Enchant

Beauty and the Beast Retold

By: Demelza Carlton

Narrated by: Mary Sarah

Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

A beastly prince. An enchanting beauty. Only love can break the spell.

Once upon a time....

The wicked King Thorn forced the enchantress Zuleika to cast a terrible curse. She fled his court to travel the world, helping those who need her magic most. Until a search for her merchant father's lost ships leads her to an enchanted island, where Prince Vardan, the island's ruler, is afflicted by the most powerful curse Zuleika has ever encountered. She's not sure she can reverse the spell, but she's determined to try.

After all, a prince who fights pirates can't be all bad...no matter how beastly his appearance. Together, can the enchanting beauty and the beastly prince break the spell?

Contains mature themes.

©2016 Demelza Carlton (P)2018 Tantor

Not your Disney Beauty and the Beast.

l really liked this version right up until the end. the very last chapter is a bedroom scene. I would not call it erotic but thought I should warn people because I read a lot of YA. There is also a rape again not descriptive but intense if your reader is in youngish.

Now to the actual review. I read a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings and it's always nice to find ones that have fresh twists on the tale.

This time the prince doesn't deserve his curse, his brother the evil king cursed him. The real problem is that the evil king ravaged his Belle. How will she ever love him when his true face is the same as a monster's?

This was such a good premise, and an interesting message about how often in real life we are never punished for out own faults, but rather for the sins of others.

The Narrator Mary Sarah, did an amazing job tackling this story full of hard questions. She was great at reading the narrative as well as giving each character a unique voice and bringing them to life.

Unique retelling

I’ve read some beauty and the beast retellings and I’ve yet to be able to finish one. This one had such interesting details and fascinating characters. The spin that was put on it was brilliant honestly. I really loved it.

I knew I had to listen to another by this author and I’ve already started Dance the Cinderella retelling. It has a Mulan element but mostly I think that route was taken because of the Chinese Cinderella which I’ve heard is where the original story is from. Idk if that’s true or not. But it’s also a brilliant story so far. I have to say this is one of my new favorite authors for sure! So glad I found these books! I don’t know how more people aren’t raving about them and the author.

A wonderful retelling

This was a great reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. Great characters and an enthralling love story. I can’t wait to dig into more of the series, and maybe see the comeuppance of a certain character.

No Fsilsafe

A simple Beauty and the Beast retelling where the witch curses a prince in anger at the king. The problem is that she did not create a failsafe, had never met said prince and when she does find him, she falls in love.

Most of the book could have been deleted if the characters had just talked. But then again, then there would not be a book.