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Beauty and the Beast
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 25, 2022
VERSION: Beaumont.
ADAPTATION: 1 stars
ARTWORK: 1 star
BEAUTY: Ginger.
BEAST: Lion with horns.
CURSE: "An evil spell" was cast on the prince, it's not said by whom.
THE Rs: Non-existent, there's barely any interaction onpage.
KEY ELEMENT CHANGED: There are no servants but a pixie at Beast's castle, the sisters don't make Beauty overstay and break her promise
FAVOURITE SCENE: None.
I struggle to find a reason to have rated this picture book so highly, because there's nothing to recommend it for now that I've reread it. The artwork looks so cartoony, so much like someone had been trying to imitate Disney. Just look at the depiction of Beauty:
Isn't this the same look that Belle has in the Disney film with slight differences? Beast also looks like a diet Beast from Disney, a ridiculous-looking lion with horns that looks more sad than frightening. It's like a cross between the Cowardly Lion and Scar with the horns of goodness knows what animal. He doesn't make sense at all.
As for the adaptation, it's very summed up at the expense of character and the relationship. The merchant is made a weak man here, he hears about his ruin from others instead of firsthand, and wants a loan from a bank to save his fortune but is denied. When he goes to the castle, he finds a pixie. What's Tinkerbell's kind doing in this tale?
There's barely one interaction between Beauty and Beast before she leaves and comes back suddenly in love. She is made to return by the pixie, to boot, because the envious sisters have suddenly disappeared after two mentions in the entire book. And there's no explanation about who placed the curse on Beast, either, nor for what reason.
A pretty infantile adaptation, not good enough even for children, in my opinion. Totally forgettable in every sense.
ADAPTATION: 1 stars
ARTWORK: 1 star
BEAUTY: Ginger.
BEAST: Lion with horns.
CURSE: "An evil spell" was cast on the prince, it's not said by whom.
THE Rs: Non-existent, there's barely any interaction onpage.
KEY ELEMENT CHANGED: There are no servants but a pixie at Beast's castle, the sisters don't make Beauty overstay and break her promise
FAVOURITE SCENE: None.
I struggle to find a reason to have rated this picture book so highly, because there's nothing to recommend it for now that I've reread it. The artwork looks so cartoony, so much like someone had been trying to imitate Disney. Just look at the depiction of Beauty:
Isn't this the same look that Belle has in the Disney film with slight differences? Beast also looks like a diet Beast from Disney, a ridiculous-looking lion with horns that looks more sad than frightening. It's like a cross between the Cowardly Lion and Scar with the horns of goodness knows what animal. He doesn't make sense at all.
As for the adaptation, it's very summed up at the expense of character and the relationship. The merchant is made a weak man here, he hears about his ruin from others instead of firsthand, and wants a loan from a bank to save his fortune but is denied. When he goes to the castle, he finds a pixie. What's Tinkerbell's kind doing in this tale?
There's barely one interaction between Beauty and Beast before she leaves and comes back suddenly in love. She is made to return by the pixie, to boot, because the envious sisters have suddenly disappeared after two mentions in the entire book. And there's no explanation about who placed the curse on Beast, either, nor for what reason.
A pretty infantile adaptation, not good enough even for children, in my opinion. Totally forgettable in every sense.
May 19, 2020
This rendition of Beauty and the Beast is much closer to what I think one considers a fairy tale as we have a pixie playing a role in this story.
Beauty is one of three daughters of a merchant who has fallen on hard times. When her father goes to the city to seek a loan from the bank and is denied, he stumbled upon a pixie who leads him to a castle where he is treated to a warm fire and food. Upon leaving, the father recalls Beauty's humble request for a rose from his travels. Against the pixie's warning he takes a rose from the archway and encounters the Beast, the ruler of the castle who threatens to kill him.
The merchant explains his case and is told to either send his daughter in his stead or to return in three months and hand himself in. The merchant goes home and gives Beauty the rose but refuses to let her go in his stead. Beauty then leaves on her own to save her father and is treated well. The Beast is a kind host and when the merchant falls ill, allows Beauty to return to her father's side with the promise to return in eight days.
Seven days pass and Beauty must rush to reach the Beast, the horrible feeling that he is dying. Beauty returns and professes her love, proposing to the Beast who she had denied several times. Now seeing that the beauty lay within his kind heart. The spell was broken and the Beast was then a Prince. They lived together in happiness for the rest of their days.
While simpler than the Disney version of the story, the illustrations give it a charm all its own.
Beauty is one of three daughters of a merchant who has fallen on hard times. When her father goes to the city to seek a loan from the bank and is denied, he stumbled upon a pixie who leads him to a castle where he is treated to a warm fire and food. Upon leaving, the father recalls Beauty's humble request for a rose from his travels. Against the pixie's warning he takes a rose from the archway and encounters the Beast, the ruler of the castle who threatens to kill him.
The merchant explains his case and is told to either send his daughter in his stead or to return in three months and hand himself in. The merchant goes home and gives Beauty the rose but refuses to let her go in his stead. Beauty then leaves on her own to save her father and is treated well. The Beast is a kind host and when the merchant falls ill, allows Beauty to return to her father's side with the promise to return in eight days.
Seven days pass and Beauty must rush to reach the Beast, the horrible feeling that he is dying. Beauty returns and professes her love, proposing to the Beast who she had denied several times. Now seeing that the beauty lay within his kind heart. The spell was broken and the Beast was then a Prince. They lived together in happiness for the rest of their days.
While simpler than the Disney version of the story, the illustrations give it a charm all its own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2016
This is not the traditional Beauty and the Beast story I am familiar with. Beauty has a couple sisters, there is a little helpful purple elf at the castle and her name is Beauty throughout, no Belle. There are no animated objects at the castle, etc, There are many differences for those familiar with the movie, but I still enjoyed this tale.
May 26, 2022
Super cute book
January 3, 2010
Very cartoonish, Disneyesque illustrations. Beast is sort of a horned lion. Eh!
My edition is published by Derrydale books, distributed by Outlet Book Co (Random House) 1991
My edition is published by Derrydale books, distributed by Outlet Book Co (Random House) 1991
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews