Beastly (Kendra Chronicles)

by Alex Flinn

Paperback, 2008

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Publication

HarperTeen (2008), Epub, 336 pages

Description

A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

Media reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Teens will LOL. They will also find their preoccupations with looks, status and pride explored thoroughly.

— 3 more

Publishers Weekly

Flinn follows the fairy tale's original plot points closely, but falters in her depiction of the story's bad guys, over-the-top caricatures that simply ring false in her up-to-date setting.

School Library Journal

Beastly has romance, true love, tragic circumstances, magic, action adventure, and hope.

Booklist

A rare fairy-tale-inspired novel with equally strong appeal for boys and girls.

User reviews

LibraryThing member SunnySD

In a sentence, a modern day/futuristic adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.

Handsome, rich, snobby and full of himself, sophomore Kyle Kingsbury is one of the elite at his private New York prep school But when he insults a witch, he finds himself transformed, with a 2 year deadline to find true love

or remain a beast forever. Chatroom therapy sessions block out sections of the story and add an interesting twist.

This is an excellent modern day adaptation of an old classic, and New York makes a perfect setting. The ending isn't much of a surprise, but how the story progresses is creative and very readable. One of the best YA fantasies I've read so far this year.

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LibraryThing member saturnnalia

I love the concept of beauty and the beast. This story is from the beast's perspective, so that was interesting. But I couldn't connect with him, he was spoiled and mean for no reason. No redeeming qualities, so why should I care about him? Lindy, his beauty, we don't find out much about either. If

the author would have delved in deeper into the characters and their motivations, I think it would have made for a better story. All the charactures were one demential without much depth. A quick easy read.

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LibraryThing member MickyFine

A modern re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, Beastly tells the story of Kyle Kingsbury the golden boy of his high school. But when he plays a cruel trick on a girl at a dance she turns out to be a witch who turns him into a beast and gives him two years to find a girl who will fall in love with him

and break the curse.

Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favourite fairy tales and Disney films (he gives her a library! How awesome is that?!) but having just read A Kiss in Time my expectations were lower for this book. However, it did a decent job. The story is told entirely from Kyle's perspective and Flinn adequately describes his character development from shallow and cruel pretty boy to a considerate young man. Some of the dialogue was a bit stilted and awkward and I felt like the girl, Lindy, could have used more character development. But it was a fun and quick read (I read it in two and a half hours).

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LibraryThing member SFM13

Kyle is transformed into a beast because of his inconsiderate, conceited ways. Though he was quite handsome on the outside, he was rotten on the inside. When he finds himself trapped in the body of a beast, he begins to see what life is like for the average person, as well as those suffering from

physical afflictions. His heart softens, and he begins to change his feelings about the importance of “good looks.” As he spends his time isolated and immersed in learning he begins to change on the inside. When he meets Lindy her normal reaction was that of fear as she takes in his beastly appearance. Once Lindy considers Kyle AKA Adrian a friend, his transformation back into the human he once was, or should I say improved human, isn’t far behind.

I like how Flinn, developed their relationship and allowed the friendship to be realized as love just in time. The similarities between the classic tale “Beauty and the Beast” and the modern version “Beastly” were incorporated in the story nicely.

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LibraryThing member elliepotten

Having succumbed to all the hype around this book, and then discovered there was a movie coming out starring the delectable Alex Pettyfer (oh, and being a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast, of course!), I couldn't wait to get stuck in when a lazy day off presented itself. So yesterday I threw on my

comfiest sweats, cooked me a pizza, and settled in for the ride.

I wasn't disappointed. This clever modern retelling of the much-loved classic story is told from the viewpoint of Kyle Kingsbury, a teen playboy with a rich daddy and a bad attitude. When the spring dance comes around, his cruel plan to humiliate the strange, 'ugly' Kendra goes horribly awry when she reveals herself to be a beautiful witch and curses him into ugliness, turning him into a furry half-man, half-beast. Thanks to a small kindness he showed to another girl just before his transformation, she offers him a small chance to break the curse - he will have two years in which to learn his lesson and find true love, or he will remain this way forever.

In some ways this reminded me of Jasper Fforde's 'Nursery Crime' series. It has been very well thought out, balancing the modern with the traditional in a fun, seamless way. All the elements you would expect are there - the rose, the mirror, the lonely house, the girl coming to stay, the loyal servants, the first dance, the sad parting... But at the same time, this is a thoroughly modern interpretation. The girl's father is a drug dealer who exchanges his daughter for his life when he breaks into the house, and Kyle finds support through an online chatroom for transformed humans (including 'Froggie', who hates living in a pond because his stuff keeps floating away, and 'SilentMaid', who is considering selling her soul to a sea witch for the love of a sailor...).

