Finally, it perplexes me just a little that so many readers choose Beauty as their McKinley of choice based on fond childhood memories. Ask a fan what their favorite is, and 9 times out of 10 it's Beauty or Blue Sword. Ms. McKinley herself said in her blog somewhere that it's discouraging when someone thinks you've been going downhill since your first book. Well, I wholeheartedly disagree. My favorites of hers are Hero and the Crown and Chalice tied. Yes, Chalice. It's wonderfully different.
@heynowhannah Hi. :) Yes, I have read Rose Daughter and I completely agree, it is way better than Beauty. However...the ending killed it for me. I think I mentioned that in one of my other long posts below lol. I mean, I don't know if you've read the entire book or not...what did you think of the ending? I was kind of disturbed to say the least. I love the book, I just wish I could change it so Beauty went with option # 1. If I were the Beast I'd be rather angry with her, actually. :P Thoughts?
Also, everyone's in defense of older men/young women, how do you guys feel about the other way around? How come we ladies are still being called "cougars"? How's that for freedom of love? I don't mind either way as long as the love's genuine, but McKinley does this a lot--and I mean a LOT--in her books. Most pairs are with a young girl and older man. Spindle's End is great, btw. I loved Rose Daughter until the end...beware. It might make you scream. :P
I'd have to be the first to agree with your review. ;) I actually didn't read this one as a kid/teen, I read it in my early 20's in college. I'm 26 now and considering re-reading it. I love Robin McKinley but this didn't impress me. She retold the fairy tale without putting any twists on it, just exactly as you've heard it before. The beast was old and you're right, a 40-year-old woman would be more easily persuaded to live with him. Then there's the anachronistic time travel library....
Ms. McKinley clearly had this in mind when she wrote this book. The book being set in past, probably couple or so hundreds of years in past this is quite common. Notice that Beauty's father also married a woman much younger. If anything you might be misplacing your frustration at the societal views of what was expectable back than. Anyways I think Beauty fell in love with him because he was kind to her. Thanks for you opinions though. Robin McKinley is one of my faves. I'd say try Spindle's End
@jasminamija Robin McKinley is one of my faves too. Although Spindle's End was probably my least favorite of her books... When I read it (11ish) I didn't finish it because it was boring. Who knows, maybe I'd like it now.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a bit of an age gap... it's just that this was so much more than a bit. It's not about how chiseled your pecs are, it's about how many times you've been around the sun. There are good reasons against this sort of relationship.
@heynowhannah I guess we will agree to disagree when it comes to the book.. to me the relationship makes sense because really how else do you create a story that had a young girl fall in love with a beast who turns into a man, so the original story is a bit unconventional to begin with. Well spindle's end is good in my opinion. That's the thing about McKinley she makes the magic, and galore, and darkness somehow normal in a sense. She brings it down to that level.
But then again thats the sorta novels i enjoy the type that got the magic or the science fiction or craziness but its more in the background and the human emotions and human trials are in the front
But then again thats the sorta novels i enjoy the type that got the magic or the science fiction or craziness but its more in the background and the human emotions and human trials are in the front
I would have to disagree with your review.. but off course I respect your opinion. I really enjoyed the book actually and I've re-read it a few times and I'm in my twenties. The one thing that you mentioned a lot is the age difference, but let me remind you that only recently in history has it become 'strange, weird, wrong' for men to marry woman half their age. Men have been marrying woman much younger than themselves for thousands of years, and women older man.
@jasminamija Yes, but there have been times in history where arranged marriage, witch hunts, slavery, etc. was perfectly acceptable. Doesn't mean it was ever right.
@heynowhannah Yes I see your point, but I don;t think it's fair to compare marriages with a big age difference to slavery or which craft. My aunt and uncle are 17 years apart and I can honestly say it's still a happy marriage. They enjoy each others company very much, and it was completely her choice to marry a man much older than her, she was 23.
@jasminamija In an ideal world, as was perhaps set up in this book, relationships like that could work and it could be true, selfless love, but in the real world it's next to impossible. Your aunt and uncle's type of relationship isn't what I have a problem with... it's the hundreds of years marrying the 18 year old girl, and seducing her far away from friends and family.
Finally, it perplexes me just a little that so many readers choose Beauty as their McKinley of choice based on fond childhood memories. Ask a fan what their favorite is, and 9 times out of 10 it's Beauty or Blue Sword. Ms. McKinley herself said in her blog somewhere that it's discouraging when someone thinks you've been going downhill since your first book. Well, I wholeheartedly disagree. My favorites of hers are Hero and the Crown and Chalice tied. Yes, Chalice. It's wonderfully different.
