Without a doubt this is one of my favorite books ever. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast without sexy candelabras or misogynist hunter jerks, told in a vivid tapestry of language. I could leave it there, but where’s the fun in that?
Beauty is the nickname given to a girl who is not, especially compared to her sisters. But she’s still, in many ways, the favorite daughter because she has the same spark of intelligence and savvy as her father, a shipper. The girls are indulged, but never impolite enough to be spoiled by their father after their mother’s death. Then a series of tragedies strike, leaving the family near penniless.
They move into the country to start a new life, all but one unaware that their new home is on the edge of a genuinely enchanted forest. (Magic is not the norm in this tale, until this point.)
When their father gets lost in the woods and seeks shelter in an abandoned castle he makes the mistake of taking a rose, the only gift his favorite daughter Beauty asked from him out of all she could have. The beast demands payment for the rose and Beauty, whose given name is Honor, sees it as her responsibility to serve.
What follows is a darn near perfect romance. Oh, not the kind with princess dresses and sparkling jewels, but rather one of late night conversations about books and what ifs. Maybe it’s just the geeky bibliophile in me that loves this story so much.
But then again, McKinley is a vivid, passionate writer who spins a beautiful tale. Her use of language makes this fairy tale stand out from so many other stories. Readers can get as lost in the words as the story itself, but she never fails to keep the story going for all the prettiness.
Fantasy lovers should definitely give this one a try.