Rating: 
Summary: I'm Confused
Review: I am sorry to write this review, but I had trouble with this version of Beauty and the Beast.I had read the earlier version of this story by the same author and enjoyed it very much. I was excited to find this book and dived right in.... to find it confusing and choppy. It starts out well enough but seems to lose the charm of the fable when our heroine leaves for the castle. In some areas the discriptions become vauge and in others there is too much information. It left me disappointed with a lot of questions afterwards. ** Please stick with the first version by this author called "Beauty". It was well written with the flow that this wonderful tale deserves.
Rating:
Summary: If you like Alice in Wonderland...
Review: You might like this. While I love the story of Beauty and the Beast, I have to say that this was a incredibly over written book. The entire book seems to drag painfully and tediously through every tiny, inconsequential, insignificant detail. The language and dialogue are like those of Alice in Wonderland. The characters are incredibly unrealistic and unbelievable. To be fair, very rarely the story becomes interesting, which is why I rate it with two stars, but most of the time it's unbearably dull.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have read such McKinely books as "The Blue Sword", "The Hero and the Crown" and the original Beauty and the Beast tale and sadly this book cannot compare. The language was so difficult to follow that the plot was extremely confusing. Her attempt at "mature" writing in fact led to pages of descriptions that when you finished reading them it led you to a headache. It made the Oddysey look like an easy read. This book was simply, over written. I love her earlier books but it seems as time goes on Robin's books decrease in quality and legibility."Rose Daughter" to me is a lesser version of her first, if you want to read about Beauty and the Beast read her first version, trust me you will not regret it.
Rating: 
Summary: great!
Review: this book is wonderfully written. it gives you the impression as if it could actually happen. i loved it. it is one of the best books that i have ever read. i will definately read some more of robin mckinleys books.
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful Interpretation of a Favorite Fairy Tale
Review: Robin McKinley's thoughtful rewrite of the story of "Beauty and the Beast" is a delight in imagination and romance. This is a very different story from "Beauty," her earlier version of the same fairy tale, and she escapes entirely the danger of creating a "more-of-the-same" sequel. McKinley retains her characteristic flair for imagery and dialogue shown in "The Hero and the Crown" and "The Blue Sword," as well as her ability to make a new story out of an old one -- which ability worked so well for her in "The Outlaws of Sherwood" and "Beauty." However, as she states in her introduction, the experience of the past twenty hears has lent her clearer insight into the symbolism and meaning of the original story, which she fleshes out nicely into novel form. Especially effective are her uses of symbolism and paradox, with the Beast's attractive and terrible qualities paired with the roses' beauty and their thorns. Of course, the pivotal part of the story is Beauty's ability to love the roses despite the pain from the thorns, and the beast despite his terror. In doing so, she saves both the Beast and his roses, and finds satisfaction and reciprocal love.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful love story
Review: When Beauty come to the castle of the Beast, She decides to try and save his dying roses. This book is wonderful. You have to find a copy and read it!
Rating:
Summary: Dang.
Review: Okay, I read all the customer reviews about "Rose Daughter." As a lot of them were pretty negative with a lot of stuff to back it up, I prepared to read the book with my most discerning mindset. McKinely had done "Beauty" and I was sure that was all she could get out of the Beauty and the Beast story. I was surprised. "Rose Daughter" is absolutely beautiful. The story is done in a fantasy style, with rich, vivid descriptions and word usage. It is so hard to find writing like that anymore. It makes a novel so much more artsy and absorbing. The book has a darker side, and is almost a mystery, in a certain sense. There are spells, sorcerers, simularcums, stuff that "Beauty" didn't have. Don't get me wrong, "Beauty" is fantastic, and not worse than "Rose Daughter." But the two books have so many differences that they just can't be compared. The ending, to say the least, wasn't quite what I expected, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it. =D I probably wouldn't have done what Beauty did, but then again, I have a twisted sense of morals. Hehe. Anyway, I don't see why so many didn't like it. "Rose Daughter" is one word: Beautiful A
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: For a book of this length, the characters are flat, the beginning of the story is not adequately developed and the ending is rushed. The "ghost story" is the most interesting part and would probably be a better book. There is no reason described in this book for Beauty and the Beast to fall in love.
Rating: 
Summary: Rose Daughter
Review: I have never read Beauty before (although I would love to) so I can't compare the two but I have to say that Rose Daughter is one of the most magical and beautiful books that I've ever come across. It is very dreamy and full of enchantment. I loved the fact that Beauty and her sisters were close in this book and I don't think it was at all overly sweet as one reviewer has said. The characters of the sisters were wonderful and I liked Beauty's character too, very quiet and practical yet not too much of a goody two shoes. My only complaint (and the reason I'm only giving four stars) would be that McKinley gives us a great atmosphere of suspense and mystery and yet the end is rather hurried and weak. I was really getting interested in the mystery of the palace and the beast and yet all the of mystery is explained by the greenwitch in a very undramatic way. It seemed the great buildup fizzled out. I was hoping for some great confrontation between the evil sorcerer and beauty and the beast yet nothing really happened and everything was not fully explained. I was also hoping for the transformation of the beast to a handsome young man but I can kind of see why McKinley's ending is just as good as the original fairy tale ending. You normally don't want the person you've fallen in love with to turn into somebody else, do you? Anyway, besides the weak ending I still think this a very good book and I can't wait to read Beauty because it is suppose to be even better.
Rating:
Summary: Lifeless.
Review: Being an avid fan both of McKinley herself and her novel 'Beauty', I was interested in seeing what she would do with this one. I was expecting something which would keep the magic of the original retelling, with the addition of a deeper, darker layer of realism and maturity. Unfortunately, nothing much can be said for this dry attempt. Readers who have not yet read 'Beauty' instead. And if you`re looking for something more mature by McKinley, read 'The Hero and the Crown' or 'Outlaws of Sherwood'--in other words, anything but this! A normally patient reader, I could not even finish this book. The characters are totally flat, even the main character, and the relationship of the sisters is impossibly sweet and sugary. In *on*. And the writing--that landmark of McKinley`s works--instead of shining as it has in the past with stunning life and power, here it is slow and ponderous. Though woven with complicated sentences, the descriptions unwind in a dull progression, thread after leaden thread of boredom falling ask yourself if anyone, in any time, place, or world, would ever take the trouble to talk like this. If your answer is "yes", you`re either a *very* enthusiastic fan of this book, OR you spend an inordinate amount of time untying the knots in your tongue. 'Nuff said.
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