theCloudsTears

As most of us know from the other versions of Beauty and the Beast, Beauty has always been the prettiest of her sisters...until now. Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors although i was not particulary happy with "The Outlaws of Sherwood" this book,"Beauty" caught my imagination again. Beauty is just her nickname, although it seems to be an unfortunate one, her given name is Honour. McKinley goes on to explain how exactly Beauty recieved her nickname and depicts it with a vividness that i loved. Beauty is not beautiful however, but enjoys reading and learning, but when her father runs into some trouble with his business they all need to auction off their belongings, and pick up and go with Hope's (second eldest sister of Beauty) husband-to-be. They settle in a town called "Blue Hill" and start a new life. One day word is sent to Beauty's father that one of his ships has returned, he is asked by an oldfriend to come and stay for a while, but on return a horrible storm picks up and leads him right to an enchanted castle. He finds that where the castle is the storm doesn't seem able to reach and destroy the peacefulness of it, perhaps. His invisible(so it seems) host brings him in and feeds him and lets him stay the night. In the morning her father is about to leave when he remembers his promise to his daughter Beauty for some rose seeds. He sees an arbour of roses and unfortunetly picks one for Beauty. The Beast appears and tells him off demanding that when he returns in month he must bring one of his daughters, or come alone. Beauty insists on going and in the end of a month returns with her father to the enchanted castle. Some other surprises occur before she leaves to go to her new home. And the rest... if you want to find out then you'll have to read it for it is a wonderful story and has a lot of detail in it.

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