New Once trailer!

Less than THREE WEEKS until Once Upon a Time's fourth season premiere! And there's a new trailer with a few new clips! And this GORGEOUS screenshot of Belle (Emilie de Ravin) in THE DRESS. The Rumbelle feels! *dies*

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty
By: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ASIN: B00DB365MK

Review:

Nyx Triskelion was raised to die. From childhood she's known that she was designed and trained to be the instrument of her father's vengeance against the Gentle Lord that held all of Arcadia in an iron grip -- she was not worth saving; rather, she was the necessary sacrifice. For over nine hundred years Arcadia has been isolated from the rest of the world, suffering under the rule of the Gentle Lord, a prince of demons who makes bargains with his vassals -- bargains that always exact a costly and oft-times unexpected price, as when Nyx's father begged on behalf of his wife for children, only to see his wife die in childbirth with a future forfeit to come -- a daughter given in marriage to the feared lord. As a daughter of a famed scholar and leader of the Resurgandi, an organization ostensibly founded to further Hermetic research (the study of the power of the four elements of earth, wind, air, and fire), but whose true goal was to undo the sundering and destroy the Gentle Lord, Nyx was raised as a sacrifice. Robbed of her future because of her father's folly, Nyx is tasked with destroying the Gentle Lord, knowing her life is a sure forfeit in the process.

When her seventeenth birthday arrives, Nyx is married by proxy to the Gentle Lord and deposited at the door of the crumbling castle that is his home. But her husband is not the demon she was raised to expect. Handsome and yes, even kind, with a smile that makes her heart skip a beat, rather than demand the intimacy of the marriage bed, he grants Nyx the freedom of the house. And most shockingly of all, rather than punish her for her spirit and her desire to rid the land of his presence, he seems to relish her spirit and applaud her honesty, rewarding her with a tantalizing promise -- every night she will receive the chance to guess his name. Guess correctly, and she wins her freedom -- but given the wrong answer, and she'll lose her life, joining the eight previous wives who risked it all and lost. The longer Nyx dwells in Ignifex's enchanted home, and the more she learns about the power that he wields over all of Arcadia, she begins to wonder if Ignifex is as much a captive as her, held in thrall to forces more powerful than she ever imagined. When the monster this beauty has been raised to loathe, raised to kill, begins to capture her heart, Nyx struggles between keeping her vow and freeing her people, or risking everything to save the demon lord who has captured her heart.

I must confess, what first drew me to Rosamund Hodge's debut was not the promise of a fresh re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorite fairy tales, but its gorgeously-designed cover. And having finished Cruel Beauty I love its cover even more, for it is the rare design that perfectly captures the spirit of the novel it represents, a pitch-perfect imagining of the essence of Hodge's darkly beautiful, twisty take on a tale as old as time. But more than a straight Beauty and the Beast re-telling, Hodge takes her story's inspiration from Greek mythology, specifically the Cupid and Psyche legend. In this respect Cruel Beauty is reminiscent of C.S. Lewis's classic Till We Have Faces, which told the Cupid and Psyche tale through the lens of Psyche's embittered older sister, Orual. Hodge skilfully blends the tropes of both tales, bringing her own unique and enthralling vision to life on the page.

This may sound strange, but what I think I loved most about this story is just how angry Nyx is throughout, struggling to reconcile her fate with her own thwarted desires, disappointments, and family betrayals. There is something so refreshingly honest in having a "Beauty" who resents her role as the family's savior, who struggles with the uglier aspects of her personality, sure that the fact of their very existence precludes her from any happy ending of her own, even as she rails against those that demand she sacrifice everything. But even as Nyx struggles to reconcile the light and dark facets of her own personality, in her husband's household she is drawn to the cunning and handsome Ignifex and the sacrificial and kind Shade, her husband's shadow that shares his form but appears to be the complete opposite of his personality. In being drawn to both men -- sure she isn't worthy of Shade, and just as sure she is worthy of being damned for wanting Ignifex's kisses.

Nyx embodies the struggle of being vulnerable enough to love and be loved, of grappling with selflessness, and of buying into the lie that one's own failings can preclude even the possibility of love and acceptance -- but the possibility is tantalizing, as Nyx beautifully states, wanting to "lose myself in the embrace of the one person who had ever seen my heart and claimed to love me after." Cruel Beauty is a gorgeous rendering of the redemptive power of sacrificial love, freely given, and its power to utterly transform the lives of both the giver and receiver. Only when all seems lost do Nyx and Ignifex learn the power of "a handful of kindess," of grace freely given. Only then does a beauty's heart save a beast, but here the beast's heart saves the beauty as well, and that beautifully illustrated reciprocity elevates Hodge's debut from something ordinary to the sublime.

