Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Disney Enterprise Inc.
Year: 2017
Genre: Fairytale Retelling
Age: YA 13+
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I've previously read the book These Shallow Graves by this author & I enjoyed that book as well. I was very excited when I heard this book was coming out so I'm happy my library got it so I could read it. It took me a long time...like a month...to read this book. Not because I didn't like it or wasn't interested. I just didn't sit down & devote the time to reading it. Once I finally did it went by very fast, I read most of it in one sitting.
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This isn't the story you know. Donnelly takes the classic Disney tale & gives it a dark new twist that we've never seen before.
The story begins with two sisters, Love & Death. They have a wager going on to see who will win. Will Love conquer all & free the Beast & his servants from the curse? Or will Death consume Belle through the pages of a mysterious book?
Once we know whats at stake we jump forward to the Beast giving Belle the beautiful library that every book lover dreams about! No one knows what stories are hidden amongest the shelves just waiting to be read. In the Librarians old workroom Belle finds the enchanted book Nevermore. Once she opens its pags she is transported to a magical new realm. There she finds an escape from the dark, dusty, & depressing life she has in the Beast's castle. In Nevermore she meets some new "friends" including a handsome duke named Henri & a countess who is her gracious host in this new world. But the countess in none other than Death herself.
It's not long before Belle is entranced by the countess & all she has to offer in her world of magic, fancy gowns, delicious food, & delight every day. Belle never wants to leave & the countess feels the same. But Belle has grown attached to her friends back at the castle. So she finds herself traveling between realms trying to decide which world holds the key to her future.
Death has other plans for Belle & it's not long before she becomes trapped within the ages of Nevermore. But the once magical & exciting world has transformed into Death's realm of darkness. Belle's new friends are just puppets in this game & she is about to become one herself. The Beast along with our favorite cast if characters Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip & the others must find her before its too late.
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Likes: This version of the story is unlike any we've ever read before. It starts out traditional & by the end it takes a turn much like Neil Gaiman's book Coraline.
There are traditional characters like Lumiere & we get to see some new ones like a helpful spider named Aranae & his beetle companion Lucanos.
The chapters in this book are pretty short so that makes it go by fast.
With stunning originality & some funny moments this book is sure to be a new classic.
Dislikes: -
Rating:
