Novel-Traditional Tale

A Novelization of the Beloved Beauty and the Beast

Beauty A Retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast

Robin McKinley

               Honour and Beauty, are both her name and her strongest characteristics. Honour, Beauty’s birth name, and her sisters, Grace and Hope are raised along the sea, only by their wealthy father. His ships go missing for years, forcing the family and their fortune to another town with Hope and her fiancé. Grace’s fiancé, Tim was on one of her father’s lost ships and so with great sadness she leaves town with her family. After months living in the country, their father returns to the sea when he receives a letter that one of his ships has returned. Before he leaves Beauty requests rose seeds. Father has no luck finding seeds so takes a rose from the Beast’s garden. He is caught and the Beast says he must return in a month with one of his daughters or become his prisoner. Beauty honors her father by taking his place and goes into the enchanted woods. Months pass and with Beauty and the Beast’s shared love for books and their walks together, she falls in love with his kind and generous personality. When looking at a glass she finds that Grace’s fiancé is alive and insists on going home to tell Grace. Beauty must return quickly back to the Beast as he cannot live without her. Taking longer than expected, she returns to him just in time. She tells him she loves him and they marry. With shipwrecks, long journeys by wagon, the enchanted forest and castle, as well as new characters, readers are sure to be engaged. The references to Persephone and other Greek mythology adds a unique contrast. This innocent love story that represents the importance of compassion, honor, and inner beauty is one that will attract a young female audience.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

BIBLIO: 1993, HarperTrophy, Ages 12 to adult, $3.40.

REVIEWER: Jennifer Debo

Format: middle reader/young adult

ISBN: 978-0064404778

In the traditional tale, Beauty or Belle was an only child whose mother had passed away. She was a true beauty from the beginning whereas in Beauty, Honour or her known only by her nickname, Beauty, is the youngest of three daughters but not as stunning as her sisters. Similar to the original they only have their father. In the original Belle goes in search of her father but in the novel she returns to replace her father. Her father went by wagon to check on a ship he had left behind in their old home town by the sea and was looking for a rose for Beauty. The Beast asked him to return with one of his daughters and Beauty goes in his place. She lives with the Beast for several months although she never sees his temper like in the original. The Beast shows her, her family that she misses dearly. She sees that her sister’s fiancé, whom she thought died at sea, has returned and was trying to find her. She asks the Beast to leave to tell her sister and he grants her this saying he cannot live without her. Beauty returns to find the Beast near death but her love saves him. The time period of the story is very much the same. The décor and dinnerware do not come right out and talk to Beauty in the novel but she does overhear a few conversations. Often the author makes comparisons and references to Greek Mythology including Persephone. In the end of both stories Beauty and the Beast marry and live happily ever after.

Beauty and the Beast is such a magical story that many generations know and love. I think it is such a classical story that the author wanted to share her version so others could see the story the way she did. Her comparisons to Greek Mythology shows and shares the way she made connections to the traditional tale.