I will confess, I have a weakness for fairy tales. And I especially adore retellings of Beauty and the Beast which is my favourite of all. When I discovered that the story is told from the Beast’s perspective, I was completely sold. I didn’t just want it, I needed it. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed.

To put it simply, it is a gorgeously written retelling of the famous tale told through the eyes of the Beast. Though the essential backbone of the story is same as the Disney version, there are more differences aside from this main fact. For starters, at the start of the novel, we learn that the Beast has forgotten his former, human self. He lives in the forest that surrounds his long-abandoned home and terrorises the other creatures that live there. His recurring vivid dreams torment him, often confusing his vision of what is real and what he has dreamt. Only after dreaming of his human past one time does he recall the life he once lived and the curse that brought him to this state.

From there, the story starts to mirrors the original, when a old man stumbles upon his estate one night. As expected, the Beast blackmails him into bringing his youngest daughter, Isabeau, who though reluctant at first, agrees to offer him a year of companionship.

The thing I loved most about the book was getting to see the mindset of the Beast. He is gentle and kind, despite struggling with the nature of what he has become. His suffering and desperate longing for company was made crystal clear through his words and it broke my heart. The author did a great job of showcasing what so much time in solitude can do to someone. This is not only the most vulnerable Beast I have come across, but also my favourite one. It was his character that kept me engrossed in the book because I wanted to see him okay in the end.

The way the relationship between him and Isabeau grows slowly from friendship into something more was also beautifully done. We see them spend a lot of time in each other’s company, be it dining together, Isabeau playing instruments in the music room for the Beast, or him reading poetry (yes, poetry!!) to her. It allowed me to get to know both of them really well, and see them develop realistically throughout the story. I also enjoyed getting to see the lives of Isabeau’s family and how they cope with her departure. It made for a bigger story that existed far beyond the boundaries of the Beast’s Chateau.

Additionally, I found the way Shallcross threaded magic into the story to be very captivating. The estate and household objects have minds of their own. Though they can not speak, they never fail to let the Beast know when they aren’t – or, are – pleased with his doings. The house has superior knowledge, as if it knows how to break the curse, even before he does. I liked that the magic was it’s own character in this book.

“I cannot tell all the emotions that arose in my breast as I eavesdropped on my dreaming guest. The warmth of his love for his children first suffused me, then became a bitter ache as I realised I could never hope for such. My heart soared at the tenderness in the youngest daughter’s eyes, and shrivelled as I ground my teeth in rage at the remembered image of my own face, covered with fur and crowned with twisted horns. Eventually, I shut my mind to his sleeping visions, unable to bear them any longer.”

This is the type of writing you can expect from this book. It often reminded me of Pride and Prejudice. I couldn’t help but think that the author’s chosen style was inspired by classics, but with a Young Adult audience in mind. The writing, in my opinion, provided half of the charm of this book. I believe fans of Austen, or anyone who enjoys beautifully crafted sentences, will adore how it is written.

My main criticisms of the book are that I felt that the middle of the story got a little repetitive – I wish there was a bit more plot there. I also thought that the reasoning for the Beast being cursed should have been stronger than the one we were given. Aside from that, I have no complaints, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a refreshing take on Beauty and the Beast. It offered a perspective I didn’t know I needed, and I finished this book with a content heart.

A great retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The Beast's Heart is wonderfully written and a romance that will make you swoon.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

If you are expecting a modern, dynamic and innovative take on the classic fairy tale then look elsewhere, this is not the book for you. Shallcross has created a lush retelling of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve's 1740 story - told entirely from the Beast's perspective. There are obviously Beauty and the Beast type stories from cultures all around the world - the Hindu 'The Tiger's Bride' and the Norwegian 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon' are two of my favourites. Ultimately like all fairytales, however, Beauty and the Beast is deeply problematic. I mean it's one of my favourites (Irish Fairy tales pip it to the post for me) but it is still a story about a young woman being imprisoned until she falls in love with her captor. No amount of desperation on the captor's part really excuses that. Ok so we all know the Beast let's the Beauty go - proving that he is no longer a beast inside the shaggy pelt - but it's all still a bit squickky. A few hundred years ago it was a parable for accepting that you may not be especially happy with your family's choice of husband for you (if you were a young woman) but that no matter what your bridegroom seemed like on the outside, he could well be a prince on the inside. You were enriching your family with his wealth. There's also a thinly veiled hint that sex is not quite the ordeal or monster you might as a blushing bride believe it to be. All this is quite distasteful to a modern audience so I was intrigued at Shallcross' decision to set it in Eighteenth century France and more or less retell the best known version of the fairy tale.

