Reviews (6)

Bought 2 copies, 1 to preserve & 1 to reread
I really didn't think much about it when I first picked up 'Beauty' to read.Then I could not put it down!Robin Mckinley took a very good but very old story and breathed beautiful, rich, grand life back into it!
McKinley's best
Any teen who enjoys good fantasy should have this book on their shelf.If they don't, then then need to go out and buy it immediately.McKinley has written many works, beloved by teens, but her original and first published work, BEAUTY is by far her best.
great book
I loved this book. I never had afavorite fairy tale, but after reading this book this with out a doubt my favorite. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. France    7. Girls & Women    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title   

Reviews (204)

One of my favorites!
I also have read this book repeatedly!It is one of my favorites (along with the preceeding novel "The Hero and the Crown" by the same author).
One of my absolute favorite books. A must read
My older sister read this for a seventh grade English class, and reccomended it to me, then in fifth grade. I was drawn into it immidiately and read avildly until the end, then reccomended it to my friends. However, when my friends began to read it they complained of a boring beginning and did not want to go on. Did not want to go on? I quickly re-read the beginning of the book, and though I did not entirely agree, I did see where they were coming from. I asked them to promise me to get through chapter five. (Not TO chapter five, THROUGH chapter five.) If they weren't interested after that, then I would not be offended if they put it down. They did as I asked, and as I knew would happen, once they got through the fifth chapter they simply had to read on, and this book is now one of their favorites as well.
The Blue Sword
This was one of the best books that I have ever read. While telling us an enchanting and engaging story, McKinley shows us the history of her fictional land Damar. She creates heroic characters without making them seem unreal. They are people that we can relate to. There is a part in the begining that goes something like this, "He wondered if the people she hated had a habit of falling down stairs or choking on fishbones. Or maybe she never hated." I laughed and laughed at that. this book is a roller coaster; you will cry and laugh and smile all at the same time. At the end, there will be a sad frown on your face because it is over and you really don't wantit to be. This is a must read. I suggest reading the Hero and the Crown first. Excellent, Robin McKinley.Write more! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Fantasy    3. Fantasy - General    4. Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Fiction / Fantasy / General    7. Science fiction   

Reviews (21)

Magical
This collection of re-told and brand new fairy tales is a delight to the senses. The author weaves the fabric of each tale with enchantment and allurement. She creates worlds and stories in which fairies, magic, and spells abound - yet with more depth and richness than your everyday fairytale. (That is, if any fairytale can be called everyday!) This collection of tales will captivate your imagination and fill you with a feeling of satisfaction when you have finished.

fantasy YES!
This book was great!I was not aware that it was a book filled with short stories, so I found myself a little disipointed at the end of the first story....for I would have loved to have read a whole book of it!Again a great read! Just beware it is a book full of short tales of fantasy.......

A Teen's Point of View
A bit disappointing.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Anthologies    4. Fairy tales    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Mckinley, Robin    7. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    8. Short stories    9. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (224)

If you read and liked the Blue Sword, give this one a try.
After reading Beauty and The Blue Sword, I was eager for more from Robin McKinley. Of course, since The Hero and The Crown is a prequel to The Blue Sword (niether is exactly a sequel of the other; the Hero and the Crown happens first chronologically, but the Blue Sword was written first. Read them in whatever order you want.) I decided to give this book a try. I enjoyed it, but not as much or in the same way as I did the Blue Sword. If I were writing this review back when I first read this book, it would have been given three or four stars.
Simply Put: An Amazing Fantasy
Ok, I'll be blunt. I would've never read this book if I hadn't been assigned to for english, but now I am glad I had to because I loved it! ( Even though fantasy doesn't always tickle my fancy.)
if you like fairy tales, fantasy, lonely young people with a quest - you will love this book
Books of this kind don't get much better than The Hero and the Crown.It's got all the usual trappings of a fairy tale/fantasy: kings, nobles, wizards, mages, dragons, demon mischief from the north, magic lakes, etc.It's about a painfully isolated young girl and an impossible quest.Or two.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Literature - Classics    2. Classics    3. Fantasy    4. Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Fiction / Fantasy / General    7. Science fiction   

Reviews (148)

