Beastly
posted in book challenge, fantasy, myths/fairy tales, young adult, book review |
by Alex Flinn (2007 hardcover, 2008 paperback)
“What’s going on here?”
“I told you. Comeuppance. You will know what it is like not to be beautiful, to be as ugly on the outside as on the inside. If you learn your lesson well, you may be able to undo my spell. If not, you will live with your punishment forever.”
All his life Kyle Kingsbury has gotten special treatment because he looks good on the outside–physical beauty, wealth, intelligence (albeit frequently not applied to school). When he decides to invite Kendra Hilferty, the new scholarship student at his privileged school to the upcoming dance (as a joke with the intent of humiliating her and not in sincerity mind you), his special treatment works against him. Post-dance humiliation scene, Kendra turns up at Kyle’s house. Kyle quickly discovers Kendra is actually a witch with the power to treat him the way he has treated others most of his life–as less than human–as beasts. She turns him into a beast (the run away screaming, lots of fur and claws kind).
At first Kyle and his famous newscaster father try to “fix” his outer/inner ugliness by pleading with medical specialists to do something, but they plead to no avail. Unfortunately for Kyle, his beastliness is a part of him–a manifestation of who he has been on the inside for many years. Fortunately for Kyle, Kendra saw him perform one kindness the night of the dance when he gave a rose to the ticket taker (neither he or his date found a mere rose worthy), so she gives him a chance: “You’ve lived your life being cruel. But in the hours before your transformation you performed one small kindness. It is because of this one bit of goodness that I see fit to offer you a second chance, because of the rose.”
Since it wasn’t much of a kindness, it isn’t much of a chance, but Kendra does tell Kyle that he has “two years to find someone willing to look beyond your hideousness and see some good in you, something to love. If you will love her in return and if she will kiss you to prove it, the spell will be lifted, and you will be your handsome self again. If not, you’ll stay a beast forever.”
When Kyle’s dad washes his hands of Kyle and ships him off with a housekeeper and a tutor to a house in a more rural locale, Kyle begins to change (some may argue a little too quickly and unrealistically, but change he does). He changes his name (who knew that one meaning for Kyle is “fair and handsome“?) to Adrian, he changes his lifestyle (he takes up gardening and reading as pastimes), and he changes his attitude (adding a dollop of humility and a smattering of empathy and compassion).
He also joins a chat group from which transcripts of the chat sessions are interspersed throughout the story. Joining BeastNYC in the chat room are SilentGirl, Froggie, and GrizzlyGuy. Having creatures from other tales populate the group and share their own worries and woes creates entertaining discussions. These sessions add comic relief and help reveal Kyle/Adrian’s changing attitudes and feelings.
The longer Kyle/Adrian exists as a beast on the outside, the less beastly he becomes on the inside. Of course, there is the whole kidnapping of Lindy (who incidentally was the impetus for his good deed involving the rose), but that’s a necessary plot point paving the way to the inevitable happy ending. After all, it’s going to take a girl awhile to adjust to that much hair on a guy, and he’s only got two years.
As mentioned, it is an inevitably happy ending and a retelling that lacks much in the way of surprise elements and plot deviations, so it may come off to some as a bit predictable. Still, for those who enjoy retellings in general, retellings from new points of view, modernized retellings, and/or for those who enjoy stories with character transformation (physically and attitudinally), then Beastly will be a quick and enjoyable read (it was for me anyway 
).
If you’re looking for more, try some Donna Jo Napoli (e.g., Beast (B & B), Zel (Rapunzel)), Robin McKinley (e.g., Rose Daughter (B & B), Beauty (B & B), Deerskin (Donkeyskin), Spindle’s End (Sleeping Beauty)), or Jane Yolen (Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty)). Or take a look at Little Willow’s Fairy Tales Retold Booklist which has some useful suggestions for a variety of age groups.
Update: Booklinks Casting a Spell: Fairy Tales in Novel Form (July 2008) offers another list of related-reads