Forget the Disney film, which has given us the most enduring version of the Beauty in the zeitgeist. The author has not drawn on Disney at all for inspiration as far as I can see - ok there area few books scattered around in the story but that's it. (Really the marketing department using 'the tale as old as time' in the blurb is a bit misleading in that respect.) Instead the author has drawn heavily on Jean Cocteau's 1946 French film <i>La Belle et la Bete</i> an interesting if somewhat old fashioned aesthetic.

On the whole Shallcross does make the more unsavory aspects of the fairy tale palatable to a modern audience. The Beast is portrayed fairly sympathetically. Of course since he is a prisoner both in his castle and in his shape, there is very little action and great lengths are gone to with a magic mirror in order for him to have a voice in the parts of the story that wouldn't normally involve him. Isabeau (the beauty) has more interesting interactions with her family - two sisters and father - than she does with the beast unfortunately. You can see why Disney dispensed with invisible servants and brought in an army of singing kitchen appliances because without that, this story has two characters for most of the tale and it really stretches thing to make every walk, inner etc at all gripping. So to compensate the beast uses the magic mirror to watch Isabeau's family - unbeknownst to her - and we see what her sisters get up too. Those were some of my favourite scenes in the book actually which is a mixed blessing because the focus should be on the love story and yet I just wanted to hear more about Marie and Claude.

In the end I was left with mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the prose was gorgeous, the romantic plot was allowed plenty of space to bloom, it was interesting to see the beast's perspective and even I unromantic and unsentimental as I am found the story quite sweet. On the other hand the magic was a bit too convenient without any explanation, the reason for the beast being cursed makes no sense at all - seriously was the fairy drinking that day?!- and there is no antagonist to help drive the plot. (Disney added Gaston which turns out to be a wise decision. Even Cocteau had an under-developed love rival in his film.) You need antagonists in order to create tension and jeopardy. This had none.

And there were a few things that really made me raise an eyebrow. Isabeau spending most of the book in tears or having fits of vapours. We have hundreds of years of fairy tales and books written by men telling us this is what women do, we so don't need any more of them imo. The beast spending so much of the book just not using his brain at all. And also crying. Considering there was no antagonist and no obstacle to them being together other than stubbornness and a flimsy situation with Isabeau's father, there is a lot of needless heartbreak going on here which I grew impatient of tout de suite. And the mirror. The mirror really was an issue for me because it wasn't like turning on the tv to catch the tail end of the news. No, the beast was glued to it whenever he couldn't be with Isabeau. That and the way he watched her when she was walking in the garden having said she wanted to be alone was epically creepy. Towards the end of the book he even watches her changing clothes. I thought it was an editing blip and he'd turned away but no it's brought up later and taken as a sign devotion. Maybe if it hadn't been on top of all the other micromanaging and spying it would have been of but as it was... Bleurgh. I know a traditional component of the fairy tale is the beast asking the beauty to marry him every night after dinner but to have it replay exactly that way here was troubling. It smacked too much of not taking no as an answer if you're a man who wants a woman. It's not as if the beast even asks why she keeps saying no, he just keeps asking even though it distresses her. All in all there was just too much manipulative male BS in this book - the father's gambit to keep Isabeau home was despicable for instance. And just so you don't think I've got it in for the beast, aside from the mirror and the proposals, he acted well towards Isabeau throughout the book and she did not treat him especially well. Which probably all sounds pretty damning. It's not meant to because I actually quite liked this book. Despite no action, no antagonist, no tension and an old fashioned take on a fairy tale I know inside out, I was still enthralled. If you like quiet, clean fantasy and chaste romance this could well be for you. If you prefer more dynamic and modern retellings then I'd give this one a miss.

