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Beast
I am Beast. I serve the master.
For as long as Beast can remember, she has lived among her master's dogs. With them she sleeps. With them she eats. With them she fights and struggles to survive. But through hunger and cold she dreams of one day becoming her master’s favorite, earning bones with meat and a place beside the fire.
When her pack scatters after a surprise raid, Beast must defend herself against slavers, hunting down the loners.
They are so strong, and she is only a beast . . . or is she?
For anyone who has found a monster within, Beast is a tale of truth and transformation.
For as long as Beast can remember, she has lived among her master's dogs. With them she sleeps. With them she eats. With them she fights and struggles to survive. But through hunger and cold she dreams of one day becoming her master’s favorite, earning bones with meat and a place beside the fire.
When her pack scatters after a surprise raid, Beast must defend herself against slavers, hunting down the loners.
They are so strong, and she is only a beast . . . or is she?
For anyone who has found a monster within, Beast is a tale of truth and transformation.
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2016
7 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 19, 2024
2nd re-read
I love this book more every time I reread it, I think in part because the message becomes dearer to me every time I re-read it. Thoughts after finishing it this time: It's intense and slightly dark and the characters and relationships are at times messy, but it's so beautiful and hopeful and full of truth. I teared up or cried a little several times on this re-read. I still have questions about some of the worldbuilding and logic and such and still feel like you kind of have to treat it like a classic fairy tale or perhaps a fable where not everything is totally realistic, and it isn't a perfect allegory, but it still rings so true and relatable. Just...yeah, a beautiful story of Christ's love and our identity as children of God.
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4.5 stars, reread
The paperback copy of this must have been dusty, because I just got...something...in my eye...several times. 😉 The style isn't my favorite, but the story is interesting and the message is just. So. Good. If you love redemption stories, stories about self worth and not letting others and their lies or your own mistakes and shortcomings define your identity or value, and knowing that there is only One opinion that matters--and that One gives unconditional love--you'll likely love this.
I love this book more every time I reread it, I think in part because the message becomes dearer to me every time I re-read it. Thoughts after finishing it this time: It's intense and slightly dark and the characters and relationships are at times messy, but it's so beautiful and hopeful and full of truth. I teared up or cried a little several times on this re-read. I still have questions about some of the worldbuilding and logic and such and still feel like you kind of have to treat it like a classic fairy tale or perhaps a fable where not everything is totally realistic, and it isn't a perfect allegory, but it still rings so true and relatable. Just...yeah, a beautiful story of Christ's love and our identity as children of God.
--
4.5 stars, reread
The paperback copy of this must have been dusty, because I just got...something...in my eye...several times. 😉 The style isn't my favorite, but the story is interesting and the message is just. So. Good. If you love redemption stories, stories about self worth and not letting others and their lies or your own mistakes and shortcomings define your identity or value, and knowing that there is only One opinion that matters--and that One gives unconditional love--you'll likely love this.
November 26, 2016
Ever doubt God loves you? Ever struggle with a lower than low self esteem? This story wrestles with those issues and is told from the perspective of an unlikely protagonist . . . a beast. But is it really a beast -- or is it you? I know, intriguing questions, right?
And a very intriguing story.
Just like life, the beast's circumstances go from bad to dire, yet has moments of kindness and seasons of love. Yet it's harder for her (yes, the beast is a female) to accept the good times instead of the bad because she feels like she is worthless. Through the efforts of a patient King and compassionate Princess, she eventually comes to see herself for what she is - a priceless creation. It's a beautiful parable of our own lives.
Chawna Schroeder's writing is fresh and well-crafted. I look forward to whatever her next book will be!
And a very intriguing story.
Just like life, the beast's circumstances go from bad to dire, yet has moments of kindness and seasons of love. Yet it's harder for her (yes, the beast is a female) to accept the good times instead of the bad because she feels like she is worthless. Through the efforts of a patient King and compassionate Princess, she eventually comes to see herself for what she is - a priceless creation. It's a beautiful parable of our own lives.
Chawna Schroeder's writing is fresh and well-crafted. I look forward to whatever her next book will be!
