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Apr 24, 2017goddessbeth rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is a lovely Beauty and the Beast retelling, with nods to the original tale and the Disneyfied bits. Like all good retellings, it has something to say (beyond the story itself) about life. I'm still puzzling it out, in this case- there's something in there about yearning for more and how settling for less than what fulfills you turns you into something not quite whole, restless and unhappy. And that resonated. There was also a lot of not knowing what you want until you find it and then you aren't fully happy without it- no big revelation moments, which kept it from being cheesy, and it puts the romance emphasis not on wooing but on knowing yourself. And THAT is something I am very in support of. The story takes place in medieval-ish Russia, which lends an air of exoticness even though it's a very familiar tale for most of us. And there's a nice blending of reality and magical realism, bolstered by Beauty's personality, which is big on "just accept what your instincts are telling you". Makes sense, from a hunting perspective, that she's not constantly trying to overlay a worldview onto whatever she sees, and also accounts for her dissatisfaction with those that do shut their senses in favor of their chosen construct. Overall, I recommend it for fans of Beauty and the Beast, fairytale retellings, fierce female MCs, and fast-paced stories (I read 80% of this in one day- it's a fast, easy read).