The Beauty and The Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve

Clues to describe this book: Classic, Vanity, Kindness, Reflection

Review: I purchased the deluxe unabridged collector’s edition of The Beauty and The Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve. By first glance, the cover is breathtakingly beautiful as are the illustrations with interactive elements by MinaLima throughout the book. When I purchased this edition, I was aware that this version would be different from the ‘90s Disney animated movie that I fell in love with growing up and the Disney live movie which came out this year. Villeneuve’s original story was a delight to read and entertaining. I was familiar with some of the story elements, but there were other elements of the tale that took me by surprise. I really enjoyed reading the backstory of the complexity of the Beast’s curse, learning more about the Beast’s mother, and the perspectives of the fairies. Beauty’s character in the story is much more complex than how it perceived in the Disney films as well which was a refreshing take. However, I still think that the ‘90s animated film adaption will be my all-time favorite version since it holds a special place in my heart and reminds me of my childhood. I would highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast or if you enjoy reading classic fairy tales.