The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist (quite the mouthful title) was a tad disappointing, but not entirely uninteresting.

For a retailing, it was nice to see added representation and the erasure of certain aspects that could've irked those that know the original story (Gaston's mere existence, for example, and the so-called Stockholm syndrome). In that aspect, the story has an almost "lighter" feeling to it. while still exploring the various challenges queer people and also women of the era had to face.

It was more heavily focused on Celeste's journey to become a Naturalist than I expected, which resulted in exhausting descriptions in some scenes. The fact that she truly only met the beast halfway through the book also vexed me - sure, I wasn't promised a love story from the start, but when you're aware of the original, and when you've read about 10 chapters of a young woman suffering, struggling to find her right place in the world, long sentences hardly feel interesting, only tiring.

By far my favourite part of the book was Celeste exploring the Beast's past life. I found it more thrilling, almost enchanting - it was set in the Versailles! which I'm aware wasn't the cleanest place, but it surely was portrayed as such - and even wished that we could've had the book telling that story instead of the retelling. Instead, we travelled through journal entries and conversations.

Everything else I did not specific mention was simply nice. There was no extensive list of characters, and although I found the pacing quite slow most of the time, the dialogue and the little details are still worth a mention.

4.5/5 stars! This is easily the best Sapphic retelling of Beauty and the Beast that I have come across, which is high praise considering the other two (In The Vanisher's Palace and Thorn) are also excellent. Every character was sympathetic, motivations were clear, relationships were strong and sweet, and despite the implausibility of the curse at the center of the B&B tale (as noted by several of the characters), it was treated very well.

I only didn't give this five stars because I was conflicted about the "realism" aspects which made it a more "modern" story, but also a deeply sad one. For instance:
(view spoiler)

As a minor point, I find that Sapphic books can sometimes have very one-dimensional male characters, but I felt like this book did a fantastic job of having well-rounded, sweet male characters. Etienne is an especially shining example.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC for an honest review!

If I told you there was a sapphic historical fiction retelling of beauty and the beast, would you take it?

Of course you would. And you certainly wouldn't be disappointed. This book is excellent for fans of sapphic retellings, A Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, and Gail Carriger.

Lately there has been a craze for fairy retellings and I have been gobbling them all up when I come across them. This book was no different. The Beauty and the Beast story has been one of my most, if not favorite, Western fairy tales, and I have read various adaptations of this timeless classic. I will say the pros of this book first for me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book was set in late 1800s France and the theme of a naturalist was exciting, to say the least, especially with the concept of a young woman trying to be one during that time period. Darwin's ideas certainly brought much excitement to people, scientists or not, and for a woman to be interested in such a thing at the time was definitely unheard of. It was great fun to see how Celeste observed and interacted with the world around her in a much different fashion than her friends or family through a curious scientific eye. I think I would have loved to have been her friend, much like her friend Angie who also supported her discoveries and scientific mind (and their love pastries and adventure stories!). I think we would have all gotten along just fine. And the beast too, was a curious creature. I was surprised at how much more animalistic this beast was compared to others I've read about. Sure, she could read and hold intellectual conversations but she was just as any other wild creature, in a sense. I would have also enjoyed her company. Admittedly, I was completely surprised by the character of Etienne by the end, but I am glad at how thing rather turned out overall for all major parties involved.

I think my only problem with this book was the minor thing of all the French in it. It's a cultural gap with me only knowing English, but it took me some time to figure out how I wanted to pronounce a lot of the words in the book. A guide of some sort would've been nice. The ending also felt a bit rushed. I feel some further closure for all characters involved would've been nice. I would have liked to have seen how Celeste's family and friends had ended up, though like the lover of the beast, I suppose they had to remain in the past and everyone had to go on to the future. Although only the author can say, I hope that everyone in the story found at least a bit of happiness in the end, whatever it may be. Also, the snippets shared here and there about Clement Orleans were fun to read, and I know I would've subscribed to read about his adventures and perhaps share them with my own Angie as well. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who also enjoy fairy tale retellings as much as I do. It was a fun read, unique in its ideas, and I am glad I came across it when I did.

