Bryony and Roses

by T. Kingfisher

Bryony and her sisters have come down in the world. Their merchant father died trying to reclaim his fortune and left them to eke out a living in a village far from their home in the city.

But when Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?

Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she—or the Beast—are swallowed by them.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Beauty and The Beast

216 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2015

About the author

T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.

When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

fulfilling my 2021 goal to read one book each month by an author i love that i haven’t gotten around to reading yet

this beauty and the beast retelling is the very antidote i needed to erase the last B&B adaptation i read from my brain: For the Wolf, in which an incurious would-be heroine meanders through her captivity in an increasingly unstable environment while an uncommunicative semi-immortal man refuses to tell her how to help him keep the chaos at bay. and then they kiss and stuff.

this one is so much more to my liking, with a heroine who is efficient and level-headed, and a romance that is earned by *gasp* communication, conversation, getting to know one another, instead of a young woman's near-pathological fixation on what the love interest smells like and how his hair looks.

the lode-bearing parts of this story are pretty faithful to the beauty/beast original, with some modifications. first off, bryony is no beauty, and she's perfectly fine with that fact. secondly, she is not a virgin sacrifice (nor even a virgin) gifted to the beast by The Patriarch. here she stumbles half-frozen into her own fate—taking shelter from a blizzard in an enormous, seemingly unoccupied though well-kept house that seems to magically anticipate her needs. bryony and her horse fumblefoot eat, drink, rest and revive and, before departing for home, she takes a rose from the table for her sister ivy, whereupon the beast appears, reluctantly informing her* that this transgression has consequences and she belongs to the house now, ignorantia legis neminem excusat &yadda. he permits her to return home for a week to say her goodbyes to her beloved sisters and her even more beloved garden, and to pack anything she might require to make her new surroundings more tolerable.

to her credit, she doesn't weep or strategize how to avoid her fate—as practical as a jane austen heroine, she accepts her punishment and honors the rules.

her willingness to accept this situation makes sense because she's already experienced some significant upheaval in her life; her prospects for her future narrowed when her father lost their fortune and died in disgrace, leaving his three daughters alone to fend for themselves and bryony happier for it.

"When everything was sold, and all we had left was a cottage so far away that nobody wanted it...I stopped feeling miserable. It was like I'd come out the other side. I remember this kind of crazy exhilaration as we left the city."

"Because we were finally leaving?" asked Holly, the teacup forgotten halfway to her mouth.

"A little. But more..." Bryony spread her arms. "If that could happen to us, if we could be rich and then suddenly have nothing—if life could change that much, overnight—then anything could happen. Birds could turn into fish. The sun could rise at midnight. I could learn to fly. The world was obviously wilder and stranger than anyone knew. And there was nothing left to lose. Nobody could take anything from us, because we didn't have anything left to take. I felt invincible."

bryony was never interested in marriage and was relieved to be out of the courtship game—she shared her equally unpretty sister holly's exhaustion of entertaining suitors halfheartedly pretending they were desirable for their merits instead of their money. their youngest sister ivy was pretty and girly and loved all that fairytale stuff, but all bryony wanted was to be in her comfy gardening clothes with dirt under her nails.

a passionate gardener who hated roses even before one sealed her fate, the only things she brings to her new home are plants and seeds, turning a small portion of the beast's sprawling grounds into her own botanical paradise.

once ensconced in the house, in the most emphatically pink room of all time, bryony soon discerns that she is not the beast's prisoner; that they are both prisoners to...something else, possibly the house itself, as it clearly has a personality and a sense of humor to go along with its magical abilities.

the beast can't tell her much about whatever sinister force is keeping them imprisoned together, but—unlike the tight-lipped fellow in For the Wolf, it's not that he won't, but that he can't—each time he comes too close to divulging too much, the house makes its displeasure pretty clear until the beast walks it back placatingly.

bryony clocks the rules pretty fast and becomes a proactive and resourceful investigator, soon finding a way around these restrictions in order to figure out how to lift this curse and get back to her life.

but overall, although she misses her sisters, it's not a terrible place to be. she has her garden, the house can summon anything she could possibly want, and the beast has a kickass library. a booknerd whose own library was greatly diminished by her family's financial ruin, she's delighted by the beast's shelves, although a little embarrassed at the sheer greed that the Beast's library awoke in her.

in short, she acclimates, becoming part of her surroundings without losing herself to them. she has no interest in the frilly pink dresses and jewels the house keeps laying out on her bed, but she's gracious enough to make some concessions and endure what she can, meeting the house's sartorial preferences halfway. she also gets used to the beast; their compatibility surfacing in unexpected ways, familiarity breeding respect and understanding, and bryony's kind enough to try to make the beast feel less self-conscious about his physical appearance. although he attends the formal dinner every evening, he will not eat in front of her, out of consideration for her likely disgust having to watch a beast eat. eventually, she makes him get over his damn self:

"You might as well pour yourself one," she said wearily. "Ask the house for a bowl or something."