With her stunning debut Hodge delivers a thought-provoking, lushly-realized fantasy, a gorgeous re-telling of a classic, perfect for fans of Robin McKinley's prose. Pacing-wise the beginning of the novel felt a bit sluggish, as the copious amounts of information necessary to understand the mechanics of Nyx's world are revealed, but that issue is quickly overcome as I found myself lost in Hodge's opulent world-building, rich prose, and heartfelt characterizations. Cruel Beauty is a novel to savor and marks Hodge as an author to watch, and I for one cannot wait to see which tale she brings to life, stamped with her unique vision, next!

About the book:

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a reckless bargain her father struck. And since birth, she has been training to kill him.

Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she can bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him?

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Review: Beauty and the Beast by Jenni James

Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection #1)
By: Jenni James
Publisher: StoneHouse Ink
ASIN: B008940W3Y

Review:

When Prince Alexander, the spoiled, handsome ruler of the land directs one of his famous insults at an ugly old woman, the last thing he expects is retaliation. But retaliate she does, cursing him to live each night in the form of a beast unless he can find a woman to love him in his beastly form within a year, thereby breaking the spell. Losing hope that anyone could look beyond his beastly form, Alexander concentrates his efforts on a succession plan, determined to leave his kingdom in better hands than his own. But when he crosses paths with the brokenhearted Miss Cecelia Hammerstein-Smythe, he begins to hope for a future free of his cursed form. For Cecelia, once mocked by Alexander for her kind heart and rejected by another suitor, sees a goodness in Alexander the beast that he never knew existed, making him long to be a man and ruler worthy of her regard. But just as Alexander begins to hope that Cecelia's love might break the spell, another force rises to threaten his hopes -- one determined so determined to steal Alexander's throne he'd do anything to ensure the prince remains a beast forever.

Being an absolute SUCKER for all things fairy tale related, when I stumbled upon Jenni James' series of fairy tale retellings I knew I had to give them a try. James clearly has a passion for fairy tales and her spin on the tropes of the Beauty and the Beast tale possesses some interesting twists. But any charm these sparks of creativity lend the story is overwhelmed by plodding prose, clunky dialogue, and uneven pacing.

James sets her tale in what I can only assume is the Regency time period due to repeated references to cravats and over-use of "gel" for "girl." It's an interesting concept, setting what is essentially a werewolf story in this time frame. While I liked the idea of the prince as a beast only half the time, allowing readers to see Cecelia interact with his human and beastly selves, the conceit falters due to a lack of context. With no set ground rules for the time period or the use of magic within this world, the novelty of this twist quickly fades due to the lack of world-building. And while the basic idea of the "Beauty" character as a somewhat shy, socially awkward society miss is novel, there is never the sense of true peril or sacrifice on Cecelia's part that makes the traditional story -- and more polished retellings -- so timeless.

I have to give the author credit for her passion for these timeless stories, and there are indeed the seeds of unique ideas within this novella that only faltered for a lack of development and polish. That said, the book kept me sufficiently interested to read in one afternoon, if for no other reason than a sense of nostalgia that my childhood self would've appreciated James' romantic bent. Those seeking more substantive, powerful retellings of the Beauty and the Beast story should check out Robin McKinley's classics -- for here is a featherweight, fluffy effort that will leave you craving the transformative power of the source material.

About the book:

A prince by day and a wolf by night—

Prince Alexander has been turned into a werewolf and has one year to find someone to love the beast and break the spell, or he will be a wolf forever. He has nearly given up achieving the impossible, knowing no girl would ever fall in love with such a monster.

Just when he is about to abdicate the throne to his cousin, he meets Cecelia Hammerstein-Smythe, while a wolf, and begins to hope for the first time in months. Can he balance both worlds as a human and beast, gaining the love and trust of a girl who has every reason to despise him?

Cecelia detests the prince. She only knows Alexander as the arrogant monarch—the tyrant who has made her life miserable—though perhaps he's changed right before her eyes. He's not as full of himself as he once was. The prince is gentle now... but then again, so is the beast.

when the Doctor met a Disney princess (or two...)

Thanks to being recently featured on Ript Apparel, I discovered the art of Karen Hallion. She has created some absolutely GORGEOUS Doctor Who/Disney art that you can purchase as prints or notecards through her Etsy site. I opted to purchase one each of her the Doctor-meets-a-Disney-princess cards for framing purposes, and they are gorgeous -- vibrant colors on sturdy cardstock, fabulous for framing or mailing. :) With Karen's permission I'm thrilled for the chance to feature her art and shop on the blog today.

"Adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere" (purchase):

"Part of Every World" (purchase):

"Come Away With Me" (purchase):

"You Coming Blondie?" (purchase):

Please be sure to visit Karen's shop to check out all her other awesome Doctor Who, Star Wars, and Firefly inspired art!

Review: The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

The Fire Rose (Elemental Masters)
By: Mercedes Lackey
Publisher: Baen Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-671-87750-7

About the book:

Rosalind Hawkins is a medieval scholar from a fine family in Chicago. Unfortunately, her professor father has speculated away the family money and died, leaving young Rosalind with no fortune and no future. Desolate with grief, forced to cut her education short, she agrees to go West to take a job as a governess to a wealthy man in San Francisco. A boom town in the 1850s, in 1905 San Francisco is the center of culture in the new West, and perhaps there she will rediscover a reason for living. But when she arrives at Jason Cameron's mansion on a hill overlooking the Pacific, she discovers that there are no children, not even a wife, in residence: just the gentleman himself and his enigmatic manservant. Penniless, Rosalind stays despite her misgivings. For the household is very odd indeed. Despite there being but one servant, the huge house is immaculate and food is prepared and served in the most elegant manner. Oddest of all is the master of the house: Rosalind never sees him, but communicates only through a speaking tube, and only at night. But then...she is happy. For her job in the household is to read to him: Latin, French, Greek, German - and she feels herself coming alive once more. As for Jason Cameron, through his contact with Rosalind, he, too, is renewed. An Adept and Alchemist, Master of the Element of Fire, he had attempted the old French werewolf transformation - and bungled it. Stuck in wolf form, over the years he had slowly been losing his humanity. Rosalind is bringing it back to him. But when a rival alchemist offers Rosalind the chance to restore her family's fortune in exchange for Jason's secret, who will she side with? And then the earthquake strikes....

One of the hottest writers in the fantasy genre, Mercedes Lackey boasts an audience that is impressively large and rapidly growing. This unusual new fantasy tells the story of a brave young woman caught in a clash between enemy sorcerers in San Francisco in the 1900s--on the eve of the San Francisco earthquake!

Review:

Rosalind Hawkins enjoyed a privileged life in turn-of-the-century Chicago as the daughter of a respected, well-to-do academic with the luxury and acumen to pursue advanced academic study. But shortly before his death her father gambled away the family fortune, leaving Rosalind penniless and unable to pursue her graduate work in medieval studies, her future a frightening and uncertain void. But hope arrives in the form of a most unusual query -- Jason Cameron, a wealthy railroad baron in San Francisco seeks governess well-versed in the classics to tutor his children. Grasping this thin hope of salvation, Rosalind heads west, only to discover that where Jason Cameron is concerned, nothing is as it seems. Cameron's immaculate home appears to employ only one servant -- the wily Paul du Mond -- and there are no children. Surrounded by riches beyond her wildest dreams, Rosalind is asked to agree to a most unorthodox arrangement -- reading ancient and obscure texts to Cameron every evening via a speaking tube. Though she's never set eyes on her employer, Rosalind grows to embrace the purpose and opportunities afforded to her by her new life. And Jason, an adept in "magick" and a Master of the Element of Fire, imprisoned in his home by an experiment gone awry, begin to cherish the hope for a future outside his study walls thanks to Rosalind's friendship. But Jason's enemies will do anything to prevent him from finding a cure, and in allying herself to the enigmatic Fire Master, Rosalind finds herself facing dangers that threaten to rob her of the life she's come to love and the future she's dared to hope for with Jason...

It's no secret that I adore fairy tales, and therefore I'm always on the lookout for new-to-me retellings that will put a fresh spin on a classic tale. Beauty and the Beast is one of my all-time favorites, and as such I was thrilled to stumble upon The Fire Rose, Lackey's take on the love story as old as time. In Lackey's alternate early twentieth-century history, "magick" is real, ruled by masters of the four elements -- earth, wind, air, and fire. Masters are individuals whose internal "balance" leans sharply toward one of the four elements, and when that preference is identified they are then apprenticed with an eye toward becoming adepts in their chosen field, able to communicate with the spirits of their element (salamanders for fire, sylphs for air, etc.) and exert control in their sphere of power. Lackey's world-building is one of the novel's greatest strengths -- she takes time (albeit perhaps occasionally tending towards pedanatry) exploring the mechanics of this alternate history, grounding her magic in plausible, elemental connections. In many ways it's workable -- and that sense of the everyday, that sense of credibility shades Rosalind and Jason's world with texture and possibility.

For me, the "Beauty" character is essential to the success of any Beauty and the Beast retelling -- she must not only be able to look beyond the "Beast's" beastly exterior, but preferably possesses an intelligence and poise that sets her apart from other fairy tale heroines of her ilk. I loved Rosalind's love of learning, her passion for education and the written word. Her struggle with finding her "place" in 1905 is handled with aplomb and sensitivity -- she may be an atypical, forward-thinking woman, but she is also very much a product of her time and as such grapples with the restrictions and opportunities afforded to her in an authentic manner. Jason is her perfect match, relishing the challenges provided by a woman who isn't afraid to exercise her intellectual prowess. He's quite proud, which is what gets him into trouble to begin with -- but it also makes it a bit hard to warm to his character. While I loved that Lackey crafts two extremely intelligent leads, I do wish she'd spent a bit less time world-building and a bit more time interjecting some romantic spark into Rosalind and Jason's relationship -- their story is, after all, inspired by arguably one of the most romantic fairy tales. 