November 21, 2016
I loved this book! This is not a book everyone will love but I certainly did. It's different in a quirky sort of way but is a wonderful portrayal of God's unconditional love for each of his children. Without giving the plot away, in the character Beast, Ms Schroeder managed to portray what each of us feel at some time in our life and for many of us--all the time. After all there is a beast in each of us that we often manage to hide from the world but is with us always, lurking for just the right time to show itself.
I highly recommend BEAST by Chawna Shroeder. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
I highly recommend BEAST by Chawna Shroeder. I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
March 13, 2023
I can't remember what I was expecting when I went into this book, but what I got was a heart-wrenching story about a girl who couldn't recognize her worth and a King who never gave up on her.
Beast is an allegory about God's eternal and never-ending love for us, told through the lens of fantasy, and its message is one that will never be unneeded.
Like a few other reviewers, I did find the point-of-view to be a little strange at times, but it was also very humbling to see Majesty from Sarah's eyes.
I found this book to be VERY unique, and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to readers of Christian fantasy.
Note: At first glance, Beast might look like it's for a middle-grade or YA audience, but I would say that some of the content isn't suitable for / wouldn't be understood by readers on the younger end (12+ would be good, though!).
Content warnings: People dying, some tense scenes, slavery/forced labor, human trafficking, public beating/torture. (Just for reference, though, I read Beast to a close relative of mine who was 9-10 years old at the time, and she took the content fine. This just might not be the case for everyone).
Even now, I struggle to put my thoughts on this book into words. It was just an incredibly beautiful allegory. Chawna, if you ever see my review, I really hope you publish another book soon so I can read it! XD
I don't think I'll forget this story anytime soon.
Beast is an allegory about God's eternal and never-ending love for us, told through the lens of fantasy, and its message is one that will never be unneeded.
Like a few other reviewers, I did find the point-of-view to be a little strange at times, but it was also very humbling to see Majesty from Sarah's eyes.
I found this book to be VERY unique, and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to readers of Christian fantasy.
Note: At first glance, Beast might look like it's for a middle-grade or YA audience, but I would say that some of the content isn't suitable for / wouldn't be understood by readers on the younger end (12+ would be good, though!).
Content warnings: People dying, some tense scenes, slavery/forced labor, human trafficking, public beating/torture. (Just for reference, though, I read Beast to a close relative of mine who was 9-10 years old at the time, and she took the content fine. This just might not be the case for everyone).
Even now, I struggle to put my thoughts on this book into words. It was just an incredibly beautiful allegory. Chawna, if you ever see my review, I really hope you publish another book soon so I can read it! XD
I don't think I'll forget this story anytime soon.
September 9, 2016
Brilliant Debut!
A brilliant debut by Chawna Schroeder! Not only is Beast a page-turning story, but it's a thought-provoking, evocative metaphor about real, sacrificial love -- about learning to see ourselves as God sees us.
Schroeder also proves to be a beautiful wordsmith, penning phrases in a poetic and vivid manner. I will be purchasing an additional print book just so I can read through and highlight all the wisdom she imparts.
One of the best books I've read this year!
A brilliant debut by Chawna Schroeder! Not only is Beast a page-turning story, but it's a thought-provoking, evocative metaphor about real, sacrificial love -- about learning to see ourselves as God sees us.
Schroeder also proves to be a beautiful wordsmith, penning phrases in a poetic and vivid manner. I will be purchasing an additional print book just so I can read through and highlight all the wisdom she imparts.
One of the best books I've read this year!
January 20, 2021
3.5 stars
I zoomed through the first half of this. The premise alone was good and the promise of underlying meaning intrigued me further. The problem at around the middle wasn't so much the story, but just that I was hoping to start to see more growth in Sarah at that point. Instead there's a lot of back and forth in circumstances that ended up feeling tedious to me. I wasn't really sure what to hope for, there wasn't much growth in the characters, and it's painful to read. Again, maybe I just had too much expectation for where I wanted it to go. Others may find the turns the story takes interesting. 5 stars for the premise, the writing is well done, the twists just brought down the enjoyment overall for me.
I zoomed through the first half of this. The premise alone was good and the promise of underlying meaning intrigued me further. The problem at around the middle wasn't so much the story, but just that I was hoping to start to see more growth in Sarah at that point. Instead there's a lot of back and forth in circumstances that ended up feeling tedious to me. I wasn't really sure what to hope for, there wasn't much growth in the characters, and it's painful to read. Again, maybe I just had too much expectation for where I wanted it to go. Others may find the turns the story takes interesting. 5 stars for the premise, the writing is well done, the twists just brought down the enjoyment overall for me.
