Rosy yet empty, 07 Mar 2007
I guess there's a reason why authors rarely retell the same story twice -- it's not going to be as good one of those times. Sadly this is the case with "Rose Daughter," Robin McKinley's second adaptation of the traditional Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. It overflows with pretty images and words, but there doesn't seem to be a lot underneath them.
Beauty's mother died when she was only a tiny child, leaving her with only the memory of roses. Because magicians failed to predict her mother's death in a riding accident, her father turned against magic completely, even though it ruined his business. Then one of his ships turns up again. When the father asks his daughters what they want, Beauty only asks for a rose.
But that rose comes with a price -- her father takes it from the garden of a strange Beast, who demands that Beauty be sent to his palace. Beauty goes voluntarily, if reluctantly. But she finds that the Beast is actually peaceful and gentle, and asks her to marry him regularly. So, of course, Beauty must unravel the curse that keeps him a Beast.
Robin McKinley started her career with "Beauty," a version of "Beauty and the Beast" that let us see Beauty not as a vapid victim, but as a strong, intelligent young woman. The problem with "Rose Daughter" is simple: It runs along a lot of the same story tracks, and adds nothing except a few pretty turns of phrase and some peculiar subplots that lead nowhere.
Her writing is truly exquisite -- McKinley definitely has a way with descriptions and evocation. "Rose Daughter" is verbally lush as few fantasy books successfully are. If there had been a plot to go with it, then this might have been a worthy classic.
Unfortunately, it's a thin retread of the fairy tale, with few new twists and turns; the flower theme is virtually McKinley's only new addition to B&B lore. There are quite a few moments which seem lifted from McKinley's debut, such as the Beast repeatedly asking Beauty to marry him. Both of the lead characters are almost absurdly thin; the Beast never develops a personality, and Beauty never shows a single strong or recognizable feeling. She drifts through like an emotional ghost.
"Rose Daughter" could have been an intriguing, lush look at the traditional fairy tale; instead it feels like an overstretched "Beauty Redux." McKinley's prose is exceptional, but everything else fades away.
For any one who love's romantic fanticy, read this book., 08 Feb 2006
Rose daughter is one of the most beautiful books I've very read.
This vertion of the well known tale of beauty and the beast is a wonderfully expressed tale, filled with dark shadows of dreams, family bones and true love.
The herowine Beauty is forced to change and adapted to new world, all because the loyalty and love she feels for her friends and family.
For any one who loves and romantic fairy tale.
It was great - but..., 20 Nov 2003
For the majority of this novel I was stunned by it's maturity and interest, and believable characters.
However, when I got towards the end I lost interest. The descriptions became too long, the end was confusing and abrupt, and that disappointed me a little.
However, it was a good reworking of Beauty and the Beast. I'd recommend it.
I don't understand what there is to criticise!, 09 Apr 2002
I was utterly absorbed and enchanted by this novel, and greatly preferred it to the author's earlier work, Beauty (which is also a retelling of the Beaty and the Beast legend). Whilst several of the other reviewers seem to have felt that it lacked charm of the earlier work, I personally found Rose Daughter to be intelligent, magical and above all, excellently written. Whilst the herione of this novel is certainly not as tom-boyish as that of the earlier work, I feel that her quality of gentleness makes her a refreshing character. In the past, I'll admit, it was usual for female protagonists to be dull and lady-like, but nowadays the "spunky" herione is just as much of a cliche. The herione of this work is a full character, not a stereotype, and so has a MIXTURE of "old-fashioned" and "modern" character traits.
I also found the ending to "Rose Daughter" supremely satisfying, since I had often wished that the story had an end which justified the moral of the story better. Robin McKinley's writing is always good, but this is my favourite of her books, apart perhaps from "Deerskin".
Perhaps the essential difference between "Rose Daughter" and "Beauty" is that "Rose Daughter" has a more mature tone, which is closer to that of "Deerskin", and whilst it may disappoint those who read "Beauty" many years ago, and who hoped unreasonably that "Rose Daughter" would be an extension or enlargement the earlier story, I found the overal effect enchanting.
The dream-like quality of the writing gives it a sense of half-hidden purposes and meanings, whilst the diffence in timings between outside and inside the beast's territory only adds to beauty and intensity of the developing love between the girl and the beast.
Frankly, I am at a loss to understand the criticism this book has recieved from other reviewers, and I would highly recommend this book to almost any reader.
Brilliant! Better than Beauty!!, 01 May 2001
I thought that the magic and the connection that Beauty has with the garden are amazing and made this story exciting and wonderful to read. I recommend it to anyone who loves Robin McKinley's work.