I'm definitely going to struggle to write a coherent review for this book because HOLY HELL it was perfect. This story kept me hooked for days, completely addicted to its gripping, mysterious and emotional twists and turns. A perfect mix of hearty historical fiction and swoon-worthy-slow-burn romance, this fresh take on Beauty and the Beast ticked all my boxes (and made some fresh ones which I will now demand of every book I read henceforth).
Langley's writing is superb throughout, layering gorgeous descriptive prose with insanely quick wit. I savoured the stunning depcitions of the glorious abandoned mansion, the winding, claustrophobic forests and the insanely tangible descriptions of the animals.
My favourite character was the Beast, mainly her dialogue was written so incredibly well. The descriptions of her expressions while making some of the funniest quips in the book were legendary. Langley brought Celeste to life in every conceivable way; her character made sense to me. Celeste is deeply selfish, naive and does some dumb stuff but it all makes complete sense for her to make the decisions she does. I loved her, rooted for her and related to her so strongly.
I would recommend this STUNNING book to anyone who wants a mysterious, escapist novel but doesn't want to work hard for it. Langley has done ALL the work here, all you have to do is snuggle up and be swept away.

Thank you so so much to Ceinwen Langley and to NetGalley for this e-arc, I'm eternally grateful!

Not at all what I was expecting but an absolute treat nonetheless. Full of magic, intrigue, and romance. This book is perfect for fans of The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter.

I really enjoyed The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist. I found the prose easy to sink into and was able to insert myself into the story. I also liked the pacing, I think the plot progression was natural and did not feel rushed - that being said I do wish the last few chapters were a little bit longer.
I have never really watched Beauty and the Beast, so I am kind of clueless in that respect but this novel felt like a nice retelling that has its own unique spin.

If you enjoy sapphic retellings then you should enjoy The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist.
*e-ARC exchanged for an honest review.

I found this a bit hard to get in to. The first half is setting the scene for what comes after but it was a bit too waffly for me. The second half was better. It was in the main a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. But still a good story (at least the latter half). The first half was Ok but I have to say I did skip bits of it.

The Misadventures Of An Amateur Naturalist is a sapphic retelling of Beauty And The Beast. I loved the writing style in this book. It is elegant and perfectly fitted the time period the story is set in. The characters were all 3 dimensional which made the story even more enjoyable. This is BatB with but with more of a nature element. Celeste Rossan adores nature whereas Belle, her equivalent, adores reading and literature. The only issue I have with this book is that I was 40% of the way through for the plot that is described in the synopsis to begin. The synopsis states that “she sees a narrow opportunity to escape to Paris” and this doesn’t unfold until almost half way through. As well as this I was 50% of the way through before the love interest was introduced. This wasn’t my biggest issue i personally just prefer to have met the love interest earlier in the books so I have more time to form an opinion. This book was entertaining and enjoyable

**This is the actual review for The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist I promise**

The moment I find a book that gives me even a tiny whiff of Beauty and the Beast I will instantly go for it. That, initially, is what drew me to Ceinwen Langley’s ‘The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist’. The sapphic lean was’t a bad add-on either—give me queer retelling a of anything and I’ll bite. But this book is so much more than the nods to Beauty and the Beast. It’s plot is wholly original and includes a cast of characters who can hold their own.

In 18th century France, Celeste Rossan is a young, independent woman whose mind is always on science and the natural world around her. Nothing would please her more than to spend her days in the forest sketching and studying animals while her sister was bred for a softer life. When financial ruin strikes her family, Celeste enters into an engagement she does not anticipate nor is it something she wants. Her fiancé—sweet, caring Éntienne—would’ve been perfect for her sister, who could actually love him beyond that of a brother.

Desperate for a way out that would still keep her father and sister protected, Celeste fakes her death and sets off on a half cocked journey. Barely a few miles from town she is caught in a blizzard and attacked by wolves, only to be saved by an odd little barn owl and a beast. Faced with a completely new discovery, Celeste studies the beast and before long she finds herself falling for her.

I loved Misadventures so much. I was never bored, always intrigued by the beast and her life in the chateau. I was able to guess several things just based on the bare bones connection to so many other renditions of Beauty and the Beast, but beyond that I was constantly surprised and even when my guesses were wrong I was enjoying myself. The beast was so peculiar and I found that while she was described often as fox like I couldn’t get this image out of my head of the mutation. Fox-like but also sort of lemur-ish? And large enough to ride on? 10/10 must cuddle.

By no means is Celeste a perfect character, but I found her very relatable. I found myself longing for Eloise and Brigette along with Celeste, how she felt about the journal. Brigette dressing like a man and “feeling right”? Ugh, still my queer gender fluid heart. I’ve already recommended this book to a bunch of my friends, been texting my best friend while reading and had so much fun waxing poetic about The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist.

