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I think my favorite fairytale is "Beauty and the Beast." I love Robin McKinley's two versions, Beauty and Rose Daughter. I've also read the YA Beastly that was made into a movie. Any other good retellings?

I love Robin McKinley's too.
There is a good YA version by Jenni James, her fairy tale collection.

"Beauty" was really good. Not sure that I read "Rose Daughter."

I adore the message of the Beauty and the Beast story; redemption and salvation from self through love. Now matter how many times this tale is written, that never changes. One of my favorite retellings is The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey. She also did a different retelling in The Beauty and the Beast part of her Five Hundred Kingdoms series but I felt it was weaker than the Fire Rose. My other favorite is Beast by Donna Jo Napoli set in Persia and ending in France. You follow the beast before, during, and after his transformation of his body and his humanity.

-- 19 Nov 2014, 23:48 --

I adore the message of the Beauty and the Beast story; redemption and salvation from self through love. Now matter how many times this tale is written, that never changes. One of my favorite retellings is The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey. She also did a different retelling in The Beauty and the Beast part of her Five Hundred Kingdoms series but I felt it was weaker than the Fire Rose. My other favorite is Beast by Donna Jo Napoli set in Persia and ending in France. The book focuses on the beast before, during, and after the transformation of his body and humanity.

One of my guilty pleasure movies as a kid was Beautician and the Beast.. hehehehe.


I did some googling to see if I could find anything to read that sounded interesting for you. I ended up with very few options. There is "Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" "

"Belle is convinced she has the wrong name, as she lacks her sisters' awe-inspiring beauty. So she withdraws from society, devoting her time to wood carving. Secretly, Belle longs to find the fabled Heartwood Tree. If carved by the right hands, the Heartwood will reveal the face of one's true love.

During a fierce storm, Belle's father stumbles upon the mysterious Heartwood -- and encounters a terrifying and lonely Beast. Now Belle must carve the Heartwood to save her father, and learn to see not with the eyes of her mind, but with the eyes of her heart."


I also found a short version:
The Bayou Beast: A Modern Retelling of Beauty and the Beast -- just google it if interested you will finish it in like 10 mins. haha. So its not worth posting a description.


Then there is the erotic novel:
"Hunted: An Erotic Retelling of Beauty and the Beast"
"When the beast-cursed man of legends comes for her, desiring her as his mate, can Danya tame his savage ways and show him love, or will she unwittingly ..."



I have no idea if any of them are very good. haha. But worth looking into more. I was actually pretty shocked at how little I came across.

I'd like to second the recommendation of Mercedes Lackey's "The Fire Rose." Her Elemental Masters series is wonderful.

LadyKaylee wrote:I'd like to second the recommendation of Mercedes Lackey's "The Fire Rose." Her Elemental Masters series is wonderful.

*high five* You're the first person I know who knows that book. It's one of my top five go-to books.

I'm actually currently rereading Phoenix and Ashes. =) Mercedes Lackey is perfect for rereading because of her happy endings. Even in books where the main character dies, her endings are happy.

I agree. Have you read any of her Valdamar books? They come individually and in series of three and you can read them "out of order" without feeling lost as you read any of the novels.

I love the Valdemar books!!! My favorites are the Queen's Own trilogy and the Last Herald Mage trilogy. I haven't been as much of a fan of her Collegium Chronicles, though. I haven't read the most recent one yet.

My favorite of her Valdamar books are Exile's Honor and Exile's Valor.

I loved Beastly, by Alex Flinn. I love fairy tales in general, and Alex Flinn puts her own spin on it, and it is just fabulous!

I really like Roses by G. R. Manning. She sets the book in a unique world and makes the story her own. I don't know you would like it but it is definitely my favorite retelling so far. I also really love Beastly and the way that Alex Flinn is able to set this fairytale (and others) into the modern world and yet make it feel like it is happening on another planet instead of in New York.

I checked out Beauty back in middle school, but unfortunately never finished it (can't remember why). What I remember was pretty good, though. Robin McKinley is very talented. I should buy or check out this book again so I can finish it.

JVa1encia wrote:

LadyKaylee wrote:I'd like to second the recommendation of Mercedes Lackey's "The Fire Rose." Her Elemental Masters series is wonderful.

*high five* You're the first person I know who knows that book. It's one of my top five go-to books.

I adore her Elemental Masters Series! I have as many of them I can find. I do love the Fire Rose, and I think my other favorite is the Snow White retelling and the Cinderella retelling. I can't remember the titles, but they are excellent. Ah yes, the Serpents Shadow...