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The Tales Trilogy #1
Roses
A dark rendition of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast!
She bears no name. Her silvery appearance is freakish to the numerous inhabitants of Sago, the cosmopolitan capital of Pevorocco in a fantasy realm. With her mother vanishing at the instance of her birth, she is sent to live with the cruel, rich Ma Dane, where she is punished daily for something, though she knows not what. Tauntingly named Beauty, she flees Sago in a violent uprising that sets out to massacre all Magics and journeys to the furthest point of the country.
But Beauty cannot hide in the grassy Hillands forever. Before long, the State officials find her and threaten to take her back to war-torn Sago where death surely awaits. In a midnight blizzard she escapes them, running into a deep, enchanted forest to a great and terrible beast who will bargain for her life.
But can Beauty accept Beast? Eternity is a long time.
She bears no name. Her silvery appearance is freakish to the numerous inhabitants of Sago, the cosmopolitan capital of Pevorocco in a fantasy realm. With her mother vanishing at the instance of her birth, she is sent to live with the cruel, rich Ma Dane, where she is punished daily for something, though she knows not what. Tauntingly named Beauty, she flees Sago in a violent uprising that sets out to massacre all Magics and journeys to the furthest point of the country.
But Beauty cannot hide in the grassy Hillands forever. Before long, the State officials find her and threaten to take her back to war-torn Sago where death surely awaits. In a midnight blizzard she escapes them, running into a deep, enchanted forest to a great and terrible beast who will bargain for her life.
But can Beauty accept Beast? Eternity is a long time.
311 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2013
47 people are currently reading
4081 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Mannering
4 books390 followersG. R. Mannering has been writing ever since she can remember. Diagnosed with dyslexia aged eight, she never let it stand in the way of her love for books. She signed her first publishing contract when she was nineteen and she writes under the names Rose Mannering and G.R Manneirng. She currently resides in the UK and her favourite things are books, dogs and tea.
BLOG:http://rosemannering.com/myblog/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5EW...
BLOG:http://rosemannering.com/myblog/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5EW...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
January 11, 2014
After having spent nearly an hour searching for the missing pages somewhere in the middle of my copy of Roses, I am forced to accept defeat. At just over three hundred pages, this is not a hefty volume and, sadly, not a complete one either. Although I enjoyed Mannering's debut immensely, its rushed ending, loose threads, and lingering questions leave quite a bit to be desired. After all, why write a "Beauty & the Beast" re-telling if the elements that make it a "re" telling are abandoned in favor of quickly fulfilling the "telling" aspect of the story? Quite frankly, I do not know.
I'd like to preface this review by apologizing if my voice seems bitter. I am. I am upset and rather irritable at present precisely because I was wholly invested into this tale, but found myself far from satisfied by the end. Roses, for all its flaws, however, is a truly magnificent tale. Set in a realm where magic is feared and those with Magic Blood are slaughtered mercilessly, young Beauty is a fearful enigma from the moment of her birth. With amethyst eyes and silver hair, she is unlike any normal human child and, once given to her aunt, Ma Dane of the House Roses, is kept away for much of her childhood. When, at last, the opportunity presents itself for Beauty - a name given in cruelty, mocking her strange appearance - to leave her home and live among the Hillside people far away, she leaps at the chance to escape and becomes the adopted daughter of Owain, the stable hand of the House Roses. It is from this point on where our tale becomes familiar, winding its way through the close bond that develops between Owain and Beauty, despite the hostility she receives even from the Hillside people, and thus the ill-fated rose that is plucked from a castle and speaks of Owain's demise finally comes into play, leading Beauty to the castle - and curse - of the Beast.
Where Mannering shines is in her subtle world-building techniques. Roses takes place in a world much like our own world would have appeared, perhaps a hundred to two hundred years ago. And yet, it is also a world of magic. Beauty, whose appearance is shockingly different, is thought to be of Magic Blood all throughout her childhood although her guardian, Ma Dane, denies it. Yet, Beauty's dreams portend the future, as have the dreams of all from the House Roses, and for this reason she must run, fleeing those who wish her dead. While this realm, with its systematic genocide of those with Magic Blood, is dark, it is also incomplete. We come to know very little of the wars fought between those with Magic Blood and those without and, moreover, the scriptures that tell of Beauty's involvement in the struggle are inconsequential as they play a negligible role in this stand-alone.
Roses takes time to build a fascinating scenario of Beauty, following her from her childhood to adulthood as she is discarded by many, loved by few, and universally feared. And yet, the questions we so desperately seek - where is her mother, who is her father, why haven't they seen her, why is she so important? - are never fully answered. Mannering offers us tidbits of information, presumably to keep readers satisfied, but I was far from sated. Additionally, the unveiling love story between Beauty and Beast is given minimal screen time. While we're given a thorough background into Beauty's life, truly growing to know her from inside and out, Beast is rather two-dimensional, bringing nothing new to this tale. Although his back story and enchantment is slightly different from that present in the original fairy tale, the bulk of his interactions with Beauty are unremarkable. I never felt much for these two as a romantic couple and though I enjoyed their time onscreen, I didn't miss it when it was absent and nor did I crave it for Beauty is an intriguing enough protagonist to keep readers engaged.
Nevertheless, Beauty's tale practically eclipses that of the original "Beauty & the Beast" story line, which is ironically where this novel falters. Mannering manages to balance both for a time period, but towards the end, she is forced to abandon the plot lines she has created, quickly veering back to finish off the tail end of our re-telling. Thus, I found myself shutting this book with a bang of disappointment. Roses is certainly an entertaining tale, gripping in every way and bringing a well-deserved dose of originality to this tale, but it feels unfinished. Especially as it is a stand-alone, not the first in a new series. While to some readers this novel may feel like a romantic tale, I wished for more grit and flavor. Mannering turned down the opportunity to explore the diverse world she created, leaving her story as a mere re-telling instead of going beyond its scope to the political scheme at hand, the evil sorcerers running about, the importance of powerful amulets, or even the outcome of wars fought. Roses is such an incredible world, brimming of darkness and shadows that promise to keep you up at night, but sadly they are pushed aside. Needless to say, while Roses is, ultimately, the story it is marketed as - a Beauty & the Beast re-telling - I was disappointed that it wasn't the story it could have been.
I'd like to preface this review by apologizing if my voice seems bitter. I am. I am upset and rather irritable at present precisely because I was wholly invested into this tale, but found myself far from satisfied by the end. Roses, for all its flaws, however, is a truly magnificent tale. Set in a realm where magic is feared and those with Magic Blood are slaughtered mercilessly, young Beauty is a fearful enigma from the moment of her birth. With amethyst eyes and silver hair, she is unlike any normal human child and, once given to her aunt, Ma Dane of the House Roses, is kept away for much of her childhood. When, at last, the opportunity presents itself for Beauty - a name given in cruelty, mocking her strange appearance - to leave her home and live among the Hillside people far away, she leaps at the chance to escape and becomes the adopted daughter of Owain, the stable hand of the House Roses. It is from this point on where our tale becomes familiar, winding its way through the close bond that develops between Owain and Beauty, despite the hostility she receives even from the Hillside people, and thus the ill-fated rose that is plucked from a castle and speaks of Owain's demise finally comes into play, leading Beauty to the castle - and curse - of the Beast.
Where Mannering shines is in her subtle world-building techniques. Roses takes place in a world much like our own world would have appeared, perhaps a hundred to two hundred years ago. And yet, it is also a world of magic. Beauty, whose appearance is shockingly different, is thought to be of Magic Blood all throughout her childhood although her guardian, Ma Dane, denies it. Yet, Beauty's dreams portend the future, as have the dreams of all from the House Roses, and for this reason she must run, fleeing those who wish her dead. While this realm, with its systematic genocide of those with Magic Blood, is dark, it is also incomplete. We come to know very little of the wars fought between those with Magic Blood and those without and, moreover, the scriptures that tell of Beauty's involvement in the struggle are inconsequential as they play a negligible role in this stand-alone.
Roses takes time to build a fascinating scenario of Beauty, following her from her childhood to adulthood as she is discarded by many, loved by few, and universally feared. And yet, the questions we so desperately seek - where is her mother, who is her father, why haven't they seen her, why is she so important? - are never fully answered. Mannering offers us tidbits of information, presumably to keep readers satisfied, but I was far from sated. Additionally, the unveiling love story between Beauty and Beast is given minimal screen time. While we're given a thorough background into Beauty's life, truly growing to know her from inside and out, Beast is rather two-dimensional, bringing nothing new to this tale. Although his back story and enchantment is slightly different from that present in the original fairy tale, the bulk of his interactions with Beauty are unremarkable. I never felt much for these two as a romantic couple and though I enjoyed their time onscreen, I didn't miss it when it was absent and nor did I crave it for Beauty is an intriguing enough protagonist to keep readers engaged.
Nevertheless, Beauty's tale practically eclipses that of the original "Beauty & the Beast" story line, which is ironically where this novel falters. Mannering manages to balance both for a time period, but towards the end, she is forced to abandon the plot lines she has created, quickly veering back to finish off the tail end of our re-telling. Thus, I found myself shutting this book with a bang of disappointment. Roses is certainly an entertaining tale, gripping in every way and bringing a well-deserved dose of originality to this tale, but it feels unfinished. Especially as it is a stand-alone, not the first in a new series. While to some readers this novel may feel like a romantic tale, I wished for more grit and flavor. Mannering turned down the opportunity to explore the diverse world she created, leaving her story as a mere re-telling instead of going beyond its scope to the political scheme at hand, the evil sorcerers running about, the importance of powerful amulets, or even the outcome of wars fought. Roses is such an incredible world, brimming of darkness and shadows that promise to keep you up at night, but sadly they are pushed aside. Needless to say, while Roses is, ultimately, the story it is marketed as - a Beauty & the Beast re-telling - I was disappointed that it wasn't the story it could have been.
