The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1) in Into the Forest

Jul 19, 2025 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library-checkout, fantasy, audiobook, magician, to-buy-wish-list, favorites, quest, 2025-reads, desert-island-books, unicorn

Reading The Last Unicorn was a surreal experience. I have seen and I adore the animated movie from the 80s, and count it as one of my all-time favorites. I can’t tell you how much I am obsessed with unicorns. This book definitely adds to it. It has that sad, melancholy feel that I also have about the original The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen (which I read a million times even though the ending kind of breaks my heart). Honestly, this is more hopeful, but it is also very reflective a Reading The Last Unicorn was a surreal experience. I have seen and I adore the animated movie from the 80s, and count it as one of my all-time favorites. I can’t tell you how much I am obsessed with unicorns. This book definitely adds to it. It has that sad, melancholy feel that I also have about the original The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen (which I read a million times even though the ending kind of breaks my heart). Honestly, this is more hopeful, but it is also very reflective and serious in its exploration of the darkness of the heart and the passage of time. For me, I think a strong theme is living long enough to become jaded and losing the joy of life. This is seen in different ways through the various characters, or course. And some are more destructive about it than others.

I listened to this on audiobook, which I do recommend. The narrator was very dramatic and did a great job with the different voices. It also connected me strongly to the movie. Yes, you are probably asking what the point of reading the book is if you like the movie so much. In this case, there is a deeper level to the story and the descriptions that are more detailed than what can be shown visually. Also going into the minds of the characters has such a stronger level of connection for me as a person who fell in love with books before she fell in love with movies. I want to rewatch the movie and make some comparisons, which I may add to this review at a later date.

Is the book a bit dated, yes, but in a nostalgic way for me. I’m not one of the people who just give up on old media because it’s irrelevant. I think you can miss out on a lot by doing that. We can connect across time and space by reading the thoughts of others who lived in a time before ours, or maybe we were too young to explore their thoughts even if we did live at the same time. Anyway, it was easy to get past the dated feel and dive deep into this story. After all, this is about old beings and people who are seeing the passage of time, and trying to figure out how they fit into the picture.
This book is so full of emotions, the sadness, the joy, and yes, it is downright creepy and scary in parts. I thought the part at the carnival scared me in the movie. Phew! The way that Beagle conveys the encounter with evil is powerful. I empathized deeply with the characters of Molly, Schmendrick, the Unicorn. Anyone who has been in such a situation where it seems like giving up is the best option, can definitely feel what the Unicorn was feeling as she saw the existential crisis she was facing. I thought the prince was a bit silly (and I wasn’t a fan of how she was trying to show his love for Lady Amalthea), but he matures in such a beautiful way. The bull is so scary in the book, just as it was in the movie. King Haggard is just terrible. He's the type that just hates everything and wants the world to burn just because.

The story takes twists and turns, and takes the reader along for the journey. It’s not predictable at all, and by the end, I was so satisfied. I thought I knew how it ended, but it’s deeper and more impactful in the book.

I have always loved fantasy and immersing myself into the worlds where magical creatures exist, the land itself has magic, and humans have just a small role into the entire ecosystem. Peter S. Beagle captures all the wonder of a fantasy tale in this book. I believe this is a must read. I’m sad that it took me so long.
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Nov 24, 2009 The Winter Rose rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classic-fantasy, my-childhood

I don't think there are words enough to color just how much love I hold for this book. To say it is an enchanting journey simply cheats the artistry in which this book was crafted. It is a luminous dream of the written word. Stop reading these review if you haven't read it yet. Right now. Read this book. ...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Hazel marked it as to-read · review of another edition

The Goodreads community has introduced me to American fantasy writers. This is apparently a classic, and highly rated by a number of my friends. I look forward to it.

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