January 31, 2019
Like a grown-up fable or fairytale
4.5 stars. The only reason I'm not giving this a full five stars is because I spent about a third of the book being distracted by how confused I was about what Beast was and what she looked like. Which, was kind of the point, but made it hard to get into the story. Also HOW Beast ended up as she is at the beginning is never answered, although based on when we finally get a good idea of what she looks like, it can be partially guessed. And there were a few others things about her that never quite made logical sense and were slightly distracting. Basically, it just took awhile for me to suspend my disbelief enough to really get into the story. But even before that, the writing was engaging enough and the story interesting enough to keep me interested past my confusion. And then it really pulled me in. For what is in many ways allegory, I didn't find the plot completely predictable, and things often didn't work out in the most obvious way, which I really appreciate. The message about identity and God's love is so good, so well-done, and beautiful. I nearly teared up a couple times. It reminded me of an adult version of a fairytale or fable. Which, at first kinds threw me and I wasn't sure about--I tend to shy away from allegorical-type fiction because it can feel unoriginal. Not so with Beast. And while, yes, this story mostly exists to make a point, it does it so well, originally, and engagingly. Thinking od it as a fable from the start I think would have helped me get into it faster.
4.5 stars. The only reason I'm not giving this a full five stars is because I spent about a third of the book being distracted by how confused I was about what Beast was and what she looked like. Which, was kind of the point, but made it hard to get into the story. Also HOW Beast ended up as she is at the beginning is never answered, although based on when we finally get a good idea of what she looks like, it can be partially guessed. And there were a few others things about her that never quite made logical sense and were slightly distracting. Basically, it just took awhile for me to suspend my disbelief enough to really get into the story. But even before that, the writing was engaging enough and the story interesting enough to keep me interested past my confusion. And then it really pulled me in. For what is in many ways allegory, I didn't find the plot completely predictable, and things often didn't work out in the most obvious way, which I really appreciate. The message about identity and God's love is so good, so well-done, and beautiful. I nearly teared up a couple times. It reminded me of an adult version of a fairytale or fable. Which, at first kinds threw me and I wasn't sure about--I tend to shy away from allegorical-type fiction because it can feel unoriginal. Not so with Beast. And while, yes, this story mostly exists to make a point, it does it so well, originally, and engagingly. Thinking od it as a fable from the start I think would have helped me get into it faster.
February 2, 2022
An entrancing tale told first-person through the eyes of a young girl, "Beast", who has grown up feral with a pack of wolves. She does not notice that she is different, and while she can understand what humans are saying, she cannot speak. When her pack is raided and she is carted off to be sold at a slave market, the men only see her value as an amusement to hunt as a beast. She meets another young girl who's been captured by the slave traders. Tabby befriends the bedraggled Beast and gives her a new human name and a new hope, that they will be saved and go to live with Tabby's father. But will he come to save them? And will he even want such a beast?
With vivid imagery and intense scenes, Beast is captivating and beautiful. The first-person narration is exceptional and definitely makes the story. The allegory of redemptive love is highly beautiful and not overplayed. I would definitely recommend this book as a unique read for fantasy lovers!
https://boldreads.wordpress.com/2018/...
With vivid imagery and intense scenes, Beast is captivating and beautiful. The first-person narration is exceptional and definitely makes the story. The allegory of redemptive love is highly beautiful and not overplayed. I would definitely recommend this book as a unique read for fantasy lovers!
https://boldreads.wordpress.com/2018/...
June 6, 2017
3.5 stars This book grew on me as I read. It's definitely not the kind of book I usually pick up, I'm not great at picking up on allegory and I honestly didn't like the cover at all. But this book has a deeper message about Christ's love and acceptance of us, and I did get that in the end.
August 16, 2016
When the Master is killed and Beast is dragged away from the only home she ever knew. Along the journey she meets another girl named Tabby, who shows Beast her first human kindness.
But Beast has also made an enemy. Challenging "Two Eyes" as Beast dubs him, was a massive mistake. He will do anything to possess her, and conquer her. To live under his hand is a fate worse than death, but can she handle the alternative?