March 8, 2015
As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, Roses was not at all what I expected… This book was different – and not just as a retelling – in the way it follows the main protagonist, Beauty, from birth. I thought it incredibly interesting to see so much intense development, and with time passing you also see the world changing.
Mannering weaved world building into her writing effortlessly and it worked to transport you into a land filled with magic and love and hate as well. There was a very strong plot line separate to the tie-in of the original tale and that’s what held my interest for the first half of the book before we even meet The Beast.
Compared to other books I read (and loved) recently, Roses is particularly slow paced and focuses more intently on the character’s and over all build-up. Many questions go unanswered until the very end. At first I wasn’t happy with how it concluded simply because it was so abrupt; one minute everyone was rushing around anticipating war, the next the book was over! I’d been anxious leading up to the last page because there weren’t enough left to complete everything in a satisfying way, until I found out (once I’d already finished and started pacing waiting for my laptop to load an internet search) that there will be a sequel. Thank God!
I can’t wait to see Beauty’s tale continue, hopefully with much more of The Beast this time who I have to say warmed my heart… A brilliant debut.
My reaction to the ending:
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
Mannering weaved world building into her writing effortlessly and it worked to transport you into a land filled with magic and love and hate as well. There was a very strong plot line separate to the tie-in of the original tale and that’s what held my interest for the first half of the book before we even meet The Beast.
Compared to other books I read (and loved) recently, Roses is particularly slow paced and focuses more intently on the character’s and over all build-up. Many questions go unanswered until the very end. At first I wasn’t happy with how it concluded simply because it was so abrupt; one minute everyone was rushing around anticipating war, the next the book was over! I’d been anxious leading up to the last page because there weren’t enough left to complete everything in a satisfying way, until I found out (once I’d already finished and started pacing waiting for my laptop to load an internet search) that there will be a sequel. Thank God!
I can’t wait to see Beauty’s tale continue, hopefully with much more of The Beast this time who I have to say warmed my heart… A brilliant debut.
My reaction to the ending:
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
November 7, 2013
4.5 stars
Story
She is born in a pauper's hospital and the midwife recoils at her silvery skin and amethyst eyes. She is sent to live with a wealthy relative, where she spends her childhood unloved, hidden and feared for her strange appearance. Her first friend is a horse in the stables, and her first human kindness comes from the stable master. The name Beauty is said as a joke, but it is the only one she's ever given. Eventually, she must run from the only home she knows and travel into the cold north, or face persecution for a heritage that she doesn't understand. She has the ability to see the future in her dreams, and she knows she is destined to meet a man with a scar and that roses will play a part, but she doesn't know how or why.
Retelling
Roses takes the well-known classic tale of Beauty and the Beast and tells it like a traditional fairytale, but at the same time veers away from the original in ways that make the story fresh and imaginative. I think the strength of this book is in the emotional connection that I was able to form with Beauty over the course of the novel, as well as the broader context in which the love story is placed. Because of that, this seemingly simple retelling reveals itself to be actually quite original and complex.
Girl
Roses begins with the birth of a child who will grow up to be called Beauty. Starting at the very beginning worried me at first, because it seemed a long way to go to get to the meat (aka romance portion) of the tale. But the care that Mannering took to unravel Beauty's story, and also that of the greater magical world in which she lives, added layers of depth and became one of my favorite aspects of the book. Experiencing Beauty's childhood was essential to connecting with her actions in the latter half of the story, including how she was able to fall in love with Beast. Thankfully, Roses is never boring, and I was riveted to Beauty's journey from beginning to end.
Setting
Beauty is born in the country of Pervorocco, which has a long history of uneasy relations with magic. In Beauty's world there are Magic Beings (creatures like trolls and magical beasts) as well as Magic Bloods (humans who have the ability to do magic). It's unclear which Beauty is when the story begins, but it's obvious that she's something Other than her fellow countrymen, who are mostly regular humans. When the non-Magic rulers of Pervorocco begin hunting down Magics in the country, Beauty flees the capital city. She travels into the northern Hillands with the stable master Owaine, who is the only person in the world that has ever cared for her. Owaine assures Beauty that his Hilland people will welcome her, but Beauty is not as certain.
I wish there was a little more detail in this story about the greater magical world, especially after the tantalizing glimpses that we get throughout this story. However, I like the way Roses weaves Beauty's own story - as well as Beast's - into that of a larger society struggling with prejudice and persecution of Magics, adding a greater context and purpose to this tale.
Beast
Although the most traditional part of this retelling is the time that Beauty spends in Beast's castle, what sets this love story apart for me is how intimately I knew Beauty by the time she enters the castles gates. Seeing Beauty misunderstood and isolated her entire life for her appearance is an interesting comparison to how she sees Beast. Beauty doesn't automatically accept Beast and can barely look at him without cringing. In fact, in many ways Beast is more emotionally in tune with Beauty than she ever is with him.
Thus, how are all the people who have despised and isolated Beauty over the years any different from how Beauty treats Beast? And yet, he is still a beast and I'm not sure I would have been able to bring myself to love him romantically. Roses is filled with many standard elements to the Beauty and the Beast myth, but I still felt like I was seeing the fairytale in a new light because of the truths found in this telling.
Dreams
One of the subtle themes that stood out to me in Roses involves prophetic dreams. Several characters in this book, including Beauty, follow a certain path because they have the ability to see the future in their dreams. For some of them it is an obsession and they will do whatever the dream tells them is supposed to happen, regardless of what it is. It's the great chicken or the egg debate. But this book also asks whether these characters should be held accountable for their actions, even if they are only following through with what a dream said they would do. Do they have the ability to change what they've seen happen in a dream? If they had altered their course, would any of this story have turned out the way it did? The complexity of this debate is one of the reasons that I've fallen so hard for this book.
Conclusion
What I love about Roses is that in one sense it reads like a simple retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but the more I examine it, the more layers I see in this rich fantasy tale. In the way Beauty and the Beast see each other, and how their journeys contrast and converge. How could a girl actually fall in love with a Beast, even if he a fellow prisoner and her only companion? I love how uniquely they were each able to understand the other's loneliness and insecurities. I also like that the author weaves a larger context and purpose into this tale and into the relationship between Beauty and Beast.
As far as I know, Roses is a standalone. However, I would love to read another book that further explores this society. Either from Beauty's perspective or a new character.
Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone (as far as I know, though I would welcome a sequel)
This and other reviews can be found on my blog Love is not a triangle
Story
She is born in a pauper's hospital and the midwife recoils at her silvery skin and amethyst eyes. She is sent to live with a wealthy relative, where she spends her childhood unloved, hidden and feared for her strange appearance. Her first friend is a horse in the stables, and her first human kindness comes from the stable master. The name Beauty is said as a joke, but it is the only one she's ever given. Eventually, she must run from the only home she knows and travel into the cold north, or face persecution for a heritage that she doesn't understand. She has the ability to see the future in her dreams, and she knows she is destined to meet a man with a scar and that roses will play a part, but she doesn't know how or why.
Retelling
Roses takes the well-known classic tale of Beauty and the Beast and tells it like a traditional fairytale, but at the same time veers away from the original in ways that make the story fresh and imaginative. I think the strength of this book is in the emotional connection that I was able to form with Beauty over the course of the novel, as well as the broader context in which the love story is placed. Because of that, this seemingly simple retelling reveals itself to be actually quite original and complex.
Girl
Roses begins with the birth of a child who will grow up to be called Beauty. Starting at the very beginning worried me at first, because it seemed a long way to go to get to the meat (aka romance portion) of the tale. But the care that Mannering took to unravel Beauty's story, and also that of the greater magical world in which she lives, added layers of depth and became one of my favorite aspects of the book. Experiencing Beauty's childhood was essential to connecting with her actions in the latter half of the story, including how she was able to fall in love with Beast. Thankfully, Roses is never boring, and I was riveted to Beauty's journey from beginning to end.
Setting
Beauty is born in the country of Pervorocco, which has a long history of uneasy relations with magic. In Beauty's world there are Magic Beings (creatures like trolls and magical beasts) as well as Magic Bloods (humans who have the ability to do magic). It's unclear which Beauty is when the story begins, but it's obvious that she's something Other than her fellow countrymen, who are mostly regular humans. When the non-Magic rulers of Pervorocco begin hunting down Magics in the country, Beauty flees the capital city. She travels into the northern Hillands with the stable master Owaine, who is the only person in the world that has ever cared for her. Owaine assures Beauty that his Hilland people will welcome her, but Beauty is not as certain.
I wish there was a little more detail in this story about the greater magical world, especially after the tantalizing glimpses that we get throughout this story. However, I like the way Roses weaves Beauty's own story - as well as Beast's - into that of a larger society struggling with prejudice and persecution of Magics, adding a greater context and purpose to this tale.
Beast
Although the most traditional part of this retelling is the time that Beauty spends in Beast's castle, what sets this love story apart for me is how intimately I knew Beauty by the time she enters the castles gates. Seeing Beauty misunderstood and isolated her entire life for her appearance is an interesting comparison to how she sees Beast. Beauty doesn't automatically accept Beast and can barely look at him without cringing. In fact, in many ways Beast is more emotionally in tune with Beauty than she ever is with him.
Thus, how are all the people who have despised and isolated Beauty over the years any different from how Beauty treats Beast? And yet, he is still a beast and I'm not sure I would have been able to bring myself to love him romantically. Roses is filled with many standard elements to the Beauty and the Beast myth, but I still felt like I was seeing the fairytale in a new light because of the truths found in this telling.
Dreams
One of the subtle themes that stood out to me in Roses involves prophetic dreams. Several characters in this book, including Beauty, follow a certain path because they have the ability to see the future in their dreams. For some of them it is an obsession and they will do whatever the dream tells them is supposed to happen, regardless of what it is. It's the great chicken or the egg debate. But this book also asks whether these characters should be held accountable for their actions, even if they are only following through with what a dream said they would do. Do they have the ability to change what they've seen happen in a dream? If they had altered their course, would any of this story have turned out the way it did? The complexity of this debate is one of the reasons that I've fallen so hard for this book.
Conclusion
What I love about Roses is that in one sense it reads like a simple retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but the more I examine it, the more layers I see in this rich fantasy tale. In the way Beauty and the Beast see each other, and how their journeys contrast and converge. How could a girl actually fall in love with a Beast, even if he a fellow prisoner and her only companion? I love how uniquely they were each able to understand the other's loneliness and insecurities. I also like that the author weaves a larger context and purpose into this tale and into the relationship between Beauty and Beast.
As far as I know, Roses is a standalone. However, I would love to read another book that further explores this society. Either from Beauty's perspective or a new character.
Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone (as far as I know, though I would welcome a sequel)
This and other reviews can be found on my blog Love is not a triangle
February 5, 2014
This book started out so great.
I have always been fascinated by the “Beauty and the Beast” theme repeated in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre expands the children’s tale about a young woman who leaves everything to live with a beast and how they both grow to love one another to a metaphor of transformation focusing on themes such as traditional gender roles, authenticity and the nature of suffering.
Jane’s childhood at Gateshead, where she is emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins; and her education at Lowood School, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations and oppression, are where Charlotte Bronte in particular deviates from the fairy-tale retelling. Roses by G.R. Mannering inverts the story and tries a re-telling of “The Beauty and the Beast” in a “Jane Eyre”-flair.
The story takes place in a mediaeval world full of magic where magic beings and those suspected of magic blood are haunted and feared. There was something akin to a genocide called The Magic Cleansing in the neighboring country called “The Neighbour”. The anti-magical movement in this other country gains over the years more and more supporters and spills over into Beauty’s country. Death, destruction and persecution follow. Yet, the diverse world, its history and society are never fully explored, the wars fought between the Magic Blood and those without magic as well as the political ramifications remain shrouded.
The inconsistent world-building is further reinforced by an erratic character composition. Questions such as the whereabouts of Beauty’s parentage, the reasons of Beast’s bane, the importance of the legend foretold are not addressed in a satisfactory manner. Roses follows Beauty from her birth to adolescence, a neglected and mistreated girl reminiscent of Jane Eyre’s childhood. The focus certainly is on Beauty and her childhood suffering while Beast remains a rather one-dimensional character and the transformative power of the love-story is completely neglected by the author. From the moment on when Beauty leaves everything behind and joins the Beast in his enchanted castle the story progresses in haste, leaving Jane Eyre completely behind, adding nothing new to the archetypical fairy-tale and brings out the author’s laziness in world-building.
Where Jane Eyre’s characters form understanding and transform each other, defying all social influences and stereotypes, Roses by G.R. Mannering just falls flat, providing no insight, no reflection on the power of transformation. It is not enough for Beauty to learn reading, or kill her evil cousin or kiss the Beast! That HEA simply is not what Beauty and the Beast or Jane Eyre is about. Beauty in this story never really develops an appreciation for the Beast, for his suffering, she never really needs him for her own growing-up and her non-existent transformation. In Roses by G.R. Mannering Beauty leaves her father because she thinks she murdered someone. She flees her home not because she wants to save her father but because she has to escape.
This story could have been so much more. Instead it feels fragmentary and incomplete.
I have always been fascinated by the “Beauty and the Beast” theme repeated in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre expands the children’s tale about a young woman who leaves everything to live with a beast and how they both grow to love one another to a metaphor of transformation focusing on themes such as traditional gender roles, authenticity and the nature of suffering.
Jane’s childhood at Gateshead, where she is emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins; and her education at Lowood School, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations and oppression, are where Charlotte Bronte in particular deviates from the fairy-tale retelling. Roses by G.R. Mannering inverts the story and tries a re-telling of “The Beauty and the Beast” in a “Jane Eyre”-flair.
The story takes place in a mediaeval world full of magic where magic beings and those suspected of magic blood are haunted and feared. There was something akin to a genocide called The Magic Cleansing in the neighboring country called “The Neighbour”. The anti-magical movement in this other country gains over the years more and more supporters and spills over into Beauty’s country. Death, destruction and persecution follow. Yet, the diverse world, its history and society are never fully explored, the wars fought between the Magic Blood and those without magic as well as the political ramifications remain shrouded.
The inconsistent world-building is further reinforced by an erratic character composition. Questions such as the whereabouts of Beauty’s parentage, the reasons of Beast’s bane, the importance of the legend foretold are not addressed in a satisfactory manner. Roses follows Beauty from her birth to adolescence, a neglected and mistreated girl reminiscent of Jane Eyre’s childhood. The focus certainly is on Beauty and her childhood suffering while Beast remains a rather one-dimensional character and the transformative power of the love-story is completely neglected by the author. From the moment on when Beauty leaves everything behind and joins the Beast in his enchanted castle the story progresses in haste, leaving Jane Eyre completely behind, adding nothing new to the archetypical fairy-tale and brings out the author’s laziness in world-building.
Where Jane Eyre’s characters form understanding and transform each other, defying all social influences and stereotypes, Roses by G.R. Mannering just falls flat, providing no insight, no reflection on the power of transformation. It is not enough for Beauty to learn reading, or kill her evil cousin or kiss the Beast! That HEA simply is not what Beauty and the Beast or Jane Eyre is about. Beauty in this story never really develops an appreciation for the Beast, for his suffering, she never really needs him for her own growing-up and her non-existent transformation. In Roses by G.R. Mannering Beauty leaves her father because she thinks she murdered someone. She flees her home not because she wants to save her father but because she has to escape.
This story could have been so much more. Instead it feels fragmentary and incomplete.
June 21, 2017
"She realized she did not like the idea of Owaine having a family- she did not want to be forgotten again."
Beauty had a very rough abusive childhood. She was mistreated and terrified of people. Even when she was growing into a girl it was still difficult.
"He made a low rumbling sound that after a moment she realized was laughter."
But then.. *drumroll*...
Beast comes into the picture. (After 200 pages of waiting may I add.) I loved him, I truly did.
"I stay out of your way, but I am never far. If you need me, you may call me and I will always hear it."
Sigh. :)
I loved this book. I love almost all Beauty and the Beast retellings. (This is the part where up recommend me some more.) ;)
I will admit that the book was a little too fast paced near the end and I wish it was just another 100 pages longer. So many unanswered questions. Overall I loved it. :)
A roaring 5 stars. ;)
Beauty had a very rough abusive childhood. She was mistreated and terrified of people. Even when she was growing into a girl it was still difficult.
"He made a low rumbling sound that after a moment she realized was laughter."
But then.. *drumroll*...
Beast comes into the picture. (After 200 pages of waiting may I add.) I loved him, I truly did.
"I stay out of your way, but I am never far. If you need me, you may call me and I will always hear it."
Sigh. :)
I loved this book. I love almost all Beauty and the Beast retellings. (This is the part where up recommend me some more.) ;)
I will admit that the book was a little too fast paced near the end and I wish it was just another 100 pages longer. So many unanswered questions. Overall I loved it. :)
A roaring 5 stars. ;)
August 31, 2023
Highly original and refreshingly unique, this “Beauty and the Beast” retelling was captivating and beautifully crafted. The story took a bit long to get moving, but the familiar magic of the tale was never completely forgotten. The ending was also a bit rushed and the editor missed a major typo in the last third of the book, but overall, this retelling was excellently executed and suitably enchanting. Highly recommended!! 🌹
June 21, 2017
3.75 stars. Some things were left unclear, so hopefully the sequel is a continuation and not a companion with completely different characters. And if so, then hopefully Beauty and Beast will make an appearance so that cliffhangers and questions can be resolved. Lovely retelling nonetheless :)
I especially loved Beauty and her father's bond (they made me cry) :,)
I especially loved Beauty and her father's bond (they made me cry) :,)
June 13, 2015
I'm sorry to say this but I knew that this book and I weren't going to get on from the very first few pages. I think originally it was a combination of the writing style and the way certain things would be repeated over and over. Later on the plot started to factor in too.
The book's biggest problem is that it doesn't know what it wants to be. There are two separate storylines that don't merge well and that detract from each other rather than complementing each other in order to improve the story as a whole. Furthermore, neither storyline is brought to a satisfactory close; I was honestly surprised that this isn't the first book in a series.
The author goes to lengths to introduce a vast number of concepts and aspects to the plot that she then doesn't follow through on, the most glaring of these being her world building and her magic system.
I'd been really looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately I find myself disappointed.
The book's biggest problem is that it doesn't know what it wants to be. There are two separate storylines that don't merge well and that detract from each other rather than complementing each other in order to improve the story as a whole. Furthermore, neither storyline is brought to a satisfactory close; I was honestly surprised that this isn't the first book in a series.
