Warning: This review contains mild spoilers.
Even though she gets along with the Lumiere and
Chip and the rest of the housewares, and even though she’s warming up to the
Beast, Belle wants to escape the castle—and then the goddess of Death gives her
an opportunity to do just that. Between her moments of escapism, we get
interactions between her and the Beast and bonus scenes that could have been in
the movie. Score!
I love Beauty and the Beast. I saw it on Broadway when I was
10, and I’ve listened to the musical soundtrack hundreds of times. When I first
saw the trailer before Fantastic Beasts, I literally started crying. And I
loved the new movie.
But I also recognize the flawed messages in the BATB story. For
example, it explores bestiality, and it implies that kidnapping is okay as long
as you’re rich enough to give a girl a library. Lost in a Book softens both of
those flaws. Otto, a love-crazed automaton, emphasizes the power of platonic
love, suggesting that Belle’s final “I love you” might have not necessarily be
romantic—or that it’s at least asexual. There’s also a moment where Belle
realizes that the Beast cares about her specifically, and her affection for him
deepens in a moment of character revelation rather than materialism or horror.
I have two complaints, one of which the author
probably couldn’t have avoided. Belle is supposed to be supremely innocent,
with “a heart of gold.” Although Jennifer Donnelly gives her flawed moments—she
fibs, especially about Nevermore—but she also uses “Crumbs!” as a curse word
and has other lines that make her seem younger than she’s supposed to be. I’m
sure this is meant to open the book up to middle grade and even younger
audiences, but it was a little off-putting for me.
My other, more serious complaint is that the book contains
an assisted suicide of sorts, and Belle is the one to assist. I appreciate the author trying to throw in some
dark twists, but as a mental health advocate, I cringed. It’s not a message I
can support.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.
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