Tabby and her father offer her a place in their "pack". they don't seem to realize that she is Beast. She does not deserve such kindnesses.
When bad choices threaten to tear everything apart, and no one seems trustworthy, she must decide whether to fight for herself, or for her pack.
Is she Beast, as everyone has said? Or could she possibly be...Sarah?
Click here to read the rest of this review and safety ratings: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
But Beast has also made an enemy. Challenging "Two Eyes" as Beast dubs him, was a massive mistake. He will do anything to possess her, and conquer her. To live under his hand is a fate worse than death, but can she handle the alternative?
Tabby and her father offer her a place in their "pack". they don't seem to realize that she is Beast. She does not deserve such kindnesses.
When bad choices threaten to tear everything apart, and no one seems trustworthy, she must decide whether to fight for herself, or for her pack.
Is she Beast, as everyone has said? Or could she possibly be...Sarah?
Click here to read the rest of this review and safety ratings: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
March 7, 2017
The premise of this book intrigued me, but I also worried it could go wrong in a number of ways. Reading from the POV of a "Beast" character might get old after a while, or the allegory might be too basic and painfully obvious. I'm happy to report that none of these fears played out, instead Schroeder took the premise of a beast-girl trying to figure out her true identity and turned it into an action-packed, compelling read. The voice of Beast / Sarah was perfect. It was so interesting to see the world from her perspective, and I loved the many word choices that helped convey her unique mindset. It was so cool to see how she used her senses and knowledge of predator / prey dynamics to outsmart her enemies. And while the message of the allegory was easy to guess early on, Sarah's transformation was powerful, and the deeper meaning struck an emotional chord. I would highly recommend this book for fans of Christian allegory.
August 21, 2017
Is she human? Is she animal? Or something in between? Beast has grown up in a pack with the other dogs. She wants to please her master, but he’s a hard man. Then something happens, her world is upended, and Master is gone. She is sold to Two-Eyes whose purpose and main joy in life is to hunt. And Beast becomes the hunted.
Told in the present tense, we see the world through Beast’s eyes, as one who’s lost her pack, tries to escape the hunter, and desperately needs a place to call home. And the stakes? The fate of kingdoms hangs in the balance.
Chawna Schroeder has created a wonderful story of adventure, fantasy, and transformation. Well worth reading!
(I bought this book from the author at a book fair.)
Told in the present tense, we see the world through Beast’s eyes, as one who’s lost her pack, tries to escape the hunter, and desperately needs a place to call home. And the stakes? The fate of kingdoms hangs in the balance.
Chawna Schroeder has created a wonderful story of adventure, fantasy, and transformation. Well worth reading!
(I bought this book from the author at a book fair.)
September 12, 2016
I have really mixed feelings about Beast. I enjoyed parts of it while other parts were just hitting me over the head with its metaphors. There were also moments where I would pause and think "Huh?" or "Really?" As a story that is one big metaphor, it works well and very clearly gets its message across. It is also entertaining at parts. Unfortunately, there are odd parts of the book that just don't work outside the metaphor, and reminding myself that's what it is was really the only thing that allowed me to let those odd parts of the story slide. Ultimately, I think the story is OK. It's worth reading at least once.
March 14, 2017
I went into this book assuming it would be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but instead found it to be an allegory. Normally, I don't enjoy allegories because they feel to obvious/preachy with their message. But this story was not only very well written, but it was also a unique take on the allegory. If you enjoy allegories or if you're looking for a quick read to cleanse the pallet between epics, I recommend Beast to you.
March 8, 2023
Masterful storytelling that never fails to captivate the imagination! Chawna Schroeder creates beautiful tapestries of words that enthrall with their unique plots and delight with their unforgettable characters.
"Beast" takes the reader on a moving journey of transformation that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page. The main character Sarah is forever fixed in my heart. Highly recommend!
"Beast" takes the reader on a moving journey of transformation that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page. The main character Sarah is forever fixed in my heart. Highly recommend!
December 10, 2023
This book was amazing!
I picked it up on Thursday, started it Friday, and finished it on Sunday, it was at a perfect pace for my lil brain, and it was not in full heavy detail. which it what you may expect from a book that's mostly narration.