The author goes to lengths to introduce a vast number of concepts and aspects to the plot that she then doesn't follow through on, the most glaring of these being her world building and her magic system.
I'd been really looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately I find myself disappointed.
June 3, 2016
1.5
This was pretty rough. Good bones and good ideas, but premise is 10% and execution is 90%.
This was pretty rough. Good bones and good ideas, but premise is 10% and execution is 90%.
January 11, 2014
4.5 stars :D Hopefully I will have a review of this up tomorrow!
March 31, 2014
Recipe for Roses:
1. Take one Dickens/Brontë-ish waif.
2. Put said waif into a series of homes where she is under-appreciated, neglected, and physically/emotionally abused to bring out the true Dickens/Brontë flavor.
3. Paint the waif with an unusual appearance, namely silver skin, white hair, and violet eyes.
4. To compensate for the potentially overpowering flavor of unhappy homes and prejudice against the waif, drop in one adult who cares for her and sprinkle with horses to unconditionally love her.
5. Add a backdrop of looming war between Magicks (both magical creatures and humans with magic blood) and humans that steadily moves closer to the location of the heroine as the seasons pass.
6. Once that is in place, put in just a touch of vague prophecy about a violet-eyed hero to make things interesting.
7. And about 2/3 of the way through the book, insert Beauty and the Beast elements.
Beauty is born with silver skin, white hair, and violet eyes. She is also abandoned at the mercy of her aunt, an influential aristocrat of Pervorocco. For the first few years of her life, Beauty is hidden away, but eventually she masters the art of evading the overly strict nanny who is trying to beat her magical rebellion out of her (based solely on appearance). The only solace Beauty finds is with the stable master, Owaine, and the horses under his care. He alone sees Beauty as a person, and not as a horrible magical beast about to destroy the city. As the war between Magicks and humans grows closer to the city, Beauty and her family are forced to evacuate. Though she obviously looks magical, her Aunt and cousin are in no less danger, for they also harbor secret magical powers. Beauty is sent off with Owaine to go hide with him in his homeland of the Hillands. At first, Beauty finds the people of the Hillands no more accepting of her than those in Pervorocco. But after she and Owaine start bringing the village wealth and notoriety by training much sought after horses, the village (minus Owaine's daughter Isole) starts to accept her as their good luck charm, even though they still hold her at arm's distance. Life starts to fall into a relatively comfortable pattern of seasons, until all of a sudden her cousin shows up leading soldiers from Pervorocco, demanding her hand in marriage or the destruction of the city. At the same time, Owaine comes stumbling into town spewing a tale of how his life is forfeit after picking a rose at a castle in the forest on his way home from selling the last group of horses. Beauty manages to evade her cousin's grasp only by taking Owaine's place at the enchanted castle. She is all alone there except for a fellow prisoner, the Beast, and almost invisible outlines who keep the castle running. Beauty finds comfortable living for the first time in her life, but she finds the cost of freedom far too much. Many seasons pass, and eventually she becomes friends with her only other companion, who has taught her to read and provides someone to talk to. But when Beauty dreams that Owaine is dying, Beast helps her defy the castle and escape to go be with the old man. Beauty intends to return immediately, but feels compelled to return to Pervorocco first for some reason. There, she finds her cousin still waiting to claim her as his prize and a group of people who think she is the Magicks' promised hero and is destined to free them from the humans. It will take a miracle for Beauty to get free of all the people trying to keep her in Pervorocco and return to the Beast before the enchantment kills him and all the outlines.
I greatly enjoy fairy tale retellings, but the back story and world that Mannering created was so interesting and gripping all on it's own, I actually found myself disappointed when she introduced the Beauty and the Beast elements. I don't think it was needed and it somewhat took the reader away from the world and all the issues that had been building for 2/3 of the book. It did provide , but that could have been handled some other way. And oddly enough, that's why this was only 4 stars for me instead of 5. I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and I see how a new author sometimes need a selling point. But next time, Ms Mannering, just let the reader enjoy your creativity and don't feel compelled to rewrite someone else's story. You've got some great stuff all by yourself! And while we're talking, please write a sequel to this one! I was about seven pages from the end of the book and started going, "There's got to be a sequel! There's no way everything can be satisfyingly wrapped up in just the pages left." I was right to an extent, though a lot was wrapped up, some of it was so rushed and short I wanted more (and still think there could be more...thus the need for a sequel). Those were my only complaints about the book, along with how difficult it was to tell how old Beauty was from time to time (her voice didn't change all that much from when she was 4 to when she was a young woman).
Those who like epic fantasy should like this. Those who like fairy tale rewrites, should also like this. Yes, it is a darker retelling, but darker as in Dickens or Brontë dark where there are rays of hope and happiness in the end, not overwhelmingly evil DARK.
Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. There are battles happening during the time span of the book and sometimes the reader is given pictures of the atrocities happening. These are generally not overly gory. There is a burning at the stake, some shootings, and a building collapses on several. Beauty also endures verbal abuse, neglect, and some physical beatings.
1. Take one Dickens/Brontë-ish waif.
2. Put said waif into a series of homes where she is under-appreciated, neglected, and physically/emotionally abused to bring out the true Dickens/Brontë flavor.
3. Paint the waif with an unusual appearance, namely silver skin, white hair, and violet eyes.
4. To compensate for the potentially overpowering flavor of unhappy homes and prejudice against the waif, drop in one adult who cares for her and sprinkle with horses to unconditionally love her.
5. Add a backdrop of looming war between Magicks (both magical creatures and humans with magic blood) and humans that steadily moves closer to the location of the heroine as the seasons pass.
6. Once that is in place, put in just a touch of vague prophecy about a violet-eyed hero to make things interesting.
7. And about 2/3 of the way through the book, insert Beauty and the Beast elements.
Beauty is born with silver skin, white hair, and violet eyes. She is also abandoned at the mercy of her aunt, an influential aristocrat of Pervorocco. For the first few years of her life, Beauty is hidden away, but eventually she masters the art of evading the overly strict nanny who is trying to beat her magical rebellion out of her (based solely on appearance). The only solace Beauty finds is with the stable master, Owaine, and the horses under his care. He alone sees Beauty as a person, and not as a horrible magical beast about to destroy the city. As the war between Magicks and humans grows closer to the city, Beauty and her family are forced to evacuate. Though she obviously looks magical, her Aunt and cousin are in no less danger, for they also harbor secret magical powers. Beauty is sent off with Owaine to go hide with him in his homeland of the Hillands. At first, Beauty finds the people of the Hillands no more accepting of her than those in Pervorocco. But after she and Owaine start bringing the village wealth and notoriety by training much sought after horses, the village (minus Owaine's daughter Isole) starts to accept her as their good luck charm, even though they still hold her at arm's distance. Life starts to fall into a relatively comfortable pattern of seasons, until all of a sudden her cousin shows up leading soldiers from Pervorocco, demanding her hand in marriage or the destruction of the city. At the same time, Owaine comes stumbling into town spewing a tale of how his life is forfeit after picking a rose at a castle in the forest on his way home from selling the last group of horses. Beauty manages to evade her cousin's grasp only by taking Owaine's place at the enchanted castle. She is all alone there except for a fellow prisoner, the Beast, and almost invisible outlines who keep the castle running. Beauty finds comfortable living for the first time in her life, but she finds the cost of freedom far too much. Many seasons pass, and eventually she becomes friends with her only other companion, who has taught her to read and provides someone to talk to. But when Beauty dreams that Owaine is dying, Beast helps her defy the castle and escape to go be with the old man. Beauty intends to return immediately, but feels compelled to return to Pervorocco first for some reason. There, she finds her cousin still waiting to claim her as his prize and a group of people who think she is the Magicks' promised hero and is destined to free them from the humans. It will take a miracle for Beauty to get free of all the people trying to keep her in Pervorocco and return to the Beast before the enchantment kills him and all the outlines.
I greatly enjoy fairy tale retellings, but the back story and world that Mannering created was so interesting and gripping all on it's own, I actually found myself disappointed when she introduced the Beauty and the Beast elements. I don't think it was needed and it somewhat took the reader away from the world and all the issues that had been building for 2/3 of the book. It did provide , but that could have been handled some other way. And oddly enough, that's why this was only 4 stars for me instead of 5. I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and I see how a new author sometimes need a selling point. But next time, Ms Mannering, just let the reader enjoy your creativity and don't feel compelled to rewrite someone else's story. You've got some great stuff all by yourself! And while we're talking, please write a sequel to this one! I was about seven pages from the end of the book and started going, "There's got to be a sequel! There's no way everything can be satisfyingly wrapped up in just the pages left." I was right to an extent, though a lot was wrapped up, some of it was so rushed and short I wanted more (and still think there could be more...thus the need for a sequel). Those were my only complaints about the book, along with how difficult it was to tell how old Beauty was from time to time (her voice didn't change all that much from when she was 4 to when she was a young woman).
Those who like epic fantasy should like this. Those who like fairy tale rewrites, should also like this. Yes, it is a darker retelling, but darker as in Dickens or Brontë dark where there are rays of hope and happiness in the end, not overwhelmingly evil DARK.
Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. There are battles happening during the time span of the book and sometimes the reader is given pictures of the atrocities happening. These are generally not overly gory. There is a burning at the stake, some shootings, and a building collapses on several. Beauty also endures verbal abuse, neglect, and some physical beatings.
April 23, 2018
Ik was zeer aangenaam verrast over deze hervertelling van De Schone en Het Beest. De eerste helft van het verhaal komt er zelfs geen beest aan te pas, maar de wereld die wordt opgebouwd en het leven van Beauty worden op een hele knappe manier omschreven. Ik kon het mij helemaal inbeelden.