This book was truly magical in all sense of the word. The story follows the beast’s side of the story, about how he was transformed because of his love for Isabeau, the belle in this story. However, in the beginning when the beast is warming up to Isabeau, there is abusive behaviour, on the beasts’ side of things. This book was on my radar at YALC 2017 because that arc cover was gorgeous and I was so sad that they didn’t keep the colour scheme of it. The purple and silver looked so gorgeous. So all in all, this book is a retelling of the classic fairytale, and so much like the Disney version as well at the same time.

4 out of 5 stars.

Plot: This is a simple one – it’s a retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast fairytale from the Beast’s perspective. When Isabeau’s father stumbles upon the castle, Beast sees Isabeau in his dreams and knows he needs to meet her to save him from the desperation of such long loneliness. He tricks her father into bringing her back to the castle, and even against her father’s wishes, Isabeau comes.

My thoughts: I have to admit that at the beginning, I was convinced I wouldn’t like this – you can’t mess with my favourite fairytale and Disney film! I wasn’t taken with the writing in the first few pages that seemed simplistic, but I quickly fell in love.
The twists on the much-told tale gave it a fresh perspective and I was completely enamoured with the characters – the way that Isabeau stood up for herself; the way Beast is misunderstood, and misunderstands himself. It was different enough that I didn’t feel it was regurgitating material from the original, but similar enough to hold the same charm. The magic that wraps itself around the castle wrapped itself around me too.
Some reviews have said that descriptions are too melodramatic or that the pace was too slow, but I have to say, it won me over. The world building was vivid to me and I found myself daydreaming about the castle as it came to life in the novel. If you like rich descriptions and retold fairytales, this is one for you.

The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross is a book that I came across on the wonderful world of Twitter, and knew that I wanted to read it.



The Beast's Heart is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the side of the Beast.

The Beast is not a man, but he isn't a Beast either. He has been cursed for a century so far with the body of a Beast and the mind of a man, he has also been alone. Until one day the magic surrounds his home lets in an old man near death that has got lost in the forest in winter. He sees a vision of the old man youngest daughter and hope she will cure his loneliness, but to get her to his Chateau he resorts to desperate measures.

But once she is at the Chateau The Beast and her family will never be the same again.



At the moment am loving retelling of fairytale, and this story did not disappoint.

The Beast's Heart is beautifully written and its very easy to lose yourself in Beast words. I really adored being able to read the story from his perspective and how he dealt with not knowing what Isabeau truly felt, regarding her situation and her feeling for the Beast.

I like the fact the house was magically and not certain furniture actually being people. It was a great twist that the house had a personality and made it self know when it wasnt happy with Beast actions (or lack of action). I would love to live in a house where I could just say out loud what I wanted and it would magically appear.

Another element I enjoyed about this book is that we get to see how Isabeau family deal with her departure to the Beasts Chateau. I wasn't sure I would like the sisters at the beginning but as the book continued I grew to like them.  I am still unsure about my feeling towards her father, I understand that he is unhappy with the situation but I dont agree with how he handle it.

I give this book 4.8 out of 5.



I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and also got a copy via Netgalley, for a fair and honest review.

New take on an old tale.

This was a refreshingly different version of the old classic, Beauty and the Beast. It's somewhat enjoyable to read but I found there were too many parts that were unfeasible even for a fairy tale. For instance, the reader is told the Beast has been isolated for a century (possibly over) yet his 'beauty' is a young woman. They have no language or social decorum barriers, and he doesn't tell her his age. Where is the morality? Usually adaptations make a very old fairy tale less disgusting or more socially acceptable. When I read this, I was intrigued. I thought the author intended to take the book in a new direction, that the book couldn't possibly end in a marriage like the classic. My disappointment in the ending is ultimately what led to my rating.

(If there had been some explanation, possibly the curse froze him in time, this aspect may be a little less terrible.)