I loved the main character, and she felt very relatable.
I am surprised by how much I like it, as usually I don't read standalone novels lol.
I picked it up on Thursday, started it Friday, and finished it on Sunday, it was at a perfect pace for my lil brain, and it was not in full heavy detail. which it what you may expect from a book that's mostly narration.
I loved the main character, and she felt very relatable.
I am surprised by how much I like it, as usually I don't read standalone novels lol.
August 3, 2020
This book was very different from anything I had read before. I still don't know how I feel about it. The writing was okay. The story line itself was amazing. I loved the concept of beast. I wish it have more background as to where beast came from and why master kept her like a beast.
March 22, 2017
This story has nestled deep in my heart. I enjoyed watching the transformation of Beast through the love of the King. I highly recommend this book.
Read
July 30, 2019Heartfelt allegory about accepting the identity God gives His people.
October 7, 2024
It's not you it's me
I wanted to love this book, but it's not my style 😢
I wanted to love this book, but it's not my style 😢
August 30, 2019
Wow. I wasn't expecting this when I started the story.
Beast is a young girl (perhaps 12 years old) and she lives among the dogs of her master. The story is written from Beast's eyes. Beast does not speak, she growls, she runs on three of her four appendages (all legs to her), one of her legs is lame, she calls her hair fur. She doesn't name people, but rather calls them by characteristics (ex: her master is Master; the evil king Avery is Two-Eyes (he has one blue and one brown eye); good King Elroy is Majesty - ah, Tabby is Tabby, she becomes her "sister".
Beast's master's home is overrun one night and Beast is taken as a slave. Among the other slaves is a young girl named Tabby (Tabitha) who befriends her and gives her a name, Sarah. Tabby promises that her father will save them from being sold as slaves, but Sarah doesn't hold out much hope, she's never had anything to hope in before and, well, things just don't always work out the way we hope they will.
This is a story of God's love for us. I didn't get it until I met Majesty in the story, then it clicked. Beast is our nature before we meet Majesty - but here is where I separate from the story. Majesty calls her princess even before she gives up her Beast nature. Biblically, we give up the Beast, the sin, before we become His Princess. We have to accept Him, and Sarah hasn't done that when He begins to call her Princess Sarah. I wasn't sure if the book was going to follow the life of Jesus and it seemed like it would when Majesty is taken captive, but then the story goes in a different direction from the biblical account. So much shadows the life of Jesus, but I think mostly this is a story of how much God loves us, and our struggle to believe that we can accept His love and let Him change us.
This is a clean read and I recommend it.
Beast is a young girl (perhaps 12 years old) and she lives among the dogs of her master. The story is written from Beast's eyes. Beast does not speak, she growls, she runs on three of her four appendages (all legs to her), one of her legs is lame, she calls her hair fur. She doesn't name people, but rather calls them by characteristics (ex: her master is Master; the evil king Avery is Two-Eyes (he has one blue and one brown eye); good King Elroy is Majesty - ah, Tabby is Tabby, she becomes her "sister".
Beast's master's home is overrun one night and Beast is taken as a slave. Among the other slaves is a young girl named Tabby (Tabitha) who befriends her and gives her a name, Sarah. Tabby promises that her father will save them from being sold as slaves, but Sarah doesn't hold out much hope, she's never had anything to hope in before and, well, things just don't always work out the way we hope they will.
This is a story of God's love for us. I didn't get it until I met Majesty in the story, then it clicked. Beast is our nature before we meet Majesty - but here is where I separate from the story. Majesty calls her princess even before she gives up her Beast nature. Biblically, we give up the Beast, the sin, before we become His Princess. We have to accept Him, and Sarah hasn't done that when He begins to call her Princess Sarah. I wasn't sure if the book was going to follow the life of Jesus and it seemed like it would when Majesty is taken captive, but then the story goes in a different direction from the biblical account. So much shadows the life of Jesus, but I think mostly this is a story of how much God loves us, and our struggle to believe that we can accept His love and let Him change us.
This is a clean read and I recommend it.
January 30, 2023
Wowza! This freshly unique, edge-of-the-seat, hauntingly beautiful page-turner has been out for 6 years and I’ve only heard a few people mention it. Why isn’t everyone shouting about it from the highest heights? I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could.
As a rule, I really dislike first person present POV. But you know what? The narrative voice so thoroughly captivated me from the very first sentence that I NEVER EVEN NOTICED it was present tense until I had already read 3/4 of the book! This still flabbergasts me. And when I did notice, I didn’t give a fig because all I cared about was what would happen next.
The characters are amazingly 3-dimensional (except Majesty, but despite his presence permeating the whole novel, he has very little “on-screen” time, which is appropriate for the story). The POV character’s heightened awareness of sensory details gives us a super vivid setting. Be prepared to be immersed! The pacing moves along at a fast clip without ever seeming to rush. The tension coils and snaps through the pages like Two-Eyes’ whip. And the fights!
The internal Sarah/Beast war is perfectly balanced - and reflected by - the external battles she fights. Her character arc/faith journey is heart-breakingly familiar, relatable and so believable. The allegorical elements are engaging without being remotely derivative or predictable. I wept more than once and could barely see the last few pages through the wet hope overflowing my eyes. My heart is full-up and I fervently recommend you read this book!
As a rule, I really dislike first person present POV. But you know what? The narrative voice so thoroughly captivated me from the very first sentence that I NEVER EVEN NOTICED it was present tense until I had already read 3/4 of the book! This still flabbergasts me. And when I did notice, I didn’t give a fig because all I cared about was what would happen next.
The characters are amazingly 3-dimensional (except Majesty, but despite his presence permeating the whole novel, he has very little “on-screen” time, which is appropriate for the story). The POV character’s heightened awareness of sensory details gives us a super vivid setting. Be prepared to be immersed! The pacing moves along at a fast clip without ever seeming to rush. The tension coils and snaps through the pages like Two-Eyes’ whip. And the fights!
The internal Sarah/Beast war is perfectly balanced - and reflected by - the external battles she fights. Her character arc/faith journey is heart-breakingly familiar, relatable and so believable. The allegorical elements are engaging without being remotely derivative or predictable. I wept more than once and could barely see the last few pages through the wet hope overflowing my eyes. My heart is full-up and I fervently recommend you read this book!
January 24, 2024
"I am Beast. I serve Master." From these first words, I was hooked. Beast's unique view of the world pulled me in as her world developed and then shattered around her. Then we were off on one adventure after another, as Beast struggled to see who she truly was and accept a love she had never known before. Her story shaped inside this medieval world made for a setting where rules don't always apply and hidden dangers can lurk around every corner. There is such a stark contrast between the harsh treatment that Beast receives and the kindness, compassion, and love that she gets from Tabby and Majesty. It is moving and profound to see how hard it is for her to receive a love so foreign to her. When she finally sees her value as it is from Majesty's eyes, the monumental joy reverberates off the page. There was never a slow part. The pace was continually moving and holding my interest. The villain was present and real, making you feel the danger as he hunted her. There has not been a book that I have read in recent memory that had 0% romance and I didn't wish that there was more woven in. Beast did not need it. The story was perfectly balanced on its own with all of the heart, struggle, compassion, challenge, growth, and triumph it needed. Beast is an entertaining and satisfying tale with a deep message that pulls you in and teaches you about the pure and overflowing love of the Father.
January 5, 2025
Wow! I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it, but it seeped in and was amazing. It’s very imaginative and probably not for everyone, and I did step out of my normal genres in reading it. I’m glad I did. This author has an imagination that is beyond me. How did she ever think up a storyline like this?
If you like speculative fiction, you’ll love it. The main character is called Beast and while my mind can’t fully comprehend exactly what she is and how she came to be, I can fully identify with her. You’ll be fascinated with the storyline and the plot that keeps you captivated. There’s a strong message in this story about who we are and who we belong to and how He sees us. We may feel totally unable to be loved and unworthy, but it’s not true. The enemy will lie to us, we just need to listen to the truth.
Thanks, Chawna Schroeder, for blowing my mind and reminding me that I’m loved and will always be loved.
If you like speculative fiction, you’ll love it. The main character is called Beast and while my mind can’t fully comprehend exactly what she is and how she came to be, I can fully identify with her. You’ll be fascinated with the storyline and the plot that keeps you captivated. There’s a strong message in this story about who we are and who we belong to and how He sees us. We may feel totally unable to be loved and unworthy, but it’s not true. The enemy will lie to us, we just need to listen to the truth.
