What if instead of Beauty and the Beast from Belle's perspective we learn more about Prince Adam? Spoiled and cruel he was cursed, but not in the way we thought. Now he must come to terms with this new form as well as learn something he was never before capable of: love. But perhaps there is another way.
This book was a suggestion by my best friend. He is well aware of my borderline obsession with Beauty and the Beast as well as how much I loved Tale as Old as Time. So when he said this was a dark retelling from the Beast's perspective I jumped at it. Add to it the fact that this book is available on Kindle Unlimited and I was reading it within minutes of him texting me the suggestion. Let's just say the man knows me and I really loved this book.
While this book is not as good as Tale as Old as Time it is still amazing. I loved the ending on the other book, but this had it's own charms. Instead of the classic cursed for turning someone away Prince Adam was cursed for breaking off an engagement with a young woman because she was the daughter of a pig farmer. In fact I stopped more than once while reading this book to send snippets to my friend asking him what the hell he was thinking sending me a misogynistic book. He'd reply that I needed to keep reading so I did. It got better and I enjoyed the things Beast had to go through as part of the curse to become better.
The Beast was absolutely dreadful, but thinking a woman shouldn't have thoughts of her own and that they were basically pretty decorations wasn't an uncommon opinion during this time period, so I can't say too much. Then there was the prince's relationship with Gaston. We all know Gaston. And I hate to say it, but two characters in this book had a lot in common. Thankfully, not by the end. Still, I wasn't thrilled by their friendship. Something else I found odd was that he is never referred to as Prince Adam in this book. Only by "Prince" or "the Beast". That isn't a yay or a nay in my opinion of the book, just something that I found odd. I mean everyone knows his name, even those who preferred him as the Beast before he changed back.
Something I really liked about this retelling was Circe. Not that Circe, for all of those immediately going to mythology mindset. In this case she was the original fiancée and curse layer. That being said she wasn't unjust and genuinely wanted good things for the Beast. This is evident by her actions throughout as she keeps her sisters in check as well as the end. While I could never choose anyone over Belle Circe would be a second in this story. Also, the way the author mentions Ursula in passing in the book makes me want to track down that story. Maybe another time. She is, after all, my favorite villain.
This book is available on Amazon for $10.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
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