November 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of Disney’s animated feature Beauty And The Beast! The story has been around much longer, through many types of entertainment, the most famous version – La Belle Et La Bete – being written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1740. Even farther back, one of the first recorded versions of the tale is the myth of Cupid And Psyche, said to have been written in 2nd Century CE by Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis. Though, the fairytale has been seen across the globe – throughout all of Europe, Asia, and the Americans with countless variants over time, even to the present day. So! Here are 10 books that will be perfect entertainment and you might not have known are Beauty And The Beast:
“In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast, Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover – for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.
Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles year ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves….”
Literally my favorite book – one of my favorite stories out of all forms of entertainment. I cannot rave about The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward enough. (Each book is full of all kinds of entertainment, each book having its own romance between the two leading characters, but all of their stories further the grander tale of The Blind King, the vampire race, the Scribe Virgin and the Omega, and the Lessing Society.) When it comes to Rhage and Mary in particular, I am slightly biased because I love almost all tellings of Beauty And The Beast. What makes this particular version so unique though, is that it is not so much about eliminating the beast but taming it. From beginning to end, Rhage worships Mary the way every woman deserves, and Mary helps Rhage understand what truly matters in all of existence.
“In the shadows of the night in Cadwell, New York, a deadly turf war rages between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion and terror his only passion – until he recuses a beautiful female from the evil Lessing Society.
Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. Be even as their desire for each other beings to overtake them, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her….”
While Lover Eternal is more traditional entertainment when it comes to a telling of Beauty And The Beast, with Rhage being overcome by his curse and turning into a dragon, Lover Awakened is more like Cupid And Psyche, dealing with the metaphorical beast within that is Zsadist’s PTSD. Buried way deep after years of trauma, it takes a little time for Bella and the readers to find that Zsadist is just like everyone else, wanting to love and be loved like everyone else. Out of the dozen or so novels in The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, this is one of the few that I truly cared about the couple and cared that Zsadist gets his happy ending.
“It is 1962, and Elisa Esposito – mute her whole life, orphaned as a child – is struggling with her humdrum existence as a janitor working the graveyard shift at Baltimore’s Occan Aerospace Research Center. Were it not for Zelda, a protective coworker, and Giles, her loving neighbor, she doesn’t know how she’d make it through her day.
Then, one fateful night, she sees something she was never meant to see, the Center’s most sensitive asset ever: an amphibious man, captured in the Amazon, to be studied for Cold War advancements. The creature is terrifying but also magnificent, capable of language and of understanding emotions… and Elisa can’t keep away. Using sign language, the two learn to communicate. Soon, affection turns into love, and the creature becomes Elisa’s sole reason to live.
But outside forces are pressing in. Richard Strickland, the obsessed soldier who tracked the asset through the Amazon, wants nothing more than to dissect it before the Russians get a chance to steal it. Elisa has no choice but to risk everything to save her beloved. With the help of Zelda and Giles, Elisa hatches a plan to break out the creature. But Strickland is onto them. And the Russians are, indeed, coming.”
Okay, so. I was so in love with the movie that when I found the book it was an entertainment insta-buy. In Disney’s Beauty And The Beast terms: Elisa – Belle, Giles – Maurice, Zelda – the enchanted objects, Richar – Gaston, and the “monster” – Beast. In Fact, when talking about The Shape Of Water, Guillermo Del Toro said that he watched Monster From The Black Lagoon and thought “what if it was a love story”. It is definitely worth the read because there are so many more details and insights they could not translate into the movie.
“Do you believe in magic?
Romance, deceit, heroism, lies, adventure, and true love – just another day in the Big Apple? No way. Suppose you were on your way to work. Not a great job, just one that pays the bills. And, suddenly, you are in the middle of a fantastic adventure and running for your life. Embark on an odyssey that will grip your imagination, steal your heart – and leave you spellbound as only the very best story can. Welcome to The 10th Kingdom!
Two centuries after Snow White and Cinderella had their adventures, the Nine Kingdoms ready themselves for the coronation of Prince Wendell, Snow White’s grandson, to the throne of the Fourth Kingdom. But an evil once-Queen has freed herself from prison and turns the Prince into a golden retriever. Wendell, by means of a magic mirror, escapes into the hitherto-unknown Tenth Kingdom (modern-day New York City) and meets Virginia Lewis and her father Tony Lewis. Pursued by trolls, cops, and a wolf in man’s form, the three blunder back into the Nine Kingdoms and begin their adventures to restore Wendell to his human form and throne, and find the magic mirror that will take Tony and Virginia back home, all the while unknowing that Virginia already has a connection to the Nine Kingdoms that may prove to be deadly before we reach Happily Ever After.”
Being such a diehard Beauty And The Beast fan and a budding expert on the subject, I am ashamed to say it took 12 years after The 10th Kingdom‘s release in 2000 for me to realize that Virginia and Wolf are this version’s Beauty and the Beast. It should be viciously obvious because Virginia lives with her father who is a handyman, she wears a blue outfit with an apron because of her job, and her love interest is Wolf who she needs time to go from hate to love. Regardless, it is still one of the best retellings I have ever watched and read. What I really appreciate about this book – versus watching the amazing mini-series – is that the audience is gifted with more insight into the characters via inner dialog. One of the most traditional versions of the fairytale on this entertainment list, I highly recommend it!
“Filled with the spectacle of the Paris Opera House in the nineteenth century, this classic work of suspense remains a riveting journey into the dark regions of the human heart. The tale beings as an investigation into the strange stories of an ‘Opera Ghost’, legendary for scaring performers as they sit alone in their dressing rooms or walk along the building’s labyrinthine corridors. Some even think they’ve seen the ghost in evening clothes moving in the shadows. But it isn’t until the triumphant performance of the beautiful soprano Christine Daae that the Phantom beings his attacks – striking terror in the hearts of everyone in the theater. A story that has captured the imagination for a century, The Phantom Of The Opera continues to this day to be an unparalleled work of sheer entertainment.”
The Phantom of the Opera (French: Le Fantôme de l’Opéra), is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published for entertainment as a serialization in Le Gaulois from September 23rd, 1909, to January 8th, 1910. The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century and an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil’s skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber’s 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical and 2004 film featuring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum.
Having read the novel, seen the musical, and watched the movie, it is interesting seeing the path of the different versions of entertainment. Though Andrew Lloyd Webber brought music and beauty to the original story, there are a lot of the novel’s components incorporated. (With the 2004 movie, however, it is even farther from the book, primarily a screen adaptation of the musical, taking away some of the characters and plot, making it even more fanciful.) The Phantom of Gaston Leroux’s work is both a scientist and illusionist which adds to his ability to seem as a ghost. The novel holds way more history, detail, and story, and is one of the best “classics” I have read.
“The kiss they share then is one of a promise. A promise to always be honest, to always be kind, to support each other, to love each other, but above all else, to never judge a book by its cover.
This modern fairytale follows the intertwining path of to-be Valedictorian Isabelle O’Hara and outcast Adam Benson. With twists and turns that might be familiar to any Beauty And The Beast fan, there are still plenty of surprises within these pages! It’s tale of adventure, a tale of inner strength, and most importantly a tale of love.
Don’t miss Molly Lynn Robinson’s comeback novel Something There, it’s truly a perfect addition to any bookcase!”
Molly Lynn Robinson’s Beauty And The Beast: The Complete Series contains four different installments. First is this novel, Something There, which is a modern retelling that follows the intertwining lives of two high school seniors, Isabelle and Adam. Hitting all the important markers of the famous fairytale, it is a quick, adorable read that any romantic will love.
“They say chateau Beaumont is cursed.
Servant girl Lucie can’t believe such foolishness about handsome Jean-Loup, Chevalier De Beaumont, master of the estate. But when the chevalier’s cruelty is revealed, Lucie vows to see him suffer. A wise woman grants her wish and transforms Jean-Loup into a terrifying Beast, reflecting the monster he is inside.
But the Beast proves to be nothing like the chevalier. Jean-Loup would never tend his roses so patiently or attempt poetry – nor express remote for the wrong done to Lucie. Gradually, Lucie realizes that Beast is an entirely different creature, with a heart more human than Jean-Loup’s ever was. Lucie dares to hope that noble Beast has permanently replaced cruel Jean-Loup – until an innocent beauty arrives at the chateau with the power to break the spell.
Filled with gorgeous writing, magic, and fierce emotion, Beast will challenge all you think you know about good and evil, beauty and beastliness.”
This is actually on my to-read pile, but when I was wandering around Barnes And Noble it caught my eye and intrigued my interest! In a way, Lucie is taking the part of The Enchantress, who watches over what happens to the Beast (as we see in Disney’s live-action 2017 film). It should be a really compelling read, seeing the story from a whole different perspective.
“Beauty can transform anything – even the heart of a Beast….
The Beast’s hand closed around the rose’s stem; when he opened it, the palm was pierced, and drops of blood fell softly, making a dark stain like the first unfurling of a rosebud….
Twenty years ago, Robin McKinley dazzled readers with the power of her novel Beauty. Now this extraordinarily gifted novelist returns to the story of Beauty And The Beast, with a fresh perspective, ingenuity, and mature insight. With Rose Daughter, she presents her finest and most deeply felt work, a compelling, richly imagined, and haunting exploration of the transformative power of love.”
Heavily inspired by Beaumont’s La Belle Et La Bete, Robin McKinley’s second take at a Beauty And The Beast retelling is familiar and charming but still a good form of entertainment. Beauty is the youngest of three daughters and finds herself and her family at Rose Cottage after her merchant father loses all their money. When the father goes to check on some of his imports, it follows the tale of him stumbling upon the castle and facing the Beast. There are some changes brought forth by Robin McKinley in this version that are a nice change of pace and add a whole new dimension to the story.
“I am a beast.
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly… beastly.”
Back in 2007, this is one of the first retellings I ever read. It sits in my heart as one of the best modern versions, though not strictly realistic. It is also one of the few retellings that is first person from the point of view of the Beast, which provides very interesting entertainment. I also appreciate the entertainment references such as the classic stories of The Phantom Of The Opera (which made it to this list) and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (which was a close eleventh). It is not only a tale of Beauty learns to love the Beast, but showcases a dynamic understanding of what people value and how, when everything is taken away, people show their true colors.
P.S. – the movie is crap and not worth your time.
“What if Belle’s mother cursed the Beast?
Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father’s reluctance to leave their cottage in case Belle’s mother returns – a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.
But when Belle touches the Beast’s enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind – images of the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making.”
I have a huge love/hate relationship with this book, (I even have a character rant about it in The Devil’s Cut). If the ending was different, it would be all love. Why I do love it, though, is because of how awesomely different it is from Disney’s animated feature and even the live-action film. The twist of the Enchantress being Belle’s mom is all fine and dandy, but what is really spectacular is the new world they’ve built – a world that really captures the imagination and keeps the reader enthralled. In this world, where magic and mythical beings exist and are sometimes hunted, it is very similar to the fairytale world in The 10th Kingdom. I am really glad I own this book alongside Disney’s The Beast Within.
In addition to the 10 listed above, I highly recommend:
Beauty by Robin McKinley, Beauty And The Beast: The Complete Series by Molly Lynn Robinson, Beauty And The Beast by Beaumont, The Beast Within: A Tale Of Beauty’s Prince by Valentino, Belle by Dokey, and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.
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