Beastly by Alex Flinn

Title: Beastly

Author: Alex Flinn

Genre: YA Paranormal

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Published: October 1st 2008

ISBN: 006087418X

ISBN-13: 9780060874186

Plot:

Kyle is rich and handsome and has the most beautiful girl at school as his date for the spring dance.
Just for fun, he asks an ugly girl (in his definition) to the spring dance who says yes, and then leave her without a date in the end.
Sadly for him, the girl he stood up was a witch who wasn’t sad as he expected.
Later that night she transforms him into a beast, and he has only two years to transform back.
He has to find his true love that loves him back and proves it with a kiss.
But who would love him when he looked like a monster with fur, claws and fangs?

Review:

This book made a big impression on me. 
At first I thought it would be like any other book I read, but it wasn’t. 
Beastly is a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, and I could recognize a lot from earlier books I’ve read about the same story, also the Disney movie.

I felt sorry for Kyle from the beginning when I read all the quotes from what his dad have told him in his life.

I knew that the father might be one reason why he acted that way. 
The other reason was that he was blinded by his surroundings; his dad was on the TV all the time and had no time for him, and when he actually had the time he told his son that beauty and money was all that mattered. 


Later in the book he finally could see the real beauty, the beauty within. 
He could see the beauty in a cheap rose instead of an expensive orchid. 
What I really liked was that he evolved to a better person, that he didn’t lived in a bubble, he saw the whole world as it was. 
He could even see true love. 


I liked Lindy from the beginning, when she didn’t have a date for the spring dance and was by herself receiving the tickets from others. 
She thought the white rose was beautiful at first sight, and I knew she had to be a great person to see through the superficial façade. 


One of many things I liked in this book were the magic mirror that was used a lot more than in the Disney movie if you compare. 
I admit I was a little bit jealous of that mirror; I’ve also wanted to see some people in my life when I couldn’t. 


One thing I disliked was the reaction from Lindy when Kyle/Adrian transformed back, it just felt like a fake reaction. 
Sure, it would be weird to not being confused, but then asking where the beast was. 
That just felt unreal. 


After the transformation I had the same feeling as Lindy. 
It didn’t feel the same way as when he was a beast, sure it’s easier to go out with a normal human, but it felt like he would stop loving her when he’s handsome again. 
Almost that it was better when he was a beast, a special guy that you can recognize and know it’s real. 
That he was more beautiful as a beast instead of a human. 
I could feel that, even though it was from Adrian’s/Kyle’s point of view. 


I loved this book, and I also felt sorry for Kyle in the beginning when he had to get used to the thought of being a beast. 
It’s hard to go from really handsome to an ugly beast when you have a dad who hates all the ugliness. 
Then also hearing the truth, that no one even liked you, not even your best friend. 
It’s not the ugliness who makes you a prisoner, unless you want the shallow friendships or relationships. 
Is it really worth being popular to miss all the chances for a true love or friendship? 
That’s what this book wants to say, and I think it’s a must read for everyone out there.

I give this book five stars of five possible, and I'm not generous here.

It's really worth it.

5/5: