Beauty and the Beast: Lost In A Book
By Jennifer Donnelly Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN:978-148479098-5 This is a Disney Press novel, in other words THIS is Disney's Beauty and the Beast, specifically the new live action versions approved publication. If you watched the animated Beauty and the Beast hopefully you know that there were multiple movies. A Christmas story and then one that included little adventures Belle and the characters went through during her time in the castle. I loved those movies because they added so much more to the relationship between Belle and Beast, it also showed just how long the time frame was between her coming there and when the curse was broken. It was not a quick love story by any means. But I digress, the reason this is so important is because this book should be viewed as one of those mini stories. In Donnelly's novel the story starts where Beast has just given Belle the library and she discovers a magical book that she can literally walk into. I'm getting ahead of myself here, but that's the gist of what you really need to know. First of all, I said this was definitely the live action version's story. Well, besides the cover which has the obvious new library and Emma Watson on it, there are also plenty of changes that give away that this is not the old animated version we know so well. The name changes are the biggest one, for some reason Disney changed Babette's name (the feather duster) and Sultan's name (the footstool dog). I know there were other names that were added or altered, but those are the two that really upset me the most. Though if I'm being fair Babette's name has changed once before, so maybe Disney just can't agree on names. On a positive 'name' topic Belle's village is specifically called by name throughout this novel, and while I don't recall it ever having a name for it before, I love that it is called Villeneuve which is a clear ode to the original author of Beauty and the Beast. Her father's job has changed, they added people in her village, the Beast's attire description was clearly the new live action version, etc. Now, is any of this novel going to play into the actual movie, I highly doubt that, but if you go see it just remember that sometime after being given the library this happens. And while we're on the topic of whether anything from this book will play out in the actual movie, I am very curious to see what they show of the enchantress. For in Donnelly's story there is a very important sub-plot going on between two sisters: Death and Love. They have a bet going on about Beast, and when Belle becomes a part of the picture the stakes get higher and Love and Death are determined to prove that the other is right. Love, obviously believing that the curse will make the Beast the man he should have been and that Belle will be the one who will break the curse. And Death believing that love is foolish and that she will leave him to be forever cursed that way. As interesting as that already is the added element is that the curse AND the enchantress are being credited to Love. So will we see them in the movie? I don't know, but I am excited to find out! Belle is obviously not thrilled to be in the castle. Her entire life has been changed and her father is no longer a part of her life. The worst part for her is not knowing why. She keeps trying to discover how one rose (they apparently brought back the act of her father taking a rose for her) could have cost them all this. She and the Beast are just barely making amends and moving towards their friendship, remember this is a slow story, and while the servants are always kind and helpful she still longs for more. When the Beast gives her the library it is a huge step in the right direction, we see that even in the animated version. Belle is delighted and spends most of her time there. We see a lot of character development between her and the beast, though slow, in this novel. She tries very hard to get through his rough exterior, even attempting to liken him to one of the old fables: Androcles and the Lion. I also feel I should mention that the Beast has a more complex character in this version and that is something I greatly appreciate. He tells her, " I like books better than mirrors. Mirrors only show us what we are. Books show us what we can be". There is a lot of symbolism playing out in this novel! For the most part the biggest aspect of the story is the enchanted book Belle ends up with. Beast warns her that there are some books in the library that may be enchanted and thus give her a hard time, so she's not too surprised when she discovers a book that she can walk inside. Once in the story, she comes to know is titled Nevermore, and in it practically anything she wants can happen. She meets a woman who calls herself a Contess and the author of the story and with each trip back to the book she promises Belle more and more things enticing her to never leave. Of course, spoiler alert, the woman is Death. Death hates to lose and so she is playing more of a trick than a direct cheat. If Belle indeed retires herself in the pages of the book she will nevermore be able to leave, her death will be sealed, but so will the Beast’s. It's a wicked game and Belle is falling for it. But as the biggest lesson from Beauty and the Beast goes, do not be deceived by appearances. Is it worth giving up the rights to your own story to believe what someone else is writing for you? As Belle slowly comes to terms with how her adventure is going she also must face the growing truth that the Beast is not the brutish monster she thinks he is. In conclusion, this was a very good book. I give it praise for being an excellent story within a story. I have little to complain about, but I also will say that my excitement for this story was not what it usually was. Now, that is not to say that I did not enjoy it or eagerly read through it, because I finished it in four hours. But the edge of my seat that I found myself on was different than it has been for other novels. I was just as eagerly entranced in seeing how things would play out, but perhaps knowing that Beauty and the Beast always ends happily made me less nervous to see the ending? I'm not sure, but I do recommend it, especially if you love Beauty and the Beast! And as always links to the author are down below!
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