Book Talk: Beauty and the Beast Recommendations

It seems like everywhere you look these days there are fairytale retellings. It's a good thing I'm the last person you'd find complaining about it. I have, however, noticed that a good portion of said retellings are inspired by Beauty and the Beast in some way. I like to think I've read a fair amount of fairytale retellings and it took me by surprise just how many of them can be linked back to Beauty and the Beast. It's hard to come up with a well-done, original retelling without taking elements from other fairytales but it's not impossible, as you'll see in some of these recommendations in this post. I think you'll be amazed by the many different directions these authors have chosen to take their retellings of the same story. I certainly was.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Published: May 12th, 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 395 pages

You might be tired of hearing me go on and on about The Wrath and the Dawn but it's really worth the read if it's even vaguely interesting to you. This time around, I'll be focusing on the retelling aspect of the story. From the cover and the synopsis, your first impression probably isn't Beauty and the Beast. That's understandable. A lot of the atmosphere and such are inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, but once you sink your teeth into the story, you can see the Beauty and the Beast elements in there. Actually, they're more Bluebeard than anything but Bluebeard itself is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast so I think it counts. The best part about this book is how the fairytale elements are so seamlessly and complexly woven into the story. It wasn't until just before the climax that I realized Ahdieh had drawn inspiration from Bluebeard. The storytelling is fantastic, the ambiance is marvelous, and the romance is breathtaking. You really get sucked into the story. So much so that it won't even feel like a retelling. This book is so engrossing that you'll want something grounding on hand so you don't lose yourself completely in the captivating story. 

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Published: October 2nd, 2007
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 304 pages

Of all the books on this list, Beastly is probably the one with the fewest alterations. Flinn changed some aspects in order for it to take place in the 21st century but the crucial factors are left untouched. Beastly is the only book on this list that's set in a contemporary world, so that sets it apart from the rest. The way the story is set up is more like urban fantasy than anything. Since this is the purest retelling on the list, it's easy to see how the classic story would play out in our world (with a touch of magic). It's been a while since I've read it but the thing I remember most is the greenhouse he built for the girl. It struck me as such a romantic gesture, I was ready to fall in love with him and break the curse if she wasn't going to. Beastly is a beautifully written, romantic story and well worth the read if you like the story or if you want to see what a good retelling looks like. Alex Flinn is a must-read fairytale retelling author. 

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge 

Published: January 28th, 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 346 pages

Cruel Beauty is another book that more closely follows Bluebeard, but the resolution is more reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. The two fairytales are so closely related that they're often intertwined in retellings. While The Wrath and the Dawn has many sources of inspiration, Cruel Beauty is more of a true Bluebeard retelling. Cruel Beauty is a twisted story, in more ways than one. It's by far the darkest book on this list, the world is a bit confusing, and the plot can be convoluted at times. There are also some interesting family dynamics at play, what with having promised your daughter to the evil ruler of your kingdom since she was born. Anybody would be bitter about that. The protagonist, Nyx is whisked away to this dark, mysterious, ever-changing maze of a castle and finally do what she's been training her whole life for, but things don't go smoothly, because who can kill the one they're falling in love with, even if they're their sworn enemy? This book is so enthralling, I sped through it and it's stuck with me ever since. Every now and again I'll think about the romance and how well this book is written, especially the ending.

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Published: July 23rd, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Page Count: 391 pages

Of Beast and Beauty is similar to Beastly in that it hits the same beats as the original fairytale but there are some key changes in the world and the characterization of the protagonists that keeps this version from feeling stale. Set on a faraway planet in the faraway future, the original human colonists have diverted into two groups, the Monstrous, those who were mutated by the planet's mysterious forces, and the Smooth Skins, who have remained as we know humans to look, but have a despicable superiority complex. Physically, it isn't difficult to guess who the "Beast" and the "Beauty" will be. But you know what they say, it's what's on the inside that counts. While Princess Isra, the Smooth Skin, is not necessarily a horrible person, there are conditioned, internalized, and systemic prejudice engrained in her and her society. When she takes Gem as her prisoner, things begin to change for the both of them. He begins to soften up and she finally has a chance to expand her worldview. The lines are blurred as far as the roles of the "Beauty" and the "Beast" goes and that's what made me interested in this iteration of Beauty and the Beast the most. It's a lot more real in that way. Who has time for two dimensional characters?! I liked how this could really be either science fiction or fantasy, depending on what aspects you focused on, but in the end, it didn't really matter because it's a story between two people who just happen to be on a magical planet. If you want a refreshing take on the roles "Beauty" and "Beast" play, this is the retelling for you.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Published: May 5th, 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 416 pages

A Court of Thorns and Roses is another one of those retellings that has taken inspiration from other sources so the Beauty and the Beast elements aren't apparent. Maas is known for her steamy romances and her love of fae so it was only natural that she would incorporate them in her new series. She had also drawn from Tam Lin, a folktale that I wasn't familiar with until she mentioned it in an interview. Having done some research, I can definitely see its influence on the characters, specifically Tamlin. Since the plot is more Beauty and the Beast-oriented, the beginning is a little predictable but as the story progresses, Maas strays further from the source material and it turns into something more action-packed than any of the other books on this list. That plus the steamy romance is enough to put this book on any recommendations list. Not to mention that it looks like the the sequel is leading us to a different retelling... There are lots of reasons to pick up this book. 

I don't know what makes Beauty and the Beast in particular so appealing to authors that it's almost a staple for those retelling classics but I am so here for it. It's intriguing to me how one story can be spun in so many different ways. Each author's take on the story is unlike any of the others', which is so fascinating to me. There are plenty of dystopian novels out there that are essentially the same story, claiming to be original, and here we have at least five books based on the same fairytale that are all unique. In the cases of some of these books, you wouldn't even know it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling if you weren't looking for it.

Have you read any of these books? What'd you think of them? Do you know of any other Beauty and the Beast retellings? I'd love to hear them! I don't know if there have actually been more fairytale retellings in recent years or if I had just started noticing them. Let me know if there are any other fairytale retellings you've been reading! This is a trend I cannot get enough of.


Talk to you soon!

xo, Yvette