Not quite as good as "Beauty"
I really enjoyed "Beauty," McKinley's first re-telling of the fairytale, and was looking forward to reading "Rose Daughter." I ended up being kind of disappointed, however.
Loved it!
I read Beauty first then this book. I absolutely loved it. I would recommend it to people of all ages. I also recently read The Wand in the Word--a book that contains interviews with various fantasy writers. Ms. McKinley isn't featured in there but one of the authors was inspired by Beauty. So I thought I'd buy it. Now I'm hooked on Robin McKinley.
A folk story of Beauty and the Beast with new insights and perspectives
Rose Red returns to the world Robin McKinley created in Beauty, retelling a folk story of Beauty and the Beast with new insights and perspectives. Enchantment, dreams, and new awakenings permeate this gentle story of Beauty, who can transform anything; even a Beast's demeanor.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. France    7. Fiction / Fantasy / General    8. Romance   

Editorial Review

This much-loved retelling of the classic French tale Read more

Reviews (209)

A Beauty-ful story!
Beauty (a marvelous retelling of Beauty and the Beast) is divided into three parts, the first tells of her and her families sumptuous life in the city with her father as the head of household with an 18 room mansion complete with servants.In this part of the novel we are lead to see that they are good, kind and decent people...not the vain, spoiled and irresponsible ones portrayed in the story I was told as a child (I particularly liked this about Beauty).Here we see the traditional bones of the story with a few nice embellishments.The father's fortunes are ruined by the loss of his shipping fleet and his eldest daughter's betrothed is lost at sea with them.The middle daughters love interest saves the day for them and they find themselves set up with him the local blacksmith in the small village of Blue Hill, on the remote edge of a dark wood and their experience adjusting to their new homespun county existence.
An enchanting re-telling of the beloved fairy tale
Ever since I first saw the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast," I fell in love with it. To this day, it is still my favorite Disney movie as well as one of my favorite fairy tales. "Beauty" is a well-crafted re-telling, one that made me fall in love with the story all over again.
Lackluster
Mercedes Lackey got me into the wonder that is fairtale retelling. After reading The Black Swan and Fairy Godmother, I figured Beauty and the Beast was the way to go, but everyone recommended McKinley's retelling over hers. So, of course, this was the one I had to buy.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. Fairy Tales & Folklore - Single Title    4. Fairy tales    5. Folklore    6. France    7. Fantasy    8. Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Single Title    9. Science fiction   

Editorial Review

Maddy has lost her sheep and even her dog Aerlich doesn't know where to find him. "It would soon be too dark to see anything, but a succulent young lamb would not survive the night in the wild rocky scree beyond the farm; if a foltza didn't get him, a yerig would. Damn." Okay, so Newbery Medal winner Robin McKinley's magical story Read more

Reviews (13)

extremely difficult to describe
Like Orson Scott Card (particularly in Ender's Game), Robin McKinley here made my perspective/attitude/understanding expand, as this story included elements that I didn't want and certainly didn't expect, but ended up appreciating.The cussing probly wasn't necessary, but it did make Maddy seem more real and less idealized.McKinley never quite explains what a fey is (or yerig or folstza) but readers familiar with her other books will understand at least vaguely, and the way she leaves so much to the imagination is a skill too many fantasy writers have forgotten.The fey's actions are surprising and yet believable, and Maddy's responses are unexpected yet extraordinarily real.The result is a story that avoids predictability but feels neither cheap nor deceptive (as the film The Village does).Because of the cussing and sensual undercurrent I wouldn't recommend this book for children despite its format and apparent fairy-tale appeal, but mature young people (especially girls) should both appreciate and benefit from McKinley's intelligent, personal treatment of the classic human-falls-in-love-with-otherworldly-being idea.As a young adult (age 21) fond of McKinley's other books despite a few criticisms, I found this story passionate, haunting, riveting, puzzling, beautiful, and immensely satisfying in an unsettling sort of way.

Mckinley's worst
Robin Mckinley is one of my favorite authors, but here she really stunk. The story was hard for a full grown adult to understand, let alone children. I would recommend any of Mckinley's other books for readers of all ages, they are well worth your time! But this book however, was a weak effort from an excellent author.

Beautifully Written, Beautifully Illustrated
Really, they should have a separate scale for Robin McKinley._The Stone Fey_ is vividly written and illustrated, capturing one's imagination in the first page.It's particularly well suited for reading aloud &/or for a "coffee table book" -- eye catching, ear enthralling, and a dang good story. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Fairies    4. Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Supernatural    7. Fantasy    8. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (63)

I loved this book
I think that this was a very good book. It clearly described each member of Sherwood forest, their attitudes, strenghths, weaknesses etc.
And to Comrades
I was swayed from buying this book (which at the time I had read about three times) because of a mediocre review on Amazon.com. Despite my fervent love of the retale, it proved held too much truth to be ignored.
...A ROBIN WHO COULDN'T HIT THE SIDE OF THE BARN...
Undoubtedly there are other versions of the Robin Hood mythology just waiting to be thought up, written and published.The Sherwood legend is too well loved and too much of an archtype to be left alone for long.When these new stories come out, I'll read them and give them the benefit of a doubt.But, thus far, of all the Robin Hood books currently circulating, I would recommend four titles: Howard Pyle's "Merry Adventures of Robin Hood"; Parke Godwin's "Sherwood" and its sequel "Robin & the King"; and my favorite version, Robin McKinley's "The Outlaws of Sherwood".
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Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Action & Adventure - General    3. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Classics    7. England    8. Fairy Tales & Folklore - General    9. Folklore    10. Juvenile Fiction    11. Robin Hood (Legendary character)    12. Fantasy    13. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Editorial Review

Renowned fantasy writer Robin McKinley, author of the lush "Beauty andthe Beast" retellings Read more

Reviews (133)

Spindle's End Will NOT Put You to Sleep...But it Might Just Cast its Spell Over You!
I was simultaneously frustrated and enthralled by Spindle's End...overwhelmed by details, yet compelled to keep on reading!I positively loved the character development...come on, in the original most of us heard, Briar Rose has no character, she's literally a sleeping beauty and nothing more.In McKinley's retelling, we get a richly developed and individual character...and this development extends to all the main and secondary characters, including a large cast of animal characters.The fairy-tale locations are all superbly drawn and in reading this, one can slip easily into the story as if it were an old friend...but what is wonderful about this story is also what is frustrating about it.There is such a cacophony of details that at some points in the story it hurts to read, but for me, this is easy to forgive simply because I loved the way McKinley drew the characters giving them life beyond what we'd normally expect based on the bones of the original tale.
Not my style
This book might be great for some people... I just wasn't one of them. I like Robin Mckinley, I loved "Beauty" by her, and I really really wanted to love this book... but I didn't. I would advise anyone interested in buying it to make sure they read the first few pages of the books first. If the style didn't bother you, and your mind didn't start to go numb then this might be the book for you. And more power to you! But don't just buy the book because it's written by Robin Mckinley... in my humble opinion it's definately not her best work. For me it drug on and on and on, I couldn't even finish it, I got halfway through and decided I couldn't handle the migraines the book was inducing. But that's just me, like I said read a couple of pages and decide for yourself. If you dont like the first couple of pages though... don't except it to get any better... it doesn't.

A bit too slow
I couldn't wait for this story to end. I love a good fairy tale retelling, but there were just so many words for so little going on. The end was just a jumble of incomprehensible magic, and I didn't like the way it wrapped up, any ways. It would have been better shorter. just too much filler. McKinley's Deerskin is a much better option. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Fairy tales    3. Fantasy    4. Fantasy - General    5. Fantasy fiction    6. Fiction    7. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    8. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Editorial Review

The fact that George MacDonald--a scholar as well as a preacher and writer--once read this fairy tale to his students instead of giving them a lecture says volumes about the man and his beliefs. It also says much about his faith in the power of stories. Read more

Reviews (11)

A nice story for young children
This fairy tale by George MacDonald is about a charming, but bewitched Princess, a Prince in disguise, some nice fairies, and one very bad one.It is easy to like the main characters.Children will enjoy the fact that the adults are rather foolish and even the bad witch is not really scary.This is a nice story for parents to read to young children and then discuss behaviors and conduct.
Pocket edition of classic tale
This review will only cover the basics:
Light Princess: good but not great
Once I heard about The Light Princess, I ordered it because I buy everything by Robin McKinley, and I have a soft spot for George MacDonald (The Princess and the Goblin). I have not read the original of this, but wanted to see how McKinley would rewrite a classic tale.
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Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. Children: Grades 1-2    3. Fairy tales    4. General   

Reviews (18)

Lovely little book....
Robin is true to form, and weaves together a lovely collection of short stories.The settings vary.Some are set in traditional fantasy, while the last is a very modern tale.All feature Robin's excellent wry writing style.Nothing in here is going to blow anyone away, but then why would it?That's just not her style.Delightful read.

Good, but ultimately, Depressing?
I'm not sure what it was about these stories.I love Robin Mickinley stuff, and I've read practically everything she's ever written, and loved it!But these stories were obscure, and even though there was nothing that was very sad about each one they were just depressing.Each story left me feeling that there must have been something more to it.I was dissapointed.

Little McKinley snacks
This is a short story collection containing five stories: The Healer, The Stagman, Touk's House, Buttercups, and A Knot in the Grain. The first four stories are set in McKinley's Damar universe, the first three even feature Luthe. The last is a departure for her because it is set in modern times and doesn't have a very large fantasy element. Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's stories, American    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Fiction    5. Love & Romance    6. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    7. Short Stories    8. Supernatural    9. Juvenile Fiction / Short Stories   

Reviews (4)

2 books very good, 1 very bad
THE BLUE SWORD and THE HERO AND THE CROWN are wonderful books, they kept me glued to the pages, the stories are original and compelling, the heroines are interesting and charming.I liked the best THE HERO AND THE CROWN.
A Teen's Point of View
These are so good! Though my favorite is Spindle's End, they're all great. They all have powerful, strong-willed heroines who fight for what they believe in.
Robin Mckinley 3-pack
The first thing you need to know is that this is not hardcover. Its three books. Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. General    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    6. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (1)

Enchanting "Beauty"
The best-known and best-loved of Robin McKinley's books is also one of the best of the fairy-tale retellings -- "Beauty," a more enlightened, fully-drawn version of "Beauty and the Beast." There's a depth and a richness to the story and characterizations, as well as a beauty of atmosphere and writing.
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Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Fairy tales, folk tales, fables, magical tales & traditional stories    3. Myth & legend told as fiction   

Reviews (14)

Strange and Fascinating
I picked up this book because it featured Robin McKinley's stories. She is a highly talented author.
Six short stories (3 by each author)
On the whole, I was drawn into RM's stories more quickly than PD's (my favourites are "The Sea King's Son" and "The Water Horse"), although after repeated exposure I've developed some liking for two of his three. McKinley's stories herein seem to me to have more detailed and polished world-building. None of the six, to my knowledge, have been published previously.
A Dash of Cold Water on the Face
This book struck me a blow across the mouth when I first read it, and I've grown in appreciation of it on subsequent readings. These are not pretty stories, but neither are they squalid; they are sometimes slow, sometimes difficult, sometimes piercing, all chilly and wet. These mermaids have sharp fins and keen calls, and it is an extremely refreshing shock to read both authors' contributions to the book. As I have time, I will be reading more of Peter Dickinson, whom I had not read previously. This is a simply good book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Mckinley, Robin    6. Mermen    7. Ocean    8. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    9. Short Stories    10. Short Story Collections (Young Adult)    11. Short stories, American    12. Short stories, English    13. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Reviews (2)

Imaginary Lands
Imaginary Lands is a collection of Fantasy stories .I think that it was a dull book, the sentence fluency was choppy and some of the words used I couldn't understand at all.I only read three stories which were kind of interesting, the first one that I read was about a man named Arram who helps an old woman see the inner beauty in herself with magic.I thought it was a nice story but there was too much information that was a waste of time to read and had no relation to the story line.The next story was a little better, it was Evian Steel.Evian Steel was about a girl named Elaine who is sent to become a magic sword forger and is befriended by a girl named Veree who is about to make her first sword.Veree knows a secret about the sword that Elaine hasn't learned yet, Veree has to cut herself and make her vein bleed into a basin, the blood gives the sword its uniqueness. Will Veree be able to do it?The third story I enjoyed quite a bit, it was the curse of Igamor.The story starts with a legend of a horse who steels children and evil,greedy adults, like the lord of Aigues Mortes, his Chancellor, and constable.Is Igamor as mean as he sounds?

Great Author
This is one of the best books I have read. Robin McKinley paints such beautiful pictures with her words. I started reading her books for a book report, but now I read them every chance I get!If you need a book to keep you occupied, this is the one for you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Babies & Toddlers    2. Fantastic fiction, American    3. Fantastic fiction, English    4. Fantasy    5. Fiction - Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General   

Reviews (1)

A must have for all parents!
Never has such a simple book touch me so!This book takes us into the sadness of a little girl, afraid that she has forgotten her father, and lifts us up with her joy as she realizes that the heart never forgets!A must have for any parent whose children face separation, for whatever reason! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children: Preschool    3. Fathers    4. Fiction    5. General   

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    2. Fantasy    3. Short stories