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From New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Jennifer Donnelly comes a revolutionary, gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that will forever change how you think about beauty, power, and what it really means to follow your heart. What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything , too badly? That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be sweet and compliant so she can marry well, but try as she might, Arabella can't extinguish the fire burning inside her -- the source of her deepest wishes, her wildest dreams. When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle. As the years pass, Arabella abandons hope. The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love. When a handsome thief named Beau makes his way into the castle, the captive servants are thrilled, convinced he is the one to break the curse. But Beau -- spooked by the castle's strange and forbidding ladies-in-waiting, and by the malevolent presence that stalks its corridors at night -- only wants to escape. He learned long ago that love is only an illusion. If Beau and Arabella have any hope of breaking the curse, they must learn to trust their wounded hearts, and realize that the cruelest prisons of all are the ones we build for ourselves.
Publication Year: 2024
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0 0Lovely Retelling
"Beastly Beauty" by Jennifer Donnelly is a remarkable read that served as the perfect antidote to my day's blues. It was a day dedicated to the comfort of books and tea, which was a delightful respite, despite not feeling my best.
This novel offers a fresh take on the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale, with a twist that includes a gender reversal and a profound message about embracing one's imperfections. The protagonist, Beau, is a thief burdened with the responsibility of caring for his younger brother—the last of his kin. Intent on using a hidden stolen ring to forge a new future for them, Beau's plans are unexpectedly thwarted when he and his band of thieves encounter a castle that seems deserted. A chase by a mysterious beast leads to Beau being abandoned by his comrades, forcing him to face his inner self and the castle's hidden perils in order to survive.
Jennifer Donnelly's storytelling took unexpected paths that captivated me, a quality I've come to admire in her writing. From the intriguing opening with Espidra and a young girl engaged in card games, to the cleverly disguised identities of Arabella's court ladies—each revelation was a delight. The narrative masterfully interwove elements like the enigmatic clock that initially intrigued but later terrorized the thieves. Although I anticipated the conclusion upon learning about Arabella's curse, the way it unfolded was nothing short of exquisite.
I eagerly anticipate revisiting "Beastly Beauty" to uncover any subtle clues I may have overlooked on my initial journey through its pages. Prepare to be so engrossed that you'll want to devour this book in one sitting, and perhaps keep a box of tissues within reach, just in case emotions run high.
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