After finishing Beauty, I decided to read Robin McKinley’s other version of Beauty & the Beast, Rose Daughter. The books were written 20 years apart, and McKinley’s second take on the story is more reminiscent of Jane Eyre than Disney, with a moody, Byronic hero, and a Beauty who thinks she’s only there to work. My favorite quote from Rose Daughter:
“Roses are for love. Not forget-me-not, honeysuckle, silly sweet-hearts’ love but the love that makes you and keeps you whole, love that gets you through the worst your life’ll give you and that pours out of you when you’re given the best instead.”
Isn’t that a beautiful description of real love?
On a different note, it completely creeped me out that the Beast smelled like roses! Ever since I read Catching Fire and Mockingjay the idea of a person smelling like roses is slightly disturbing – although I still enjoy the smell of the flowers themselves. Is that weird?
A BIBLIOPHILE'S STYLE 
I don’t like roses. Three examples to support my statement: 1. I was nine months pregnant with Aly when we moved into our new home but I still took out a shovel and viciously uprooted the dozen rosebushes planted in both our front and backyards. 2. I told my florist that under NO circumstances were there to be roses in anything at my wedding – not centerpieces or aisle decorations or bouquets or boutonnieres. 3. Any time I receive perfume gifts with even traces of rose scent, I politely and surreptitiously regift or throw it out, no matter how “in” or expensive the label. Give me a good potted plant or lucky bamboo any day. ;p
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You’ll want to skip this book then, there are roses everywhere!
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Ah, but as long as I don’t have to smell them, I think I’m okay. ;p Am currently reading Frank Beddor’s trilogy on his take of the Alice in Wonderland trope. So far so good, but I need to find a 30s book for our T3 linkup/SpyGirl collab. Any suggestions?
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I read The Looking Glass Wars back when it first came out, but I never got around to the sequels. I should rectify that.
Have you ever read The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett? I read it a few years ago and really enjoyed it.
Or try Jill Churchill’s Grace and Favor series. They are “cozy” mysteries set in 1929 and the 1930s.
http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/C_Authors/Churchill_Jill.html
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