When Your Beauty IS the Beast is an anthology by Ye Olde Dragon Books and the first in their fairytale series. Instead of “give us retellings of Beauty and the Beast,” the editors have cleverly asked for stories where the beauty is the beast. How to interpret that directive—looks, personality, actual beast—was left to the author’s imagination. As such, the reader is treated to eleven varying tales on a theme.
The stories are not all fairytales either. Many were fantasy but some entries were thriller, science-fiction, and LitRPG/Game lit. While Beauty and the Beast is the guiding star, the stories didn’t necessarily have to reflect its plot. Stories where a prominent female character inhabited the role of “beast” is the only common thread woven through this tapestry of tales.
When I read an anthology, I judge based on both the quality of the stories and how it matches its theme. I may come across a superb mystery, but will be disappointed if it appears in an anthology that is hawking itself as all romance. So while I give more weight to the story itself, following the marketing of the book makes a difference.
Of the stories here, I’m happy to say that most nailed the theme. While a few strayed, a majority kept true to a theme of a “beastly beauty.” Some are retellings with a flip of genders, some don’t resemble the fairytale at all but have a savage female as its main character, and there’s even a couple of entries where the characters from Beauty of the Beast appear, but they’re not the main characters.
All the stories were well-written and creative. Most I would rate very good for an anthology—a great start to this fairytale series. The book starts on the right note with “After Happily Ever.” In this offering, marriage counselor Poly has clients such as Beauty and the Beast. Humorous, sweet, and breaking with the romantic tradition of B&B, the anthology is off to a good start.
As evidence of the variety of the novel, “The Beasts of Blackwell” takes a more high fantasy approach than the original fairytale. The “Shadow Of Cinchona Grove” creatively removes the original from its European origins into a South American setting. And both “Skin Deep” and “Daughter of the Beastly Beauty” are the results when authors think outside the box.
Beauty and the Beast in space? Not quite the same story, but the science-fiction offering of “Hen House” builds a world in a few short pages. Poignant and humorous, it’s a treat in the middle of the other tales.
“Gaston and the Beast” extends the Beauty and the Beast story. I’m a sucker for fairy tale continuations so this one caught my interest. What happened if Gaston lived at the end of that tale as old as time? This story answers that question.
“Curse of the Roses” is a delightful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I was impressed with the way it unfolded and will remember the setting and characters for a long time afterward.
Finally, “Between Dog and Wolf” is something special. I was blown away with how this story took me by surprise. Every time I thought I knew where it was going, it went in a different direction. Very well-researched, gripping, and thought-provoking, this story is one to treasure.
The other stories are equally good and entertaining. I encourage you, whether Beauty and the Beast is your favorite fairytale or not, to give this a read. If you like variety, creativity, and a set of stories Belle would admire, try this anthology out.