Pas in de tweede helft van het boek komt het klassieke verhaal van De Schone en Het Beest aan bod. Ik heb de indruk dat dit boek zich meer houdt aan het originele verhaal dan aan de Disney versie en dat gebeurt niet zo vaak, zo kuddos voor de auteur hiervoor.
Alleen vond ik het jammer dat het einde nogal bruusk was. Het boek is het eerste deel in een trilogie en daardoor zijn er bepaalde verhaallijnen uiteraard niet afgewerkt, wat logisch is. Maar dan nog had ik het gevoel dat de hele De Schone en Het Beest verhaallijn nogal snel werd afgerond.
De kans dat ik de trilogie verder lees is zeer reëel. Ooit een keer. Want ik en trilogieën, dat blijft een probleem.
Pas in de tweede helft van het boek komt het klassieke verhaal van De Schone en Het Beest aan bod. Ik heb de indruk dat dit boek zich meer houdt aan het originele verhaal dan aan de Disney versie en dat gebeurt niet zo vaak, zo kuddos voor de auteur hiervoor.
Alleen vond ik het jammer dat het einde nogal bruusk was. Het boek is het eerste deel in een trilogie en daardoor zijn er bepaalde verhaallijnen uiteraard niet afgewerkt, wat logisch is. Maar dan nog had ik het gevoel dat de hele De Schone en Het Beest verhaallijn nogal snel werd afgerond.
De kans dat ik de trilogie verder lees is zeer reëel. Ooit een keer. Want ik en trilogieën, dat blijft een probleem.
September 20, 2017
Another Beauty and the Beast retelling I'm going to forget. So sad that a great many are this mediocre.
June 17, 2016
Quoted on it's gorgeous new paperback cover, The School Library Journal calls Roses "An unusually powerful retelling of Beauty and the Beast." With this, I wholesomely agree. Roses by Rose Mannering was a title that came to me through countless recommendations, on account I'm a sucker for anything Beauty and the Beast related. I was told that I would fall head over heels for this fantastic new twist on the well loved classic, and I truly, wholeheartedly did!
Roses by Rose Mannering introduces a female protagonist who bears no name (Beauty) and features a silvery complexion, something that makes her stand out in the most negative of ways in her hometown of Sago. Daily she is punished by the cruel and treacherous Ma Dane, whom she has lived with since the disappearance of her mother. When a violent uprising happens in Sago, Beauty takes the opportunity to run away from a life of torture and abuse and makes her way into the hillands. As circumstance would have it, a series of events inevitably leads her to the presence of the Beast. Will she accept the Beast?
"A sob caught her throat, but she swallowed it. She took the terrible red rose from his fingers and felt the heaviness of it in her hands."
Roses was remarkably well-written, descriptive, unique, and addicting. There are countless Beauty and the Beast retellings that I've deeply fallen for (A Court of Thorns and Roses, Cruel Beauty, Beastly, and more) and I'm pleased to say that Roses has made it onto my ever-growing list! The characteristics of Beauty and Beast in Rose's retelling are quite reminiscent of those that we've grown to love, but are unique, in my opinion, in expression of emotion. I felt that the Beast of Roses was quite more honest and genuine with how he felt, anger, sadness, and even love. I felt most connected with him than I have with any other retelling, and it was compellingly refreshing.
" 'Ask for a book', said Beast. 'Any book!' Beauty did not think she had ever seen him so animated."
Refreshing, remarkable, and imaginative - Roses by Rose Mannering was a phenomenally addicting Beauty and the Beast retelling! Highly recommended to readers over the age of 12! Furthermore, I am over the moon that the next installment in the series, titled Feathers, is set to be released next month!
Roses by Rose Mannering introduces a female protagonist who bears no name (Beauty) and features a silvery complexion, something that makes her stand out in the most negative of ways in her hometown of Sago. Daily she is punished by the cruel and treacherous Ma Dane, whom she has lived with since the disappearance of her mother. When a violent uprising happens in Sago, Beauty takes the opportunity to run away from a life of torture and abuse and makes her way into the hillands. As circumstance would have it, a series of events inevitably leads her to the presence of the Beast. Will she accept the Beast?
"A sob caught her throat, but she swallowed it. She took the terrible red rose from his fingers and felt the heaviness of it in her hands."
Roses was remarkably well-written, descriptive, unique, and addicting. There are countless Beauty and the Beast retellings that I've deeply fallen for (A Court of Thorns and Roses, Cruel Beauty, Beastly, and more) and I'm pleased to say that Roses has made it onto my ever-growing list! The characteristics of Beauty and Beast in Rose's retelling are quite reminiscent of those that we've grown to love, but are unique, in my opinion, in expression of emotion. I felt that the Beast of Roses was quite more honest and genuine with how he felt, anger, sadness, and even love. I felt most connected with him than I have with any other retelling, and it was compellingly refreshing.
" 'Ask for a book', said Beast. 'Any book!' Beauty did not think she had ever seen him so animated."
Refreshing, remarkable, and imaginative - Roses by Rose Mannering was a phenomenally addicting Beauty and the Beast retelling! Highly recommended to readers over the age of 12! Furthermore, I am over the moon that the next installment in the series, titled Feathers, is set to be released next month!
November 3, 2013
Mannering, G.R. Roses. Sky Pony Press, 2013.
The strange girl with the silver skin and white hair, a ward of a wealthy house, is hidden away and unnamed until she escapes her captors and is named Beauty by a passing stranger. Soon after, Beauty and other people of magic are forced to flee the city in order to escape execution. She lives with a horseman in his rustic village, until he steals a rose and angers a horrid beast. In exchange for the horseman's life, Beauty offers to stay with the beast. Will she ever be free again?
I enjoyed this book, not only as a retelling of a common fairy tale, but also as a great fantasy story with an interesting world to explore. The traditional beauty and the beast story doesn't show up until much later in the book (past page 170), but I was so interested in the first part that I didn't mind at all. Unlike the traditional stories, in this book Beauty is considered to be a freak, and her name is meant to be ironic. She is a curiosity in the city where she grows up, and an outcast in the small village she escapes to. This book will hook stronger readers with the lyrical writing and world-building, and even less-strong readers will be drawn to the story because of the fairy-tale tie-in. There is already a waiting list at my library just from this book sitting on my desk for the past week. I will be recommending it to fans of Beastly and Of Beast and Beauty, as well as my kids who can't get enough fantasy.
Recommended for: tweens, teens, fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings
Red Flags: Beauty "accidentally" shoots her cousin, but the scene isn't graphic
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads FirstReads program for the purposes of review.
The strange girl with the silver skin and white hair, a ward of a wealthy house, is hidden away and unnamed until she escapes her captors and is named Beauty by a passing stranger. Soon after, Beauty and other people of magic are forced to flee the city in order to escape execution. She lives with a horseman in his rustic village, until he steals a rose and angers a horrid beast. In exchange for the horseman's life, Beauty offers to stay with the beast. Will she ever be free again?
I enjoyed this book, not only as a retelling of a common fairy tale, but also as a great fantasy story with an interesting world to explore. The traditional beauty and the beast story doesn't show up until much later in the book (past page 170), but I was so interested in the first part that I didn't mind at all. Unlike the traditional stories, in this book Beauty is considered to be a freak, and her name is meant to be ironic. She is a curiosity in the city where she grows up, and an outcast in the small village she escapes to. This book will hook stronger readers with the lyrical writing and world-building, and even less-strong readers will be drawn to the story because of the fairy-tale tie-in. There is already a waiting list at my library just from this book sitting on my desk for the past week. I will be recommending it to fans of Beastly and Of Beast and Beauty, as well as my kids who can't get enough fantasy.
Recommended for: tweens, teens, fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings
Red Flags: Beauty "accidentally" shoots her cousin, but the scene isn't graphic
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Goodreads FirstReads program for the purposes of review.
March 10, 2018
The first half of the book we don't even encounter the Beast, but we're told how Beauty grew up and how she became the way she is. Although she isn't your classic beauty - her eyes are violet and her skin is silver. And the Beast?
Well he isn't like you might imagine from Disney... He's more like a griffin.
The second half (or should I say the last third?) of the book is the interaction between the Beauty and the Beast. It is well written, although at moments I was frustrated, because I felt the story was incomplete. There were some points I wished that were more thoroughly discussed like in the first half.
At first I thought that maybe this book isn't for me, because I really didn't get how this was a retelling of the classic, but in the end I was like this:
All because , but we really have absolutely no idea how the story really ends, because there is sort of a CLIFFHANGER!!! And guess what? There is NO sequel.
Well he isn't like you might imagine from Disney... He's more like a griffin.
The second half (or should I say the last third?) of the book is the interaction between the Beauty and the Beast. It is well written, although at moments I was frustrated, because I felt the story was incomplete. There were some points I wished that were more thoroughly discussed like in the first half.
At first I thought that maybe this book isn't for me, because I really didn't get how this was a retelling of the classic, but in the end I was like this:
All because , but we really have absolutely no idea how the story really ends, because there is sort of a CLIFFHANGER!!! And guess what? There is NO sequel.
March 7, 2014
I have read this book a while back, and it still sticks out to me because it's really different from all of those highly-named books that I read all of the time.
This book makes you embrace fairytales all over again. But then we aren't really children anymore and that's why there's a dark plot twist, just waiting for you to indulge in.
Roses is all about finding your imperfections and having people give you those glances to make certain that those flaws are actually there. You go through years of how Beauty feels before she reaches Beast and what she's meant to do.
Magic is something that is featured here so there is no need to be afraid of some dull plot line.
I actually won this book off of Goodreads as a giveaway and since I had a whole load of books piled on my desk that I had to read, I gave it to my friend to read first and she said it was amazing. It's a shocker because half of my friends don't like to read and this friend would be judging it against Beauty and the Beast from Disney.
When the book ends, it just leaves you hanging.
I have e-mailed the author and she has told me that there will be a sequel coming out. I also checked today that there was a companion called Buds.
So happy reading.
This book makes you embrace fairytales all over again. But then we aren't really children anymore and that's why there's a dark plot twist, just waiting for you to indulge in.
Roses is all about finding your imperfections and having people give you those glances to make certain that those flaws are actually there. You go through years of how Beauty feels before she reaches Beast and what she's meant to do.
Magic is something that is featured here so there is no need to be afraid of some dull plot line.
I actually won this book off of Goodreads as a giveaway and since I had a whole load of books piled on my desk that I had to read, I gave it to my friend to read first and she said it was amazing. It's a shocker because half of my friends don't like to read and this friend would be judging it against Beauty and the Beast from Disney.
When the book ends, it just leaves you hanging.
I have e-mailed the author and she has told me that there will be a sequel coming out. I also checked today that there was a companion called Buds.
So happy reading.
February 12, 2015
A lovely, imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The writing flowed beautifully and was perfectly adapted to the tone and the pace of the story. The ending did feel a little rushed compared to the rest, which established the story in a detailed and patient manner. But, still, a highly enjoyable tale and an impressive debut.
I am most definitely looking forward to the sequel and the answers it will provide.
The writing flowed beautifully and was perfectly adapted to the tone and the pace of the story. The ending did feel a little rushed compared to the rest, which established the story in a detailed and patient manner. But, still, a highly enjoyable tale and an impressive debut.
I am most definitely looking forward to the sequel and the answers it will provide.
April 14, 2019
This is such a charming rendition of Beauty and the Beast! A unique aspect of it is that you don't even begin the retelling part until about 3/4 of the way through the book. Before that its it's own tale of a young woman growing up in adversity and prejudice against her simply for her looks. There are so many parts that flip the classic tale on end and just as you start to roll your eyes at yet another retell that has her dressed in a golden ball gown, she chooses a different color and then refuses to dance! there are a few unanswered questions, but they are easy to forgive.
Definitely a must read for any avid Beauty and the Beast fans out there
Definitely a must read for any avid Beauty and the Beast fans out there
April 27, 2020
Lovely book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series
June 6, 2024
I loved this book; I could not put it down! I adored the character Beauty and the unique take on her with silvery skin and violet eyes. It really made her stand apart, along with the origin of her name. I also loved Beast's character and how much he adored reading and taught Beauty to read, fostering her love for books as well. Their relationship blossomed naturally and never felt rushed. The only thing I would say is I wish the ending wasn't so rushed; I would have loved to know what happened with the whole war. But besides that, the entire book was so sweet, and the side characters, especially Owaine, were ones to fall in love with. Owaine was a fantastic father to Beauty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2023
That was like what Stephen King would have written if he was rewriting Beauty and the Beast
January 18, 2014
The Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite disney movies and, overall, one of my favourite stories, so of course I was going to read this book when it was release. Especially because I know the author. However, that didn't affect my opinion of this book at all.
Roses opens in an eerie ward with the birth of a 'creature' that people always seem to recoil at and throughout her childhood, she is mistreated by pretty much everyone and is named Beauty purely as a cruel jest. That is, by everyone except for a man named Owaine. Without spoiling the novel, he becomes an important part of the story, particularly when it comes to the introduction of the Beast. We follow Beauty as she grows and changes and learns more about herself and who- and what- she is.
This book was really well written, in one of my favourite writing styles. It's both descriptive and explanatory whilst remaining intriguing, engaging and thought provoking, something that I have found lacking in several young adult novels. It was beautifully done, with captivating insights into the world and the characters and overall, I really enjoyed reading it. It was pleasing on the eyes and it was more than just a quick and easy read: I really had to think about what I was reading and look deeper into the words than I was anticipating.
This leant very well to the plot, which flowed from chapter to chapter in what felt like a very traditional way. We were given glimpses into the life of Beauty at exactly the moments we needed to see and the space in between was briefly and necessarily explained so that the transitions from events to events were seamless. Since the story was relatively slow paced, focusing more on character development, the writing style and the structuring really enhanced the experience. I found the plot enjoyable and interesting, with believable reasons behind ever choice, consequence and action, and not just some mindless adventure for the sake of mindless adventure.
Because of the characters, this book stood out to me, because we had incredibly developed characters, whose lives I genuinely grew to care about, whose voices sounded brilliantly off the page. At the heart of the novel, it is a story about bullying, but Mannering doesn't lecture us about it- rather, she shows us what affects bullying has on children, especially for their appearance. Isole is the main culprit of these, a woman who is older and therefore should be the motherly and loving figure, but instead is vicious and cruel out of jealousy. I couldn't stand her character and I had to put down the book several times to calm down from her actions in order to continue. She is inherently selfish, a fact that is displayed to us throughout the book. However, Owaine and Beauty were marvellous characters. Owaine melted my heart in so many ways . His character shined for being the only one who could see past Beauty's different appearance and see the kind and caring girl that she really was and it was beautiful to see their relationship grow and to see Beauty with a father she cared about after all her abuse. In that sense, the book seemed to highlight a message that blood is not everything in family (although it does show through the amulet that it is in fact important) but it also shows that it is just love that makes us family. I also liked Beauty as a character, for she was interesting and had possibly the most growth of any character I have ever read in a book, for she changed so much and became such a different and strong person by the end. It was wonderful to see someone go through so much and still come out as the better.
A few people seem to mention that the ending was rushed. I don't think it was rushed so much as unexpected and a lot happened. There was definitely a lot of set up for a sequel, and I wonder if the last few chapters could have been a little more drawn out but I didn't have a problem with it at all. I thought it was nicely tied together, with a few lose ends for continuation.
Overall, I loved this book so much. More like a 4.5 star book, but I definitely liked it the most out of the books I've read so far and I really hope that there is a sequel soon. Roses was such a wonderful debut.
(I apologise if this review is a bit skewiff- I am writing this at 7am after no sleep, so I'm pretty wrecked)
Roses opens in an eerie ward with the birth of a 'creature' that people always seem to recoil at and throughout her childhood, she is mistreated by pretty much everyone and is named Beauty purely as a cruel jest. That is, by everyone except for a man named Owaine. Without spoiling the novel, he becomes an important part of the story, particularly when it comes to the introduction of the Beast. We follow Beauty as she grows and changes and learns more about herself and who- and what- she is.
This book was really well written, in one of my favourite writing styles. It's both descriptive and explanatory whilst remaining intriguing, engaging and thought provoking, something that I have found lacking in several young adult novels. It was beautifully done, with captivating insights into the world and the characters and overall, I really enjoyed reading it. It was pleasing on the eyes and it was more than just a quick and easy read: I really had to think about what I was reading and look deeper into the words than I was anticipating.
This leant very well to the plot, which flowed from chapter to chapter in what felt like a very traditional way. We were given glimpses into the life of Beauty at exactly the moments we needed to see and the space in between was briefly and necessarily explained so that the transitions from events to events were seamless. Since the story was relatively slow paced, focusing more on character development, the writing style and the structuring really enhanced the experience. I found the plot enjoyable and interesting, with believable reasons behind ever choice, consequence and action, and not just some mindless adventure for the sake of mindless adventure.
Because of the characters, this book stood out to me, because we had incredibly developed characters, whose lives I genuinely grew to care about, whose voices sounded brilliantly off the page. At the heart of the novel, it is a story about bullying, but Mannering doesn't lecture us about it- rather, she shows us what affects bullying has on children, especially for their appearance. Isole is the main culprit of these, a woman who is older and therefore should be the motherly and loving figure, but instead is vicious and cruel out of jealousy. I couldn't stand her character and I had to put down the book several times to calm down from her actions in order to continue. She is inherently selfish, a fact that is displayed to us throughout the book. However, Owaine and Beauty were marvellous characters. Owaine melted my heart in so many ways . His character shined for being the only one who could see past Beauty's different appearance and see the kind and caring girl that she really was and it was beautiful to see their relationship grow and to see Beauty with a father she cared about after all her abuse. In that sense, the book seemed to highlight a message that blood is not everything in family (although it does show through the amulet that it is in fact important) but it also shows that it is just love that makes us family. I also liked Beauty as a character, for she was interesting and had possibly the most growth of any character I have ever read in a book, for she changed so much and became such a different and strong person by the end. It was wonderful to see someone go through so much and still come out as the better.
A few people seem to mention that the ending was rushed. I don't think it was rushed so much as unexpected and a lot happened. There was definitely a lot of set up for a sequel, and I wonder if the last few chapters could have been a little more drawn out but I didn't have a problem with it at all. I thought it was nicely tied together, with a few lose ends for continuation.
Overall, I loved this book so much. More like a 4.5 star book, but I definitely liked it the most out of the books I've read so far and I really hope that there is a sequel soon. Roses was such a wonderful debut.
(I apologise if this review is a bit skewiff- I am writing this at 7am after no sleep, so I'm pretty wrecked)
November 12, 2014
4.5 stars.
Beauty, who isn’t even given a name for quite some time in the book, is born in a pauper’s hospital to a mother who disappears immediately after giving birth in the city of Pervorocco. Her mother’s disappearance isn’t the only shocking thing about her birth, as she is born with silvery skin, white hair and violet eyes. Unsure of what to do with her, the nurse and doctor are relieved to discover a medal bearing a rose next to where she was born, indicating that her family is of the House of Rose.
Not to give anything away, but if you’re hoping for a standard retelling with a twist of Beauty and the Beast, you’ll be in for a shock when you read this book. It has more twists, tweaks and turns on the fairy tale than you can imagine. And if you’re also expecting the story to focus mostly on Beauty and Beast, don’t, as he doesn’t even show up for quite some time. At first I was a bit irked because while I can appreciate anticipation making the payoff all that much greater, it took so freaking long for it to resemble the story I’m familiar with, which wasn’t what I was expecting (by the way, this was a gift, I really didn’t have much of an idea what the book was about, just that it was a loose retelling of the fairy tale), but in the end I really appreciated the way the author turned it into something vastly different than a mere regurgitation of the original.
I really thought this was a standalone book, but as it went on, and especially as I got closer to the end, I realized this would most likely require a sequel, if not more books, depending on how the next one goes (though I could definitely see this just being a duology). Once I realized a sequel was coming, I sort of hoped that Beast wouldn’t change until the next book, just to shake up the Beauty and the Beast story more (yeah, I know, it’s already been shaken up a lot, but since I’ve never seen any incarnation of it be more than a single book…). But then, when I realized
One of the reasons I gave this book 4.5 stars, but bumped it up to 5 instead of giving it 4, is because of the creative and unique way in which the tale of Beauty and the Beast was retold. And the whole magical aspect, while existing in the original, otherwise how else would a man be turned into a beast, was multiplied times a thousand here, adding a nice twist to the plot and really helping to expand the story.
That’s not to say there weren’t things I didn’t like in the book. While the world building was good, some things weren’t explained well, which was a bit grating. For instance, people seem to live much longer than they do in the real world. It was talked about how Beauty was what would have been a teenager in any other world, but here, she was still only a child (Ma Dane must be around sixty, yet she has a young son). Also, the names were a bit odd, what with all the hyphens and Ma and Pa, it was just a little weird. And I know the Hillanders were seemingly a bit less educated than those in Sago, or else they just had worse grammar, but the “yurs” started getting to me a bit (I practically squealed with joy when Owaine threw out a “you” on page 157, which was probably a mistake by the author and editor, but still…), simply because it slowed down my reading by always having to read “yur” instead of the “you” my mind wanted to insert into each sentence.
Though initially frustrating, once you realize the story isn’t going to follow the path you might think it should, you’ll be able to appreciate the creativeness of the author as well as the rather good story and characters she’s created and just enjoy where the plot takes you. I look forward to reading the sequel to Roses.
Beauty, who isn’t even given a name for quite some time in the book, is born in a pauper’s hospital to a mother who disappears immediately after giving birth in the city of Pervorocco. Her mother’s disappearance isn’t the only shocking thing about her birth, as she is born with silvery skin, white hair and violet eyes. Unsure of what to do with her, the nurse and doctor are relieved to discover a medal bearing a rose next to where she was born, indicating that her family is of the House of Rose.
Not to give anything away, but if you’re hoping for a standard retelling with a twist of Beauty and the Beast, you’ll be in for a shock when you read this book. It has more twists, tweaks and turns on the fairy tale than you can imagine. And if you’re also expecting the story to focus mostly on Beauty and Beast, don’t, as he doesn’t even show up for quite some time. At first I was a bit irked because while I can appreciate anticipation making the payoff all that much greater, it took so freaking long for it to resemble the story I’m familiar with, which wasn’t what I was expecting (by the way, this was a gift, I really didn’t have much of an idea what the book was about, just that it was a loose retelling of the fairy tale), but in the end I really appreciated the way the author turned it into something vastly different than a mere regurgitation of the original.
I really thought this was a standalone book, but as it went on, and especially as I got closer to the end, I realized this would most likely require a sequel, if not more books, depending on how the next one goes (though I could definitely see this just being a duology). Once I realized a sequel was coming, I sort of hoped that Beast wouldn’t change until the next book, just to shake up the Beauty and the Beast story more (yeah, I know, it’s already been shaken up a lot, but since I’ve never seen any incarnation of it be more than a single book…). But then, when I realized
One of the reasons I gave this book 4.5 stars, but bumped it up to 5 instead of giving it 4, is because of the creative and unique way in which the tale of Beauty and the Beast was retold. And the whole magical aspect, while existing in the original, otherwise how else would a man be turned into a beast, was multiplied times a thousand here, adding a nice twist to the plot and really helping to expand the story.
That’s not to say there weren’t things I didn’t like in the book. While the world building was good, some things weren’t explained well, which was a bit grating. For instance, people seem to live much longer than they do in the real world. It was talked about how Beauty was what would have been a teenager in any other world, but here, she was still only a child (Ma Dane must be around sixty, yet she has a young son). Also, the names were a bit odd, what with all the hyphens and Ma and Pa, it was just a little weird. And I know the Hillanders were seemingly a bit less educated than those in Sago, or else they just had worse grammar, but the “yurs” started getting to me a bit (I practically squealed with joy when Owaine threw out a “you” on page 157, which was probably a mistake by the author and editor, but still…), simply because it slowed down my reading by always having to read “yur” instead of the “you” my mind wanted to insert into each sentence.
Though initially frustrating, once you realize the story isn’t going to follow the path you might think it should, you’ll be able to appreciate the creativeness of the author as well as the rather good story and characters she’s created and just enjoy where the plot takes you. I look forward to reading the sequel to Roses.
November 17, 2013
I love fairy tales and one of my favorites is Beauty and the Beast. I’ve read different versions and loved them all, some more than others, thus when I was offered the opportunity to review Roses I grateful accepted it. Roses is more a high fantasy than fairy tale and it was a phenomenal read.
As I said, Roses is a fantasy, as such the world building takes some time and I have to confess of a bit of confusion at times (like they measure time in moon cycles?). The world of the Western Realm is very diverse and a country at war. There is a chiasmic and unfair division of classes in the city of Sago and also a war between “normal” people and Magic Beings and Magic Bloods. People, as it always happen, are afraid of what they don’t understand and revel against it. The world built by Mannering is exquisite in its detail and uniqueness.
The story of Beauty is heartbreaking. She looks very different, with silver skin, white hair, and amethyst eyes and most people are terrified of her. The first years of her life are awful, she is either neglected, ignored, abused or shown like a circus animal. She is mockingly named Beauty after years without even a name. Her only solace are the horses and Owaine Ma Dane’s horse trainer. When the Magic Cleansing starts, Owaine and Beauty flee the city to the Hillands to Owaine’s place of origin.
Here Beauty is also feared, but is more accepted. She finds peace and the love of his new father Owaine. The story intertwines the magical persecution with the story of B&B. The Beast is truly terrifying and more ‘beastly’ and ugly that any I’ve read before. Also, the enchantment was done by a Magic Blood to a general (not a prince) and his soldiers. I really liked Beast and how patience he was with Beauty. I’m also happy that Beauty learned at least some answers about her past, even if everything was snatched quite fast.
The story is slow, it spans from the beginning of Beauty’s life until the ‘end’ of the story of Beauty and the Beast. It is obvious that this is the first book of a series, as the ending was a non-ending, or rather the beginning of Beauty’s involvement in the war. The plot is complicated and the story of B&B is just one of the layers of the intricate fantasy with magical and political undertones. The writing is descriptive and eloquent with minimal dialogue. The part that I enjoyed the most was (as expected) when Beast came into the story (until almost 200 pages!); it felt like an intermission of the real story (like one story within another).
Overall, Roses is a great read. It is not exactly a retelling of B&B, but it seems like a high fantasy built around it. I’m very curious to know where the story line will go next.
About the cover: The cover is much prettier in person. The vine or roses are black and shiny and very appropriate (as is the title) to the story.
As I said, Roses is a fantasy, as such the world building takes some time and I have to confess of a bit of confusion at times (like they measure time in moon cycles?). The world of the Western Realm is very diverse and a country at war. There is a chiasmic and unfair division of classes in the city of Sago and also a war between “normal” people and Magic Beings and Magic Bloods. People, as it always happen, are afraid of what they don’t understand and revel against it. The world built by Mannering is exquisite in its detail and uniqueness.
The story of Beauty is heartbreaking. She looks very different, with silver skin, white hair, and amethyst eyes and most people are terrified of her. The first years of her life are awful, she is either neglected, ignored, abused or shown like a circus animal. She is mockingly named Beauty after years without even a name. Her only solace are the horses and Owaine Ma Dane’s horse trainer. When the Magic Cleansing starts, Owaine and Beauty flee the city to the Hillands to Owaine’s place of origin.
Here Beauty is also feared, but is more accepted. She finds peace and the love of his new father Owaine. The story intertwines the magical persecution with the story of B&B. The Beast is truly terrifying and more ‘beastly’ and ugly that any I’ve read before. Also, the enchantment was done by a Magic Blood to a general (not a prince) and his soldiers. I really liked Beast and how patience he was with Beauty. I’m also happy that Beauty learned at least some answers about her past, even if everything was snatched quite fast.
The story is slow, it spans from the beginning of Beauty’s life until the ‘end’ of the story of Beauty and the Beast. It is obvious that this is the first book of a series, as the ending was a non-ending, or rather the beginning of Beauty’s involvement in the war. The plot is complicated and the story of B&B is just one of the layers of the intricate fantasy with magical and political undertones. The writing is descriptive and eloquent with minimal dialogue. The part that I enjoyed the most was (as expected) when Beast came into the story (until almost 200 pages!); it felt like an intermission of the real story (like one story within another).
