land_serene | Entries tagged with fairy tales

Title: The Fire Rose
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Publisher: Bael
Format: Paperback
Pages: 448
Times Read: 1
Rank:

Summary: Lackey's story of a young turn of the century female who is brought to the wilds of San Francisco to read books for a reclusive alchemist recreates the fable of the monster who wins the heart of a young woman yet forbids her to view him. For the monster here is a magician caught in a werewolf spell, and the young girl is a destitute young woman with no other choices. ~ Midwest Book Review

( Review )

Title: The Black Swan
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Publisher: DAW
Format: Paperback
Pages: 416
Times Read: 1
Rank:

Summary: Baron Eric von Rothbart, a powerful sorcerer, hunts down women who have betrayed men and transforms them into swans who can only resume their true forms by moonlight. His lonely daughter Odile, who watches the flock and studies spells, longs vainly for his approval. One day von Rothbart tells Odette, the swan princess, that she can break the spell by winning and holding a man's faithful love for one month. He's even chosen a candidate, Prince Siegfried. Unfortunately, the prince is a womanizing hedonist. Should Odette succeed nevertheless, von Rothbart secretly plans a trap for them and the prince's ambitious mother, Queen Clothilde, who schemes to rule in her own right. But he must use Odile, who has befriended Odette and is no longer her father's puppet. ~ Amazon.com

( Review )

Title: Beauty
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Pocket Books, 1978
Format: Paperback
Pages: 247
Times Read: ~30
Rank:

Summary: This much-loved retelling of the classic French tale Beauty and the Beast elicits the familiar magical charm, but is more believable and complex than the traditional story. In this version, Beauty is not as beautiful as her older sisters, who are both lovely and kind. Here, in fact, Beauty has no confidence in her appearance but takes pride in her own intelligence, her love of learning and books, and her talent in riding. She is the most competent of the three sisters, which proves essential when they are forced to retire to the country because of their father's financial ruin.

The plot follows that of the renowned legend: Beauty selflessly agrees to inhabit the Beast's castle to spare her father's life. Beauty's gradual acceptance of the Beast and the couple's deepening trust and affection are amplified in novel form. Robin McKinley's writing has the flavor of another century, and Beauty heightens the authenticity as a reliable and competent narrator.

~ Amazon.com

( Review )
The rows of books tugged unrepentantly at the edges of my sight. I walked like one bewitched to the nearest shelf. "I didn't know there were so many books in the world," I said caressingly, and the Beast's answer was heard only in my ear and did not register in my brain: "Well, in fact, there aren't," he said..."This library is - well -" He paused. "Most of these books haven't been written yet...But don't worry, they will be."
~ The Beast

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A Land Serene

The Fire Rose, Mercedes Lackey

The Black Swan, Mercedes Lackey

Beauty, Robin McKinley

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May 2025

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