Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast follows Honour, nicknamed Beauty, the youngest daughter of a merchant family. After their fortune disappears, Beauty and her family relocate to a remote village for a simpler life. The story takes shape when Beauty's father encounters a mysterious Beast in an enchanted castle, leading to Beauty's departure from her family. The Beast's castle operates by magic, with invisible servants and rooms that transform according to their inhabitants' needs. Beauty must navigate life in the Beast's domain while uncovering the truth behind his curse and the castle's enchantments. Her love of books, horses, and gardening becomes central to her experience in the magical household. This retelling explores themes of inner beauty, the nature of love, and the power of seeing beyond appearances. McKinley's version emphasizes character development and the gradual building of trust between two isolated souls.

Readers appreciate McKinley's detailed world-building and the gradual development of Beauty and Beast's relationship. Many note the protagonist's relatability as a plain, bookish heroine who values intelligence over appearances. The careful attention to daily life in both the village and castle settings resonates with fans. Common criticisms include the slow pacing, particularly in the first third of the book. Some readers find Beauty's character too perfect and competent at everything. Others mention that the romance feels muted compared to other versions of the tale. "The magic feels organic rather than flashy," notes one Goodreads reviewer. "But it takes too long to reach the castle," counters another. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (124,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (1,100+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (32,000+ ratings) The book maintains strong ratings despite being published in 1978, with readers frequently recommending it as an entry point to McKinley's work.

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🌹 McKinley wrote this debut novel when she was just 20 years old, publishing it in 1978 to immediate critical acclaim 🏰 The protagonist's real name is Honor, not Beauty - she ironically nicknames herself Beauty as a child because she believes she lacks it 📚 The massive library in the Beast's castle was inspired by McKinley's own lifelong love of reading and her father's encouragement of her literary interests 🌿 This was one of the first major modern retellings of Beauty and the Beast to incorporate the merchant family's backstory in significant detail ✨ The novel won the Phoenix Award in 1998, given to books that have achieved growing recognition and appreciation over twenty years