The Borrowed Rose: Beauty and the Beast Book Recommendations and Retellings

When I think of Beauty and the Beast tales, fantastical, magical settings come to mind.  I mean, in the original yarn by Madame Barbot de Villeneuve , Beauty was attended by birds and monkeys dressed in elegant attire, Beast and Beauty cavorted in nighttime dreams and Beast's mom was a cousin of Xena the Warrior Princess (not really, but could have been).  It certainly was not a proper Disney setting. Beauty and the Beast by Walter Crane While I enjoy an imaginative fantasy setting, it's fun to encounter a retelling of this favorite fairy tale as a different genre.  I've been reading romances for a long time, and worked in a bookstore in high school and college.  While I was mostly enamored of the sci fi / fantasy section of the store, I did enjoy a dalliance in the romance section to check out the new romance covers.   Those were the days when Harlequin Romances were issued monthly on a set schedule and Fabio with his long flowing locks graced the cove...

Roses play a significant role in many Beauty and the Beast tales. Have you ever wondered about the symbolism of the rose in Beauty and the Beast ?  Me too. Roses bid welcome on an ornate trellis before a lovely wrought door in an image by Tama66 via Pixabay The rose played a key role in the original tale by Madame Barbot de Villeneuve and in Madame LePrince de Beaumont's shortened version .   While I'm not a literary expert, I can wield a keyboard like a fiend.  Some research and voila, a few interesting tidbits.  We'll explore the setting at the time of the original tale and the importance of the rose in 18th century France when Mesdames Barbot de Villeneuve and LePrince de Beaumont penned their tales.  We'll also look into the symbolism of the rose and what it's hinting at for the leading characters. Beauty's Setting in the 1700s in France Decadence was happening in 18th century France.  Louis XV was king for most of the century.  Lush and lov...

Beauty and the Beast inspired tales and fairy tale retellings for the young adult audience are in abundance, and that's great, because we all need a touch of  BATB magic in our lives. 5 Beauty and the Beast Books for Young Adults with a New Angle Here are 5 Beauty and the Beast inspired young adult books that offer a new angle.  Let's read something, shall we? Hunted by Meagan Spooner Hunted is highly rated, and not just among Beauty and the Beast enthusiasts.  In this BATB -inspired tale, Beauty is a hunter who sets off to find her missing father in a cold, wintry setting.  What she finds are fantastical beasts and a Beast in need of rescue.  It's a beautifully written tale and perfect for young adult audiences. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast  by Robin McKinley Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors.  I just love her style.  McKinley's Beauty was one of the early BATB  retellings, published in 1978, long...