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limeykiss's review
5.0
SO GOOD. Read this immediately if you love fairy tale retellings. I loved how the author combined multiple tales, and the way she spun them to a darker, deeper level. Couldn't put it down.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
I was already wondering how Pinborough was gonna continue her storyline since the previous book felt pretty finished, but it didn't take long before I discovered that this book was actually a prequel and it was finally telling us everything we needed to know about the adventures of the prince and the Huntsman before they stumbled into the kingdom of Snow White and interfered with her story. And the further I read, the more excited I got.
When I saw the title of this book I was already quite surprised that the author picked Sleeping Beauty to retell and not Beauty and the Beast. Don't get me wrong, I love Sleeping Beauty personally more than Beauty and the Beast, but it's a really hard story when it comes to having an interesting princess as the starring heroine. However, why the author chose Sleeping Beauty became quite clear along the way and although it was sickening at times, it was also interesting and intriguing.
Where the first book kept very close to the original tale, the second one already drifted away from its origin story slightly and this one takes a complete leap and turns the entire tale on its head. Rumplestiltskin is involved. We meet Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf. There is also some link to Rapunzel in there and we're not even talking about the fact that not every princess who's in a century long slumber should be saved to begin with.
This book is a glorious fairytale mess. And even though it's once more a relatively short read, I kinda got attached to the characters and their adventures, even though I already know that the prince is not as charming as he believes himself to be. And by turning this story into a giant fairytale mess, Pinborough also ripped apart all the stiffening stereotypes. The prince is not just charming. Not every princess is a damsel in distress. And not every wolf is a villain.
Damn it! I wish there were more books in this series!
When I saw the title of this book I was already quite surprised that the author picked Sleeping Beauty to retell and not Beauty and the Beast. Don't get me wrong, I love Sleeping Beauty personally more than Beauty and the Beast, but it's a really hard story when it comes to having an interesting princess as the starring heroine. However, why the author chose Sleeping Beauty became quite clear along the way and although it was sickening at times, it was also interesting and intriguing.
Where the first book kept very close to the original tale, the second one already drifted away from its origin story slightly and this one takes a complete leap and turns the entire tale on its head. Rumplestiltskin is involved. We meet Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf. There is also some link to Rapunzel in there and we're not even talking about the fact that not every princess who's in a century long slumber should be saved to begin with.
This book is a glorious fairytale mess. And even though it's once more a relatively short read, I kinda got attached to the characters and their adventures, even though I already know that the prince is not as charming as he believes himself to be. And by turning this story into a giant fairytale mess, Pinborough also ripped apart all the stiffening stereotypes. The prince is not just charming. Not every princess is a damsel in distress. And not every wolf is a villain.
Damn it! I wish there were more books in this series!
leschroniques_delea's review against another edition
2.0
Contrairement aux tomes précédents, je n’ai pas vraiment aimé ce tome et je ne l’ai par terminé.
J’ai trouvé ce tome assez confus, trop de point de vue différent sans qu’on comprenne qui parlait, j’ai eu l’impression de rater pleins d’éléments importants ou qu’il manquait des chapitres pour comprendre certaines choses, du coup je me suis arrêtée à la moitié du roman.
J’ai quand même essayé de le lire mais ça ne sert à rien de s’acharner quand on n’aime pas un livre au risque de se provoquer une panne de lecture ou de tout simplement ne pas aimer sa lecture.
J’ai trouvé ce tome assez confus, trop de point de vue différent sans qu’on comprenne qui parlait, j’ai eu l’impression de rater pleins d’éléments importants ou qu’il manquait des chapitres pour comprendre certaines choses, du coup je me suis arrêtée à la moitié du roman.
J’ai quand même essayé de le lire mais ça ne sert à rien de s’acharner quand on n’aime pas un livre au risque de se provoquer une panne de lecture ou de tout simplement ne pas aimer sa lecture.
bookeen_la_rouquine's review against another edition
4.0
une trilogie géniale, même si ma préférence va au 1er tome! l'auteure à vraiment revisité les contes à sa sauce, j'ai adoré.
heather_19's review against another edition
1.0
I usually really enjoy fairy tale retellings, but I did not care for this one. The only reason I finished it was because it was such a short book.
sandeeisreading's review against another edition
5.0
That was so good! :D
I haven't read anything in third person in a while and it was pretty refreshing.
I highly recommend it for those who loves fairytale retellings. So far, this is my favorite.
Full review to follow.
I haven't read anything in third person in a while and it was pretty refreshing.
I highly recommend it for those who loves fairytale retellings. So far, this is my favorite.
Full review to follow.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Beauty is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty interwoven with several other fairy tales. It is deemed that the prince needs an adventure and a wife, but he needs some protection so he’s sent off with the Huntsman. On their travels they find a cottage with a wolf problem and discover a city in slumber. We all know that the prince wakes Beauty up with a kiss but what happens next? It’s not all happily ever after here.
I was actually expecting it to be a bit raunchier. It certainly is not for children, there are a few sex bits but overall it felt very much like a fairy tale with extra characters and a bit more grown up. I think Sarah Pinborough wanted to make a point about sexism but there’s a really awkwardly explained scene where the Huntsman is going on about how women shouldn’t be judged if they have sex. Which is true, but seemed an out of place this in the context of this tale. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, so why was he going to lengths to justify it?
It was interesting to have an explanation and justification behind why Beauty was put to sleep. I liked the fact that all the fairy tale characters lived in the same world, that they knew of Rapunzel even though she’s not from their story (neither is the Huntsman).
I was actually expecting it to be a bit raunchier. It certainly is not for children, there are a few sex bits but overall it felt very much like a fairy tale with extra characters and a bit more grown up. I think Sarah Pinborough wanted to make a point about sexism but there’s a really awkwardly explained scene where the Huntsman is going on about how women shouldn’t be judged if they have sex. Which is true, but seemed an out of place this in the context of this tale. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, so why was he going to lengths to justify it?
It was interesting to have an explanation and justification behind why Beauty was put to sleep. I liked the fact that all the fairy tale characters lived in the same world, that they knew of Rapunzel even though she’s not from their story (neither is the Huntsman).
tinynavajo's review against another edition
4.0
I truly loved this whole series, but this one wasn't my favorite. I liked the other two better, but I like faery tale retellings so much and I like it when retellings show a completely different side of the story. That's why I would say that this has been my favorite set of faery tale retellings.
Beauty tells the beginning of the series, though it is last in the lineup. The prince goes on his adventure, but like all things, it never goes as planned. And you will never see where this one goes.
Beauty tells the beginning of the series, though it is last in the lineup. The prince goes on his adventure, but like all things, it never goes as planned. And you will never see where this one goes.
sebbyroth's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0