Aside from these little issues, the story wasn't so bad. Leife Shallcross shines the spotlight on The Beast. The book is completely his perspective, we learn he's quite neurotic and a victim of his past. His character isn't that intriguing but because Shallcross took some excellent creative liberties and fleshed out some other characters, including Isabeau's sisters, the book wasn't altogether as boring as it would have been otherwise.

Every fairy tale needs a living villain, to keep things alive. In this one, there wasn't that. Unless, I suppose you count time. Isabeau agrees to an arrangement that she will give the Beast a year of her life, so he will not be so lonely (he is a stranger to her). Their time together is quickly running out, and she still refuses his marriage proposal. She had agreed to a year out of her own selflessness, though one might say foolishness. I wished, at times, we could read her perspective because I wanted to hear her justify her decision or why she didn't make any terms in the arrangement. Why didn't she agree to stay with him on the condition that she will be permitted to write home whenever she wished? Or visit home, or host visits or just tell her family not to worry about her safety? He was a desperate beast, and hardly fearsome... I just don't understand.

More than that though, I wondered why she had so little curiosity about this strange creature's past and his family. Looking in a portrait gallery can only tell you so much. Her reserve is explained a little later, as for reasons of propriety. But this, of course, contradicts her acceptance of the arrangement: she agrees to live with a stranger but can't have a revealing conversation with him. Surely the first act is the more socially scandalous?

By the end I'd describe their relationship as more of an unhealthy obsession. She can barely eat just thinking he's miserable, and he doesn't want to live after experiencing a few days without her. Just too dramatic for an otherwise quiet story. Her love for him is founded on sympathy. His, for her, is founded on desperation. Not a good mix or match.

She's the first person he properly spends time with (his servants aren't cutlery as in the Disney version, but are invisible) so I understand that their attachment was strong but it was irrational! Their time spent together was also rather mundane but that's my opinion and so, likely up for debate. And don't get me started on his spying tendencies! So wrong and intrusive!

Clearly, I read too into this book. I'm possibly too adult for this read. If, however, you can take a book like this at face value, you should have no problems with it. It will be better suited for 14-17. It does deal with difficult issues and so, I wouldn't say it's suitable for twelve year olds.

Overall thoughts: a sweet, quiet, book for younger readers. A calm read and a little unexciting and uninspired aside from Shallcross' thoughtful additions to the classic. Regrettably, I can't recommend this one.

I received this book through NetGalley.

I struggled to get into this.
The story and characters just didn't interest me. The synposis got me excited so I'm left disappointed.
The pacing didn't help. I felt it was too slow majority of the time. Making it difficult for me to want to pick back up eachday.
Towards the end I started to skim read it just to finish it.

I was excited about reading this, but unfortunately I struggled with it. The writing style is very flowery and verbose, and I found it quite distracting. This seems to have been a particular point of appeal for a lot of people, so I think it's just me! Thank you for the opportunity to read this in any instance, just not for me.

I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book is a retelling of The Beauty and The Beast.

So this book started out quote slow... I was worried I wouldn't be able to get into it, at all.

I kept at it and yes I finally really got into it. It's taken a while to read, mostly with work and plans it's been hard to get any reading time.

But i really enjoyed it. Yes it was still a little slow at times but the world building is brilliant. And The Beasts character is written really well.
The only problem i really had with the book was the ending. There were bits that were expected and those that weren't but overall I think the ending was a little rushed, and could have done with being longer and maybe a little more detailed, however I did really like the little snippets at the end though.

I would definitely read something else by this author.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book features a suicide attempt.

WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers, but as this is a retelling of The Beauty and the Beast, it only spoils the aspects of the story we already know about from the original fairy tale.

I'm such a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, that I've been desperate to read The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross from the moment I heard about it. However, I couldn't be more disappointed.

The Beast's Heart is the story of Beauty and the Beast from the Beast's perspective, and it seems like Shallcross has tried to stay true to the original fairy tale. However, in trying to stay true to the original - which is 22 pages long in my copy of Perrault's Fairy Tales - absolutely nothing happens. Seriously. Once Isabeau is at the castle, for chapters and chapters and chapters on end, all that happens is Isabeau plays the virginal while the Beast listens, and the Beast reads to Isabeau, and sometimes she draws while she reads. That's it. The only time this is broken up as when Isabeau falls ill, eschews the Beast's company for several weeks, seeming to not be able to stand his company. But when she's well again, they go back to doing the same old thing until she discovers her father is ill and goes home.