Kyle reinvents himself as 'Adrian King' and leaves his unsympathetic friends and father behind, instead depending on his housekeeper Magda and blind tutor Will to help him through his ordeal. He develops a passion for roses and for books, anything to get him through the long days imprisoned in his New York house. He is a very engaging character, quickly establishing himself as a sympathetic figure and becoming more and more likeable as the book goes on. I was aching for him to win the girl's heart and break the spell! *sigh*

So, yes, as you can probably tell, I really enjoyed it. There were one or two moments where it dragged a bit - hence four stars instead of five - but for the most part it was a well-paced read, with characters I could root for, some thought-provoking messages about looks, life and love, and that all-important happy ending. And just in case that wasn't enough, Flinn closes the book with a brief jaunt through the various reincarnations of this tale over the ages, including a few more modern versions to add to my list... And there's that film to look forward to as well. Highly recommended!

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LibraryThing member HHS-Students

Reviewed by: Hannah (Class of 2013)

You know how hard it is being a normal teen right? Imagine having a maid at every command, your father on TV, being the most popular guy at school, having the girl you think you’re in love with, and the mean joke you are going to do at homecoming. Life would be

great however, life for Kyle Kingsbury wasn’t. You see Kyle had everything I had mentioned; the girl, the popularity, the father, the maid, the joke. But that joke was what was going to cost him everything. The girl he was playing a joke on was the one who happened to be a witch. That witch had cast a spell on him turning him into a beast until the girl he loves kisses him, but it will only work if the girl loves him back. His dad was so ashamed at what he was turned into. He tried everything from plastic surgeons to scientists, and they all came up with the same answer I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do but to tell you to seek counseling. So his dad not wanting to have an ugly son shipped him to Brooklyn with the maid, he was given a tutor, and a garden full of roses. Each day he grew more and more lonely. Then finally he decided he was going to use the tool that the witch had given him the looking glass mirror. He was looking at the girls that were in his school and the only one he enjoyed watching was Lindy. Lindy was this nerdy girl that relied on school to get her out of the terrible place she was in. Later on in the story Lindy’s drugged father went into Kyle’s beloved garden of roses. So in exchange for his daughter the beast gave him the drugs that he had in his pocket. Lindy was scared at the sight of him at first then they grew more and more close to each other. By the end of the story Kyle came running as Lindy’s life was being threatened, when he found her he was trying to fight off the guy while keeping an eye on Lindy. He wasn’t so successful. The guy had shot him and that’s when the magic happened he turned back into human after……. THE KISS.

I loved the book. I thought it had a great quality of romance and sorrow, just enough to balance it out evenly. And I liked the feminine touch to the beast. The feminine touch was clever way to make the audience be in shock, the feminine touch also showed the change in the character as a person. However I didn’t like how many dull moments there were in between the action scenes. As the book was going I would be visioning it in my head and then all of a sudden I would read a different sentence and then it would change to a different image that really just slowed the pace down. I also didn’t like how the best friend was portrayed. I didn’t really see the point of having trey( the best friend) be like the new Kyle. It just didn’t fit very well with me and the story. Overall it was a good book that I couldn’t put down.

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LibraryThing member HollyRae

I started this book yesterday and finished it last night. So, needless to say it was a quick read. I was kind of let down, I think maybe I had expected more from this book. I just wasn't given that. So, overall, I give this book a 3/5.

LibraryThing member AmieG

I did enjoy this modern spin on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, though it did have its faults. It is the first young adult novel that I've read that truly *felt* like a young adult novel. The writing seemed a bit elementary, as if the author was trying to write specifically for the 6th to 8th

grade crowd. This was a bit disappointing, as I've read many, many books for young adults that don't talk down to that age group. Sadly, I felt that this book did just that. Perhaps the part of the book I disliked the most was the chat room breaks between the parts of the book. These were almost painful to read, and quite frankly, pointless and unnecessary to the story. Leaving these parts out would have made the book a better read.

Definitely not one of my favorite YA books to date.

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LibraryThing member callmecayce

The signs were obvious that this book was a reworking of the traditional Beauty and the Beast story and of course I managed to miss them all. Not that the title or the rose on the cover were subtle, but somehow I just didn't get it until halfway through the book. Which actually wasn't a bad thing.