The Fire Rose is a thoroughly enjoyable introduction to Lackey's writing, and as a precursor to her British-set Elemental Magic novels, I definitely plan to investigate her magical take on the early twentieth-century further. Considering the source, this is a surprisingly realistic -- at times almost gritty -- retelling. Lackey doesn't shy away from acknowledging the seamier side of life facing unprotected women in 1905 San Francisco. And despite the development of magic in this alternate history, the elemental ties to the 1905 earthquake and its aftermath lends this novel more of a historical than a fantasy feel. It's a unique, refreshing take on fairy tale retellings, and if further novels interject greater romantic spark and character development, I'll be a very happy reader.  

Disney Designer Style

Despite my love of fairy tales and Disney classics and Sleeping Beauty in particular, somehow I missed it when Disney released their "Designer Princess" collection last year. The collection consisted of dolls, prints, notes, and make-up, taking its inspiration from fashion design from the 1950s and 1960s.

This notecard image features my favorite princess, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty...isn't it gorgeous?

I am SO annoyed I missed out on this collection last year and the chance to order at least the notecard set in order to collect a set in miniature prints. Oh well, thank goodness for the internet! *wink*

Here are the rest of the princesses featured in the collection:

Do you have a favorite? I pretty much love them all. :)

Once Upon a Time 1.12: "Skin Deep"

"Skin Deep" is probably my favorite episode of Once Upon a Time to date. Not only does it introduce the Beauty and the Beast story to this world, which is a close second (if not tied for first) to Sleeping Beauty for all-time favorite fairy tale in my book, but it adds tremendous, fascinating layers to one of the show's most intriguing characters -- Rumplestiltskin the master trickster and deal-maker. I freely admit, when I learned that the show wasn't introducing a Prince/Beast character, instead using the whily Rumple to fill the Beast role, I was terribly concerned -- and honestly a bit disappointed. But all of my worries proved unfounded as this chapter of the enigmatic Mr. Gold's backstory is one of the show's most captivating hours of television.

The episode opens in Fairy Tale Land, where the master of yet another castle (seriously I would love to know if FTL is one big kingdom, because sometimes everything in Fairy Tale Land seems curiously disconnected) -- the aptly named Sir Maurice (Eric Keenleyside) -- receives the news that a nearby town as fallen to an Ogre attack (which brings up another question, is this a widespread problem in FTL?). Anyways, Maurice is pinning his hopes for deliverance on, of all people, Rumplestiltskin (I'm guessing Rumple's rep hasn't gotten around yet?). Rumple's price is Maurice's daughter, the lovely Belle (Emilie de Ravin), as he claims to need a housekeeper for his estate (REALLY?? Kinda lame reasoning but whatever...). In a nod to the fiesty, noble origins of her literary and filmic predecessors, Belle overrides all objections to the deal and agrees to go willingly with Rumple, because she and only she is the mistress of her fate.

Speaking of this story's antecedents, I loved seeing a "real-life" version of the gold gown made famous by the ball scene in the animated film. However, seeing Belle so exquisitely attired makes me wonder where exactly she ranks in FTL...a princess? a high-born lady? Also lifting the name of Maurice was a nice touch -- and his Storybrooke counterpart, a hapless rose seller in debt to Mr. Gold, shares a lot of personality characteristics with his scatter-brained animated counterpart. And I loved seeing Sage Brocklebank, better known as Buzz McNabb on Psych, as Belle's suitor Gaston -- but his appearance on the show was woefully underused (though I did like the no-nonsense way Rumple went about dispatching his "rival" ha!).

I'm going to try and cover the Storybrooke developments in this episode for everyone except Mr. Gold relatively quickly, since I'm all about Mr. Gold as far as this hour is concerned. :) Valentine's Day is fast approaching, which makes things sticky for Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) and David (Josh Dallas) since they want to be together openly but can't, all thanks to that pesky issue of his wife. Ashley (Jessy Schram), a.k.a. Cinderella, makes a welcome return appearance -- she's happier now that she's reunited with her baby's father, Sean (Tim Phillipps), but he's so busy picking up extra shifts that they hardly have any time together, much less plan a wedding (side note: factory work is quite a come-down from a prince gig, hmm?). In an attempt to get over the romance blues, Ruby (Meghan Ory) suggests that she, Mary Margaret, and Ashley enjoy a girls' night out.

The girls' night really only ends well for Ashley, as Sean unexpectedly shows up and proposes (will a rift in the earth open up to swallow the couple if they try to tie the knot, and make their happy ending official? only time will tell!). Ashley and Sean's commitment to work at their relationship has Mary Margaret distinctly dissatisfied with carrying on with David in secret -- a point that is driven home by David accidentally giving her the wrong Valentine's card, the one intended for Kathryn. Note to David: YOU CANNOT MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. The biggest effect of the curse on Charming appears to be wishy-washiness! :P

While all of these Valentine's Day shenanigans are going on, Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) returns to his home to find out that he's been robbed, and in response to Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) attempt to be ironic, he replies "Yeah well, I'm a difficult man to love." ANGST! OHMYGOSH I LOVE ANGST! Back in FTL, which let's remember is the best thing about this episode (gah! so good!), Belle has been settling into life at Rumple's castle. While I miss Belle's bookish tendencies, the show more than compensates for it by the way in which Belle refuses to be cowed by Rumple's manner (or lack thereof). While attempting to rip open some curtains (which Rumple had nailed shut, gotta love his thoroughness), Belle falls from a ladder and Rumple catches her AND THEY HAVE THIS MOMENT and this is the point where I just DIE because I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

So I have no idea how long, exactly, Belle was at Rumple's castle, but the point is it was long enough for them to build a wonderful little rapport and, perhaps most critically, for Rumple to not do the creepy psychotic laughing thing he does so often that drives me INSANE. So Rumple, because he has a boatload of issues and because he will look a gift horse in the mouth if you'll excuse the expression, reaches the point where he'll test Belle, sending her on an errand to fetch more straw for his spinning wheel, all the while fully expecting she won't return. And perhaps she would've run -- but seriously who is going to run from a guy like Rumple who is so CLEARLY REPRESSING A HEART, right? En route to the straw store (ha!) Belle meets the Queen (Lana Parrilla) -- and seriously does this woman get around or what? -- or else FTL is the size of Rhode Island. I can't decide. The Queen gets all chummy and plants the idea in the love-conflicted Belle that perhaps her employer is cursed, and OF COURSE all curses can be broken by true love's kiss.

And this is where things get heart-breaking. Filled with hope Belle returns to the castle and Rumple is absolutely adorable in how he WON'T admit he's happy she came back. *swoons* She kisses him and HE STARTS TO TRANSFORM! And I love this because I'm all about redemption stories! But this of course freaks the heck out of Rumple because if he becomes a normal man again he loses his powers. He goes completely off the rails then, accusing Belle of being in league with the Queen in a plot to destroy him and throws her in a prison cell. Oh the DRAMA, I can't TAKE IT PEOPLE!

Rumple ends up kicking Belle out into dark cold FTL, because power means more to him than love ever could. And this is why we love Belle, people, because she is so freaking NOBLE throughout the whole ordeal, leaving Rumple to his tortured aloneness. *sigh* A few days (weeks? who knows with this show) later, the Queen shows up and starts needling Rumple about Belle, dropping the bomb that her father kicked her out and she committed suicide. WHAT THE HECK, right?! This sends Rumple over the edge (again), and he throws a fit which is just HEART-BREAKING and then he sets a tea cup that Belle chipped (hellloooo CHIP!) as a memorial on a pedestal, his most treasured possession.

Back in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold has been arrested after Emma finds him beating the living daylights out of Belle's flower-selling Storybrooke father. Here's the thing -- I am not condoning vigilantism -- but holy cow seeing Mr. Gold in a rage over whatever the Storybrooke equivalent of driving Belle to suicide is -- the emotion and passion Carlyle puts in that moment is kinda hot. And here's where I might as well admit on the blog what I had a discussion with my friend Kaye about shortly after this episode aired -- I've always found Mr. Gold/Rumple kind of strangely hot. I have this problem with the random (apparent? assumed?) villain (see Chauvelin from The Scarlet Pimpernel). I think it has something to do with Mr. Gold's penchant for really sharp suits, unflappable (albeit cold) manners -- even in FTL Rumple wears sharp vests and his posture is to die for. Seriously. I really can overlook the scaly skin. Amazing!*

 

In jail Regina buys a few minutes of one-on-one time with Mr. Gold by giving Emma permission to (finally!) spend some time with Henry (Jared Gilmore). And this moment gave me chills -- she returns the chipped tea cup she arranged to have stolen from Gold's house only after he tells her is real name. When he breathes that word, "Rumplestiltskin," and all of their cards were on the table -- oh well-played Once, well-played. (The icing on the cake is, of course, the revelation that Belle is being held prisoner in like the friggin' basement of the Storybrooke hospital. BOOOOO REGINA!!!!)

 

I find it absolutely fascinating that this show has chosen to give viewers such hope for Rumple's character. Frankly after the whole Graham debacle they could reveal that Snow did in fact do something truly horrible to Regina, but I STILL wouldn't care because SHE CRUSHED GRAHAM'S HEART DANGIT. But Rumple -- oh goodness, the possibility that he has a happy ending out there if only he can bring himself to accept it, oh that is a tantalizing hope. Tread carefully, Once writers -- I am extremely emotionally invested in how this storyline turns out. I suspect that this story will be carefully parsed out over the course of the show -- and I hope, oh how I hope that Mr. Gold lives up to the promise hinted at in this episode.

