Beauty is a retelling of many fairy tales, but with a slight agenda. And no I’m not really talking about a feminist slant here, but about an environmental one.
The story itself is quite enjoyable, but every now and then Tepper’s views come on a little strong. Also a little on the pessimistic side
Beauty is the daughter of an English duke in the 1300’s. Her mother is not on the scene, why we don’t really know and neither does Beauty but by the way her Aunts talk of her, Beauty is sure that whatever happened isn’t good. When her father decides to remarry, in an attempt to get some money, the new bride isn’t all that happy at having Beauty around. Due to the fact that she, and not the Duke, inherits her mysterious mother’s titles. And so begins a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty, a fate that Beauty herself manages to avoid by escaping the castle after discovering some gifts left by her mother. She also discovers that her mother was a fairy, and so therefore is she.
The novel retells various fairy tales, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven dwarves etc., but always with its own particular spin, and always with Tepper’s agenda coming to the fore. Still I suppose the desire to protect the remaining beauty in the world is as good a thing to get worked up over as any.
Interesting, but overpowered by Tepper’s preaching
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