Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle follows the tale of a unicorn, who believes she is the last of her kind in the world and undertakes a quest to discover what has happened to the others.

Enjoy!

This is my favorite book in the whole world. I've lost count of how many times I've read it, starting in 1968 when it first came out. I still have that original battered paperback.

I loved it too! So many unforgettable quotes!

I know! I still have a lot of passages by memory.

I will have to pull my copy out & read through it again with y’all this month. It’ll only be my second reading, since I only found out a few years ago that the wonderful movie I fell in love with as a little girl was a novel first.

Rereads are always fun. It’s like going back to revisit a friend. Glad to have you reading along with us!

Im waiting for my book to arrive but Im afraid to open it when it gets here, for some reason Im thinking again I have ordered a Graphic Novel of this book. As Brayden and I were looking at the different editions and Im thinking I clicked on that one. Ugh....crossing fingers!

🤞

I’m surprised there is a graphic novel version of it, but many popular books of both contemporary and classic seem to be getting adapted into graphic novels. I suppose the practice helps more people become exposed to the stories and enjoy them. Hopefully, the illustrations in the graphic novel are as beautiful as the 80’s movie and as the story is imagined. Lesle, I hope you ordered the novel, though!

You would actually be surprised at how many there are including Jane Austen's!

Me too Samantha!

Otherwise Brayden will be getting another Classic!

I think I’m only surprised about this book being adapted to a graphic novel, because it is not nearly as mainstream as other classic novels. Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted to graphic novels to help readers understand them and enjoy them more, which makes sense.

I saw graphic novels of Rick Riordan’s and George RR Martin’s books. Graphic Novels are getting even more popular. I can’t stand when other teachers don’t let their students read them. My perspective is that they are reading who cares if it’s comics. I’ve let my students read whatever they like. At least it’s not video games constantly.

Patrick, I am with you. Sure, I rather see kids read actual novels that require a bit more imagination in some regards, but comics / graphic novels also count as reading. They aren’t mindlessly staring at Netflix or Hulu, nor are they playing video games only. Why any teachers think they should dictate what form of books students read is beyond me. As long as it’s appropriate for school, let them read it. (Ya know, not smut, obviously.)

I totally agree with both of you on the topic of kids reading no matter what draws them in to read.

Well I received the book in the mail on Saturday and it is the Graphic Novel...bummer The Last Unicorn
But that is ok, the book is beautifully illustrated and came with this for $4.19:

So my problem is:
Hardcopies not available online.
Cannot locate a Kindle version.
Really do not want a paperback.

HELP!!!!

Through your library or interlibrary loan?? I hope you can find a copy, Lesle.

That is total last resort but I will check them out. Thanks Kathy!

Lesle, at least you managed to luck into an autograph for the graphic novel! I paid $40 for an autographed paperback a couple years ago with a message to whoever the signing was for. I will never part with that volume. And the illustrations in the graphic novel must be beautiful. Check your messages, though. I found a copy in hardcover.

Took you up on your research for me! Really appreciate it.

So will be joining in when I get this copy. Brayden left his graphic novel here, I think he wanted to make sure it stayed in great condition.

I hope Brayden enjoys the graphic novel and can move up to read the full novel later in life. Glad I could be of assistance.

He is already taking after me. When we went to Barnes and Noble before Christmas he was disappointed that the books he was looking at "Grandma they dont have it in hardcover!"
Sad moment for him but made me smile!

Im sure he will love it he was grinning from ear to ear with the little bit he did read.

Did you try Barnes and Noble? They carry other Peter S Beagle books. They're in paper back. This is my favorite book.

Shannon, this is what I classify as one of my 3 favorite books. It’s so magical and unique. Very much a hero’s quest trope, but the mystical elements are fantastic.

I ordered mine at Barnes and Noble. It was the 40th Anniversary edition. It’s gold with the unicorn in red I think.

That's the one I have also.

Mine is the 40th anniversary edition that you see when you click on the link at the top of this thread.

For anyone who has not seen the 1982 animated movie, I highly recommend you watch it. I fell in love with the movie as a little girl and now own a 25th anniversary edition of the dvd. I won’t tell anyone which order to absorb the story in - movie or novel first. I didn’t know the novel existed until a few years ago. Personally, when I have the option, I always go for book first (if feasible). Amazon prime has this movie free to watch right now … at least in the US. The novel has more story, obviously.

Sometimes I dont mind seeing a movie first. It makes for the imagination flow smoother when reading.

Still waiting! Oh I just ordered it last night, darn it!

Haha. Lesle, even Amazon wouldn’t usually deliver a book that quickly.

I never seen the movie.

I watched a show on PBS about an area in southern France that had bulls and white horses. They kind of reminded me of the Last Unicorn. I wonder if the author was inspired from this area.

I liked it, but not as much as I had hoped. My review is here.

Susan, I’m sorry that you did not love it as much as you hoped, but I am glad you still found it enjoyable. The novel starts off as a fairy tale but doesn’t stay quite that way or at least in the sense the beginning gives you the implication of.

Hi Samantha. I did love the first few pages, so that’s something.

I like the butterfly.

shannon wrote: "I like the butterfly."

Interesting shannon, I will have to look for that. Im almost tempted to look at Braydens book!

He's in the first chapter. He was all velvety, dark, and dusty. He spoke in poetry. Kind of cute.

I've started The Last Unicorn, last saturday, I had no expectations but still I'm a bit disappointed... I'm reading it in french, so maybe the translation is not good... I don't know..
It's well written but I'm not really into it...

Sabah, Im sad to hear that.

Lesle wrote: "Sabah, Im sad to hear that."

It's Ok! You never know if you're going to like a book or not, at least I can say that I read it!
And I didn't buy it, I got it from the library ;)

Sabah, I like getting books from the library too. That way if I don't like the book, it didn't cost me anything.
I agree, you never know if you are going to like a book or not, unless you start reading it.

Sabah, this novel is a little strange, but the movie had me pre-exposed to much of the story before my first reading two years ago. I was already in love with the characters and setting before opening the cover. The book cemented the love for me, as Beagle goes more in-depth in it than the movie (of course, as the movie is targeted for children, I believe). I wouldn’t be surprised if readers of the novel since the mid-80’s often come to the book because of their love for the movie.

Fun fact: Angela Lansbury has a character voice in the movie. She has a long list of film credits to her name, but a notable animated feature almost everyone would recognize her voice from is as Mrs. Potts in the 1991 version of Disney’s Beauty & the Beast.

Sabah, I glad you are going to finish it.

Sometimes everyone says its a great book, I read it and go...What were they thinking!

That happens to me too. The reverse happens occasionally too. A lot of people don't like a particular book, and I think it is fantastic and they don't even finish the book.

I really liked this book but I totally get what you mean. I heard so many good things about Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and I was excited to start but 400 pages in I had to stop and wondered what am I missing that everyone else “got”?! Lol

How long is that book, Patrick?

I liked the beginning and the ending of the story of the last unicorn. The pirates kind of throw off the story. I just liked the book because there is a little of fairy tale and modern things thrown in together. I still will have to watched the movie yet.

Shannon, the movie takes out some of the craziness from the book and feels a little more streamlined. This might be one of the cases where you like the movie more than the book. To each her own. :)

Rosemarie wrote: "How long is that book, Patrick?"

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is about 700/800 pages. It's definitely a hefty!