AlienAbandoned 3 months ago
@AlienAbandoned Have you read Rose Daughter? It's Beauty except way better.
heynowhannah 3 months ago
@heynowhannah Hi. :) Yes, I have read Rose Daughter and I completely agree, it is way better than Beauty. However...the ending killed it for me. I think I mentioned that in one of my other long posts below lol. I mean, I don't know if you've read the entire book or not...what did you think of the ending? I was kind of disturbed to say the least. I love the book, I just wish I could change it so Beauty went with option # 1. If I were the Beast I'd be rather angry with her, actually. :P Thoughts?
AlienAbandoned 3 months ago
Also, everyone's in defense of older men/young women, how do you guys feel about the other way around? How come we ladies are still being called "cougars"? How's that for freedom of love? I don't mind either way as long as the love's genuine, but McKinley does this a lot--and I mean a LOT--in her books. Most pairs are with a young girl and older man. Spindle's End is great, btw. I loved Rose Daughter until the end...beware. It might make you scream. :P
AlienAbandoned 3 months ago
I'd have to be the first to agree with your review. ;) I actually didn't read this one as a kid/teen, I read it in my early 20's in college. I'm 26 now and considering re-reading it. I love Robin McKinley but this didn't impress me. She retold the fairy tale without putting any twists on it, just exactly as you've heard it before. The beast was old and you're right, a 40-year-old woman would be more easily persuaded to live with him. Then there's the anachronistic time travel library....
AlienAbandoned 3 months ago
Ms. McKinley clearly had this in mind when she wrote this book. The book being set in past, probably couple or so hundreds of years in past this is quite common. Notice that Beauty's father also married a woman much younger. If anything you might be misplacing your frustration at the societal views of what was expectable back than. Anyways I think Beauty fell in love with him because he was kind to her. Thanks for you opinions though. Robin McKinley is one of my faves. I'd say try Spindle's End
jasminamija 11 months ago
@jasminamija Robin McKinley is one of my faves too. Although Spindle's End was probably my least favorite of her books... When I read it (11ish) I didn't finish it because it was boring. Who knows, maybe I'd like it now.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a bit of an age gap... it's just that this was so much more than a bit. It's not about how chiseled your pecs are, it's about how many times you've been around the sun. There are good reasons against this sort of relationship.
heynowhannah 11 months ago
@heynowhannah I guess we will agree to disagree when it comes to the book.. to me the relationship makes sense because really how else do you create a story that had a young girl fall in love with a beast who turns into a man, so the original story is a bit unconventional to begin with. Well spindle's end is good in my opinion. That's the thing about McKinley she makes the magic, and galore, and darkness somehow normal in a sense. She brings it down to that level.
jasminamija 11 months ago
But then again thats the sorta novels i enjoy the type that got the magic or the science fiction or craziness but its more in the background and the human emotions and human trials are in the front
jasminamija 11 months ago
But then again thats the sorta novels i enjoy the type that got the magic or the science fiction or craziness but its more in the background and the human emotions and human trials are in the front
jasminamija 11 months ago
I would have to disagree with your review.. but off course I respect your opinion. I really enjoyed the book actually and I've re-read it a few times and I'm in my twenties. The one thing that you mentioned a lot is the age difference, but let me remind you that only recently in history has it become 'strange, weird, wrong' for men to marry woman half their age. Men have been marrying woman much younger than themselves for thousands of years, and women older man.
jasminamija 11 months ago
@jasminamija Yes, but there have been times in history where arranged marriage, witch hunts, slavery, etc. was perfectly acceptable. Doesn't mean it was ever right.
heynowhannah 11 months ago
@heynowhannah Yes I see your point, but I don;t think it's fair to compare marriages with a big age difference to slavery or which craft. My aunt and uncle are 17 years apart and I can honestly say it's still a happy marriage. They enjoy each others company very much, and it was completely her choice to marry a man much older than her, she was 23.
jasminamija 11 months ago
@jasminamija In an ideal world, as was perhaps set up in this book, relationships like that could work and it could be true, selfless love, but in the real world it's next to impossible. Your aunt and uncle's type of relationship isn't what I have a problem with... it's the hundreds of years marrying the 18 year old girl, and seducing her far away from friends and family.
heynowhannah 11 months ago
@heynowhannah I meant witch hunts :)
jasminamija 11 months ago
You should read Northanger Abbey.
sirormadame 1 year ago
@sirormadame I have, and the movie is better in my opinion. But what do I know? I'm technically a teenager.
heynowhannah 1 year ago