Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lauren

Beastly is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast taking place in modern New York City. Kevin is a spoiled rich boy with a huge ego. It takes a somewhat unattractive goth girl to give him a hint. When she tests him to see how nice he is, she reveals herself as a witch, who curses him, making his appearance reflect his personality: beastly. If he cannot get someone to love him in two years, he will remain beastly forever.

Kevin's father tries to help, but eventually gives up and moves him to a house for him to live in exile with only a foreign housekeeper and a blind tutor. Embarrassed by his past of being a jerk, Kevin changes his name to Adrian and concentrates on schoolwork and his rose garden. When someone breaks into his rose gardenhouse, the man offers his daughter in exchange for sparing his life. Adrian obliges.

Lindy is a girl from Adrian's old school, both smart and kind. She hates her new home at first, but eventually grows used to the beast and becomes friends with him. When things are just getting close and Adrian's curse may end soon, Lindy has to leave to save her father, who's helpless without her.

Following the basic storyline of the original story, Alex Flinn's retelling creates a fresh and new story making it enjoyable to teens. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves popular fairy-tales.