BEAUTY

First, my declaration: "I LOVED it!!!"

Next, my critique. =D

Anyone who likes the story of Beauty and the Beast is likely going to like this book. Likely. Typically I don't like re-writes of stories. I'm appalled by "remakes" of any sort - in book or movie form. (*clearing throat* Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story *cough, cough, GAG*) However, I found this one to be an exception. McKinley definitely parallels the original story in the enchantment placed on the castle, the fact that Beauty's father was the first to encounter the Beast, the rose, etc.

I thought the book was interesting in its deviation of having Beauty be a rather ugly child growing up. I kept thinking to myself that this remake was a better reflection of the modern day female than any fairy princess story from the past. In this story, Beauty has two sisters that are apparently beyond gorgeous. Yet Beauty doesn't really envy them so much as she just resigns herself to the fact that they are attractive and she is not. In fact, she denies her beauty the entire book. What she missed out on was the transformation, brought about, I believe, by love. The Beast's love for her is primary in her transformation from an awkward teenager to a regular gem. Secondarily, I suppose it can be argued that the enchantment of the castle and the fact that she aged during the story is also a factor. However, I'm going to argue it was due to the Beast's love. How like so many of us that find ourselves unattractive. We seldom start to believe that we're remotely pleasant in mind or appearance until we meet the man that God intends us to spend our lives with. Through him, God begins to show us our true beauty (in whatever form that comes in). I found this aspect of the book fascinating and I think it helps to connect women to this new version of Beauty. Every girl wants a prince but believes themselves less than deserving. Beauty felt the same, but got her prince anyway. How could any story be more satisfying? I ask you now....

The other aspect of the book that I found to be an interesting concept was that the enchantment of the castle allowed the Beast and Beauty to "see" things such as books that had not yet been written. Beauty apparently picked up a copy of Sherlock Holmes but couldn't make sense of it so gave up on reading it. When touched by the future, Beauty ends up far more content with her present. I thought this was a nice contrast to Twain's Connecticut Yankee, in which all the characters seemed eager to jump on any modern day technology they could get their hands on. I liked the fact that the future didn't make sense to Beauty. She didn't "need to know."

The one thing I did NOT like about the book was the end. I thought it was too abrupt. Given the fact that Beauty & the Beast were able to see various events that were taking place in the outside world in actual time, it seemed disjointed to have the final transformation of Beast take place and immediately have the family start arriving for the wedding. It was a bit jarring and I felt that it didn't tie things up very well. As is usual when I am really into a book, I begin dreaming about it as well. The night I finished it I dreamed an entirely different ending to the book and woke up completely unsatisfied still. Mostly because my ending wasn't the printed one.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the abilities that McKinney gave us to connect to Beauty in both her mental image of herself, as well as her desire to read. =) Very fun, quick and enjoyable story. I subsequently purchased a copy of in order that I can re-read it in the future.