And this was incredibly disappointing. Yes, the original story is short, but that doesn't mean you can't stay true to that story and not develop on it, to make it worth being a full-length novel. Drown by Esther Dalseno is a perfect example of how it can be done. It's a retelling of The Little Mermaid, and it stays incredibly true to the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, but it takes it develops it further; it has the origin story of the sea-witch, it has mermaids who have no feelings, and a plague that is killing them off, plus a prince who has a mental illness. There is so much more going on in Drown than in the original fairy tale, and yet it is so very close to everything that happens in the original. Drown is proof that you can have a retelling of a fairy tale, stay true to it, but also have a full length novel where things happen. But with The Beast's Heart, all we have is this constant repetition of the same old things, and, well, I was bored.

On top of nothing happen, I don't feel there was really any development to the characters. I couldn't tell you very much about either of them, except the Beast is very angsty, and Isabeau has very little personality. And because of this, I couldn't believe the romance either. He only wants Isabeau with him in the first place because she's beautiful and he's lonely, but when he actually falls in love with her, I couldn't tell you. The fairy that transformed him appears at one point, and they have a conversation, and after that the Beast realises he's in love with Isabeau, but I never felt it. He's just all kind of angsty and obsessive. And I don't feel Isabeau ever really sees the Beast as more than a friend. I was not rooting for them at all.

There are a couple of good things about this story. I really enjoyed the writing style, which felt like high fantasy, but a little more formal. And I enjoyed the stories of Isabeau's sisters, Marie and Claude, which we got to see through the Beast's magic mirror. A hell of a lot more happens for those two than the Beast and Isabeau, and they were really the only interesting part of the book. They have developing romances that I could root for. But there isn't as much of them as I would have liked, and neither of these things make up for the majority of the story, where nothing happens!

I am so very disappointed with The Beast's Heart, and I really didn't enjoy it very much at all. However, other people have really loved this story, so do read some other reviews before deciding whether or not to read it.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for the eProof.

Amazing retelling of the age old Disney Classic 'Beauty and the Beast '.
The book explores the story from the perspective of the Beast . I have seen a boon in the recent times and i am huge sucker of Disney Classics so I had to read this one as well.
The story is the same of Beauty and the Beast with a bit variations here and there . But I liked the storyline immensely. To begin with the story is cliche you can't deny that fact but the overall presentation of the story is lovely. My heart goes out for the Beast and you immediately like him nevertheless. Isabeau also likes him instantly. Yeah she is the main character very very similar to our Disney's Bella.
The romance between the two is very limited . Also at Ted Beast I'd asking her hand for marriage too many times makes the book tedious at some point.
The characters are well sketched and both Isabeu and Beast connect with the reader's at once. The feelings of Beast are presented well as it is much needed . Adding new perspective to the story .
This book is for Fans of Disney Classics and who believe in True Love ;)

I received this book from the publishers via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow oh wow. I was hooked from page one. I have talked about my penchant for fairytale retellings before, especially Beauty and the Beast, so I guessed I would love it but honestly I had no idea how much.

It’s a spin on the familiar, with bits I recognise from the more traditional tales, to bits that seem more akin to the Disney movie 💙. Either way, it is refreshing and gorgeous to hear Beast’s side of the story. I think I want a Beast of my own! He is gentle and kind and considerate. I like the way he was coming back to himself somewhat as well, at the start.

Isabeau is not your typical Belle, but she is just as kind and thoughtful and sweet. Her relationship with the Beast is truly heart warming - a friendship first and foremost, with an evermore “something there that wasn’t there before”. (Sorry!! Couldn’t help myself).

Her family are lovely too, though I wish we got to see a little more about her fathers progression through the year. Her sisters in particular growing through the year are just so lovely.

For a girl that doesn’t like romance stories, this is a perfect way to read one, because while they’re there and they’re prominent, they’re not the point of the story. The friendship and the characters growth is. And that felt refreshing and honest to the story.

