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Rose Daughter

Rose Daughter

List Price: $6.50
Your Price: $5.85
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Words woven into a tapestry of roses
Review: I loved this book. It has a place of honor on my shelves, right next to "Beauty" (and her "The Blue Sword", "Briar Rose" by Jane Yolen, "The Wood Wife" by Terri Windling and "Someplace to be Flying" by Charles De Lint). While I will always enjoy "Beauty", "Rose Daughter" is a more mature and intricate reworking of the story of Beauty and the Beast. I found myself thinking of the Jean Cocteau movie while reading....excellent and highly recommended.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A bore
Review: too many descriptions just kills a book, as how it is done here

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A few flaws, but basically great
Review: I think that this book is wonderful, and I have been searching for other Robin McKinley books. The language just sweeps you in, and the description is wonderful. The plot is great, too, though we all know it. I like how she twisted it to add some of her own charm. My only problem is the characters, because I find Beauty less of a straightforward, smart person, though she is caring and loving, and of course, that's always nice. I think that this book with the book Beauty's character would be simply head over heels. I recommend this book to anyone who likes "Beauty". This isn't Ms. McKinley's best work, but it's worth reading.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointing, compared to "Beauty"
Review: "Beauty" was one of the first fantasy books I ever read, and remains my favorite to this day. I anticipated "Rose Daughter" eagerly, hoping for a retelling that would flesh out the characters and the setting while retaining the soul-deep appeal of the Beauty character and the supporting cast. Although McKinley dedicates more words to the world of these characters, she has reduced Beauty from a powerful, wonderful, sensitive, strong character to something of a simp, someone who lacks a backbone and any strong-mindedness. Instead of determining the course of her life and fighting for herself, as she does in "Beauty," she really just goes with the flow, exhibiting very little spunk, or indeed, energy. She seems to be more of a context for the story than an actual character. Her interest in gardening is wonderful, but that is the ONLY dimension to her character here. At least the original Beauty was capable of having a bit of fun...

Otherwise, McKinley's language and writing is beautiful, as expected, and the supporting cast is OK, if neglected. The castle is wonderfully drawn (the rooftop painting by the Beast is especially appealing), though the march of wildlife back to the castle became a bit predictable. All in all, I'd advise fans of this particular story (Beauty and the Beast) to read this book for the sake of a different perspective. All McKinley fans, fairy-tale fans and readers in general should stick to the original.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Simply the best book I have ever read.
Review: This book has everything a reader could ever desire in a book. Robin McKinley's writing style is simply magnificent, and this is my favorite of all her books. The story is just so wonderful!!! It alows the reader to be enraptured by the story and the setting. I believe that every woman, young and old, needs to read this book. Be prepared for a very complex and very well written plot. It is a book to be read over and over again without losing a bit of it's charm and beauty. Especially for anyone who loves roses or loves the thought of an enchanted palace that is always changing and adapting. It is a book for a much older audience as well, so do not think it is only for young girls. But trust me that it is the best book ever written.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent book, I hope everyone reads this!!!!
Review: Read this book! It's so good, and it deals with the story "Beauty and the Beast". She takes a common story and turns it into something new for every reader, unless you've read it already. It's still good the second and third (etc.) time you read it. Good job Robin McKinley!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: More mature, but not necessarily better
Review: I love Robin McKinley for her detailed characterizations and extended metaphors, but Rose Daughter proved a bit too much for me. Beauty was so mature this time I couldn't believe she was a real young person. In addition, she spent almost NO time getting to know the Beast and ALL her time (I mean litterally half the book) planting roses, pruning roses, thinking about roses, fertilizing roses. I mean, enough is enough. The ending, therefore, was confusing and unjustified. I enjoyed her first version, Beauty, much more, though the flaws I found there were not corrected in Rose Daughter, as I felt they should have been. Still, McKinley does have some beautiful passages, and I am only being so critical of her because I am acquainted with what she CAN do. A good book, but not magic.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It was a completely different view of Beauty and the Beast.
Review: Beauty is devoted to her family, which includes two sisters and a father. So when their lifestyles break apart, Beauty works hard and discovers a piece of property that the family still owns. Two years after they moved into Rose Cottage, which was a little cottage near a village that groes rare roses, the part of the story we all know takes place. Beauty's father is caught in a storm, seeks shelter, steals a rose from the castle, and makes a bargain with the Beast. Beauty leaves her family and goes to stay with the Beast. Soon, Beauty takes a liking to the lonley Beast. She tends to his dying rose garden and befriends him. Rose Daughter is a fasinating, not to mention enchanting, tale of Beauty and the Beast. The end of the story has a twist to it that no other fairy tale has. I recommend this book to anybody who likes tales told in a down-to-earth way.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Rose Daughter- far better than Disney's version.
Review: When my mom first suggested this book, I thought that it would be really strange reading a story that I knew so well. I started it anyway, and now I'm halfway through and can't put it down. Robin McKinley puts such excellent detail into ROSE DAUGHTER that you don't even realize that you're reading the same story that Disney animated. I was able to come up with my own picture in my mind of what the characters look like, and am now dying to read BEAUTY. 78 thumbs up!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A new twist on Beauty and the Beast
Review: I first read "Beauty" six years ago, and since then I have read it countless times, so when I heard that "Rose Daughter" was Beauty and the Beast all over again, I thought that it couldn't possible be as good as her first. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The characters were fresh and real, although the Beast didn't come across as clearly as he did in "Beauty." All in all, this is a book that I was glad to add to my collection, and I would say that for a fan of McKinley or fantasy (or both), this is a worthwhile read.


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