Of Beast and Beauty {Review}

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Hardcover, 391 pages

Published July 23rd 2013 by Delacorte Press

ISBN: 037599100X

Source: Kindle Buying Spree

 

Summary

 

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

“In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret.” 

 

Of Beast and Beauty is an enchanting retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast, complete with sci-fi feelings, a love the will rest in the stars and a world on the brink of self destruction.

Have I ever told y'all how much I freaking adore retelling. Have you read When You Were Mine (a Romeo and Juliet retelling in the voice of Rosaline)? You really should, it's one of my favorite Shakespeare retellings. I got a new hardcover of that book for $3. Mwahah.

Anyway, back to the current book at hand. Although I really like this book, there were a few issues I feel I need to address. Why? I have decided to end this review on a happy note. You're welcome.

For the first 60% of the book they are both completely idiotic idiots who are UNDENIABLY feeling something for each other, yet, because they are different (but not as different as you'd think) choose to think that the love they feel is hate. *rolling my eyes* They are just so stupid. 

But after they realize that they can be together (thank the ancestors) they are all like. Let's do this!!! And I'm like IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!!! 

This is told from three perspectives: Bo, Isra and Gem. Oh how I love Gem ^.^ Mainly Isra and I really like her voice. It's strong but naive and innocent. Gem doesn't realize how shielded she really is and blames her for everything. Or maybe he just wanted a reason to hate her so he could convince himself he wasn't in love.

Of course fate is a terrible thing as you probably remember from Beauty and the Beast, death is involved but so is revival. But, remember, this is a retelling and I'm not going to tell you how our star crossed lovers survive. 

“The truth had been hidden away, the voice told the princess, but she could find it, if she was brave.”

 

 

Jackie