk and stare at her as if she is a circus act. And while Ma Dane, the woman's whose doorstep Beauty is left upon, keeps her fed and alive, she is not permitted to leave the grounds, get an education, play with Ma Dane's child, or have any life really. And by the end of Part One Beauty has been given her name as a taunt and she is sent away BUT NOT before finding out that Ma Dane is her aunt. Her own flesh and blood treated her so awful her entire life. What I do have to say is that after reading the ORIGINAL Beauty and the Beast (review on that can be found under 'Fairy Tales' as well) having Beauty appear as a magical being is even more clever since the original states that she is the daughter of a fairy. Now, Part Two only goes slightly better. I say Part One was sickening because I hated how she was treated. But Part One was also fascinating because it really helped lay the groundwork for a woman in need of true companionship the same way the Beast is. Beauty is sent away with the only servant who ever treated her kindly. He adopts her as his own and vows to protect her. Owaine is a horse trainer and from a land quite far from where Beauty was raised. He takes her to the Hillands to be a part of his village, but not much is different there. The townsfolk are unwelcoming and scream that she is a devil sent to walk among them, her 'father's' daughter hates her and treats her with damning cruelty day in and day out, and even when Beauty proves herself to be helpful to the village she is kept at arms length. This is where the author begins to really incorporate classic details from other Beauty and the Beast stories. Beauty is loved dearly by her 'father' and unlike her sister she does not ask for lavished possessions and so he would give her anything. Now in Part Two we also get to meet our story's, '"Gaston", if you will. Not all of these stories incorporate a bad guy, as it is generally implied the father is bad for giving her away, or the beast is the villain for taking her, but in some there is a man who wants her hand in marriage whether she is willing to give it or not. In this case you've already met him in Part One but now he is grown and far crueler than anyone might have suspected. When Beauty's father leaves on a business trip he brings her back a rose. Of course, as all stories go, this rose will cost him his life. And so Beauty rushes to find the keeper of the roses and beg for her father's life. Consequently this is where Part Three of the story begins and so does our Beauty and the Beast. She agrees to take her father's place and stay in the castle forever, the Beast not being used to visitors has trouble adjusting to her company and constant questions, and unsurprisingly his temper scares her greatly. Unlike in other versions the Beast insists that he controls nothing in the castle and is as much as a prisoner there as anyone else. There are also magical servants included in this version though they are seen as ghostly outlines that move about preparing things and guiding her around. And as Beauty was never permitted to read, the library is useless to her. But the Beast, trying hard to show her he cares takes on the task of teaching her to read and write and thus they spend their days bonding together, getting to know the other. In the end the Beast will always sacrifice everything for Beauty, for he loves her, and she must either leave him to die or save him. Interestingly enough the author also has a great prophecy written for our unique Beauty. She has the gift of sight, something members of House Rose seem to have. And thus when she dreams something it comes true. I also enjoyed this addition to the story as the original has Beauty dream of her prince every night. It's fascinating how dreams were such an important element in Beauty and the Beast and yet this is the only author I've discovered so far to keep that detail in some way. Later in this story she discovers that her birth-father is a sorcerer and she is supposed to be able to wield a magic that will lead and save the Magic Bloods in the new war. The Beast's curse and the importance of the roses is also extremely interesting. I really enjoyed the new take on an old classic. There is so much more to be talked about and plot twists to unravel but then, there is more to be read. As I said this book appears to be sort of a series. What I do not know is if it is a completed one or if there is another book yet to come out. If you look it up it says, "The Tales Trilogy #1", there is a #2 that is also written, but not a third. However there is a #1.5 so I am not sure if that is supposed to be counted in as the trilogy or not. If I find the answer to that I will be sure to update it! In the meantime I suggest looking for this book and giving it a shot. As I said Part One is a little gloomy because of how Beauty is treated but it also serves it's purpose as far as who Beauty is to become. As always the links to the author's pages will be listed below! Beastly