 

Seeing as this is one of my favorite episodes, even though I'm a few weeks late I'd love to discuss. :)

 

*I'm really glad my Robert Carlyle/Rumple/Mr. Gold fascination is out in the open. :P

The Merchant's Daughter trailer

Zondervan has really outdone themselves in the book trailer department -- this is the trailer for Melanie Dickerson's newest release, The Merchant's Daughter, based on the story of Beauty and the Beast.



Too good not to share. :) Though I think I have to give the edge to the trailer for Melanie's first book, The Healer's Apprentice, since it is SUCH a mini-movie!



So which is your favorite?

Review: Beauty by Robin McKinley

Beauty*
By: Robin McKinley
Publisher: HarperTrophy
ISBN: 0-06-440477-3

About the book:

Sixteen-year-old Beauty has never liked her nickname. Thin, awkward, and undersized, with big hands and huge feet, she has always thought of herself as the plainest girl in her family -- certainly not nearly as lovely as her elder sisters, Hope and Grace. But what she lacks in looks, she makes up for in courage. When her father comes home one day with the strange tale of an enchanted castle in the wood and the terrible promise he has made to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows what she must do. She must go to the castle and tame the Beast -- if such a thing is possible...

Here is the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple: Beauty...and the Beast.

Review:

Everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast, right? A beautiful girl agrees to live as an unspeakable monster's prisoner in order to save her father's life -- and an unlikely friendship blossoms into a transformative romance. For her first novel, Robin McKinley took as her basis the traditional French fairy tale and breathed fresh life into the bones of the familiar story. In McKinley's hands Beauty's adventures are transformed into a gorgeously rendered coming-of-age tale, anointing the familiar story beats with a depth and emotional resonance that have made Beauty a modern-day classic.

The youngest of three daughters of a prosperous merchant, Beauty was christened Honour at her birth, and dissatisfied with that moniker, she adopted the name of Beauty -- and the childish joke stuck. Beauty, you see, is convinced that she's anything but -- a drab sparrow when compared to the ethereal beauty of her older sisters. She takes great satisfaction in being the brains of the family, immersing herself in her studies, enjoying an idyllic, privileged life until her father's sudden reversal of fortunes sends the family reeling. Relocating to a humble cottage on the edge of a mysterious forest where all is not as it seems, and the competent Beauty leads her family in adapting to their new surroundings -- until her father crosses a Beast, leaving Beauty with no choice but to sacrifice her freedom for her father's life. Ensconced in the Beast's castle, Beauty grows to flourish with the Beast's companionship. But unable to shake the pull of her former life, Beauty must decide if she possesses enough faith in herself to follow her heart and change the course of her life forever.

I adore fairy tales and retellings in all forms, from novels and short stories to films. Somehow I missed discovering the treasure that is McKinley's Beauty until my Children's Lit classes in college -- but the genius of McKinley's retelling lies in its timelessness and ability to speak to the reader no matter their age. Beauty is a relatively straightforward retelling, retaining the traditional tale's essence and expanding the character of Beauty into a confident, perspicacious teen on the cusp of womanhood, able to see everything in the world except herself with remarkable clarity. Beauty's relationship with the Beast grows at an achingly slow burn, their affection and trust blossoming like one of the castle's enchanted roses. McKinley's sparkling, lyrical prose spins a seductive web, and Beauty's journey to love her courtly Beast and in turn accept the gift of his adoration of and faith in her transforms the fairy tale into a wholly immersive, unforgettable reading experience. McKinley would go on to take greater risks in future fairy tale re-imaginings (i.e., Rose Daughter and Spindle's End), but Beauty, her first, holds a special place in my heart for its elegant simplicity and lilting, musical prose.

*Here's the link to my out-of-print edition (the "vintage" 1990s cover holds a special place in my heart). :)

Disney reimagined...

Thanks to a friend posting a link on Facebook, I was introduced to the work of a fabulous artist - Claire Hummel, at Shoomlah.com. She has a series of prints where she's reimagined classic Disney princesses in accurate period costume (and oh happiness, she sells PRINTS!).

Snow White, early 16th century Germany

Purchase prints

Pocahontas, 17th century Powhatan costume

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Cinderella, mid-1860s

Purchase prints

Jasmine, pre-Islamic Middle Eastern

Purchase prints

Sleeping Beauty, the year 1485 (and my favorite!)

Purchase prints

Ariel, 1890's evening gown

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Belle, 1770's French court

Purchase prints

I hope to purchase a print or two soon, I think they are amazing! I'd love to hear your favorite - mine is Sleeping Beauty, since that is probably my all-time favorite Disney film (and fairy tale - and the retellings - I could go on and on...). :)

Beastly

It's terribly rainy and overcast here, but I had some fun this afternoon meeting Kaye and Liz for lunch at Baja Burrito and then a showing of Beastly, based of course on the Alex Flinn novel. The movie is very, very loosely based on the book - but I'm not so attached to the novel that I really minded the changes.

Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) is still a spoiled, selfish teenager attending an exclusive New York City high school where anyone who doesn't meet his idea of attractive is a candidate for ridicule. Of course, Kyle's not entirely to blame for his worldview, he comes by it naturally since his father (Rob Krause), a successful news anchor, did a heckuva good job 1) instilling the idea in his son that only beautiful people get anywhere in life and 2) mostly ignoring him. When Kyle decides to make an example of Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen), an eccentric goth dresser with a reputation as a witch, by asking her on a date and then publicly humiliating her, he didn't expect his life to be forever changed by his thoughtless cruelty. Kendra transforms him into the type of person he'd always mocked - a tatooed freak, with one year to find someone to love him and reverse the spell.

If you've read the book, you can recognize a major change from the novel to the film just by looking at the poster - in the book, Kyle is a literal beast, covered in hair with fangs and claws. From the glimpses of the tatooed Kyle in the preview, I thought there was no way even I could suspend disbelief for a tatooed "beast," since obviously the filmmakers went this route rather than covering Pettyfer's good looks with elaborate costumes. Having seen the movie, I've got to say I was actually really impressed with the "beastly" make-up job - Kyle's not "just" bizarrely inked, he's covered with raw, jagged scars and raised welts. So the tatooing curse worked out better than I'd initially imagined. :)

In the novel, Kyle and Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) meet when he gives her the rose corsage his girlfriend rejects because it is too cheap. I really liked how the film expanded on their "meet cute" moment. But first of all I've got to comment on another change - it's a bit disappointing that Hudgens looks nothing whatsoever like Lindy is described in the book. When I did a Google image search for the movie poster, I discovered several fanmade posters featuring actress Emma Stone as Lindy - looks-wise she would've been a much better choice. However, I feel like Hudgens did an excellent job capturing Lindy's personality, a combination of sweetness and spunk, and she just comes across a genuinely nice person, which I liked.

Back to the meet-cute - after giving Lindy the corsage, she asks if they can have their picture taken together. She obviously likes him (hello...girlfriend, I get it, Pettyfer is adorable) on some level in spite of his predisposition toward rudeness, and is thrilled to get a picture. What I loved about the moment was that instead of macking for the camera, Kyle's looking at Lindy, curious and intrigued by a girl who doesn't immediately fall all over herself just because he's deigning to speak with her. I just thought it was really sweet and well-played (and yes, in case you didn't realize it, I'm a hopeless romantic, I know).

When Pettyfer is playing Kyle in jerk-mode, I thought his acting was a little wooden (even for a teenage fantasy film). But he really loosened up once he's in "beast" mode and revealed a comic side that resulted in some really funny scenes. I loved his stress over trying to impress Lindy with expensive gifts, and his glee when success comes and they start to make progress in their relationship. And I seriously loved that the script had Kyle write Lindy pages and pages of letters confessing his feelings - something about writing a letter to share one's feelings is so romantic. While this movie is definitely less based on Flinn's book and more loosely inspired by, I like many of these changes, including the fact that the film raises Kyle and Lindy's ages, and still keeps their budding romance really sweet which is often not the norm in movies.

Now a few words about the supporting cast. Surprisingly, Mary-Kate Olsen made an awesome Kendra. She was pitch-perfect - a bit other-worldly and over-the-top. It's a far, far cry from her days as a TV child star, LOL. And her costumes - they reminded me of something from a goth-tinged Alice in Wonderland. I was also glad that the film doesn't have Kendra playing the double role of witch and housekeeper - instead housekeeper role of Magda in the book is changed to Zola (Lisa Gay Hamilton). Zola's patience with Kyle is even more impressive since she didn't have the whole double-magic life thing to fall back on. :) It was also a nice touch that that the script has Kendra's next project as reforming Kyle's father - that would be something to see. Neil Patrick Harris was perfectly cast as Kyle's blind tutor, Will. I loved his snarkiness - the only thing that the movie lacked was more of his scenes.

One thing I will give the book, and that is that Flinn really incorporated many of the story beats found in the traditional fairy tale, like the Beast having a rose garden prior to meeting his Beauty, or actually being in danger of dying (instead of simply remaining in beast form for all time). But other elements, like keeping Beauty a prisoner, has something of a creep factor when translated to modern times (though all things considered, I think the book manages that aspect fairly well if you suspend disbelief). The conclusion of this movie's version of the Beauty and the Beast story removes the peril factor, but in thinking it over I think that was a smart choice and focuses the attention squarely on Kyle's inner transformation.

