Lightning Review

Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak

B

Beauty and Beastly

by Melanie Karsak

Beauty and Beastly is a lyrical, lovely re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast. It’s a slight story and you don’t want to be asking too many practical questions about it, but it conveys fairy tale love well. This is part of the Steampunk Fairy Tales series and although there are references to other books, I had no problem jumping in with this one.

In a fantasy version of 1814 England, Isabelle and her father make a living by making and selling inventions and repairing mechanical things. Over all Isabelle is happy with her life, but she’s a bit bored. She’s thrilled when her father offers to take her to Ireland to deliver some of her inventions and attend a wedding. Alas, their ship, The Prospero, crashes and Isabelle finds herself washed ashore a mysterious island replete with whispering voices in the woods, standing stones, and a castle filled with automatons who creak into action to serve her every need. There’s also a mechanical dog and y’all know clockwork dogs are my jam.

The automatons, who are fully sentient, are thrilled that Isabella is able to provide some much-needed repair and maintenance. However, things are not as smooth between Isabelle and the lord of the castle, Rhys, who is also an automaton and who is annoyed at the intrusion of two shipwreck survivors (Isabelle’s father also turns up at the castle). Rhys has a small airship that he is willing to let Isabelle and her father use, but it will only carry one person, so Isabelle’s father, who has more piloting experience, leaves the island, planning to come back for Isabelle. From this point on things follow the basic beauty and the beast template with a steampunk overlay – can Isabelle find the literal key that will literally save Rhys’ steampunk heart in time to save him? (What do you think?)

This story is pretty overstuffed, what with references to previous books, the Fey, Druids, technology, and the usual beauty and beast motifs. On the other hand, it’s a fairy tale, not a science documentary. Many details should have been explored at more length and others should have been left out altogether. Also, I don’t care how many times Isabelle washes and dries the fancy dress she rescues from the waves – that dress ain’t coming back, honey.

Sometimes I write a review immediately after reading a book and sometimes I don’t get to it for a while. The advantage of the latter approach is that I can find out what elements of the book stick in my head. The plot of this book is pretty much paint-by-numbers Beauty and the Beast, so if you are familiar with the fairy tale then there will be no major surprises.

However, the tone of the book stuck in my head in the most pleasant way. Isabelle’s intelligence is valued. Beautiful things, both mechanical (such as the garden filled with metal flowers) and “natural” (the surrounding forest and ocean) abound. After the first sequence in which Isabelle chooses to stay on the island and her father leaves, Rhys is nothing but considerate and kind. It’s refreshing (in a Beauty and Beast retelling) that he is neither a kidnapper nor a habitual user of bad behavior. It’s a lyrical story with a familiar plot, soothing ambiance, and nice people. A bit bland, but so very pretty. I recommend this as a “de-stressing” read for when you just want to daydream.

Carrie S

In this tale as old as time, Isabella Hawking must tinker a solution to a heartbreaking mystery.

When Isabelle and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle was thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkers, and studying new ways to manipulate mechanicals sounded like a dream. But an unexpected gale turns the waters violent, and the ship is lost. Isabelle survives the tempest only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly-deserted island. Dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, the haunting place hints of a magical past. Isabelle may be an unwitting guest, but her arrival at the forgotten citadel heralds a new beginning for the beastly residents inside.

Beauty and Beastly is a retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale set in 1814 Regency England. 

Fantasy/Fairy Tale Romance, Romance, Steampunk
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