Book Review | Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge

Lisa Jensen rewrites a tale as old as time, but with twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

The girl, the beast, and the enchantress: it’s a recipe for success. However, this recipe has a new flavor! Rather than witness the tale we all know and love through the doe-eyed beauty, we follow a bitter and vengeful servant, Lucie, who wants to show the world the Chevalier’s true nature as a monster.

Nothing is as it seems in the cursed Château Beaumont, not when the spell is cast and true natures are revealed. Much to Lucie’s surprise, the beastly form of the Chevalier is much more human than expected. He’s noble, kind, and gentle–everything the handsome Chevalier is not. Just as Lucie begins to hope that he might stay, a stranger with beauty like no other arrives, with all the power to break the spell and destroy all Lucie has worked for.

This reimagined Beauty and the Beast will keep you on your toes. As my favorite fairytale, I am always ready to read a fresh take on a timeless classic. Jensen swept me off my feet in this vengeful tale. The twists and turns keep you guessing who the real monster is and how far one will go to exact revenge and right past wrongs.

Fans of fairytales will fall in love with this enchanting and emotionally-charged tale. While the book is a fun twist on the original tale, there are some things that readers should be aware of. Minor spoilers below:

TRIGGER WARNING

For starters, this is a dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast. There is a rape scene early on. It’s not graphic in detail, but it can be triggering to some readers. Shortly after, the victim contemplates suicide. Readers who are sensitive to these issues may want to avoid these sections.

END OF TRIGGER WARNING

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge. It was fresh, invigorating, surprising, and thoughtful. The way Jensen creates these characters and portrays them in a new light adds to the magic of the original tale, making it a favorite of mine.