Beauty and the Beast

by Charles Perrault

New printing from 2002.

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Comics, Short Stories

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1891

About the author

Charles Perrault was a French author who laid foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, and whose best known tales, offered as if they were pre-existing folk tales, include: Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Bluebeard, Hop o' My Thumb), Diamonds and Toads, Patient Griselda, The Ridiculous Wishes...

Perrault's most famous stories are still in print today and have been made into operas, ballets (e.g., Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty), plays, musicals, and films, both live-action and animation.

The Brothers Grimm retold their own versions of some of Perrault's fairy tales.

Reviews

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruno Bettelheim calls this the most beautiful of all fairy tales - and I agree. The first time I read it, I could not understand why Beauty hated the Beast: he was a cuddly cartoon lion. Only years later did I learn that in the original tale, "The Beast" is never exactly described, leaving everything to the reader's (or rather, listener's) imagination.

I loved the Beast absolutely, and was a little pissed off with Beauty for not accepting him. I loved the way he treated her. Unbeknownst to me, the Beast must have inculcated in me some "gentlemanly" ideals.

The last panel of this comic book, which shows Beauty in romantic bliss with her handsome prince in the enchanted castle, must be one of the most beautiful ever drawn.

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel adaptation is quite faithful to the original fairy tale, although I'm not sure why it says it's by Charles Perrault when it's clearly the Madame de Beaumont rendition.

Also, whilst the comic style is mostly fine even if rather run of the mill, I think the illustrator did Beast a disservice because he isn't as intimidating and huge and beastly as he's supposed to be. He merely looks like an average height and not particularly hulking or muscled like a maiden's fantasy man who just happens to have an oversized lion's head instead of a human head (and where's his tail, by the way?). That's disappointing! How is Beast supposed to scare the bejesus out of anyone with such a wimpy physique? On the other hand, Beauty here is the only case I've seen where she's black-haired, which was nice to see for a change to the usual hair colours she's depicted to have in various picture book adaptations, though I couldn't help but see her as too close to Snow White's looks for comfort.

[Olena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olena Beauty and the Beast (French: La Belle et la Bête) is a traditional fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins. Her lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and published by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756 in Magasin des enfants to produce the version most commonly retold. Charles Perrault is not the author of this book

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the story more than the artwork, whose author isn't listed. I wonder why he/she would choose a gorilla-looking man for Beast? I'm not quite convinced by the depiction.

[Sharlene Hakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

An fun and interesting story.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Perrault wrote this version of the fairy tale in 1697. This book is suitable for middle school students due to its complex language.

This fairy tale contains the classic elements of fairy tales such as settings in cottages and castles. There are characters that are heroes and villains, as well as a theme or moral. Students will enjoy reading the classic version of this fairy tale. An activity in the classroom could be comparing one of the earliest versions of the fairy tale with more modern interpretations. It could be a great opportunity to study the history of fairy tales and how their purpose has shifted over time.

[Aleah Mackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a shortened version of this story in a Running Press Miniature edition of Sleeping Beauty and Other Stories by Charles Perrault. (I have no idea how to catalog this into Goodreads so I'm shelving each individual story that was featured in the mini-book, can you tell I am really behind on my 2021 Reading Challenge lol). The translation was a little off in the version I read, but the sentiment was still there. I never knew that Beauty had sisters in the original and that they were vain and cruel (which seems to be a theme in Perrault's work)

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Free audio version at Storynory
Listening Time : 8 min
Well narrated but I much prefer Disney's 1991 animated version or Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
I look forward to reading more retellings of this tale.

[Phair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moore is an architect and it shows in the illus that dominate the text. Most of the pictures feature small figures within elaborate halls or buildings. Text pages show some a small detail repeated from the facing full page drawing. All the illustrations are pen with color washes. Beast looks like a child’s drawing all spiky yellow “hair” and gaping mouth although the illus of the dying Beast has him with leopard like hands and tail. The costumes look vaguely late 17thc. Bought probably in 1992.

[abril *ೃ༄ · Rating 3 out of 5]

después de haber leído la cenicienta y haberme llevado una gran desilusión al ver que los ratones no hablan y que el vestido nunca fue celeste, el premio se lo lleva la bella y la bestia cuando me di cuenta que nunca existió lumiere ni ningún objeto parlante 💔💔💔💔. dejando eso de lado, es muy lindo el contraste que marcan entre las hermanas tristes con esposos hermosos pero muy mala gente, a bella feliz con la bestia, que es feo pero bondadoso

[Forked Radish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not even half as good as the Villeneuve original.

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

se pasaba de fría la bella esta, peor bonito, ya vez me haya gustado más que la versión de Disney

[Guadalupe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia muy simple para ser de charles, triste.

[Karina Barahona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love beauty and the beast so I love this version I lot too

[ale (taylor's version) everett · Rating 3 out of 5]

LEÍ DOS VERSIONES DE LA BELLA Y LA BESTIA

Y quedé en shock.
La versión típica la amé.

La versión original es... ¡cruel!
El padre de Bella realmente no existe y sus hermanas son brujas que tienen a Bella como sirviente.
La bestia tampoco existe, es La Muerte que tomó el cuerpo de un enfermo leproso y cuando se entera que las brujas mataron a Bella cuando le dio comida a él, las infecta de sus heridas, las encadenan en el sótano y él se echa a morir junto al cadáver de Bella.

¿Romance?
¿Dónde?
¿Historia de dormir para niños?
Se perdió entre la traducción de francés al español, creo yo.

[たつあき · Rating 5 out of 5]

2013 11/26~12/03

Charles Perrault ver

Beauty merchant beast rose marry ugly stepsister

Sorry to be late to write book report.
It takes 2 weeks for me to read books.
At first, I thought this book is same as Disney one,
but Charles Perrault ver is not same as Disney.
I think this version is more interesting,
and I was really moved at the ending.
I cannot belive this story was made in the 1900s.
This book is so good romance story.

Have you ever met ugly beast?
I saw some kind of beast in the forest.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't get it: why do people insist reading this horrible stories to the children. Probably it is just a habit: they were read to them and they do the ritual all over without really caring for the values they are teaching.

The husband should be a bit nicer than the devil goes a saying. Sex, submission, but think of the money he has!

First a parent teaches these stories to young minds. Than, the same person rises the voice against such and such celebrity and "their morals". Pfff.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairy tale I've never read, only watched the Disney cartoon version a hundred times. Prepping for the live action movie coming out and our family rule is "read the book, then watch the movie." Not sure why I'm amazed Disney distorted the story so much but I suppose if they followed the original story, it would be a rather boring movie so they needed to add a dozen characters who aren't in the fairy tale.

Counted as book under 100 pages for Challies' reading challenge.

[Gretel Hernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno de los cuentos de hadas más populares; si bien, La Bella y la Bestia, no es una historia tan turbia como la mayoría de los cuentos de hadas, sí que tiene varias cosas sangrientas que la hacen una historia inapropiada para los niños; en lo que respecta a la moraleja de esta narración, puede que no sea lo que casi todos piensan; ya que, posiblemente dicha moraleja, se trate más de una defensa de los matrimonios de conveniencia, en lugar de un mensaje como: "la belleza está en el interior".

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the classic French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle: an intelligent young woman scorned by her townspeople for being a bookworm, weary of fighting off the advances of the arrogant Gaston, and dreaming of escape.

[ERI ES · Rating 3 out of 5]

Como siempre digo, no está demás conocer las versiones de los cuentos.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little strange. I didn't like the illustrations.

[Aayat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shows how important to treat people nicely, and how important inner beauty is. So great for the kids.

[Kevin Cortez · Rating 4 out of 5]

POCO SE LE COMPARA

[K Morlando · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story