by Alex Flinn Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-06-087418-6 Well, I thought I had reviewed this novel before but I cannot seem to find it. Perhaps it's just that I have told everyone I know to read it AND NOT TO WATCH THE RUBBISH MOVIE VERSION OF IT. I mean I know all bookworms say that, we tell people read the book because the movie leaves so much out.... but seriously. The movie changed SOOOO MANY IMPORTANT DETAILS THAT IT IS DEPLORABLE! So now that that little rant is out of the way. Let's discuss the work of art that is Alex Flinn's Beastly. When Flinn started working on this fairy tale she asked herself how Beauty and the Beast would take place in modern day while still focusing on how she viewed the romance between the characters which is, "So the romance is really the story of how two abandoned teens find each other" (303) So now, we're going to look at the modern day aspect of this. The Beast is always a prince first, so what would modern day royalty be considered? Well Kyle Kingsbury is the handsome and popular son of a rich and famous TV personality. As typical of most popular and rich charter school characters, he is very vain and selfish, as well as cruel and mean to everyone around him, essentially getting high off of other's pain. In fact when the witch of the story does finally decide to place the curse on him she lists off various cruelties he had cast on others even going all the way back to when he was in second grade. The final nail in his coffin was the night of the school dance, he stood up an 'odd' 'goth' girl who turned out to be the witch. She tells him, "I didn't get my feeling hurt because I knew you'd blow me off, Kyle, knew you were cruel and ruthless and that, given the opportunity, you would hurt someone... just to show you could" (37). I mean, wow. So as you can see Flinn's Beast had it coming. But surely with modern day technology plastic surgery and medicine can change him back from a hairy monster with claws and fangs? No, magic is magic. Realizing he is stuck this way his father hides him away with a cook/maid, a computer, a tutor for his schooling, and a credit card. He can buy whatever he pleases but no one is to know of him. He is abandoned by his only family. But the Beast finds a chat room for fairy tale creatures, all cursed or dealing with spells, to help him cope with his own curse. And those cute little screen shots are posted throughout the novel. It was an adorable modern day touch that I thought was so brilliantly unique. Now, as mentioned before Kyle has always been a cruel selfish child, though his father made him that way by raising him to only care about shallow things. Here he is, sixteen, alone, and convinced that no one can ever love him. He discovers a mirror in his room that the witch had left him, in it he can see a reflection of what he looked like post-curse, talk to the witch, and also see anyone or anywhere that he pleases. This will come in handy soon. He begins to grow on the inside, takes his studies more seriously and lets in his maid and tutor. His tutor even inspires him to build a greenhouse and grow roses. Another classic element, no? But one night someone breaks into the greenhouse, attempting to rob the place, and Kyle in his beastly temper threatens to kill the man. The man, selfish, sick, and drug obsessed offers his daughter to the Beast. Even saying, "you want a girlfriend?" Kyle uses the mirror to see if the man is lying but also to make a point that he will find the man anywhere as long as he has the mirror. In a week the man brings his daughter, Lindy to the Beast's mansion and those begins THIS story of Beauty and the Beast. She of course is furious, see's this as a kidnapping, and it takes a while for them to bond. True to the story many months pass as they get to know each other and fall for the other. It is mentioned that Lindy has other sisters out there in the world, another classic element to the story. But Lindy is considered average in looks, her teeth aren't perfect, and she's not the stereotypical prom queen look. She is very focused on her books and education as she knows it's her best shot at a better life. But the new Kyle doesn't care that she doesn't look perfect because she makes him happy, she inspires him, and he is drawn to her. Even putting aside the need to break the curse, there is something about her that gets Kyle. True to every Beauty and the Beast, no matter how beautiful or ugly she is, she is the one to sooth his soul. They need the other. In this version he lets her go and she promises to return, but never does. Unlike in other versions where she returns and the curse has taken such a dreadful turn on him that Beauty finds him half dead, the dramatic 'ending' for our Beast is a rescue mission. Annnnd from there I can't really tell you what happens. I can tell you that is gets REALLY good and it honestly is worth the read. As always, links to the author are down below. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and The Beast
By Robin McKinley Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-06-075310-8 When we talk about Beauty and The Beast in terms of story books, most people imagine the fifteen page picture book you can find in almost every children's library. It's a really simple story line broken down into: Beast has girl living with him, Beast proposes to girl, eventually they break the curse and live happily ever after. It's actually NOT the original story, but we all seem to believe it is. I mean, I even have images pop into my head of sitting in first grade reading it during story time. And I find myself thinking about it quite often when reading new versions of the fairy tale. It's also the exact reason why I have chosen to review 'Beauty' right away. I have read this version several times and I adore it. Essentially McKinley takes that fifteen page storybook and creates a novel with a background on Beauty's family and the Beast's curse, vivid descriptions of the enchanted castle, and all the details that a picture book inevitably leaves out. While I have seen people complaining that they didn't like the plot of this novel, the truth is, McKinley did a great job taking a simple repetitive proposal story and giving it depth. Let's start with our characters! Now we all know the story says