Skip to main content

Beastly: the Movie

Alex Flinn's Beastly was on my Best of 2007 list and it remains my favorite modern-day retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. In my review I had this to say:
This B&B story hits everything right and the changes Ms. Flinn made enhanced her grittier version of the tale. For instance, Flinn's Beast is more akin to a dark superhero. Batman prowling the streets of Gotham City at night. He even takes a new name--Adrian--symbolizing his complete reversal in fortune, bleak new outlook on life, and ultimate rejection of the boy he used to be. In addition, the reader gets to catch the whole transformation thing as it happens. In most versions, we come to it way after the fact. Often the Beast has been languishing under his curse for hundreds of years when we come upon him. In this case, Kyle/Adrian has just two years to find true love and break the spell. I liked that we got in on how he coped with it all, as opposed to getting it in retrospect. This is also the first version I've read where Beauty's family didn't want her. Where, by all accounts, she's had a rougher life than he has. It makes it that much sweeter when these two people who have suffered much find not only love, but a way out.
I'm both surprised and delighted that they're making a movie of this book. The casting choices so far look...interesting. Though Neil Patrick Harris is sure to be awesome as Adrian's blind tutor. We shall see. Anyone else read Beastly? Thoughts?
Labels:

Comments

  1. Chelle2:14 PM

    I enjoyed the book, too, and found my interest piqued when they announced plans for the movie. Alex Pettyfer was awesome in Stormbreaker, but he seemed to kind of disappear after that. Is he right for Kyle? I'm not sure, but I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll bring to the role.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angiegirl6:34 PM

    Chelle, I don't think I've seen any of the cast before, except NPH. I've loaned out my copy of BEASTLY several times since I read it. When I get it back next I may need to do a reread in preparation for the movie release. Those chat sessions cracked me up the first time around...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Karen W.10:08 PM

    I'll definitely see the movie. "Beauty & The Beast" is my favorite fairy tale, and I really liked the book. I'm very excited it's going to be a movie!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Angiegirl2:29 AM

    Karen, I'm glad to hear others liked this one. I hope the film attracts more attention to it. Can't wait to see it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Soon Hana5:38 AM

    I read in a magazine a while ago that Vanessa Hudgens is going to be Beauty in Beastly the movie..

    I was like 'Noooooooo!!!!!'
    Sorry,but I'm not a fan

    ReplyDelete
  6. Diana Peterfreund11:46 AM

    Beastly was one of the books my Harper editor sent me when I first sold to that publisher. I really enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Michelle1:29 PM

    Eek - I loved this book and I'm more than a little nervous about the casting too. Hopefully the director will whip them all into shape!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Angiegirl2:53 PM

    Valerie, yeah, I was pretty concerned about that as well. And I've never even seen her in anything. She's certainly not how I pictured Linda at all...

    Diana, how cool! I just thought it was a super retelling. Humorous, touching, dark, and sweet all at once. Winning combination, imo.

    Michelle, I know. Fingers crossed!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oryfan6:12 PM

    I just finished the book a week ago.Though I wasn't wowed by the it, I did enjoy it. I had no idea they were making a movie. I'm kinda excited!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angiegirl6:25 PM

    Hey Oryfan! It is kind of exciting. I think they certainly have some good stuff to work with and hope it translates well to the big screen. I'm always a sucker for a good Beauty and the Beast retelling. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Grace9:40 PM

    I cant wait to see the movie. i read the book and LOVED it.

    im actually a fan of vanessa hudgens and u guys should cut her some slack. u never know. u may think shes just the hyper girl from high school musical but shes and ACTRESS so just cut her some slack...please.

    anyways cant wait to see the movie!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Angiegirl1:09 AM

    Grace, it's such a good book, isn't it? I'm happy to meet a Vanessa Hudgens fan. Like I said above, I haven't seen her in anything. I think she's probably perfectly capable of doing a fantastic job. My doubts came mainly from the fact that her look and general presentation are nothing at all like the way Linda was described in the book. But I'm going in with an open mind. Can't wait to see it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Grace6:13 PM

    Yeah thats true. she doesnt look like a red head but i dont know im sure it'll be a good movie. i wish they had the audiobook on itunes tho.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

You Might Also Like

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, Review + Giveaway!

It seems a long time ago now that I first read Shiver -- the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. But looking back I started it on the plane ride to BEA and finished it there in the conference center, fingers gripping the cover tightly, while sitting on the floor in one of the many autograph lines. And now it's May again and BEA is right around the corner and I emerge from my recent and nasty reading slump stupor to find a copy of Linger sitting in my mailbox like a glove thrown down in the dirt. "I will be the one to pull you out," it whispers to me slyly. "Just open me up and take a sip. I promise--one sip is all it will take." And I look at it with fear and longing written all over my face. "You promise?" I ask  intently. "Because it's been a long walk in the cold and I'm not sure I can take another disappointment." "Just open me up," it says, confidence written all over its cover. And so I do. And everythin
161 comments
Read more

Review | To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

The first book to make it onto my best books I've read so far this year list was actually a surprise. Thanks to Bridgerton's massive success, Julia Quinn's name is everywhere these days. And I'm chuffed about the whole thing. That said, my Quinn reading up to this point has been sporadic at best. And I'd only read two novels in the actual Bridgerton series. So I decided to rectify that at the beginning of the year by starting with Eloise's story (the fifth in the series) because she is my uncontested favorite of the siblings. I had no idea what her story held, but I knew she would be a compelling lead. I also love the title and the role that letters play in the story.   Eloise Bridgerton is tired of everything. She is tired of the endless inane whirl of life among the ton. She is tired of being paraded around and forced to dance and converse with all the wrong men. But most of all she is tired of being suddenly and unexpectedly alone after her best friend Penelo
Post a Comment
Read more

$50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

I'm excited today to be giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky reader!   This giveaway is sponsored by   Appliances Online   and is open to the US and the UK.  To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter letting me know what you'd spend your gift card on--books like me (which ones, which ones) or something else you've had your eye on?  The giveaway will run one week from today (6/13). Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway
122 comments
Read more