Beauty, by Robin McKinley

I read most of "Beauty," by Robin McKinley (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast), and I loved it. I never even knew much of or was interested in the original story, but I loved this one.

I started reading it at my bedtime, and kept reading. That's a bad habit of mine. Sometimes I start reading a book at night, and I just keep going even though I know I should sleep. And if some of it's boring, I skip some, and keep reading. Sometimes I end up reading books I wouldn't otherwise. I always end up going to sleep late. But sometimes I go to sleep late anyway, so maybe it's not such a bad thing. At least I'm doing something instead of stewing. Still, I don't know that I wouldn't sleep, unless I try.

Here's a funny thing. On the library shelf near the "Beauty" book, there was a book called "Beast" by another author. I thought that was funny, because, if I recall from reading the back of that book, it actually was about the same legend of Beauty and the Beast. From the opposite viewpoint, I suppose.

Anyway, the story seemed to revolve more around the family than the two main characters. (Maybe it just seemed like it to me.) I thought the book was very sweet. The beast was portrayed sympathetically even though he didn't get much "airtime." You could figure out what was going on with him, even when he didn't come out and say it. If that makes sense.

As a writer, I admire the ability to do that, because it can be hard to show the emotions of silent people, when the story is not from their viewpoint. It takes some skill.