Roses & Thorns: Beauty and the Beast Retold (Muse Fairytale) [Paperback]

Chris Anne Wolfe (Author)

Book Description

Series: Muse Fairytale | Publication Date: June 1996

A lesbian retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The first book in the From the Lion Series, retelling classic tales for open minded adult readers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book has everything a fantasy fan could want! -- Lee Lynch, The Lesbian News

From the Publisher

The first in Pride's From the Muse Fairytale Series, Bitter Thorns is a sizzling retelling of Beauty and the Beast with two heroines. Filled with magic spells, mysteries secrets and anceint curses, to read Bitter Thorns is to fall into a classic tale that challenges assumptions and bears witness to the triumph of all lovers. Bitter Thorns is complimented by seven interior artplates by talented artist Lupa.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Windstorm Creative (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188638312X
• ISBN-13: 978-1886383128
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,969,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read it and be charmed, April 30, 2001

By 

M. J. Lowe "www.mjlowe.info" (Denver, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roses & Thorns : Beauty and the Beast Retold (Classic Tales Retold) (Paperback)

Roses & Thorns is a touching retelling of the "Beauty & the Beast" fable with a lavender twist. We all know the old story. A young, handsome noble whose cruelty and selfishness had caused pain to many was cursed. He was condemned to appear to be the beast he had behaved until he could learn responsibility, compassion, how to love and finally be freely loved by a young woman.

The author, Chris Anne Wolfe, did not merely place a lover of women in the role of the callous beast. Instead she took an opportunity to explore how a hateful and homophobic society condemns those seen as different. Thus forcing the condemned to shamefully hide who they are in an effort to win acceptance, approval and possibly even love.

Years ago, Drew, a young noble woman was condemned as "the most perverted, grotesque of creatures known to our earth" because she loved another woman. Sadly the object of Drew's affections had more interest in gaining access to her father's wealth and having Drew cursed was part of the plan. ...Drew was cursed to live in a parallel, magical time and place until she could find another woman who would love her in return.

Drew internalizes this hate to the point of not expecting or believing that she could or should be loved freely by another woman. Drew's shame prompts her to cloak her female identity from any accidental visitors to her realm. Over centuries no young woman was willing to look beyond Drew's mask to know her as a person, let alone love her freely. It seemed to Drew that her damnation was deserved.

Bound by the curse, Drew once again barters for the hand of a traveling merchant's daughter. But Angelique, this latest young woman to arrive in Drew's domain, is different. .... This charming, romantic fantasy is a delightful way to pass an afternoon. Quite enjoyable, it is unnecessary to read the fable as more than a love story. However, elements of the story returned to me after reading it. This is not just a "simple" retelling of the beauty and the beast story.

The late Ms. Wolfe succeeded in creating a new fable for the lesbian (and gay) community from this old tale. She reminds us that there are many "beasts" in this world who would like to condemn us for being different. People who use fear of that difference to achieve some personal gains. She points to our love as our ironic redemption in the face of such hate and fear. This multifaceted story is what fables are supposed to be. Read it and be charmed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Premise, but..., November 10, 2001

By 

Sarah M Caughey (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roses & Thorns : Beauty and the Beast Retold (Classic Tales Retold) (Paperback)

I thought the premise for this book was excellent, but I feel that the story could have been quite a bit stronger. I felt that the book shortchanged itself by being as short as it was. A longer book could have had more details, more background, and more of the elements that make a compelling fairy tale retelling. The book was not bad, but I felt it could have been quite a bit better.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written re-telling of Beauty & The Beast Fable, March 31, 2001

By 

labellepersonne (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roses & Thorns : Beauty and the Beast Retold (Classic Tales Retold) (Paperback)

A well-written re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, with a bit of a twist where the beast is concerned. I liked the well-developed characters, the beauty of the romance, and the mystical and magical qualities of the story as well.