Alex Flinn’s Beastly is a modern-day retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast, giving the age-old tale a fresh perspective and a new twist for young adult readers. Published in 2007 by HarperCollins and aimed at a teenaged audience, Beastly turns Beauty and the Beast into a coming of age story about beauty, love, and life.
The “Beautiful People” and The Beast
Kyle Kingsbury is a rich, cool, popular, handsome guy – one of the “Beautiful People” (p. 71) – ready to be crowned king at his ninth grade spring dance court. When Kyle meets a darkly-clad girl and tries to trick her into thinking he would take her to the dance, she makes the decision to put a spell on him that turns him into a beast, full of hair, fangs, and claws. In his "beastly" state, Kyle has to win over the heart of a girl to turn back into a human.
After struggling with the idea of being a beast, Kyle moves into a house with a blind tutor, a housekeeper, and high walls so that no one outside will see him. In his loneliness, he changes his name to Adrien, builds a greenhouse full of roses, and meets Lindy Owens, a nice girl who likes to read. There, the adventure begins for Adrien and Lindy as they learn and grow.
Inner Beauty, Outer Beauty, A Coming of Age Story
Although the basis of the story shares several similarities with the ever-popular Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, Alex Flinn’s Beastly modernizes the story for a modern audience. The story is set in the heart of New York City, starring two teenagers who have very different lives, but similar obstacles. Kyle/Adrien is a spoiled rich kid, the son of a news anchorman, who cares nothing for others or school, while Lindy is a smart, caring girl who struggles to survive with her ailing father.
While Beauty and the Beast is a story about love and inner beauty, Beastly is a coming of age story as well. It is not only Adrien, but Lindy as well who must learn to look past outer beauty to see the goodness inside someone. And while they learn to look past the outside, they begin to understand their need for change as well.
Written in the first person, Beastly allows the reader into Adrien’s thoughts and feelings, bringing the reader close to him, even while he is “beastly.” (p. 6) Flinn’s writing is intriguingly heartfelt, even in a story told through the eyes of a teenager who has yet to learn to care. With its vivid and fresh approach to a well loved story, Beastly is no disappointment.
The recent Beastly film adaptation is an interesting take on the story, not quite like the novel, yet capturing the same message. A modern-day Beauty and the Beast, Alex Flinn’s Beastly is a young adult novel, a coming of age story with a new perspective, and a fresh message about love and beauty for young readers.
Source: Beastly. Alex Flinn. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, NY. 2007. ISBN: 978-0-06-199866-9
Michelle Wright - Michelle is an avid reader and writer, with a focus on book, film and music reviews, gluten free recipes, and fiction writing "how-tos."
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