Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is compelled to stay and through her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.
I was the youngest of three daughters. Our literal-minded mother named us Grace, Hope, and Honour, but few people except perhaps the minister who had baptized all three of us remembered my given name.
My father still likes to tell the story of how I acquired my odd nickname: I had come to him for further information when I first discovered that our names meant something besides you-come-here. He succeeded in explaining grace and hope, but he had some difficulty trying to make the concept of honour understandable to a five-year-old.
I heard him out, but with an expression of deepeningdisgust; and when he was finished I said: "Huh! I'd rather be Beauty." He laughed; and over the next few weeks told everyone he met this story of his youngest child precocity. I found that my ill-considered opinion became a reality; the name at least was attached to me securely.
All three of us were pretty children, with curly blond hair and blue-grey eyes; and if Grace's hair was the brightest, and Hope's eyes the biggest, well, for the first ten years the difference wasn't too noticeable. Grace, who was seven years older than 1, grew into a beautiful, and profoundly graceful, young girl. Her hair was wavy and fine and luxuriant, and as butter-yellow as it had been when she was a baby (said doting friends of the family), and her eyes were long-lashed and as blue as a clear May, morning after rain (said her doting swains). Hope's hair darkened to a rich chestnut-brown, and her big eyes turned a smoky green. Grace was an inch or two the taller, and her skin was rosy where Hope's was ivory pae; but except for their dramatic colouring my sisters lookedvery much alike. Both were tall and slim, with tiny waists, short straight noses, dimples when they smiled, and small delicate hands and feet.
I was five years younger than Hope, and I don't know what happened to me. As I grew older, my hair turned mousy, neither blond nor brown, and the baby curl fell out until all that was left was a stubborn refusal to cooperate with the curling iron; my eyes turned a muddy hazel. Worse, I didn't grow; I was thin, awkward, and undersized, with big long-fingered hands and huge feet. Worst of all, when I turned thirteen, my skin broke out in spots. There hadn't been a spot in our mother's family for centuries, I was sure. And Grace and Hope went on being innocently and ravishingly lovely, with every eligible young man -- and many more that were neither dying of love for them.
Since I was the baby of the family I was a little spoiled. our mother died less than two years after I was born, and our little sister Mercy died two weeks after her. Although we had a series of highly competent and often affectionate nursemaids and governesses, my sisters felt that they had raised me. By the time it was evident that I was going to let the family down by being plain, I'd been called Beauty for over six years; and while I came to hate the name, I was too proud to ask that it be discarded. I wasn't really very fond of my given name, Honour, either, if it came to that: It sounded sallow and angular to me, as if "honourable" were the best that could be said of me. My sisters were too kind to refer to the increasing inappropriateness of my nickname. It was all the worse that they were as good-hearted as they were beautiful, and their kindness was sincerely meant.
Our father, bless him, didn't seem to notice that there was any egregious, and deplorable, difference between his first two daughters and his youngest. On the contrary, he used to smile at us over the dinner table and say howpleased he was that we were growing into three such dissimilar individuals; that he always felt sorry for families who looked like petals from the same flower. For a while his lack of perception hurt me, and I suspected him of hypocrisy; but in time I came to be grateful for his generous blindness. I could talk to him openly, about my dreams for the future, without fear of his pitying me or doubting my motives.
The only comfort I had in being my sisters' sister was that I was "the clever one." To a certain extent this was damning me with faint praise, in the same category as accepting my given name as an epithet accurately reflecting my limited worth -- it was the best that could be said of me. Our governesses had always remarked on my cleverness in a pitying tone of voice. But at least it was true. My intellectual abilities gave me a release, and an excuse. I shunned company because I preferred books; and the dreams I confided to my father were of becoming a scholar in good earnest, and going to University. It was unheard-of that a woman should do anything of the sort-as several shocked governesses were only too quick to tell me, when I spoke a little too boldly -- but my father nodded and smiled and said, "We'll see." Since I believed my father could do anything -- except of course make me pretty -- Iworked and studied with passionate dedication, lived in hope, and avoided society and mirrors.
Our father was a merchant, one of the wealthiest in the city. He was the son of a shipwright, and had gone to sea as a cabin boy when he was not yet ten years old; but by the time he was forty, he and his ships were known in most of the major ports of the world. When he was forty, too, he married our mother, the Lady Marguerite, who was just seventeen. She came of a fine old family that had nothing but its bloodlines left to live on, and her parents were more than happy to accept my father's suit, with its generous bridal settlements. But it had been a happy marriage, old friends told us girls.
Beauty. Copyright © by Robin McKinley. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.Anonymous
Posted April 14, 2006
I've read this book every year since I was 13. The retelling is beautiful. Everytime I read it, I fall in love again. Its a sweet, sincere look at finding love based on the heart rather than looks. Wonderful book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book is simply what the title states : Beauty ! I mean this is Beauty and the Beast no changes made just simply and beautifully retold! If you love Disney's Beauty in the Beast you will love this book. This is a great book for girls of any age who are just looking for a classic fairytale that is longer than 20 pages!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Withinu101
Posted January 12, 2010
My mother actually recommended this book to me when I was sixteen years old and I loved then and love it now. This is not your typical meet the beautiful protagnist and then she meets ugly beast and in time she learns to love him. This has a different twist to it! Beauty is not at all physically beautiful, her two sisters in which shocking are kind, and loving sisters. Beauty is just "plain jane" and throughout the book she discovers her talents, wit, sense of humor, her own beauty and the love of her life.
Great book, for young women who are looking on the inside for something. Wonderful introduction of how to help others as well as discovering yourself!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 1, 2010
I have never been a big fan of Disney's interpretation of things, and I found this book very refreshing in that Beauty and the Beast actually have a relationship and a reason to love one another. Beauty is very easily respected because she has reasons for all that she does. She loves to read, and she loves her horse Greatheart. This book is very well-written and enjoyable. It's a love story, but instead of "oh, they fell in love and lived happily ever after," we as readers watch their love develop and grow. Beauty must learn about herself and the Beast's history as she gets used to living in an overly large castle infused with magic who wait at her beck and call (sometimes before) and some who help without Beauty wanting it. At the end, you are convinced that they are truly and perfectly in love.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 9, 2009
The story developed well and had great visual elements and strong characters. However, the ending seemed cut short and rushed after so much building and story-telling it just suddenly came to an end. It felt as if Mckinley wasn't quite sure how to wrap up all the loose ends and so took the shortcut way and everything just magically happened.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This was such a lovely book until the ending. I felt that it left a lot to be desired. It wrapped up in about five pages, without much detail. Up until then the characters all showed depth and intrigue. I adored the enchanted castle. It was very magical and I couldn¿t help wishing I were Beauty, for I too was falling in love the Beast. When things finished however, there was not enough detail. It didn¿t make much sense, and I was frustrated with the lack of explanation. There is supposedly a sequel or another part at least, to this story, so perhaps I will read that to have my admiration of McKinley restored. I¿d still recommend the book to anyone who either likes McKinley¿s stories or people who enjoy this sort of genre period. Perhaps you¿ll have better luck with its ending then I did.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Reach_for_the_Stars
Posted October 25, 2008
This is a book that I think any girl who watched Disney as a child should read. It brings a different spin to the classic tale but one that makes it more real. I bought it on a whim at college and have had to tape up the spin from frequent use.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 26, 2008
I think every one should read this book, especially if you like fantasy. I loved it I found it to be a captivating story. It is like, yet unlike the Disney version of the fairy tale. I found it enough different that it wasn't repeating it. A good book!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 3, 2005
'Beauty' is an astounding descriptive literary work. Robin Mckinely has found a way to make the traditional fable of 'Beauty and the Beast' into something so tangable you can smell her roses, feel the fresh air, and empathise with the characters. This book is one in a million!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 2, 2002
Robin McKinley has weaved a story as beautiful and descriptive as they come. I have read this book three times and recommend it to anyone who liked the Disney version of the story. After reading this, you will fall in love with it. Her adventure scenes are thrilling, and her romance ones moving. You won't be able to but the book down!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 12, 2013
This has been my absolute favorite book since I first read this book twenty years ago. It is McKinley's most simple writing style, yet in my opinion, the most exquisite. It is innocent enough for young girls wanting romance and deep enough for mature women, wanting to revisit the true depth of unconditional love. I read this novel at least once a year. I am buying two more copies right now. One for myself (since my current copy is falling apart) and one for my five year old daughter, who listened (and enjoyed) me reading Beauty to her aloud.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Reviewed by SUZANNE & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
This was a beautiful tale of love and family and I enjoyed every word and I am sure I will be rereading it in the future~ Under the Covers
Beauty Huston has always hated her nickname, it seems at total odds with her skinny and plain appearance and with sister as fair as she is plain it seems a cruel joke. But despite their differing looks the Huston family are close and loving and when their fortunes change for the worse they stick together and make a life in the country. But, one night Beauty’s father gets lost in the forest only to come upon a mysterious castle where he makes a terrible mistake and must repay steeply with one of his daughters…
I have been meaning to read this book for a while and I am so glad I did, I quickly devoured the tale of family and loose and love and it left me hungering for more. What I found fascinating about this book was the way it was written, it felt like an oral tale that had finally been written down, ready for some one to pick up and read a loud.
But, I am a huge romance junkie and I loved the parts where Beauty and the Beast were together and Beauty slowly overcomes her fear of him and starts to see beyond just his terrifying appearance and to the lonely man beneath.
This was a beautiful tale of love and family and I enjoyed every word and I am sure I will be rereading it in the future!
DaniBookWorm93
Posted May 1, 2012
I borrowed this book from a friend years ago and have been looking for it since. She lost the book after i gave it back so i wasn't sure who the author was or what it was called and it wasn't in the same spot in store. Once i finally found it though i just had to get it and it was even better reading it this time around!!
I am a Disney fan and all but this is WAYYY better than the movie! You can really picture everything and its so realistic!
Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are beautiful. But what she lacks in looks she can perhaps make up for in courage.
When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty declares she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will.