I enjoyed the book and found the premise (our hero, Kyle, has the traditional curse of being a beast put on him because, well, he's kind of a jerk) well done. The plot, of course, was strong, but it would be hard to screw this story up.

What I found fascinating was how Alex Flinn was able to make the beast a sympathetic character so early on in the story. Even though we knew -- could see it from Kyle's point of view -- that he was not a nice boy, you can't help feel sorry for him. But the transformation that Kyle undergoes is so through and well written, that you have no problems believing in this world that Flinn has created. She also does something that I really find smart, between section of the book are letting chat logs from IM conversations that Kyle is having with people similar to himself -- these are people from story tellers, a frog looking for a prince, a bear who is really a man, and a mermaid who wants to give up her voice to get feet. These tie-ins, while obvious, are quite clever and amusing.

Overall, this was a fun book and I'd like to read more of Flinn's work.

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LibraryThing member Cathy_Keaton

The book was so much better than the movie! I saw the 2011 film version of the book earlier this year, before reading it, and although the movie was great, the book blew past it by a mile. I suppose doing things in that order had its advantages, in that the characters that remained mostly the same

from book to screen adaptation were very easy to envision. But, that only meant I could envision Kyle and Will, maybe Sloane, too. So much was altered and I think that's why the book is superior.

In the book, Kyle turned into an actual bona fide “beast,” not some hairless alien. In fact, having too much hair was one of his biggest problems. I think he was supposed to look similar to the 1992 Disney film version of the Beast. Lindy was not a pretty raven-haired girl who could have any guy she wanted at school. Rather, she was red-haired, freckled, and considered average-looking. And, the truth about Magda, the housekeeper, was one of the best reveals of the story, something that never came up in the film.

I already knew that the Beast was going to get his girl in the end and the curse would be broken, but I wasn't sure if I'd believe that the girl would convince me that she truly loved him, despite his hideous features. Re-writing Beauty and the Beast is tough, if anything, for that reason. I wasn't super convinced by the film version, but, the book made it work. It took nearly one full year from the time Kyle made Lindy live with him before any confessions of love were even made, something much more realistic, even for teenagers.

The author, Alex Flinn, did her research and mapped out this story well (and it shows). I think because Lindy was only sixteen-years-old, young and impressionable, she could be persuaded over time to overlook Kyle's physical condition and learn to love him. He mostly made her life better. And, Kyle went from being downright awful, saying things like, “I tried not to look at her crooked teeth. Why didn't she just get braces?” to changing into an insecure loner who feared rejection from everyone, and could see beauty even in the plainest rose.

When characters grow, I find myself loving them and their story ten times more than if they just bumble along mostly unchanged from beginning to end. But, the trick is that the characters have to go through believable transformations in the story, or they lack credibility. Thankfully, Kyle and Lindy's growth was convincing and paid a marvelous modern homage to one of the most beautiful love stories the world has ever known.

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LibraryThing member beserene

This modern, urban update to the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" has a lot of teen appeal. Flinn takes a new perspective -- that of the Beast -- and runs with it, from the beginning (pre-Beast, when our hero is the hottest guy at an exclusive NYC prep school) to the happy ending (not much of a

spoiler, if you've read the fairy tale in any version, to say that the Beast gets both the girl and an important lesson).

I was surprised at times how faithful Flinn was to many of the aspects of the traditional story. Issues of freedom and abduction, which many modern YA retellings have a tendency to soften, are fully explored here. I like many of Flinn's plausible details -- including the Brooklyn greenhouse that stands in for the magic, all-season garden and the blind tutor instead of invisible or transformed servants. There are a couple of things, however, that seem unnecessary here -- for example, the chapters are divided by chat transcripts from an online transformation support group, which is a clever nod to omnipresent technology, but seems too artificial as the novel progresses, occasionally feeling like an all-too-convenient window to possible companion novels. A certain twist at the end (which I will not spoil) also seems a little forced.

Overall, this is a good read, especially for teens who have read the original fairy tale but not too many urban revisions of it. As far as quality goes, Robin McKinley's versions ('Beauty' and 'Rose Daughter') and short stories by the likes of Angela Carter, Tanith Lee, and others are both more elegant and more consistent, but this novel has a good measure of fun that makes it appealing. It's worth the time and may be a good gateway book to other, stronger fairy tale revisions (some of which Flinn even lists in her end notes, an addition that I found thoughtful).

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LibraryThing member krau0098

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with some changes; firstly the book is set in the modern day and secondly it is from the Beast's point of view. When I started this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it but as the story continued I really got pulled in and ended up loving it. It

helps that Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales.

Kyle Kingsbury is a jerk. He is your typical perfect looking, rich, snob. Everyone is beneath him and he is cruel about it. He gets his comeuppance when he stands up a strange girl with funny green hair and gothic clothing. You guessed it, she is a witch, and she curses him to look on the outside like he is on the inside. That is unless he is kissed by his true love within 2 years of his changing. Funny thing is Kyle's dad is a news anchor and basically disowns Kyle when he finds that his son is permanently beastly.

This story started out okay. I thought the writing was kind of choppy and awkward, with lots of slang, in the beginning. As Kyle becomes a better person; the book ends up being written quite beautifully. Since it is written from Kyle's viewpoint I guess that makes sense. So, just a warning, if the book irritates you at first keep with it because it is worth the read.

Flinn did an excellent job showing Kyle's transformation. There is some humor in between the different sections of the book in the form of online group chats; where Kyle goes to discuss his transformation with others who have been transformed. I thought Flinn did an excellent job of staying true to the original Beauty and the Beast story while updating the surroundings.

The only part I thought was awkward was when Kyle forces Lindy to live with him; the author mentions in the back that she also had a bit of trouble reconciling this part of the story with the modern world. Besides that I was very happy with this book. It is a sweet re-telling and stays true to the many versions of the story out there. It is appropriate for kids of all ages; not a ton of violence or making out.

Overall I really liked it. It was a quick and easy read. I had a lot of trouble putting the book down and ended up staying awake until the wee hours of the night to see how it ended. I will definitely be checking out more of Alex Flinn's books in the future.

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LibraryThing member MeriJenBen

Kyle, as the rich, handsome son of a popular newscaster, is used to being adored and respected. Oblivious and shallow, he thinks nothing of setting up a public humiliation for the new, weird goth chick in his class. However, Kendra is more than she seems,and she curses Kyle, making him as Beastly

on the outside as he is on the inside. Kyle is given two years to find someone who will love him for him, and will kiss him despite his looks. Rejected by his perfection obsessed father, Kyle lives in a Brownstone with his blind tutor and faithful maid. Only when a desperate man offers his daughter Linda to Kyle for his freedom, does Kyle see a chance to break the curse.

Eeeeeehhhhh.. There is really nothing that special about this book. If you are familiar with any of the popular versions of Beauty and the Beast, you already know the plot. Kyle's redemption is expected and feels a trifle unearned. Linda, is pretty blah, and has no real character traits than being bookish and loyal. Of far more interest are Will, Kyle's tutor and Magda, his maid. However, they are secondary characters. Kyle is the narrator, and the focus is all on him. Fans of modern fairy tales will find something to like here, and the inclusion of a "transformation chat room" is a nice touch, but there are better books out there that tell the same story.

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LibraryThing member stephxsu

Kyle Kingsbury is the most popular, most beautiful, and most well-liked guy at Tuttle, his fancy private NYC high school, and he knows it. So why should he even bother to give that weird girl in his English class the time of day, when he can get the hottest girl in the school? However, his cruel

treatment of others results in a witch casting a spell over him, making him ugly so that his anchorman father puts him away in a five-story Brooklyn brownstone, shut away from the world.

Kyle—who renames himself “Adrian”—has only one chance to break this spell: he must fall in love with a girl within two years, and have her love him back. But Adrian believes this is impossible. Who is going to love him when no one can even bear to look at him?

The thing with retellings of famous stories isn’t the suspense: it’s how the author does to liven an oft-told tale. Alex Flinn does a respectable job of retelling the beloved “Beauty and the Beast.” I was most impressed by Kyle/Adrian’s transformation from spoiled rich brat to a caring and kind individual. The process and subtleties of his maturing were done well.

But it is not just Adrian’s growth that makes him so likable. Even at the beginning, when he irked me with his superior attitude and gag-inducing way of approaching life (“I am beautiful and thus I deserve everything I want and get”), he was still vulnerable and hurt, with that horrible father of his. I would’ve liked more insight into what made Kyle/Adrian the person he was—clearly his parents had something to do with it—but overall he was a great protagonist.

Unfortunately the book began to fall apart for me when Lindy, the “Belle” of the story, was introduced. While I loved hearing Adrian’s worried thoughts about the impression he makes on her, I was less than impressed with Lindy’s character. She is a bookworm with a difficult family life, and that was fine, but I got no sense of chemistry between Lindy and Adrian. In fact, the more I learned about Lindy, the more annoyed I was with her character: this nerdy girl who initially seemed so resourceful and strong-willed dissolved into a pathetic, hot-boy-crushing damsel-in-distress at the end.

Lindy aside, I really enjoyed BEASTLY, with its approachable writing style and likable “Beast” protagonist. It’s definitely refreshing to look at this old fairy tale from the Beast’s point of view. While I can think of a number of better “Beauty and the Beast” retellings that are out there, BEASTLY’s simple writing and straightforward characters will appeal to middle schoolers and early high schoolers who enjoy fairy tale retellings with a dash of romance and a strong male protagonist.

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LibraryThing member princess2293

This book is a modern day version of Beauty and the Beast in New York City. I loved it. If you love Beauty and the Beast, you will definetly love this book.

LibraryThing member ethelmertz

This is a good modern adaptation of the story. I liked the chat room support group. The ending was a bit rushed and lacked depth, but I enjoyed it.

LibraryThing member dnguku

Beastly is a modern version of beauty and the beast that takes place in newyork city. when a rich rude spoilt young man is transformed to a beast. he has a magic mirror and it can show him everyone he wants to see, when he starts looking at one of his former classmates, he falls in love with her

and he has to convince her that he might look like a beast outside but he has now changed inside

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LibraryThing member dolphinblue1225

A new take on Beauty on the Beast, from the Beast's perspective. Alex Flinn does a great job of making you feel for the characters, particularly the Beast. Kyle Kingbury makes an incredible transformation from a spolied, bully, rich kid to a thoughtful and wise lovable character. This is a very fun

and quick read!

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LibraryThing member Jenson_AKA_DL

I think it is possible to say that most everyone has a passing familiarity with the tale of Beauty and the Beast, whether it be the original story or the Disney version. "Beastly" takes a different approach than the norm as it not only modernizes setting and characters, but it also comes from the

Beast's point of view.

I have to say that I very much enjoyed this updated version. In the first half of the book we learn about Kyle Kingsbury, a handsome, popular and quite nasty 16 year old private high school student who lives with his self-absorbed and famous newscaster father. However, Kyle is soon to learn the meaning of comeuppance when his path crosses with a goth girl he decides to humiliate and thus the beast is born. It isn't until mid-way through that we pick up the more familiar thread, but the history was quite interesting and not at all a burden to read.

I enjoyed all of the characters, especially the chatroom participants. Froggie in particular cracked me up. Also, I really felt that the author here was spot on with Kyle's personality and reactions. At first I had issues with his language quirks in the last quarter of the book, but after giving it some thought I can see why he started speaking as he did.

Overall I think "Beastly" was a very engrossing tale and does a wonderful job of putting a new twist on a classic tale.

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LibraryThing member TigerLMS

Kyle Kingsbury is the son of a network news anchor, living in present-day New York. He's spoiled. He's rich. He's good looking. And he's really mean to anyone not in the elitist popular clique at his exclusive high school. When a goth girl with mossy teeth named Kendra calls him ugly on the inside,

a real beast, he invites her to a school dance-- even though Kyle is really planning to take Sloane, the most popular and best looking girl at school. What happens isn't much of a surprise. Kyle shows up at the dance with Sloane, and they make a bit of a scene that is designed to humiliate the ugly and unpopular girl. Kendra, of course, is a witch in disguise, and that night she turns Kyle into a hideous beast. He has two years to find someone to fall in love with, and earn her love in return, or he is doomed to remain a beast forever. Kyle's father tries to help by taking him to countless doctors, but eventually his famous dad gives up and ships Kyle off to a seperate house in Brooklyn with a housekeeper and a blind tutor. Author Alex Flinn says she read countless versions of the Beauty and the Beast myth before, and while, writing her version. Because I've seen Disney's version of the tale so many times with my own children, and because Flinn is a talented writer, I had a hard time putting this book down. In my own library I've barely started my book talks before someone begs to check it out. In fact, this book is hardly ever available because so many teens want to read it. If you can get your hands on a copy, I highly recommend it. Like all versions of the Beauty and the Beast myth, Flinn's story emphasises a conceited person's inner turmoil, weighing one's physical beauty and material goods with one's heart and moral compass. We see Kyle transform himself from a real beast in human form into a caring, compassionate individual even while he gives up hope that he'll never find true love. For who could ever learn to love a beast?

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LibraryThing member knielsen83

I absolutely loved this book - read it tonight. It's funny, touching and full of surprises. It's funny how closely it follows the tale of Beauty and the Beast, just with a very modern twist to it. I'd definitely read it again.

LibraryThing member 4sarad

I think it was a mistake to retell Beauty and the Beast with them both being 16 year old Americans. The Beast was SO whiney. He was completely annoying throughout the book, even when he turned over a new leaf and was kind. Still annoying. The chat room stuff also annoyed me and seemed completely

unnecessary and childish. There are a lot of retellings of this story, and I'd have to say this is my least favorite so far.

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LibraryThing member FeegleFan

I respect Alex Flinn as an author. She's written a couple of excellent YA books, and for that reason, I thought, "Well, I'll read this one, too. It's Alex Flinn. How bad can it be?"

Well, it was very bad. As in, "I constantly got the urge to empty the contents of my stomach into a nearby trashcan

while reading" bad. "Beastly" is full of cliché romance scenes that would be unrealistic and oversweet even if they WEREN'T cliché. The main character is annoying at the beginning of the book, which is to be expected. After all, he has to do SOMETHING to prompt a witch to transform him into a beast. But his obnoxiousness doesn't diminish as the book goes on - instead, it heightens as he constantly whines to himself about his beastly fate. It gets even worse when he gets over the whiny stage and enters the "sappy furball" stage, where he becomes outright obsessed with roses (I mean, it's cool that someone finally wrote about a male who likes gardening, but his love of the craft extends to something beyond believability, especially for an impatient teenage boy) and falls hopelessly in love with a cliché and sickeningly sweet girl. Not to mention that he starts pulling out phrases like, "Who dares disturb my roses?" and "Anything for you, milady!" I guess he suddenly forgot he was living in the 21st century.

In short, Alex Flinn wrote a failure. It's great that she tried exploring other genres outside of her YA teen drama specialty, but it didn't work this time around. If you're looking for a REAL Alex Flinn book, try "Breathing Underwater" or "Breaking Point," because there's nothing to like in "Beastly."

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LibraryThing member stonelaura

This is a modern, hip retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale set in New York City with a spoiled, nasty prep school boy paying the price for his insensitivity. Flinn does a pretty good job glossing over the improbability of a witch showing up at the prom and the characters are well enough

developed but not so well developed as to turn off even a somewhat reluctant reader. I have to ask if boys will like the book even though the story is told from the Beast’s point of view. Perhaps they’ll still think of it as a girly book.

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LibraryThing member MaSucree

I enjoyed "Beastly" Not just because I am a rabid Beauty and the Beast Fan, but because of how even though the story was set in Modern times with Modern Characters, the magic of love and trust that is the basis of a good fairytale was wonderfully mixed together.

Kyles Transformation to Adrian I

believe was more important than him being transformed into a Beast. As the story goes along even though you can see the changes with Kyle (Adrian) they are not in your face but seem to happen almost naturally. Kyle almost becomes a whole different character and Adrian a true Prince.

This book is not just a ReWritten Fairy Tale it is a wonderful Fantasy/Love/Transformation story of it's own.

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Fewer

Subjects

Beauty, Personal Fiction

New York (N.Y.) Fiction

Awards

Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2010)

Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Honor Book — 2012)

Iowa Teen Award (Nominee — 2012)

Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 3rd Place — 2010)

Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2012)

9 more

South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2010)

Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended — 2011)

California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 2014)

Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2011)

Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2009)

ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2008)

Young Adult Favorites Award (2009)

Texas Lone Star Reading List (2009)

Fewer

Language

English

Original publication date

2007-10-02

Physical description

336 p.; 7.32 inches

ISBN

006087418X / 9780060874186

Local notes

Kyle Kingsbury is rich, good-looking, has a celebrity father, and is elected the prince of popularity at school. Influenced by his neglecting father, who teaches him that the only person who will ever love him is himself, he lives his life in an arrogant, cruel manner, getting thrills out of hurting others. When he deceives a girl at school with the sole purpose of humiliating her, and the girl (who happens to be a witch) retaliates, he finds himself under a beastly curse until he can learn to love and is loved in return. A modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

A bit of fun.