The language used is lovely too. It’s a slow story in some ways. Not dragging, just not rushed. Taking the time to tell the story well. I’m not sure everyone will appreciate that but I did.

Honestly I think I’d give this more than 5 stars ⭐️ if I could. Now I’m going to go away and try and get rid of all the feels this book left me with!! 😂💙

The most famous tale as old as time, this time from the Beast’s point of view.

This book is beautiful and even though it is a very well known fairytale, the unique and original approach of telling it from the Beast’s point of view makes it feel like a complete different story and captivates you from the beginning.

The writing is wonderful and the descriptions of the magical world are fantastic.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.


Advanced copy supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a beautiful retelling of a classic fairytale. Full of magic and romance, and a little sadness too, I wish this book had been twice as long. Maybe I am biased as Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairytale and Disney film, but I dare anyone not to love this book.. A wonderful tale as old as time of everyone of any age.

The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shellcross has been added to a growing number of books I was unable to finish. I love the story of Beauty and The Beast and I love retellings of any fairy tale, so this should have been a book I would love. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing read.

The Beast’s Heart is a retelling of Beauty and The Beast from the perspective of the Beast. The Beast is not fully a man or a Beast but some mixture of both since being cursed by a Fairy a long time ago.

Then he met Isabeau and began to feel more human than he had in a long time, but now there is a chance he may lose her, and he needs to act fast.

The first paragraph of The Beast’s Heart was promising and made me feel like maybe this book would live up to my expectations.

“Enchantments and dreams: I expect they are made of the same stuff. They each beguile the mind and confuse the senses with wonder and strangeness so all that was familiar becomes freakish and the most bizarre of things intimate and natural. For the longest time after the curse fell I did not know if I was a beast who dreamed of being a man, or a man who dreamed he was a beast.”

Unfortunately, the rest of the book I read did not live up to my expectations. I only made it to 6% of the way through because I became bored. A lot of the language used to describe things was superfluous and nothing really seemed to happen in many of the passages.

One of the many passages where this was the case was this:

“the real is indistinguishable from the phantasm. My initial flight in abject terror from my home is as sharp and shapeless as a shard of glass.”

During the small amount of The Beast’s Heart I read the Beast talks of time spent in the forest by his home terrorizing creatures and people until one night some new and unfamiliar magic brought him back to his ancestral home.

Once he is home he feels that someone is taking care of him with the use of magic and he begins to regain some of his humanity but the person or persons looking after him remain invisible and he is incredibly lonely and misses human companionship.

Then one day a strange man wanders into his home and the Beast finally has someone to talk to if he can manage to control his animal nature.

This was the point at which I stopped reading because it seemed like it took years to get to this point and I decided I really didn’t care what happened in the rest of The Beast’s Heart.

A lonely Beast in a long-forgotten, enchanted castle is desperate for anyone to come. After a chance encounter with a lost traveller, Beast gains the company of Isabeau, a young woman who is feeling displaced with life.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a Beauty & the Beast retelling from the Beast's perspective (as if you hadn't guessed).

OK, normally I start with what I like, and work towards the stuff that didn't impress me. With this review, I'm working backwards. Maybe because I only liked the book towards the end, or maybe because the Beast's situation just annoyed me.

As I said before, this was a Beauty & the Beast retelling. We all know the basics - a smart, and beautiful young girl gets trapped in a castle by a terrifying Beast. The Beast is a rather horrible human, cursed to exist as a monster. He is temperamental, prone to fits of rage and stubbornness. Stop me if I'm wrong.

The Beast's Heart agrees for the most part. It tells you that the Beast is a cursed man, who was horrible and arrogant, and blind to the hurt he was causing others. It's tweaked slightly, in that his father was the aggressive one, and the Beast was cold-hearted and distant.
So that's what we are <i>told</i> about his history, and how that might affect his character...

I never felt it had any bearing the actual Beast we are following.
Along with the historical tone of the book, it made me feel like I had opened Pride & Prejudice half-way through, at the point where Darcy has overcome all of his character faults, and the reader can see what a good man he is, even if Elizabeth Bennett is still ignorant of all his good-doings.