It was a nice book but nothing necessarily memorable. I enjoyed the relationship she eventually builds with beast however, it takes so long to reach it that I got a bit bored. The opening chapters were fun enough even though the first chapter confused me a bit.

Overall an enjoyable book and I would recommend but it’s not one of my favorites. The beginning is very fast moving and confusing but i love the characters and the plot.

Celeste Rossan is an aspiring amateur naturalist, but when her father goes bankrupt, her dreams seem ever farther away. Her only recourse is to try and track a mysterious beast in the woods.

Firstly, the cover is beautiful. The writing is just as lovely. This is a sapphic retelling of Beauty and the Beast that puts enough enough of a spin on the familiar story that I was well-entertained. The heroine Celeste is endearing, and even minor characters are extremely well-drawn. The 'villain' is three-dimensional.

There was also a certain grittiness to the story that I really enjoyed, especially in the section set in the beast's house. It helps blend historical realism with the more fantastical elements. That grittiness also means that plot threads go untied, elements remain tragic and unfixable, and realism prevails.

My only complaint is that it takes us a rather long time to actually meet the beast. Still, an excellent read that I highly recommend.

Similar in subject and feeling to Frances Hardinge's The Lie Tree, but lighter and less fraught, with the addition of queer themes and romance elements. A retelling of Beauty and The Beast that makes the Gaston character actually pretty nice? Unthinkable!

This book was such a sweet read. Overall I had fun reading and found myself very invested in Celeste and the beast's relationship, and was interested in all the other characters introduced in the beginning of the book. I will say in my opinion that it is very slow-paced for the most part, which isn't a bad thing to me, but I know some people don't like slow reads.

There were a couple aspects of the book that I wasn't thrilled about which were that you have to get through around 40% of the book for Celeste to even meet the beast, and 50% for their first conversation. I wouldn't say that the buildup to that is unimportant, but I think going in expecting a beast and not seeing her until 40% in disappointed me a little. And while I know the main character is very science minded, I would have liked to know more about the magic/curse that made the beast, although that does like it's going to be addressed eventually.

That being said I did not dislike reading the beginning chapters, and the book was distinctly split into two parts that I think were separated well. Celeste is a very enjoyable character, and I appreciated that you could see both her flaws and the positive aspects of her character front and center.

I thought the romance between Celeste and the beast was very subtle and sweet as it built up. The ending was satisfying while still leaving it open for the sequel, which J I will most likely be picking up.

<i>Thank you to Feed the Writer Press via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own </i>

Rating: 3.5/5 stars!
The MIsadventures of an Amateur Naturalist is a great sapphic Beauty and the Beast retelling. I really liked Celeste as a main character. She was brave, smart and very likeable. Throughout the story we see her overcome many obstacles but she always stayed true to herself. I liked learning about the Beast's back story and how she came to be a Beast. I did enjoy Celeste and the beast's relationship but I did not like how they only got to interact at the 50% mark. However, the relationship did feel genuine and you could see the connection between the two love interests. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and I felt as though the whole book was very well developed. I would recommend this book to fans of the Historical romance genre!

I went into this book with a high expectation for it, and I must say, I was not disappointed at all! What drew me to this book when I first chanced upon it on Netgalley was specifically its title as it contained the word, “Naturalist”. When I read the blurb and learned that it was Historical Fiction as well, I was sold!

The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist, is the story of Celeste, lover of animals and of sketching said animals, who dreams of becoming a professional naturalist, but is suddenly struck by misfortune over a single night. In the hopes of picking up her broken dreams, she launches unto a plan that pulls her into a world that is unfamiliar from her own, scientific one. Through the story of Celeste, we are taken into a tale of what it means and feels to sacrifice one’s dreams; of the guilt and confusion in choosing one’s passion over one’s family.

What I loved about this book was that it was actually a queer retelling of Beauty of and the Beast, but the story veered off a lot from the original one, thus giving it its own unique charm. Set in 1800’s France, the story portrays themes of shattered dreams, sacrifices, self-discovery, challenging the norm, lost love, and many more. The plot was very engaging and exciting, and this made me have a hard time putting the book down, despite it containing parts where the pacing of the story seemed to slow down a bit. The interactions and conversations between Celeste and the various characters such as her sister Genevieve, friends, and her Aunt Lucile allowed us to see in better light the prejudices and “priorities” the people held at that time (and maybe even today), such as money, power, and positions in society.

