Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen, 337 pages. Candlewick, 2018. $19.
Language: PG (4 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (rape scene); Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Lucie is proud of her new position at Beaumont castle. She tries hard to do her job and stay out of trouble. When the master returns she is fascinated by his beauty and lurks in the shadows to spy him again and again. After he rapes her however, she feels filthy and doesn’t want to live. An encounter with the local hedge witch gives her another chance, however as the master is turned into a Beast and Lucie is transformed as she is allowed to watch his humiliation. It becomes Lucie’s job to make sure that the Beast is never allowed to become the master again.
Oh mere words – it is so hard to succinctly describe Jensen’s masterful plotting as she adds depth and dimension to the classic tale. The rape scene is difficult because your mind makes it more graphic than it actually is. It is the crux of the story, because it sets up Lucie’s motivation for her wish and her subsequent actions. I love the setup for the Beast’s appearance, the skillful twists on the traditional, and the extension of the action well after the normal story ends.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian
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