Title: Of Beast and Beauty
Author: Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 23, 2013
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz
Ellen’s rating: 4/5
SUMMARY
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess
Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure
her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to
save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together,
they could return balance to both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.
REVIEW
Set on a planet where magic exists, humans mutate if
they don't live in a domed city and a ruling class oppresses the less
fortunate, this is a tale of romance, difficult choices and sacrifice. Isra,
thinking that she is tainted, wants to find a cure for herself as well as for
those in the city who are banished because of the taint. Gem only wants the
secret to surviving for his monstrous desert people. Working together seems
almost impossible and yet, it may be the answer to the planet's problems.
Although this comfortably paced book was a bit heavy
on the romance side for me, the buildup of suspense and the riveting action
towards the end of the story made up for it. Apart from the Beauty and the
Beast connotation of the story, there was a point when I thought we were going
to see a Romeo and Juliet re-enactment as well.
The characters are well crafted and realistic. Despite
the fact that I don't think a blind person can safely jump from a tower and
from roof to roof, I think the author generally created an accurate picture of
blindness. Delightfully rebellious, Isra is the kind of character who grows and
develops throughout the story. When her sight returns, however, Isra
experiences the true sense of the phrase, 'an eye opener'.
Just as skillfully crafted, Gem, the second main
character, is determined to save his people and, ultimately, murder Isra. I was
really caught up in his inner battle whether he should love or kill Isra.
Although both main characters just want to save their
own people in the beginning of the book, as their feelings for one another
grow, so do their desire to help everybody. In the end it comes down to
nail-biting suspense as they waver on choices while time for everyone is
running out.
Bo, the third party in what some might call a love
triangle, is a thoroughly flawed character. I really couldn't decide whether I
liked him or not as his loyalty to Isra is doubtful right up to the end.
This is a tale of sacrifice; both the good and the bad
kind. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages as a relaxing read
with a hint of fairy tale in it.
PURCHASE
LINKS
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Stacey
Jay is a recovering workaholic (or at least working hard at recovering) with
three pen names, two small children, and a passion for playing pretend for a
living. She’s been a full time mom-writer since 2005 and can't think of
anything she'd rather be doing. Her former careers include theatre performer,
professional dancer, poorly paid C-movie actress, bartender, waiter, math tutor
(for real) and yoga instructor.
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1 comment:
Sounds awesome, I love fairy-tale-esque stories!
Great review!
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