there is a stunning woman and a beastly creature, so Beauty is going to be quite the looker right? Well, in McKinley's novel our heroine doesn't really see it that way. This novel stuck to the story line of Beauty being one of three daughters, and compared to her sister's she looks very different. Her sister's are considered the jewels of their town with marriage proposal's coming at them left and right. In comparison Beauty is plainer and prefers the company of books over people. She describes her hair as a plain mousy brown with no curl or volume to work with. Her sister's eyes are blue and green while she has hazel. And she also says that she is too thin and awkward compared to her graceful sisters. The important thing to note here, the word 'compared'. Nowhere does anyone say she is not beautiful, in fact the Beast tells her how warped her image of herself is if she can think that way. But her appearance is 'plainer' and so she chooses plainer dresses over fancier ones, in an almost self-fulfilling-prophecy. She does not think she is beautiful and so avoids all things she feels are too beautiful for her and situations where her looks would be showcased as she feels she isn't pretty. Though looks are only skin-deep, and as much as I hate to use Beauty and The Beast as the poster child of that saying, it is one of the morals of the story. And Beauty is always helpful and considerate of those around her, truly beautiful inside and out. She is her father's pride and joy, he can deny her nothing. As stated she has two sisters, whom unlike other versions are very kind and loving, though they know Beauty is very different from them. Her sisters each have their own love stories that take place in this novel, one even getting married and having children of her own. And then there is the Beast. What I found interesting is what our Beauty says of his appearance, "If Yggdrasil had been given an animal's shape, it might have looked like the Beast" (150). If you look up Yggdrasil, it is the Norse tree of life. Now, she obviously wasn't saying that he was tree-like so one can assume this was a clever way of saying that he resembled many types of animals rather than one in particular. (Let me know your take on that quote, because maybe I'm wrong!) Unlike other versions of the Beast this one wears clothes, right on down to even having different pairs of boots. He is very hairy and Beauty notices that he has streaks of gray in his mane, further implying his age, which is over 200 years old! Now that we have an idea of the characters we're looking at, let's discuss the similarities in McKinley's version to the picture books we're all familiar with. Beauty's father was a merchant, and in this story a very wealthy one, but their business took a turn for the worse after a series of misfortunes, one which caused her eldest sister to lose her betrothed. In the meantime the middle daughter was just about to marry a blacksmith from a small country community and they all go to live with him, since they were now living on the poor-side. There's still some shreds of their father's business surviving and so he goes away on a trip. Sticking true to the storybook Beauty had asked for one thing, which is normally in a single rose, but in this version she asks for rose seeds. And her father felt awful that he could find none, so to his amazement when he found a rose garden he plucked a rose to bring to her. The Beast was infuriated, but when he found out the reason why he made a barter with the man. If the man had honor he would come back in a month's time or send one of his daughter's to the Beast. Naturally, Beauty went in her father's stead, for she may not have been 'beautiful' but she was brave. And thus began the story of Beauty and the Beast. The land which the Beast rules is an enchanted castle hidden away from life outside of it. This is where McKinley really got to have fun, because the picture books don't give you much detail about the castle or how the magic in it works. She writes beautiful descriptions with a refreshing take on the servants and how the spells work. And as a bookworm, I know the question we're all wondering about, WHAT ABOUT THAT LIBRARY THOUGH?! She does the library BRILLIANT justice with a wonderful take on the famous question, "how are there so many books in that time period?", read to find out! And in a true retelling McKinley also included the Beast's proposal to Beauty every night. I will not tell you what happens, but the Beast allows Beauty to go home for a week's time to take care of something. True to the story when she returns he is on death's door and the curse will either defeat the Beast or be broken by Beauty. Since it's hard not to give away too many of the plot twists, since this is just a retelling of a very simple story, and one most everyone already knows it, I apologize if you feel like there's no need to read this story. I guarantee you it is a simple, beautiful story and worth the read if the seven year old in you ever loved the simple picture book. There's plenty I left out about the magic in the castle, things the Beast can do, and how the servants are/look (something each author does differently). I left out how the curse happens, and a massive romantic plot twist and plenty of other details that just really bring this story to life and make it a GREAT addition to any Beauty and The Beast lover's library. As always links to the Author's pages are included below. And please continue to stay tuned for more Beauty and The Beast reviews because I have a HUGE stack on my dresser and more I am searching for! |
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