The aspect that I absolutely loved about this book was the passion that Celeste had to the natural world; that aspect of her trying being so in love with creatures both small and big that she actually tries to capture each species in detail through her talent in drawing. And the fact that the book mentioned Charles Darwin, and mildly incorporating his theory into the story was also fun to read about. The author also did well in describing the setting of the forest and the creatures that reside within it, allowing us to visualize the wonders of the natural world through Celeste’s eyes.

In conclusion, The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist is one of my best read books for this year! It combines things I love such as a historical setting, science, and an ambitious character who gives the readers a laugh from time to time. I highly recommend this book for anything who enjoys fairytale retellings; this book is sure to give you feels by twisting your heart with both sadness and joy!

I went into this story with no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. While the plot was a little predictable and the beginning a little bit difficult for me to get into, once the plot picked up and Celeste was in the middle of her adventure the story was lovely. Beauty and the Beast retold for sure. I really enjoyed the beast’s backstory.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this story! I’m not sure how I managed to miss the fact that it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I somehow did and, while that made for a nice revelation partway through, I enjoyed The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist all for its own sake too.

The start is perhaps a little on the slower side when you consider it as part of the fuller story — there’s a lot of time spent in Celeste’s life before she goes off on her ‘misadventures’ (about 30-40%?) — but I really enjoyed Langley’s writing style and the details of the character’s lives and changing fortunes in their small French town, so I had no problem with enjoying the journey.

I liked the way Langley treated the retelling aspect. She gave the ‘Gaston’ character a full, complex personality of his own and made him a really likeable character (with his own weaknesses too, obviously). It made Celeste’s choices far more complicated and her inner conflict really understandable. I could even have stood for him to be a little less likeable, to really draw out the conflict when he and Celeste reunite.

I also liked that the ‘Beast’ was treated more along the lines of the pre-Disney versions — outwardly monstrous, but kind and polite — it’s a story about seeing past appearances, not trying to ‘fix’ some handsome but angry, abusive asshat the way a lot of BatB retellings seem to do.

The romance in The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist is important — how could it not be? — but I really appreciated that Langley didn’t just make it about Celeste choosing between two suitors. She’s got her own dreams and ambitions, and a harsh reality getting in the way. It’s as much about Celeste making decisions about her own future and what she considers worth sacrificing too.

And since I’ve held off as long as I possibly can: Look at that cover! Look at it!! The artist has done such a beautiful job on this book.

A great story and interesting retelling, with really well-rounded characters. I’d highly recommend The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist and look forward to seeing more from the author.

In The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist by Ceinwen Langley, Celeste Rossan is an amateur naturalist that plans to go to Paris, find a mentor and live adventures and make scientific discoveries. As her father loses everything, Celeste’s life plans change, and she finds herself trapped in her small town with no opportunities. As her last hope, Celeste runs away but gets lost in the middle of the woods during a snowstorm. Celeste is saved by a creature of unexpected intelligence and gets to know this creature and the secrets of a secluded cottage.

Spoilers ahead.

There are two major parts in the story, the first part, in which Celeste discovers her new financial situation, and the second, in which she runs away and gets to know the beast. Reading the synopsis, I imagined that Celeste running away was one of the first things that happened, and the book would be mostly about her getting to know the beast. However, the firsts part of the book, which is almost half of the story, is Celeste discovering her new social status and her plan to get her father and sister in a better position. This first part made me almost dfn it because it was slow and suffocating, and there were almost no scenes involving the beast and the magic and adventure I expected to read.

Celeste plans to escape her situation suddenly, and I understand that she was desperate, but the lack of planning in this part made me a little frustrated. And then, in her actual running, she gets even more desperate and gets in the woods. Celeste is saved by the beast and finds a cottage in the middle of nowhere! Fantasy requires some suspension of disbelief, but I thought it was too convenient how she found the beast and the cottage during a snowstorm. And after some days, Celeste gets to interact with the beast.

After almost dfning, I was glad to have some interaction between Celeste and the beast. Celeste talks to the beast, and then they get to know which other, and there is even a part about old love stories in a journal! This second part was wholesome and the slow-burn development of a relationship I was expecting, and it was amazing! Their relationship is cute, and Celeste has time to reflect on what she wants to do with her life and discover more about her sexuality. The ending was unexpected but very magical and straight out of a fairy tale. I liked the story behind the beast and Celeste’s plans for the future.

Overall, I was glad I didn’t dfn the book, but I wished the first part was shorter. But the relationship development was cute and lighthearted, and I loved the ending. I’m looking forward to a book with Celeste’s next adventure!

Read if you want: queer retellings, magic with fairy tales vibes, fantasy and historical romance, women in science.

Courtesy of Netgalley.