He stiffened. "It is—"

"Unsightly, I know. Beast, does it matter? You are what you are. I promise that I will not be horrified if you lap your wine instead of sipping it." She rubbed a hand over her eyes. "Perhaps I should beg your pardon for sipping it. Who is to say which one of us is doing it correctly?"

their blossoming relationship is perfect, made up of playful banter that develops into a genuine appreciation for each other's company, even as she turns down his nightly, curse-ordered marriage proposals.

the ending is very different from the original, traveling some very dark ground before resolving in a satisfying and fitting conclusion even better than the original happily ever after. and one MUCH better than For the Wolf. if only all romances were as genuine and un-gooshy as this, i might like 'em more...


* after this outstanding meet-cutewet too long to quote in the body of the review, that showcases everything that makes these two characters so appealing, and reason #138 of Why I Love T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon:

"I never faint," she said aloud. "I consider it revolting. I have no patience for women who faint." She pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

"On the contrary," rumbled the voice of the Beast, "I felt that your skull bounced most charmingly on the carpet...And the way in which you soiled yourself with terror was graceful in the extreme," added the Beast.

Bryony's eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright, ignoring the ringing in her ears and the immediate stabbing pain behind her eyes. "I did not!" she cried, and then the smell hit her, and she realized that she had.

"It is not right that I am going to be both dead and mortified," she told the Beast. "Either kill me now or give me a change of underwear."

He was kneeling down, which put his head on a level with Bryony's. His golden eyes were cool and sardonic and amused.

"I am not going to kill you. And I fear that I do not carry women's underwear about my person."

"You are not a gentleman!" cried Bryony. It was not that she was too furious to be afraid, it was that fury was sitting on top of the terror and riding it like a horse.

"No," he said. "I am a Beast."

come to my blog!!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I just loved this one - other than this one horrible thing at the end.
Bryony and Beast were both hilarious.
Really just one of the cleverest, funniest, most entertaining fairytale retellings I've ever read.



The very last little bit at the end kept it from being a 5 star book, but the other 99% was kind of perfect. However, what happened was a massive pet peeve of mine that it was entirely worth knocking a star off.
Because gross. NO.
Spoiler for the nasty bit at the end below:



I get it. Looks aren't everything. They aren't even most things. In the Beauty and the Beast retelling, Heart's Blood, the Beast/Cursed Prince has been physically twisted by a disease he had as a child and isn't considered handsome at all. He does not 'get fixed' at the end, but the book's Beauty is very much in love with him. That? Wonderful.
But they are the same species, people!
This version? The Beast of the story has been transformed by magic into an actual animalistic beast. Now I don't know about you, I'm not having sex with a dude with a snout and tusks. Sorry, but you can't possibly be ok with that.



If Beast has to stay a beast, then we are just going to be close friends for the remainder of our days.
Like Golden Girls or some shit.
The use of the word lover in a casual way in this one?
It makes me feel...



So. The ending - no.



But everything up till then was beyond excellent.
So even with the sound of a wet fart sending us out of the room and on our way home, I would still heartily recommend this one.



If you enjoy audiobooks, the version with Justine Eyre narrating was (IMHO) perfect. She had exactly the right tone to bring out the humor of the story.
Recommended!

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast retelling, mostly following the story we know, but with a few interesting changes. The conversations between Bryony (Beauty) and the Beast were witty and endearing, building a sweet friendship. Bryony is practical, capable, full of sarcastic wit, a keen gardener and not the innocent character we usually see. The Beast wasn't harsh and angry, but far more likeable and funny. Also, not too much romance, which is a good thing!

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite charming, and full of witty banter between the two protagonists, with a spunky heroine who's spunky without being annoying, and a Beast that is (surprisingly!) not an angry arse like it's common to depict him in this tale's retellings.

Plot-wise, the author follows the Gabrielle de Villeneuve original storyline, which pleases me because that one is, for me, the one and true Beauty and the Beast story. All the crucial elements are present here, but the author isn't slavishly adhering to every single one of them and has included a few new touches of her own concoction. The nature of the curse and the ending are the examples of such new touches worth commending, in my opinion.

Recommendable as a cheery pick for when one's in the mood for something uplifting to read.

_______________________________
2025 Update:
Uh . . . So it's been nearly a decade since I first discovered T. Kingfisher, who after so many retellings I'm considering abandoning for good. And looking at the above short review of her retelling of my favourite fairy tale, I feel such a mix of bittersweet emotions.

But I wouldn't go back to change anything. No regrets. I got a near-decade of retellings, most of them I didn't like, but that gave me two favourites that are favourites beyond their being retellings: this one and Nettle & Bone. Only two amongst so many? Yeah, not an abundant harvest, but a quality one.

One day, I'll reread (and hopefully expand on) this book and others of my favourite retellings, partly because they are favourites, but also partly to remind myself that decades of ceaseless digging in this subgenre were worth it. Circles come 'round, cycles end, the moon goes in phases, and life moves on.

Bittersweet, indeed.

[carol. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up needing a break, but not an absolutely mindless break, but something of a little substance, a little character crunch–a Toblerone of chocolate bars, if you will. Thankfully, Kingfisher delivered. Within seconds of opening the book, I was delighted to discover that Kingfisher shared my love of McKinley’s retelling of Beauty and the Beast; a pleasant foreshadowing of the story to come. (Let me be clear that I’m referencing Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. Her second retelling, Rose Daughter, was a bitter disappointment, much like growing roses). If it isn’t five stars, it’s probably because I’m not sixteen anymore and not prone to re-reading 'Beauty and the Beast' in any rendition.

“But still, it doesn’t fill me with confidence if I have to stab someone who deserves it.”
“I’m sure you’ll do better next time,” said the Beast encouragingly. “Practice makes perfect.”

This rendition has a lot of banter between the two, which offsets the long descriptive passages as Beauty Byrony explores the castle and interacts with Beast. She doesn’t explore the grounds quite so much as gardens, and her enthusiasm for her herbs is a pleasure.

“I did bring seeds,” she admitted. “But some of these plants are my friends. I wasn’t going to just leave them.” She ruffled her fingers through the lavender.
“Oh good,” said the Beast dryly. “Here I was afraid that I had kidnapped a sane person by mistake.”

–Shoutout to all my gardening friends that pet their herbs–

Kingfisher imbues the tale with some appropriately old-school horror-fairytale elements (you remember how Cinderella’s step-sister cut off her toes to fit into the shoe?), but really, it’s more threat than anything. I generally liked Kingfisher’s other elements (spoilery stuff the sister being the smart one; the actual earthiness of Bryony's frights) and have to say she did well by the Beauty retelling–and our memories of it.

“Unless he is a humanitarian…and he’s looking for a next meal…”

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this Beauty and the Beast retelling. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:

Seventeen year old Bryony and her sisters, Holly and Iris (I’m sensing a horticultural theme here) were the daughters of a wealthy merchant who lost his fortune through risky investments three years earlier. They moved to the remote village of Lostfarthing, where the now-orphaned sisters are barely scraping by. Bryony, a dedicated and enthusiastic gardener, hears about some particularly hardy rutabaga seeds available in a nearby village, and sets off to get some. Unfortunately, on the way back she’s caught in a spring blizzard. She and her pony are nearly frozen when they come across an impossible road that leads to an equally improbable manor house in the forest. In the manor house is magically provided food, a lovely rose in a vase … and, of course, a Beast.

For about the first half of Bryony and Roses (2015), this novel tracks the traditional tale of Beauty and the Beast fairly closely. The menacing Beast insists that Bryony stay with him (he does allow her a quick trip home to say goodbye to her sisters and bring whatever she wants back to the mansion; Bryony chooses to load her pony down with seedlings and plants); he and the magical house treat Bryony well, even if the house does present her with fancier dresses than she really wants to wear; and the Beast asks her to marry him each evening.

It’s a charming retelling, enlivened by Bryony’s sarcastic narrative voice and her banter with the Beast. There are some nice additions to the story, like knowledgeable tidbits about gardening, and how extremely annoying rose plants can be. As the story progresses, there are more intriguing twists on the familiar tale: some dark powers exhibited by the magical house, a strange man who visits Bryony’s dreams, roses that chokingly twist around a birch tree in the courtyard and send out tendrils to invade Bryony’s garden, alarming footsteps in Bryony’s bedroom at night.

At different times Bryony and Roses reminded me quite strongly of both of Robin McKinley‘s Beauty and the Beast retellings, Rose Daughter (which T. Kingfisher credits as having inspired this novel, though I saw that connection mostly in the ending) and Beauty. I frequently saw echoes of McKinley’s style of writing:

“They’ve been there a long time,” she said.

“Yes,” said the Beast, “a long time.” The air made a little space around his words, in a way that was not entirely pleasant, and Bryony did not say anything more until they had left the courtyard.

In fairness, though, I doubt McKinley would have compared sleeping in an excessively pink bedroom to finding oneself in a uterus (“except with more flowers”) or directly considered the, ahem, practical difficulties of being married to a Beast.

Iris would have turned purple. Holly would have laughed and embarked on a very dirty-minded discussion of what those practical difficulties were likely to entail.

Kingfisher does eventually more develop a distinct take on the Beauty and the Beast legend. It involves a fair amount of info-dumping in the final chapters, but I was relieved to actually get an explanation that made sense … unlike Rose Daughter. There’s also an unexpected element of horror that surfaces toward the end, brief but quite dark.

While Bryony and Roses is a fairly traditional retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I’d recommend it mostly to readers who are enthusiastic about fairy tale retellings, its slyly witty tone, appealing characters, and occasional twists and turns were enough to keep me invested in this engaging version of the story.

[K.J. Charles]

Another utterly glorious fairytale-ish story from this author, who I've been glomming. The writing is just so quietly excellent, neither showy nor plain, and the imagination so vivid, and the stories have so much heart and humour. These are books that just make you feel better for having read them.

Second read: I am in need of T Kingfisher's combination of common sense, glorious understated writing, and fantastic magic. The imagination and scariness and love here is just perfect. This is the only version of Beauty and the Beast I ever want.

[Faerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4.25

᪥ Plot:
Enchanting and atmospheric, Bryony and Roses is a gothic reimagining of Beauty and the Beast that blends fairytale magic with quiet realism. When Bryony, a pragmatic gardener, becomes lost in a snowstorm and stumbles upon a mysterious manor, she finds herself entangled in a curse that binds both the house and its Beastly master. A story of quiet companionship, mutual healing, and the reclamation of life after despair. The world-building is intimate - the enchanted house is filled with secrets, creeping vines, and unnerving whispers, the mystery of the curse sustaining engagement throughout.

᪥ Writing Style:
Kingfisher’s prose is elegant, witty, and accessible - capturing both the eerie chill of the forest and the warmth of the hearth; the novel injects a healthy dose of humanity to soften gothic undertones, balancing beauty and unease with remarkable control. Sensory details - especially in descriptions of plants, weather, and magic - give the book a living, breathing quality that draws readers in. Pacing is deliberate but never stagnant, and dialogue sparkles with dry humour.

᪥ Characters:
Bryony is a practical protagonist with a brave and empathic nature; her clear-headedness and passion for gardening run deep - a refreshingly capable fairytale heroine. The Beast is humble, weary, and tragic without melodrama; his vulnerability feels grounded and believable. Their relationship unfolds with subtlety, prioritising mutual respect and gentle understanding in favour of steamy attraction. Even the house’s eerie magic feels like a character - unpredictable yet oddly sympathetic.

᪥ Impact:
At its heart, Bryony and Roses explores grief, guilt, and the healing power of care - for people, nature, and for oneself. It offers a soothing introspective reflection on love as growth rather than rescue or passion. The novel’s emotional resonance is quiet but lasting, lingering long after the final page.

᪥ Entertainment Value:
This is a story for readers who appreciate slow-burn fantasy, character-driven narratives and gothic ambience. This book is not a sweeping epic, but rather a cosy, haunting fairytale reimagining, perfect for a rainy evening. Fans of Beauty and the Beast retellings, cottagecore fantasy, and T. Kingfisher’s trademark blend of whimsy and darkness will find much to love here.

Genre:
᪥ Fantasy
᪥ Fairytale Retelling

Tropes and Themes:
᪥ Beauty and the Beast retelling
᪥ Found family
᪥ Cursed manor
᪥ Healing and redemption
᪥ Practical magic
᪥ Mutual respect
᪥ Grief and renewal
᪥ Nature

Content Warnings:
⚠ Mild horror imagery

[Althea Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I 'discovered' T. Kingfisher, aka Ursula Vernon through 'The Seventh Bride,' (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and became immediately enamored. If you liked 'The Seventh Bride' you will also love this one - it's very much in keeping with it, as far as tone and themes.

This one is a retelling/re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast. In the introduction, the author says she was inspired by Robin McKinley's 'Rose Daughter.' Coincidentally, it was, I believe, McKinley's other retelling of the story, 'Beauty,' which introduced me to the whole concept of fairytale retellings. I guess I was six or so when it came out, and a big fan of Andrew Lang's Fairy books and such... but I remember sitting in the bookstore and realizing... "It's a fairytale - but it's also a WHOLE BOOK!" I was highly favorably impressed. And since then, I've been a fan of the genre.

This version is right up there at the top of best takes on the story. Vernon manages to retain all of the magic and wonder inherent to the story, while infusing it with quite a bit of humor and a modern sassiness. Her Beauty (Bryony) is quite a bit more smart and self-reliant that we might expect. She gets into her own scrapes, and depends only on herself to get out of them (the 'father' character is not present.)

In addition, this version dares one element which I've certainly considered before, but which I don't think I've previously seen put into practice: at the end, there is no magic transformation back into a handsome prince. You love someone for who they are, because of who they are - they don't magically transform into someone different because you love them.
I loved that.

____
March 2016: Nominated for Hugo.

[Sara Machado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kingfishers took the classic "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale, which remains one of my favourite stories of all time and created one of the funniest, charming and more engaging retellings I read.

I loved both main characters and how nicely they complemented each other. We see a love story developing slowly, and rooted on mutual respect, trust, and shared goals, as it should, rather than the dramatic passion of fairy tales and retellings. We get a heroine who despite not being always bright, it’s brave, active and has ownership of her actions, and the most witty and humorous Beast I could possibly imagine.

The conversations between Bryony and the Beast were my favourite part of the story as they were full of wit and banter, and I found myself desperate for their daily dinners and nightly encounters.
“Before you begin digging your escape tunnel,” said the Beast, “would you like a tour of the grounds?” She raised an eyebrow. He was smiling, she thought, although it was mostly around the eyes. “Certainly,” she said, setting down the shovel. “There may be an even better place to escape from.”

I am quite impressed with Kingfisher writing, and her ability to balance humour, romance and light horror (this really had some very creepy moments), all this wrapped in a fluid and engaging style I am quite fond of. This was an absolute delight to read.

Buddy read with Charles

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[ren ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bryony and Roses was such a charming and witty Beauty and the Beast retelling.

The main characters, Bryony and the Beast, were very compelling and likeable. I'm sure there will be readers who will be frustrated with Bryony, but she's sort of a typical trademark T. Kingfisher heroine, which I'm fairly used to. (I think her humour made up for her stupidity though.) I also really liked that the Beast didn't feel like your typical run of the mill Beast. In this retelling, he's actually pretty interesting - witty and sacastic, too. So refreshing!

Bryony and the Beast had such a lovely dynamic. I loved that we got to see a lot of the mundane moments in which they slowly become friends (and later, lovers). The moments they spent gardening and reading in the library had me smiling like a dork. It was too cute! But my favourite part of their relationship was definitely their witty banter and teasing.

I also really liked that the author chose to address the weird bits of B&tB that authors normally choose to skim over. Bonus points for that. However, there was one crucial detail at the end which sort of tainted the story for me... ⚠️SPOILER ALERT:⚠️ He stays a Beast. 🤢 (I'm sure some readers will love this detail but I don't like monster romances - sorry, not sorry.)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. If you're looking for a B&tB retelling, this might be up your alley.

Rating: 4/5

[Lois Bujold · Rating 4 out of 5]

More T. Kingfisher roundup, because that was my mood this past month; also something of a Pringles effect. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast with ninja gardening. I did very much like the counter-cop-out with the Beast at the end.

I am not a gardener. I'm so glad...

Ta, L.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Say you took Robin McKinley's Beauty, added Rose Daughter's focus on gardening - but replaced roses with rutabagas - and then took the whole thing down a couple notches into earthier, more mundane territory than McKinley ever ventures into. That's Bryony and Roses in a nutshell.

It's an enjoyable addition to the increasingly crowded pantheon of Beauty and the Beast retellings, and it kept me up rather past my bedtime, but I'm left wondering if we really needed another retelling of this tale as old as time. Maybe?

If you can get past the familiarity of the setup and, to a lesser extent, the setting and characters, there are definite pleasures to be had in Bryony and Roses. Its plant-loving heroine Bryony goes into raptures over magical chicken manure (but not frilly dresses), grows oregano and beans rather than roses, and has a bad habit of breaking into laughter at the most inopportune times - including at the Beast's first proposal. She will be instantly relatable to anyone who gardens or weeds ("Tell me that isn't mint! In the ground?"), and in true T. Kingfisher style, her tools are garden shears and an unflinching willingness to face facts. Including a near-certain death by rutabaga.

The Beast - sarcastic, equally self-aware, and with a sense of humor to match Bryony's - is charming from the start. He's more victim than captor and is never actually frightening, and I like the companionable relationship that grows between him and Bryony over bad poetry, pollination, and difficult (if unrevealed) pasts. Within their first interaction:

"I am afraid," said the Beast, turning back toward her, "that I plan to keep you here permanently." [...]

"Because of a rose?" she forced out.

"Yes," said the Beast, "though not quite the way you think."

She put her hands to her face and gave a strangled laugh. "Imagine if I'd nicked the silverware!"

"Would you like to nick the silverware? We have a great deal of it."

Not much tension there, if you like the more usual love-hate relationship between Beauty and her Beast. Gradually, the mysteries of the house and the enchantments on its residents become more pervasive and creepy. I think Kingfisher is at her best writing horror (see her retelling of Bluebeard, The Seventh Bride), and the last quarter of the book is marvelously sinister with its own echoes of Bluebeard and several other fairy tales. And unlike Rose Daughter, the eventual explanations for the backstory actually make sense.

The occasionally anachronistic language ("kidding," "okay") is a bit jolting, but I like the no-nonsense narration and heroine - and her even more sensible sister Holly. I liked many things about Bryony and Roses without loving any of them or finding anything fresh enough to change how I fundamentally see Beauty and the Beast.

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I love fairy-tale reimaginings and this was certainly an entertaining one. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast added another layer to the story by having a sinister third party involved in the curse. I liked the interactions between Bryony and the Beast as they were sharp and witty. At the end of the day the whole Stockholm syndrome element of the fairy-tale is still present and that is always an unpleasant message. The ending is was a bit of a head scratcher. Like, why and how and why and how? He remains a Beast at the end but they are in love and will stay together. She had expressed some thoughts earlier in the story about how being intimate with a Beast would work... Overall an entertaining retelling.

CW: suicide, women held captive

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retelling de la bella y la bestia que tiene su punto fuerte en la frescura de cómo está contado y en la ironía y sentido del humor de los personajes. El desenlace me sorprendió para bien, pero aún así me pareció que le faltaba "algo" o al menos yo no acabé de conectar del todo con él.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had T. Kingfisher been around when I was naught but a wee little shrimp, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have hated fairytales so much. (I say that every time I read one of her retellings so don't mind me and stuff.)



Please don't ask.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

T Kingfisher is the best at rewriting fairytales we *think* we know. Always with an unconventional older female character.

This wasn’t as funny, light, or dark as some of Kingfisher’s other books, but she definitely managed to pack in her dislike for horses and roses.

This is such a short novella that I am unsurprised it didn’t feel as whimsical to me.
It’s gothic and quiet.

I don’t think I would go out of my way to recommend it, but it wasn’t cheesy.

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[bri]

Sarcastic, whimsical, and romantic, everything I love in a T. Kingfisher tale. This book somehow captured the magic in reading the story of The Beauty and the Beast as a kid and perfectly translated it into the same exact experience for me as an adult? Wild. Absolutely wild.

I LOVED these characters—the perfect depiction of a witty fool in Bryony, the contrast between Beast's animalistic nature and his utter tenderness, the House's humor and smothering attention, and the way Holly vocalized the exact words I was screaming at the page throughout the story. And most of all, I appreciated the way Kingfisher/Vernon refused to tiptoe around the absurdity of it all and looked directly at this story for what it is: a monster-fucker romance taking place in a cursed house.

CW: confinement, blood, death, injury detail, dead bodies, hallucinations, death of father (past), alcohol, emesis, suicide (past)

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Beauty and the Beast retelling is a completely bonkers adaptation of the fairytale geared toward readers with an avid interest in…gardening. You read that correctly. Keep your eye on that rose bush.

It begins in a lighthearted fashion, then morphs into a dark fantasy as evil forces attempt to thwart Bryony and the Beast from breaking the spell. I really enjoyed the changeover to the more ominous tone, but the last quarter of the book spiraled out of control and dropped the rating.

Specifically:

*The plant theme hijacked the book. If the forces of evil are effectively blocked by rutabagas, how scary and powerful can they be?

*Bryony’s sister had to flick her on the forehead and explain not only what was going on with the whole Beast and his enchanted house thing, but that Bryony loved the Beast. Why is the big love scene played out with Bryony and her sister and not Bryony and the Beast? A grievous error, in my opinion.

*The author made up some last minute rules about how the spirit world works that conveniently resolved a lot of issues with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of convenience. For the author.

*The beast had to remain a beast. Not a problem if the Beast looks like the big cat in the Disney version, but this beast looks like a cross between a boar and a bear, has tusks, and drinks his wine from a bowl. The poor guy deserved better after a 200-year curse.

*The biggest fail for me was the romance. The author did a very nice job of showing how Bryony and the Beast became friends, and the Beast’s protective actions demonstrated he had developed feelings for Bryony. But when Bryony’s having erotic dreams about the bad guy and waking up feeling the need to self-pleasure and the Beast gets a kiss on the cheek, I’m not feeling the love.

This gets high marks for creativity and is interesting, but pruning shears will never be as glamorous as swords and scabbards.

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this version of the "Beauty and the Beast" story. The main character Bryony is a gardener who gets stuck with the Beast, and never lets him forget that he's keeping her at the house against her will. Bryony is no weak-willed, ornamental creature, being used to hauling and digging in her garden at home. The Beast is not the emotionally manipulative and threatening creature I think of when I think of the "Beauty and the Beast". Both Bryony and Beast have witty, sardonic exchanges while Bryony works hard to figure out what's behind the Beast's enchantment and the strange and sometimes frightening happenings at the house.
Bryony is a terrific character, emotionally strong, no doubt due to her sisters' support and love and her earlier experience with adversity, while the Beast is respectful and considerate of Bryony.
The audio of this story was enjoyable, and I'll probably reread this novel again.

[Allison Hurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. I thought I'd overdosed on Beauty and the Beast stories, but this one was a ton of fun.

CONTENT WARNING: (no actual spoilers, just a list of topics) body horror, mutilation, kidnapping, suicide

Things to love:

-Bryony and the Beast. Bryony is great. She has insecurities and quirks and annoying things she does and is also hilarious. I love that the Beast isn't an abusive asshole, too. It was refreshing to skip the enemies part of the "enemies to lovers" song and dance that this story likes so well.

-Bryony's sisters. Probably you're not surprised anymore, but I love sister stories when the sisters seem sisterly. This one does. Distinct personalities that mesh well with family dynamics, and a great balance of support and ridicule.

-The humor. I was cackling. It caught me off guard several times.

-The pacing. It's quick and fun. It's not terribly new territory, but if you just sit back and enjoy, there's a lot of great scenes and dialogue.

-The subtle darkness. It was juuuust on the edge of creepy. It managed to skirt away from feeling too-too much like a horror movie, but it didn't ignore how creepy it'd be to find yourself the captive of a Beast in an enchanted manor.

-The dialogue. As you likely also noticed, in general, anytime someone was talking to someone else was great.

-The relationship. It was nice to see them slowly fall for each other.

Things that weren't exactly perfect:

-A little beating over the head. It seemed suuuper obvious what had to happen and it was a little grating that Bryony didn't piece it together any faster.

-Could have used a bit more tension a bit sooner. There were tools for the tension, but I think they weren't used entirely to their full benefit, which made this more of a ferris wheel than a rollercoaster. I like both well enough, but a little more oomph would have been fun.

I'm quite happy with my first Ursula Vernon and excited to read more! She has a sense of humor that makes me believe we'd be friends, and it's nice to spend time with friends in paper. Or, in this case, in audio. Audio was fine but I'm not sure it added anything to the story. 4.5 stars rounded down because there were a few times that my own thoughts about what should happen slipped in the way of what was happening, so I can't say it achieved its full goal in my view of it. Highly recommend if you like retellings.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The moon gods require virgin sacrifices on the solstice, not the equinox.” “They’re twice out of luck there, then,” said Bryony.

If like me, you have only been exposed to Disney’s version of Beauty and The Beast , you are in for a eye opening, laugh inducing treat with this story of Bryony and Roses by T.Kingfisher.

This version of the story does not have talking candle sticks or dancing silverware. What it has instead is a magical manor house capable of producing almost anything…if you ask nicely…and populated by a heroine who is also a gardener and a beast who is clever and creates things in his workshop.

The basic story is similar, lost girl finds manor house, stays the night and attempts to leave the next morning with a cut rose, only to be told by the beast that she is now, not allowed to leave, and if she does, the House will come for her…but then he allows her to leave for a week to say goodbye to her sisters.

Upon her return, she takes up residency and the story unfolds from there.

The Beast and Bryony have some great dialogue: “Before you begin digging your escape tunnel,” said the Beast, “would you like a tour of the grounds?”
AND
“But some of these plants are my friends. I wasn’t going to just leave them.” She ruffled her fingers through the lavender.  “Oh good,” said the Beast dryly. “Here I was afraid that I had kidnapped a sane person by mistake.”

This wonderful story is filled with this type of light hearted banter.

At it’s center though is a slow burn romance, and T. Kingfisher does indeed know how to show you the heart’s movement from fear to acceptance to love. This is a nice love story. Full of humorous moments and ….. a little quirky.

I had so many highlighted passages, I wish I could share them all with you.

Many thanks to my buddy reading partner Sara

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic. A short Beauty and the Beast retelling with enough familiarity to get you in your feels and enough new twists to make you think: "Oh, that's clever."

