The Magic of Beauty

‘Beauty’ by Robin McKinley is a fantasy historical retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

A rich merchant named Roderick Huston had three daughters. Their names were Grace, Hope, and Honour. Honour was five years old when she commented to her father that she would rather be called Beauty, and so that is what he and everyone else called her by after that. Grace fell in love with Robert Tucker, who was a captain of one of their father’s ships. Her father approved of the match, but Robert wished to wait until after his next voyage in order to earn enough money to buy a house and so prove that he could take care of her. In the meantime, Hope secretly fell in love with someone who worked in her father’s shipyard.

A bad year came to the merchant and most of his ships were lost to storms, pirates, and other tragedies. The merchant had to sell the house and most of the things in it. It was at this time that Gervain ‘Ger’ Woodhouse, who was an ironworker for her father, approached the family. He told her father how much he loved her and that he had heard of a blacksmith job in the country where a house and forge were being provided. And he would be most pleased if all of the family would come to live with them as well, as it would make Hope very happy. Her father was very happy to accept Ger offer.  And so the family packed up their things, and they all moved to the small village in the country.

Behind their new property was an enchanted forest. Ger had heard stories and believed them enough to warn the family to never go into the woods. And as most of these stories go, the father received word that one of his ships came in and he journeyed around the forest to return to the city. On the way home, he decided to take the short cut, which was through the woods, instead taking days to go around it. In the woods he came to a castle were he angered the owner who made him a deal. Beauty would return to the castle to stay with the beast in return for her father stealing a rose for her.

The castle is large and filled with surprises and magic. The beast, a former prince who was cursed by a magician, has lived there with the magic surrounding and in him, that he can do a little magic himself. His servants are invisible and almost in another dimension and although she can’t touch them, they can touch or influence things around them.

This is a wonderful book and one of my favorite versions of Beauty and the Beast. I found it interesting that the first half of the book takes place before Beauty even reaches the castle. But it was nice that McKinley told more about Beauty’s family and how her live used to be. There are a few unexpected surprises that I loved, but I leave them for you to read about your selves.

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