Having two older sisters named Grace and Hope, Honour is nicknamed Beauty and it sticks. While her sisters grow into their names, Beauty feels just the opposite. Upon a financial disaster, the family moves from their comfortable rich life in the city to a small cottage in the country to begin anew. After her father's return from the city, a single enchanted rose is gifted to Beauty. BUT you know the tale--the father met the Beast who demanded one of his daughters in exchange for his life, because he dared to pluck a rose.
I adored this story. I remember attempting to read it when I was much younger, but I loved reading it again years later. No lie, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, but this retelling is wonderfully romantic and full of charm. Lots of magic and castles, Beauty truly brings to life a sweet relationship. I especially enjoyed how Robin McKinley didn't alter the tale and kept it as original as possible and her expansion of the characters made the book even more wonderful!
Likes: That Beauty is known more for her brains & guts than just a pretty face.
Dislikes: Her answer to the Beast asking her every night for her hand in marriage . . . so sad!
-Kai-
Posted March 15, 2012
I have loved this book since I was 10. If you or your daughter loves to read this is an excellent book to buy and pass around. I even got my grandmother to read it and she loved it too.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The retelling to my favourite fairy-tale proved to be as good as the original. Keeping as close to the story as possible, Beauty adds a little more into the tale of this well known couple of fairy-tales. Beauty is the opposite of her name or so she thinks, she is courageous and wise beyond her years. It was the bravest thing for her to volunteer to go in her father's place to the mysterious castle of the beast. upon meeting him, she realizes that she was wrong about this creature, she finds herself loving his company and spending all her time with him. Both of them complement each other in ways they haven't discovered till now. A lovely addition to the fantasy genre, though the book was slow moving at a couple of times, it was sweet to read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LillithCrescent
Posted January 5, 2012
I Also Recommend:
I picked up this book, though it had a different cover then, back in my freshman year of High School. I absolutely adored it and had to get my own copy soon after. The cover eventually became so warn it fell apart, and after another year or so I lost it somewhere along the way during several moves. To this day, it was one of my most cherished books and many MANY fond memories of reading it several times a year and always finding something in it that made me smile.
As many other reviews say, the ending IS a bit rushed - but it is STILL a very worth while read. Robin McKinley writes so many great books, you cant go wrong with getting one.
Anonymous
Posted October 23, 2011
This is one of my favorite books! I love fairy tale remakes, and this is one of the best! It is appropriate for middle school age and above.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a wonderful retelling of Beauty & the Beast filled with love and magic that will captivate the reader until the very end and leave you wanting more.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 8, 2010
I Also Recommend:
We all know the story of Beauty and the Beast. A beautiful girl's father is captured by a hideous beast, until she comes and trades her life for his. Eventually she learns to look past the Beast's ugly exterior into his heart, and falls in love with him. And that's all there is to it, right? Wrong! In Beauty, Robin McKinley spins an intricate and complex tale, which leaves you gasping in surprise at every twist and turn.
When Beauty is a young girl, her father's merchant business becomes bankrupt. Their small family has to leave their life of splendor and move into a small cottage in a small village in order to avoid debtor's prison. When her father learns of one of his ships that was lost at sea had returned, he went back to the city to pay off some debts. On his return, he found a magical castle where he was taken in and sheltered. On his way out, he took a single rose to bring back to Beauty and her sisters, but was confronted by a Beast. The Beast insisted he must be repaid for the rose, by having Beauty or one of her sisters come and live in the castle. When the father returns, Beauty volunteers to go so her father will not be killed. At the castle, she finds a major surprise, both in the Beast, and in herself.
This book is a book that anyone can relate to. In most fairy tales, the hero or heroine are practically perfect. This makes the reader feel inadequate, and inferior. But, Beauty has very human characteristics. She is easier to relate to than in the original fairy tale. Beauty is hardworking and determined. She is not beautiful, as you would expect, but is rather plain. She is compassionate to all people, and animals. She has both strengths and weaknesses.
Also, in most fairy tales the villain, or rather the antagonist is a cold, heartless being until the end. But, in this story, the Beast did not bring the curse upon himself. It was forced upon him because of the actions of his ancestors. The Beast is very compassionate, strong, yet rather mysterious. At times the reader hates the beast, at times they adore the Beast, and at times they pity him.
Robin McKinley has a talent for creating complex and original stories. Although Beauty is based off of a common fairy tale, it is full of surprises. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, a new and unusual element comes in to play. Robin McKinley is also a master of description. Once the book is opened, you are instantly absorbed into the story. You travel where the characters travel. You see what the characters see. You feel what the characters feel. In Beauty, you really are a part of the book. With this book open, you are lost in time. Once you pick it up, you cannot put it back down. The book has several themes, built around one central theme that weave and intertwine. Each character is complex, and has many different sides. They are not flat boring characters, but round and intricate ones.
This is one book that no one will want to miss. It's daring, creative, and broadens your imagination. Beauty comes from a story we know and love, but pulls in a whole new perspective. It is deep, and meaningful. It is definitely a book you will want to add to your personal library.
Overview
Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is compelled to stay and through her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.
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