As Old as Time: A Twisted Tale

Product Information

This book builds on the theme of inner beauty but due to a different plot, there is a slight change. Just like in the first two installments, the story follows the movie plot up until one crucial moment, and then completely derails. There is a plague and a fairly harsh witch hunt, for lack of a better term, that all ultimately lead to the Beast's curse.

I hope they are happy because I personally did not come into this book wanting to read endless chapters about that dude. I went looking for the other "Twisted Tales" but they are retellings of Snow White, Mulan, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, etc. Enchantress lady decides to curse an 11 year old boy (whose parents had just died) to find out if he'd be as terrible a ruler as his parents. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. Learning more about the lovable Maurice and getting an introduction to Belle's mother was highly intriguing.He worked as a stable master at the castle and later helped Belle's parents smuggle Les Charmantes out of France until he was murdered by Frederic. Belle's supposed brilliance countering the fact that she never put it together that Beast is the prince? Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the Prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away- although she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for true beauty is found within. Remember watching this movie as a child, and crying as Beast's eyes rolled back in death, and Belle sobbed over his body? The structure of the book itself flips back and forth between Maurice’s story and Belle’s story (or from the past to the present and back again) so if you’re the type of person who has trouble following stories that do that or just simply doesn’t like the format that way, maybe this might not be a book for you.

Now I'm 32 and a librarian--I have to think that Belle's early influence on my life as a reader is partially the reason I chose this vocation. And yes, I know that cannon assumes that Belle’s mother must’ve been a pretty hot number given the fact that Maurice is…well, Maurice and everyone in town sings about Belle who looks nothing like Maurice. If you think about it, a ten-year-old boy who has no parents and obviously learned from fairy tales to distrust haggard looking, old women should definitely not let the obviously-evil witch into his home! some people need to work hard to survive (this is in a time when rural France was poor and overpopulated). star rating on Goodreads (which I think is a bit harsh, but I also think Goodreads is usually a bit harsh) and a 4.

Belle to me in this story came across a little haughty and you do see her learn not to judge a book by its cover. yeah that sounds all crazy to those that don't really know the story but you will just have to read it to find out the whole beginning stuff =) No spoilers today!