Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book

Title: Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book

Series: None

Year: 2017

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Summary: Smart, bookish Belle, a captive in the Beast’s castle, has become accustomed to her new home and has befriended its inhabitants. When she comes upon Nevermore, an enchanted book unlike anything else she has seen in the castle, Belle finds herself pulled into its pages and transported to a world of glamour and intrigue. The adventures Belle has always imagined, the dreams she was forced to give up when she became a prisoner, seem within reach again.

The charming and mysterious characters Belle meets within the pages of Nevermore offer her glamorous conversation, a life of dazzling Parisian luxury, and even a reunion she never thought possible. Here Belle can have everything she has ever wished for. But what about her friends in the Beast’s castle? Can Belle trust her new companions inside the pages of Nevermore? Is Nevermore’s world even real? Belle must uncover the truth about the book, before she loses herself in it forever.

Review: First off, can we talk about the synopsis?? GETTING LOST IN A BOOK! Belle has had plenty of practice getting swept into a book's story, falling in love with written characters, and cheering on the hero/heroine while turning the pages. This story is just like that. But not. Nevermore literally sweeps her into another world where she lives the story. And what's even better -- the author of Nevermore says she's writing the perfect story for Belle. It's just what she needs to distract her from the gloomy prisoner life of the Beast's castle.

At least, that's what she thinks.

The first and last scenes with Love and Death set the perfect tone for this book, while tying back epically to the live-action film. I've always wondered what game it was that Love and Death are always prophetically playing... and now it makes sense: Chess. I am neither Love nor Death, so now I understand why chess just isn't my thing.

I'm always a little skeptical when I pick up one of these kinds of books. The classic Disney tale is something that we all know and love, and when people try to add to it, it doesn't always come out right. This tale happens right in the middle of Disney's live-action remake, after *spoiler* the Beast saves Belle from the wolves, but before their iconic yellow-dress dance.

But getting a new story to fit in perfectly with the rest of the whole story is often a very difficult task. Because you want the book tie-in to feel complete on its own, you have to allow for character development and plot structure that doesn't compromise the story that you love in the film. Yes, I'm a story snob. But I do think that this author managed to pull it off quite nicely. I was so paranoid through the whole thing, wondering how she was going to compromise Belle, how she was going to damage the Beast's character and growth, how she was going to add too much to allow for the film's reality -- but it didn't end up that way at all. I was very happy with the satisfying ending that allowed for a smooth transition back into the finishing chapters of the film.

Honestly, this reads like a glorified fan-fiction that seamlessly transitions to and from the film. Belle's wish to get lost in the story was incredibly Belle-like, and I could see it happening. The book allows her to draw a step closer to the Beast in a way, but *spoiler* without making her confession of love in the film seem unrealistic in timing.

My only complaint with this book, really, is the beginning. We get a lot of information of the events in Belle's life leading up to the start of the book, all told in awkward flashbacks. Flashbacks are a great way to incorporate needed information, but no smooth transition into the memories or a flashback within another flashback (I mean, seriously??) only make for pages of confusion. Also, a petty complaint: with the scene of the Beast giving Belle the library, I kept waiting for the Beast's line from the film about the books being written in Greek, but it never came. *le sigh*

Anyway, if anyone ever wondered why, after the Beast gave Belle his library, Belle didn't spend the rest of the film in the library reading, read this book. It explains why.

Advisory: Some magical elements. The Beast and his castle are the recipients of an enchantress's curse (who ironically turns out to be Love), and Love and Death make a bet on whether or not Belle will break the curse. *spoiler* The whole book is basically how Death cheats. #nosurprisethere While Belle is in the book, she encounters magical illusions and later some perilous characters that try to persuade her to stay within the pages of the story. A few of the scenes tend to the more creepy side (reminding me a little of Alice in Wonderland, actually), but still within the fairytale vibe of the film. Caution for those who might want to know: walking marionettes may be included.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars