Beauty in the Beast - Stevie Rae Causey

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Author: Stevie Rae Causey

Genre: Retelling
Rating: 3 stars.

An interesting take on the classic fairy tale.

I don’t want to reveal much about the story because this is a novelette, just 37 pages long. So anything I reveal will take away the fun of discovery.

So just know:

😍 It isn’t a typical retelling.

😍 There’s no romance.

😍 There’s a magical library.

😍 Belle is a motorcycle-riding book editor! Beast is a…. well, he is not what you think he would be.

😍 There are many odes paid to the original story. For instance, Belle’s motorcycle’s name is ‘Rose’!

😍 The story is a testimony to the power of books and of the written word.

😍 It is decently gripping, especially in the latter half.


BUT…

😑 There are a lot of inner monologues, despite the fact that it isn’t in first person and that it is just a novelette.

😑 Belle’s background isn’t elaborated upon at all. In a novelette, there's a limited amount of space for back stories but if a point related to the character’s past is raised, it ought to be addressed in detail.

😑 Some incidents were confusing as they were brought up as flashbacks but not clarified even after the end.

😑 The scene shifts are a bit jumpy.


I liked the innovative idea. I loved the title and what it hinted at. I loved how the story kicked out what everyone considers the essence of the original – ‘romance’. If the writing and the editing could somehow plug in the plot holes, fill in the back details, and ensure a smoother scene transition, this will be a retelling worth going for.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘StoryOrigin’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.

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