Sunday, November 22, 2009

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Kyle Kingsbury is a golden boy - he has the looks, the girls, and a father with the money to send him to the best school and get him whatever he wants. But having everything turns out not to be terribly wonderful when his shallowness convinces a witch to turn him into a beast. Suddenly, Kyle discovers that life isn't so wonderful when you're different. His father abandons him to a secluded house and Kyle attempts to make sense of what has happened to him. The only chance he has is to find a girl who can love him as he is - and whom he can love in return - and time is running out.


I really enjoyed this modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. For the most part, it sticks pretty closely to the Disney and traditional versions of the story. It is told in first-person, giving a direct view into the character and struggles of a popular boy-turned-beast. Each section also has a portion written as if it takes place in a chatroom, amongst other 'fairy tale' characters; I enjoyed the actual story more, but it does add another, modern dimension. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans - particularly those who enjoy retellings of fairy tales or modern fantasy stories.



No comments: