Book Review: Beastly - Alex Flinn

Kyle Kingsbury is the most popular guy in school. He has everything. Looks, money, charisma. He acts like he's God, and in some people's eyes, he is. But, when he plays a nasty prank on the new girl, who happens to be really ugly, she does something equally nasty back. She's a witch, and now Kyle is a beast. He is hairy and ugly, like a real beast. And the only way to undo this awful curse is to find a girl who will look over his ugly looks, and love him for who he is. He thought it was easy. But soon enough, he realises that it certainly is not.

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Alex Flinn has taken the well known fairy tale, modernized it and made it into her own. Kyle is a shallow teenager who has to go on a long journey to realise that there is actually more to life than good looks and lots of money, and that being kind and intelligent isn't such a bad thing. The incredible transformation that goes on inside Kyle is written beautifully, with him starting off as a stupid teenager, and ending up as a kind and selfless young man. His enormous transformation goes way beyond just the way he looks.

Along the way, he is helped by Will, his blind tutor, and Magda, his housekeeper. They mould him into the person that he becomes, and without them, Kyle would have gotten nowhere. They help him become a person who is capable of being loved, a person who is capable of loving in return.

And even though it was obvious what was going to happen at the end of the story, after all, it is a retelling of a well known fairy tale, it didn't spoil the story, knowing the end. It just made me read even faster as I got closer to the end, just to make sure that Kyle really does find true love.

This book is an amazing version of a well loved fairy tale, and whether you like Beauty and the Beast or not, go out and buy Beastly. You will not be disappointed.

I give it 5 Feet!