Thanks, Chawna Schroeder, for blowing my mind and reminding me that I’m loved and will always be loved.
November 17, 2024
An absolute masterpiece. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay, maybe this book is just hitting all the stops for me, but it has been a long time since any fantasy novel has tugged on my heartstrings so strongly. If you enjoy books about perseverance, courage, and children finally receiving the love they deserve, then PLEASE read Beast. It is also an excellently paced medieval adventure. The tone, age, and world building remind me a lot of The Shamer’s Daughter, which I loved, so that gives you a sense of taste. :) Dark, but with bright, heart-piercing hope shining through.
I also have admittedly always been fascinated by stories of ‘feral’ children who were found and helped. These stories show our deep interdependence as humans, and our capacity to help each other heal from even the deepest wounds. Though we will always carry the scars.
Okay, maybe this book is just hitting all the stops for me, but it has been a long time since any fantasy novel has tugged on my heartstrings so strongly. If you enjoy books about perseverance, courage, and children finally receiving the love they deserve, then PLEASE read Beast. It is also an excellently paced medieval adventure. The tone, age, and world building remind me a lot of The Shamer’s Daughter, which I loved, so that gives you a sense of taste. :) Dark, but with bright, heart-piercing hope shining through.
I also have admittedly always been fascinated by stories of ‘feral’ children who were found and helped. These stories show our deep interdependence as humans, and our capacity to help each other heal from even the deepest wounds. Though we will always carry the scars.
December 28, 2021
I know I posted a review for this book, but my books read says I did not. That's okay. Because now as the end of the year draws nigh, I can say this was the best novel I read this year.
Schroeder provoked me to anger and disgust with the bad guy. I was ready to throw the book at the wall. Why won't he leave Beast alone? Then I knew. The embodiment of evil himself never quits. As one writer said, a person will refuse to change until staying the same costs too much. Evil is as evil does and evil does as evil is.
What a heart wrenching, hope filling, temper boiling book! I am a better person (and older person) for having read it.
Schroeder provoked me to anger and disgust with the bad guy. I was ready to throw the book at the wall. Why won't he leave Beast alone? Then I knew. The embodiment of evil himself never quits. As one writer said, a person will refuse to change until staying the same costs too much. Evil is as evil does and evil does as evil is.
What a heart wrenching, hope filling, temper boiling book! I am a better person (and older person) for having read it.
August 15, 2022
If anyone told me that an author could take fantasy and use it to bring the word of God to her readers I would say it just cannot work. Well, Chawna certainly has the talent to do this in such an amazing way. This is a book that opens the love of Christ to all that read it through a "beast" who feels totally worthless and too sinful to be accepted by Magesty, when all along he just wanted to accept her as she was. Just like Christ wants to accept each one of us just as we are. Her characters were so well thought out and the entire book kept me wondering what would come next. 2 eyes portrayed Satan as Magesty portrayed Christ and beast each one of us who feel unworthy of Christ's love.
March 4, 2023
This story is unlike anything I've ever read. Told from the perspective of a girl who has lived among Master's dogs as long as she can remember, the main character believes she is a beast. The author's writing style communicates this so well: the prose is simple, yet striking and unexpected. Plot twists kept me guessing, high stakes kept me on the edge of my seat, and every character is memorable and well-rounded. And the SUBTEXT. Phenomenal. And of course, the allegory is so beautiful. Highly recommend!
December 8, 2021
This book is inspiring to read, it has fantastic images that stays in your head and i couldn't stop reading the book.
May 2, 2025
I had very mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand, my analytical brain kept protesting, “People don’t talk like that,” or “That reaction makes no sense,” or “This is totally a plot hole if anyone paid attention to it.” But the rest of my mind kept yelling, “Shush! It’s an allegory, and a beautiful one at that. Pipe down!” And that is most of what I have to say about it—Beast is a Christian allegory about a girl treated like an animal so long that she thinks of herself as one, until she is adopted by the King of the land. For the whole novel, she wavers between how she has seen herself her whole life and the new life offered to her by the King. And if you can duct-tape your analytical brain's mouth shut long enough, it is a beautiful thing to read.
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