A retelling of Beauty and the beast with Napoli's genuis.

FROM AMAZON: Young Persian Prince Orasmyn lives a peaceful life of quiet duty and thoughtful obedience. Tending his fragrance garden gives him much more pleasure than the bloody royal hunts staged by his father. But a single wrong decision sets in motion an ancient curse that changes Orasmyn's fate forever. Told he will be killed by his own father, he is transformed into a lion on the day of a great hunt. The prince has no choice but to flee beloved Persia and his precious family. Balancing his fading human memories with his new beastly impulses, he makes his way to Europe - where his destiny awaits in the person of a French beauty named Belle. Donna Jo Napoli once again weaves the magic she has shown in books like Crazy Jack and Zel , transforming a well-known fairy tale into an unforgettable epic of duty, love, and redemption. Robert Ramirez's narration captures all the anguish and struggle of Orasmyn's quest to regain his humanity. ( )

i specifically remember checking this one out of the library some time in like... 2013ish? idk, i was either still in high school or just out of it. i remember liking it, as it was a much different take on the beauty and the beast than i was used to. the only other thing i remember about this book, and the reason i'm not giving it a higher rating despite clearly remembering enjoying it, is that the main character mates with a lion while he's one of them and those levels of what the fuckery just spoiled the rest of the book for me. ( )

Very interesting take on how the Beast came to be that way. ( )

3.5 stars

This story didn't instantly grab me. The very beginning is about religious sacrifice of animals for a wedding celebration. After the main character was cursed and became a lion, it got interesting to me. It's kept more realistic in descriptions of his animal side than than a Disney version of the beast. When he meets the girl, he has to fight his animal side even. If you like fairytale retellings, or if you are looking for something a little familiar while also very different, check this out. ( )

I read this for the "A Book Already In Your Bookshelf" part of my 2018 reading challenge. A fantastic retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Persian roots. I love the detail in his trials and all that he learns along the way. ( )