Overall, Roses is a great read. It is not exactly a retelling of B&B, but it seems like a high fantasy built around it. I’m very curious to know where the story line will go next.
About the cover: The cover is much prettier in person. The vine or roses are black and shiny and very appropriate (as is the title) to the story.
October 16, 2013
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads. This is a retelling of the classic story of Beauty and the Beast. Beauty is called such in derision, for she is not beautiful in this world. Born with silvery skin and amethyst eyes, she looks very different from anyone else. Abandoned at birth and taken in by someone with a mysterious connection to her, Beauty grows up unloved and unseen. Her very appearance is a threat for it is a sign of magical blood and there are those who seek to eradicate all who are Magics. She flees and begins a new life in a farming community, far away from what she has known. The people here, too, fear her, but as the years go by she becomes a part of the community and earns some respect as a horse trainer, although people never completely lose their fear of her. She stays until the State officials come looking for her once again, and thus she begins a new journey which brings her to the Beast.
I loved the world this author created and she told Beauty's story in a fresh, new way. She portrays Beauty as isolated and feared because of her appearance. What kept me from giving this book five stars is that the last 75 pages or so felt very rushed, as if the author was trying to wrap up all the loose ends as quickly as she could to be done with the book. Beauty and Beast do not meet until the latter 1/3 of the book and at first, the author shows their developing relationship with care. However, then she appeared to lose interest in winding this story up as carefully as she crafted it in the beginning. The Beast has a vision in which he sees that Beauty's father, who she has never met and doesn't even know, is the very man who made him into the Beast. A Magic, no less. So what does this mean? We never really find out. Beauty goes into battle, wraps it up in a few pages, comes back to the castle where a dying Beast and Beauty declare their love for each other, he is turned once again into a healthy man, and the story is over.
This is a small complaint, for overall the book is excellent, and I simply wanted the author to take more care with the ending as she did with it's beginning and middle. I don't know if there are more books to come in this story, but I look forward to them and learning more about this world the author has created.
I loved the world this author created and she told Beauty's story in a fresh, new way. She portrays Beauty as isolated and feared because of her appearance. What kept me from giving this book five stars is that the last 75 pages or so felt very rushed, as if the author was trying to wrap up all the loose ends as quickly as she could to be done with the book. Beauty and Beast do not meet until the latter 1/3 of the book and at first, the author shows their developing relationship with care. However, then she appeared to lose interest in winding this story up as carefully as she crafted it in the beginning. The Beast has a vision in which he sees that Beauty's father, who she has never met and doesn't even know, is the very man who made him into the Beast. A Magic, no less. So what does this mean? We never really find out. Beauty goes into battle, wraps it up in a few pages, comes back to the castle where a dying Beast and Beauty declare their love for each other, he is turned once again into a healthy man, and the story is over.
This is a small complaint, for overall the book is excellent, and I simply wanted the author to take more care with the ending as she did with it's beginning and middle. I don't know if there are more books to come in this story, but I look forward to them and learning more about this world the author has created.
May 5, 2015
I read the Kindle edition of G.R. Mannering's Roses in two days' time…remaining awake till 2:00 am to finish it. I love books that keep me drawn into the plot and the characters - and this book did just that very successfully. A dark retelling of "the tale as old as time," this YA novel touched on much more than just Beauty and the Beast and the romance circulating around them. The author created a fascinating, spell-binding old world filled with Magic Bloods and Magic Beings and the human beings who "feared them from not understanding them." A tortured soul from birth, Beauty is the child of Magic blood with silvery skin, white hair, and amethyst eyes. My heart truly went out to Beauty. Everyone she meets is cruel and unkind to her (except Owaine) simply because of her outward appearance. Beauty also undergoes much character change throughout the book - and in the end I learned that I really liked her character. But more so my favorite character of them all was probably Beast. He reminded me so much of Disney's Beast that I couldn't help but like him, even with his temper early on with Beauty. I noted some pleasing similarities in this retelling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast - even some of the words that Beauty and Beast said matched the Disney film, and some of the happenings were very much alike. However, near the ending so much happened in such a condensed space that I felt the conclusion was rushed, and the ending left many, many openings for a sequel when this could have been wrapped up neatly in a bigger volume. There were loopholes and story elements left unanswered - and while I admire the ambiguity and the author's challenge to think of the story between the lines - this grand novel deserves a grand ending. Overall, however, I enjoyed the book greatly - Roses is a wonderful book that stands out among other YA novels - the prose was done beautifully and the characters come alive. A great young adult read full of imaginative fantasy and enchantment!
July 10, 2016
In Wicked, Gregory Maguire reinvented the land of Oz and completely changed the way we look at the Wicked Witch of the West. In G.R. Mannering’s Roses, the oft-retold fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast” gets a similar modern fantasy treatment. Taking place in the fictional land of Sago, Roses documents the life of Beauty, a strange, silvery-skinned girl with amethyst-colored eyes who lives a miserable existence with her cruel Aunt Dane. Left on her aunt’s doorstep by her mother years earlier, Aunt Dane considers Beauty a freak and a burden—clearly someone of Magic Blood, considering her appearance. The only person who seems to care about Beauty’s well-being at all is the kindly Owaine, the head of the House’s stables. When a genocide targeting Magic Bloods begins to sweep throughout the land, Owaine leads Beauty from the dangerous cities to the rural Hillands, where life continues to be difficult. Her appearance continues to inspire fear and disgust, and Owaine’s daughter considers her to be competition for her father’s affections. When Owaine is cursed by a mysterious beast for stealing a rose from his enchanted garden, Beauty quickly offers her own life to save his. Meanwhile, enemies from the past threaten the Hillands and everything she loves.
So, what makes Roses different from other retellings? The world-building details, for one. For another, the unusual decision to make Beauty not so much a “Beauty” but a strange half-Fae hybrid adds a different element to the story that you don’t see in other versions. The Beast, on the other hand, is not nearly as interesting as he could be. He is, more or less, a beastly creature who lives in a castle, and quickly comes to fall in love with the heroine. Their interactions and courtship are to be as expected, and the ending is somewhat rushed. Overall, though, Roses is a worthy retelling, full of imagination and with plenty of potential for future sequels. Recommended for Ages 16-18.
So, what makes Roses different from other retellings? The world-building details, for one. For another, the unusual decision to make Beauty not so much a “Beauty” but a strange half-Fae hybrid adds a different element to the story that you don’t see in other versions. The Beast, on the other hand, is not nearly as interesting as he could be. He is, more or less, a beastly creature who lives in a castle, and quickly comes to fall in love with the heroine. Their interactions and courtship are to be as expected, and the ending is somewhat rushed. Overall, though, Roses is a worthy retelling, full of imagination and with plenty of potential for future sequels. Recommended for Ages 16-18.
December 16, 2013
I was offered this book from the author, who apparently knew my weakness for Beauty and the Beast stories.
I was really looking forward to this because I love fairy tale retellings. They have the same themes as other novels, but they just have a different, magical feel about them that I love. And Beauty and the Beast is easily my favorite story to read.
This story did a lot of things well and a few things that could have been improved on. I thought Beauty and the characters around her were incredibly well done. The story is told from a third person narrator, so it allows us to know more about the characters than we could possibly know if it was coming straight from Beauty's eyes.
Also with the characters, you really have a lot of time to get to know them. There are quite a few characters in the story, but you get to know most of them before it moves on to the next group of characters. That was helpful. I really connect with characters in a story more than anything else, so this was great.
It's definitely a more fantastical approach to this fairy tale than some. There are Magic Beings and Magic Bloods in the story who are an oppressed and terrifying group of people. Politics behind that show through. It's not just a straight Beauty and the Beast retelling. There's far more to it than that. In fact, you never even meet the beast until over halfway through the book.
Which leads me into what I didn't necessarily like. I didn't like that it took so long for the beast to come in. I really liked how the story was told, but I wished he was in it more. He was a great character and I just felt that his parts were rushed.
And the ending felt incredibly rushed. Everything important takes place in less than 10 pages. The last 10 pages at that. I would have really liked it if there had been more to it than that. That's the best part of the story!
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book.
I was really looking forward to this because I love fairy tale retellings. They have the same themes as other novels, but they just have a different, magical feel about them that I love. And Beauty and the Beast is easily my favorite story to read.
This story did a lot of things well and a few things that could have been improved on. I thought Beauty and the characters around her were incredibly well done. The story is told from a third person narrator, so it allows us to know more about the characters than we could possibly know if it was coming straight from Beauty's eyes.
Also with the characters, you really have a lot of time to get to know them. There are quite a few characters in the story, but you get to know most of them before it moves on to the next group of characters. That was helpful. I really connect with characters in a story more than anything else, so this was great.
It's definitely a more fantastical approach to this fairy tale than some. There are Magic Beings and Magic Bloods in the story who are an oppressed and terrifying group of people. Politics behind that show through. It's not just a straight Beauty and the Beast retelling. There's far more to it than that. In fact, you never even meet the beast until over halfway through the book.
Which leads me into what I didn't necessarily like. I didn't like that it took so long for the beast to come in. I really liked how the story was told, but I wished he was in it more. He was a great character and I just felt that his parts were rushed.
And the ending felt incredibly rushed. Everything important takes place in less than 10 pages. The last 10 pages at that. I would have really liked it if there had been more to it than that. That's the best part of the story!
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book.
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