AUTHOR: Elizabeth Rudnick
PUBLISHER: Disney Press
PUBLICATION DATE: January 31, 2017
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 288 pages
GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781484781005
Belle has dreamt of adventures like the ones she reads in her books, of traveling the world outside her small town. When Belle's father is captured, she takes his place as a prisoner of a fearsome Beast. But life in the enchanted castle isn't as terrible as Belle imagines, and she ultimately finds friendship and love. Enjoy this tale as old as time about adventure and love, about looking past first appearances, and about the inner Beauty and Beast in all of us in this beautiful novelization of the upcoming star-studded film!
This is one of my favourite fairy tales, and I took my kids to see the Beauty and the Beast film adaptation starring Emma Watson earlier this year. We were awestruck seeing this movie brought to life and much prefer it to the Disney animation. When we saw this novelization of the movie, my younger daughter asked me to buy it for her and I read it aloud to her. Normally, I shun watching the movie before the book but, since we were already familiar with the tale, it was okay to do it backwards!
Belle and her father live in a quaint village in France. While all the other girls in the village pine for the town stud Gaston, Belle rebuffs his advances and would rather have her nose in a book! This makes him all the more determined to make Belle as his wife, as he loves the thrill of the chase and the challenge.
Belle’s father leaves with his horse and cart on a journey to sell his handmade music boxes in neighbouring towns. Before he goes, he asks Belle what he can bring back for her. She asks him to bring her a rose, just as she does every year. When the horse returns to Belle’s home without the cart or her father, she knows that something must be wrong. She mounts the horse, Philippe, and urges him to lead her to her father. They go through the woods, and Belle finds the upturned cart and broken music boxes so she knows that her father must be close. She sees a castle and enters it, and she calls out for her father. She hears him and finds him locked in a room. Belle’s father implores her to leave before it’s too late, and then it is…the Beast finds her. He tells Belle that her father is a thief for trying to steal one of his roses, and Belle feels horrible for knowing that her father was imprisoned because he was only trying to fulfill his daughter’s wish. Long story short, Belle begs for the chance to say a proper goodbye to her father and pushes him out of the cell and locks herself in. She takes his place. Little does she know that a spell has been put on the castle and its inhabitants. The only way to break it is for the Beast to fall in love and be loved in return before the last petal falls on an enchanted rose kept under a glass dome in the Beast’s quarters. Time is running out, and it’s up to Belle to break the spell.
I absolutely love this story! Belle is the perfect heroine. She always thinks of others before herself and does kind things for others. She is a responsible young woman, and she adores her father. She knows that she is different from the other girls in the village and that they think she is strange, but she is okay with that. I love that she marches to the beat of her own drum and can stand tall under the criticism of others. She is a wonderful role model, and I also love that she’s a bookworm!
I love the transformation of Belle’s and Beast’s relationship, how they became friends and how their love blossomed from that. Belle sees the Beast’s inner beauty, and she no longer even notices what he looks like on the outside. I love the effect this has on Beast, and how it softens his heart. It’s such a perfect and romantic tale.
MY RATING:
5 stars!! I loved it and will likely re-read it! You should definitely read it if you enjoy fairy tales.
This book qualifies as:
#19 for my 2017 New Release Challenge
#10 for my The 2017 Reading Challenge
#22 for my The GWB 2017 Book Bingo
#21 for my Better World Books 2017 Reading Challenge
#19-3 for my 2017 Bookopoly
Bonus #13A for my 2017 Literary Escapes Challenge
#9 for my European Reading Challenge 2017
#18 for my 2017 Book to Movie Reading Challenge
#10 for my The 2017 Reading Challenge
#22 for my The GWB 2017 Book Bingo
#21 for my Better World Books 2017 Reading Challenge
#19-3 for my 2017 Bookopoly
Bonus #13A for my 2017 Literary Escapes Challenge
#9 for my European Reading Challenge 2017
#18 for my 2017 Book to Movie Reading Challenge
#6 for my Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
#2 for my Retellings Reading Challenge 2017
#6 for my 2017 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
#6 for my The 2017 Witchy Fiction Challenge
#22 for my What An Animal Reading Challenge 2017
#15 for my Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2017
#24 for my 2017 Paranormal Reading Challenge
#16 for my 2017 YA Reading Challenge
#2 for my Retellings Reading Challenge 2017
#6 for my 2017 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
#6 for my The 2017 Witchy Fiction Challenge
#22 for my What An Animal Reading Challenge 2017
#15 for my Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2017
#24 for my 2017 Paranormal Reading Challenge
#16 for my 2017 YA Reading Challenge
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Great review! If you liked that, you might be interested in an inspirational retelling of the story in a modern day society, Beast by Brie Spangler.
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