Beauty and Beastly

Steampunk Beauty and the Beast (Steampunk Fairy Tales)

By: Melanie Karsak

Narrated by: Lesley Parkin

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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

When Isabelle Hawking and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle is thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkerers, and studying mechanicals is her dream. It doesn't hurt that the trip also offers Isabelle an escape from her overbearing and unwanted suitor, Gerard LeBoeuf.

But Isabelle never arrives. Swept up in a tempest, her ship is lost.

Isabelle survives the storm only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island. The magical place, dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, hints of an ancient past. Isabelle may be an unwilling guest, but her arrival marks a new beginning for the beastly residents of this forgotten land.

See how New York Times best-selling author Melanie Karsak puts a steampunk spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

©2017 Clockpunk Press (P)2018 Clockpunk Press

More than just pasted on gears.

Somethings call themselves steampunk when it's just gears and goggles on the cover of the book.

From a clockwork beast to a fairy with an environmental agenda. The steampunk aesthetic of Beauty and Beastly goes deeper than just Disney's Belle in a corset. Though there are plenty of Disney call backs to make you want to watch the classic film again.

I always say a beauty and the beast retelling relies on the characterization of the Beast, and this one is no different, by making the curse punishment for environmental sins instead of social ones, Karsak makes her Beast truly sympathetic and in the readers eyes undeserving of what is truly a curse. Also Bonus points for giving him a name.

The performance of Lesley Parking was amazing and her English accent was a joy to listen to. Not only did she bring the first person narrator of Isabelle to life, she managed to give every other character their own distinctive voice. To the point that it sounds like a full cast audio drama not just an audiobook.

Tale as old as time with a twist.

I really enjoyed the characters and the adventures they experienced in this story. I love the unique twist of having Isabella be a tinkerer and the beast being a clockwork man. The description of the island and the castle was excellent allowing you to place yourself in the story. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the story and the characters through unique voices to a higher level of enjoyment. I liked the inclusion of Celtic myths and structure and the Fae to give this story a unique twist. Loved every moment!

Good Overall fantasy novel with some steampunk on the side

Yes the steam punk theme was thrown in there but not overtly. The main character is a tinkerer and they talk about airships but besides that it’s just a fun take on the old fairy tale of beauty and the beast. Definitely worth the listen, I enjoyed 😍

Steampunk Beauty and the Beast

This is the first steampunk novel that I have listen to. The author was very descriptive in creating that steampunk world. I did feel some descriptions were repetitive but it didn’t really distract from the book. The novel started off slow but after they set sail it starts picking up rather quickly. The plot is almost the same as the original Beauty and Beast. I would even say less drama than the Disney version. The author does change some things here and there but it doesn’t stray from the essence of the original Beauty and Beast story. This is a really lighthearted and clean retelling of the story. The narrator does a great job switching between genders and characters. I loved her accent as she brought the characters to life. Overall, I feel pretty neutral about this book. There’s nothing to dislike since it still tells the story of Beauty and the Beast but also there’s nothing that’s dramatic or thought provoking about the overall story because it’s a retelling of a classic story.

Great telling of story! Amazing twist!

Let me just say I love this version of beauty and the beast! I love your work and you bought my fantasy to life with all the beautiful scenarios and descriptions. Im a little more in love with this version then the original. This is my first time listening to steampunk genre and I don't mind at all! The Narrator you chose was elegant and her voice was wonderful to listen to. I highly recommend this book!

Fun Retelling

Melanie Karsak creates a fun retelling of Beauty and the Beast using steampunk elements for a new twist.
Isabelle and her father are taking a boat to visit London when tragedy strikes and Isabelle finds herself stranded on an island. But something is weird here. There is a crumbling castle and the inhabitants are all mechanical. As a tinker herself, she finds herself intrigued and her life changes forever.
I listened to the audio book and truly enjoyed the narration. It added a lot to the story and the characters. The story itself is fascinating. The steampunkness of the characters being machines adds a scifi tilt that I appreciate more than the original idea of a beast. The idea of what is alive and what isn't is an interesting study in this story.
Overall, this makes me interested in the author's other works.

Imaginative retelling

A great take on a classic tale. The steampunk twist was excellently done and fit perfectly. Loved the narration.

good story

It was definitely a very interesting read and put a twist on the tale of beauty and the beast my favorite fairytale. I try to find other versions from time to time and some disappoint but this story was interesting and had the feel of how Belle may have lived her life going off what we know from the Disney cartoon version...

Twist on a classic fairytale

I enjoyed this retelling of beauty and the beast. It was a unique take with clockwork people and far along with tinkers it was a lot of fun to listen to this story unfold and waiting for the tinker to trust herself enough to learn what was truly going on. I wanted to smack some of the characters a few times but eventually they figured things out. I enjoyed this ending and watching her get to know the different character she along with struggling with maybe falling for what she thought was only a robot. I love doing her struggle and her determination she refused to lose and I loved her spark.

A BEAUTIFUL RETELLING

There are so many "retellings" out there, but this one was definitely worth it. A beautiful story, that was so well written, and detail oriented. I felt like the narration was wonderful and really added value to the story, allowing listeners to be whisked into this land and really understand what was happening with the characters physically, but also mentally.