What I'm trying to say is, we are told that the Beast has X, Y, and Z faults; but they were never displayed. He is a good chap, very thoughtful and caring towards Isabeau and his magical servants. He has flashes of stubbornness and depression, but overall he is a nice guy, and you know immediately that he wouldn't harm a fly.
I was left wondering <i>why</i> the Beast had been cursed in the first place.

Isabeau was a nice character. She was brought up in a wealthy family, who hit hard times. She isn't afraid of hard work, and has been shouldering a lot of the family's duties. She has a stubborn streak, and can be as morose as the Beast, so they make a perfect pair.
Overall, I found the story between Beast and Isabeau to be very dry and dull. They are both nice people, and as they are trapped within an enchanted castle, things are very repetitive.

My favourite part of the story, was Isabeau's sisters. In many stories, they are cast as lazy and spiteful, etc. But in The Beast's Heart, they are fully-rounded characters with their own desires and troubles. They do depend too much on their little sister, but once Isabeau has left, they come into their own, and find joy in their new lives.
I loved following their stories to the very end.

I was about half-way through this book, when I realised I did care what happened to the characters, and how they would work out their conflicting lives.
I came away with a somewhat fond feeling towards the book. It is really sweet, in the end, it is just a very slow builder.

'The Beast's Heart' by Leife Shallcross was beautiful.

Synopsis: The story of the Beast is a famous one but this tells you the thoughts and emotions behind every action. Told from the Beast's view, we learn how and why he was cursed, what spurred his reign of terror and the decision to blackmail a sick old man. We learn how the curse can be lifted but we also see how the Beast's actions continue to affect the people left behind. Can the Beast learn to love? More importantly, can the Beast BE loved?

I want a Beast. I found him to be so charming and loveable. He was the perfect gentleman to Isabeau and I believe the curse saved him. He is very worthy of love. Was he depressed the majority of the book? Yes, he definitely was but can you blame him? All those years roaming the forest losing his humanity whilst never knowing how the curse could be broken. I'm sure anyone would become despondent and ill-tempered by that. I know the Beast is a man but I was stupidly surprised with how human he seemed. Not in the way he dressed or acted but in his thoughts and the way he reasoned with himself. After many years of solitude, the Beast was very mature in the way he came across and handled situations.

Even though the book is about the Beast and how Isabeau can break the curse, there are many other characters within the story. The Beast has a way of keeping in touch with Isabeau's family and so we are able to understand how they cope with the loss of their sister. Their story runs parallel to the Beast's and occasionally they entwine. I found this addition to the story entertaining and integral to Isabeau's progression. The character I enjoyed the most after the Beast is the magic. I suspect the fairy was behind the enchantments available within the house but sometimes the magic seemed to have a personality. It could admonish and be humorous which I found amusing.

I am most familiar with the Disney version of this tale however I much prefer this version of events. After reading this book, I did some research and noticed that the original story of Beauty and the Beast is much similar to this book. There are of course slight differences but the overall story is the same and I love it more because of this. There were some themes that were troubling. Suicide is attempted and talked about more than once. Rape and abuse are hinted at too. Despite these subjects, it's ultimately an uplifting book. There are plenty of smiles, laughs and jokes amongst the gloom that it reminds me of a spring day; showers of rain and the sun fight for dominance continually.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a slow read, there is no real action or heart pumping scenes however there were many scenes in which my eyeballs threatened to leak. It is a perfect view point of the Beast and I cannot wait to get my hands on the final copy!

"If it was a living nightmare that took me into the forest, it was most certainly a dream that brought me out of it..."

No review was posted publicly on Amazon, Twitter or Goodreads for this title, unfortunately I never got round to finishing it, and feel it would be best to just remove it from my Negalley shelf without a review.

I love to get my hands on any kind of re-imagining of my favorite fairy tale, but this story took far to long to be told. Overly wordy prose, lengthy inner monologues and generally slow in large swathes, the story didn't really grab my interest or hold it most of the time. If it had been pared back and the over descriptiveness cut back, it probably would have been a lot more enjoyable, and therefore easier too read.