Beastly by Alex Flinn
Reviewed by Suzanne, Teen Services Librarian
Beastly is not a book I would have normally selected to read. Fantasy is not my preferred genre, but since author Alex Flinn is speaking at a conference I am attending next month, I figured I would try her twist on an old fairy tale.
This modern-day Beauty and the Beast takes place in New York City. Kyle Kingsbury, a freshman at an elite private school, plays a cruel trick on the new girl in school dismissing her as some “Goth freak.” However, the girl turns out to be a witch who casts a spell on the vain Kyle. Transformed into a disfigured beast, Kyle has two years to break the spell. Abandoned by his father and unable to show his face in public, time begins to run out and it looks like Kyle may remain a beast forever.
I really enjoyed this fresh version of Beauty and the Beast, and read it quite quickly. It was great fun and a pleasant departure from Flinn’s other books which are realistic depictions of teenage angst. The research Alex Flinn put into the creation of this book is apparent. What makes it unique is it is told from the point of view of the beast, with Kyle the story’s narrator.
The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of Beastly; it can be reserved through NIOGA. To read more about Alex Flinn visit her website.
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