I recently revisted a book that I loved when I read it a few years ago. Every time I come back to it, I fall in love once more. Beauty by Robin McKinley is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and it is a beautiful story. One of my favorite genres to read are fairytale retellings, I love to imagine the dresses, the worlds, and the romance of course. There is something about reading books on kindness, beauty, and falling in love that brings me so much joy, and the inspiration to bring those traits into my own world.
One of the aspects I loved the most about this book was the emphasis on family love. Beauty dearly loves her family, and doesn't hold any bad feelings towards her father when she has to go live with the Beast to pay off his rose debt. The scenes where Beauty and her family are together, even the day to day descriptions, feel warm and glowy.
Another aspect I loved was the setting. Beauty's family moves from their large home in the city to a humbler country home, and I simply love the descriptions of the house, the small barn, and the horses. The woods and the enchanted stream are two things I'd like to have by my own home. I live with my family by a forest preserve, and I can easily picture the woods Beauty and her father rode through to reach the castle.
When Beauty moves to the castle, the magic in the story really comes to life. The "friendly breeze" was my personal favorite to read about. The idea of a gentle breeze who cares about you and makes sure everything is in perfect order for your comfort is cute. The other magic objects in the castle also had their own charm, falling over themselves to please and comfort Beauty. Beauty's wardrobe is a dream come true it seems, with bows, skirts, and soft fabrics. I love books that inspire me, and her wardrobe inspired me to order two beautiful skirts with bows.
In this retelling of the story, the Beast is kind and gentle, unable to deny anything Beauty asks of him. He tells her so himself, and watches over her family for her. I know that he did keep her at the castle and away from her family, but he also took care of all of them. He didn't overstep boundaries with Beauty, and helped her home when she asked to visit. He and Beauty made a cute couple, and their slow romance was developed over time.
Stories like this one are a reminder that innocence, true beauty, gentleness, and love truly are the only things that matter.
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