[nastya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was like reading a fanfiction version of Robin McKinley’s ones (it followed the traditional one very closely till the almost very end) but sometimes with contemporary commentary (but we are still long ago in some fairy country with kings and magic) and subversion (?) of expectations. And I need fairytale atmosphere in my fairytales. I did not get one here.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me a good Beauty and the Beast retelling.

But did she have to be 17? She read like someone in her 30s.

Anywho, this was a delightful take, and I can definitely see the seeds (heh) of several other ideas being planted (sorry not sorry).

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast retellings are one of my absolute favorite things in this world. T Kingfisher is my favorite new to me author find of this year. The odds were in this books favor from the beginning and I did love almost everything about it.

Bryony is not a head in the books sort of girl. No she is a some nonsense, fret for my sisters, cares more about plants than people kind of girl and she has just wandered into some estate out of a blizzard only for her pony to crap in the foyer. When she met the beast, well lets just say she had a visceral reaction to him.

It was not that she was too furious to be afraid, it was that the fury was sitting on top of the terror and riding it like a horse.

In a bargain no one seems greatly happy about Bryony has been convinced to stay with the Beast in a magical house that while mostly accommodating really does like pink a little to much and can't seem to be talked out of making Bryony's bedroom the envy of every five year old playing princess.

Bryony had never before had occasion to contemplate what it would be like to find oneself inside a uterus, but she suspected that sleeping in the bed would be rather like that. Except with more flowers.

Bryony and the Beast banter and with each other and become friends. Bryony discovers little by little that the Beast is just as trapped on the estate as she is. He can't talk about it but the mystery is one she is struggles to uncover. Hint by hint she will get closer to discovering just why a person would be trapped as a beast and mystery of this magical house.

I enjoyed so many things about this book. The dialogue is fantastic. The play that Bryony and the Beast get off of one another is so much fun. Bryony's sister Holly is one of my favorite side characters and I'd totally read a book just about her and her blacksmith. The story itself follows Beauty and the Beast pretty closely with some very noticeable changes towards the end. Still not sure how I feel about those changes but they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the entire story. Really T Kingfisher is now on my autobuy list of authors and I'm slowly but surely making my way through her entire catalog.

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It didn’t surprise me when I finished reading this and read T. Kingfisher’s note that it was inspired originally by Robin McKinley’s Rose Daughter. It’s definitely not the same story, but something of the same atmosphere came across, and of course there’s the gardening aspect which is important in both. This explores the force that punishes the Beast rather more, I think: rather than a long-standing curse which fades into a known factor in the background, the Beast’s curse is very much an active thing which can be affected by things that Bryony and the Beast do.

There’s a rather darker background to this story, too, with the ivy spirit wound throughout the story, the dead girl and the bloodstained room, the cruelties of the ivy spirit. There’s also more sense in why the curse came to be, explaining both the cruelty of it and the helping magic of the house.

I thought it was a very good interpretation, and it’s amazing how authors can make the Beast loveable, every time. He’s kind and a bit snarky and he’s a craftsman, and he’s also willing to muck in and work with Bryony in her garden.

And Bryony’s family is pretty satisfying too, the support of her sister and the fact that she’s basically the support for her family, with her father long out of the picture. It’s got all the elements of the traditional fairytale, but gives them more depth and takes it in surprising directions.

Originally posted here.

[Kaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable retelling of Beauty and the Beast that doesn't shy away from acknowledging the really icky parts of the original story while also being very, very funny.

[Ksenia (vaenn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Уїїїї! Це був гарний, годний ретеллінг!
Урсула Вернон, яку я раніше знала під "рідним" ім'ям та за одним чудовим оповіданням (і трохи за коміксами, але їх я ще не читала), з казками поводиться рівно так, як мені подобається: залишає базовий сюжет, але змінює фокус; зберігає закони казкової логіки, але приземлює все, що недоречно пурхає; приправляє гумором, але не відмовляється категорично від романтики... Мотив про Красуню та Чудовисько залишається моїм улюбленим (попри те, що варіації на тему здебільшого погано натягуються на феміністську голову). Але в "Брайоні та ружах" все цілком на рівні: адекватна героїня, адекватне Чудовисько без виразних ЗП-загонів, майже готична кріпота (я вже чекала дружину на горищі, і над моїми очікуваннями зіронізували), багато-багато-багато побуту і непідробна, життєдайна, можна сказати, пристрасть, з якою змальована екшн-розв'язка. І вона вкотре нагадує, що у казково-фентезійні шати можна загорнути будь-який життєвий досвід - навіть гранично тривіальний. Головне, щоб з душею написано було. Тут - з душею.