When Lindy gets the news that her junkie father OD'd, and in her hurry to leave drops the "you're a great friend" kiss of death on Kyle, he loses all hope that she could view him as anything more than a friend. She stays away not because she's forced to, as she is in the book, but because she's hurt that he won't return her calls and talk about his declaration in the letter. When Kyle finally comes to his senses, he goes searching for Lindy at his old school. I thought that step - actually revealing his scarred self to all his former classmates - was a really great way of showing how far he'd come. No, there's no threat of imminent death, but out of love for Lindy, Kyle is willing to reveal his scarred form to the people who once lorded over, all to keep her friendship. And in the world of the movie, having Kyle no longer care how he appears to the world speaks volumes.

Beastly in book and movie form are two different, but equally enjoyable animals (no pun intended, LOL). Pettyfer is very easy on the eyes, and being a Brit I shall follow his career with interest. :) This is a pretty clean film, that save for some swearing could've easily been PG, I think. I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales in all forms, and Beastly didn't disappoint - it's a sweet, modern-day take on one of my favorite stories. To anyone else who's read the book and/or seen the film, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Revisiting Beastly by Alex Flinn

Since I have plans to go see the movie Beastly tomorrow, I felt compelled to drop everything and re-read the novel by Alex Flinn. This is a super-fast, quick read, and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed the book as much this time around as I did when I first read and reviewed it back in 2009. Here's the story summary and an excerpt from my original review:

About the book:

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.

Review excerpt:

In a culture where tremendous importance is placed on looks, there’s a sweet and much-needed message embedded in Beastly’s pages about the source of true beauty and the joy of being known and loved for one’s inner self.
 
You can read the rest of my review here. I'm quite curious to see how the movie stacks up against the novel, especially now that the story is very fresh in my mind! (Like Vanessa Hudgens looks nothing like Lindy is described in the book...and I mean nothing like her. Hollywood, I don't know why I'm surprised...)

Looking forward to...

I don't have much energy to blog right now, apparently...I've got some sort of funky allergy/scratchy throat crud going on. If this doesn't turn into something easily recognizable ASAP (i.e. a cold), I suppose it's time to head to the doctor's office. Oh joy. :)

It's been a while since I've posted about any movies I'm looking forward to, and providentially two of them open this Friday.

First up we have The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt:



Not a huge fan of Damon, but this movie sounds pretty fantastic.

Also opening this weekend is Beastly, based on the book of the same name by Alex Flinn, which I reviewed here. This movie stars Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, and Neil Patrick Harris. I really enjoyed this book so I'm pretty excited about this one. :)



How about you? What films are you looking forward to in the coming days/weeks?

Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly
By: Alex Flinn
Publisher: Harper Teen

ISBN: 978-0-06-087418-6

About the book:

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.

Review:

On my friend Natalie’s recommendation (and because I’m a sucker for retold fairy tales) I picked up Beastly by Alex Flinn, a modern retelling of – you guessed it – the Beauty and the Beast story. Seeing as it’s a contemporary version, and from the teenage Beast’s perspective, no less, I wasn’t really sure how much I’d like the book’s premise. Thankfully any reservations I had were completely unfounded as I thoroughly enjoyed Flinn’s take on this classic story (the tone reminded me somewhat of the film 10 Things I Hate About You). The book’s appeal lies in how Flinn manages to retain key elements of the classic tale (Beast living in isolation who prizes roses, father giving up daughter for his freedom, girl living as the Beast’s captive) and makes them work in a modern setting. If you’ve seen the Disney film, or read either the fairy tale or Robin McKinley’s fantastic retellings (Beauty and Rose Daughter), you know the gist of the story. What sets Beastly apart is its modern setting and male point of view. Flinn sets quite a challenge for herself with her beast-to-be – Kyle, the “prince” of his exclusive prep school, is a royal jerk. Just a head’s up, there’s a little bit of language and teenage promiscuity is alluded to in Beastly, but it’s definitely in keeping with Kyle’s character and there’s nothing explicit. Sure, he’s only a high school freshman, but he’s so self-absorbed and mean-spirited, it seems impossible to think you’ll ever like, never mind actually cheer, for his character. However, Kyle’s transformation into Adrian, the more likable, sympathetic person that emerges during his time as a beast, is actually quite believably done, with only fleeting instances where the POV wasn’t quite convincingly male. A fun touch illustrating Kyle’s growth is transcripts from the “Unexpected Changes” online support group. There Kyle meets characters like the Frog Prince and the Little Mermaid, and it’s a lot of fun to see how he goes from being completely self-absorbed and belligerent to a supportive friend towards others suffering from unwanted transformations. I absolutely LOVED Flinn’s characterization of the witch, and how she has this prickly relationship with Kyle/Adrian, and is his advocate well before he won over this reader. The character of Lindy is a refreshing romantic interest for the beast. She’s an atypical “beauty” in desperate need of happiness and affirmation, and her strengths and weaknesses complement the Kyle/Adrian’s growth arc quite well. In a culture where tremendous importance is placed on looks, there’s a sweet and much-needed message embedded in Beastly’s pages about the source of true beauty and the joy of being known and loved for one’s inner self.