Review : Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
Title : Of Beast and Beauty
Author : Stacey Jay
Publication Date : July 23rd 2013
Publisher : Delacorte Press
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In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.
Personal Thoughts
It's not a secret that I'm not the biggest fan of fairy tale retellings for the simple reason that I haven't come across one that has been well-written enough for my tastes. When the reviews for Of Beast and Beauty started to pour in, I knew that I had to cast aside my fear for fairy tale retellings and give this book a try. I'm so glad I did because Of Beast and Beauty was a stunning book that deserves all the hype.
The beauty in Of Beast and Beauty lies in the gorgeous characters that I grew fond of throughout the book. Isra, the protagonist in the book, was blind, a first in YA fantasy as far as I know. This made her an intriguing character. Stacey Jay employed the first person POV in Of Beast and Beauty, as a result of which the reader becomes acquainted with every thought and emotion of Isra. Isra was a strong protagonist who grew even stronger throughout the book. She was one of those main characters who was so unselfish and benevolent that made her endearing. It was in her nature to want to help everyone she could. Unfortunately, not everyone viewed her giving nature as a positive trait, which leads to her being in the face of danger for most of the book. Despite everything, Isra wasn't a perfect character and I loved that about her. It not only made her seem genuine, but it also made her relatable to me. Her flaws mainly came through her insecurities and her refusal to see how beautiful she was, both on the exterior and the interior. Isra was a delightfully complex character and I loved being in her head.
The other main character who the reader has the opportunity to meet in Of Beast and Beauty was Gem. Gem was the epitome of what I look for in a YA love interest : mysterious, tough on the outside, but with a soft heart that made you want to fall for him from the first instance the reader meets him. Gem's most appealing trait was his caring and loving nature. The love that he had for the others in his tribe came across as very strongly throughout the book and I loved how he was willing to do anything to protect them. We also get an additional POV from Bo, the son of the King's chief advisor, and the boy who was eventually betrothed to Isra. He wasn't the most likeable character because I never fully grasped whether he was a good character or not until the very end. Isra's maid, a mute girl, was a great secondary character who definitely had the spotlight on her on several instances. All in all, I thought the characters were perfectly well-molded and will remain with me for a long time.
The world building in Of Beast and Beauty was stunning. Not only do we get a solid understanding of the past, but we also get to see a vivid portrayal of this world that Stacey Jay has crafted. I loved the idea of the Smooth Skins and the Monstrous. It wasn't unique, but the author added a twist to it to make it her own. Because Isra was blind, her other senses were amplified, so through her, we get to experience this world through the smells and feels, especially the feels, of everything she encountered. It was stimulating and made the book all the more alluring. The plot too moved at a nice, slow pace, allowing the reader to easily follow what was going on. Stacey Jay's writing was engaging. This is my first book of hers, but she's gained a fan in me for her attention to detail and her ability to create realistic characters.
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale because of the message it sends out. Stacey Jay attempted to spread the same lesson with Of Beast and Beauty as well and she did it masterfully. Discrimination was a pivotal theme in this book and I loved how it was sensibly tackled. The romance in Of Beast and Beauty was perfect. It had that air of slow-burn romance to it because Gem and Isra started out as enemies who gradually became friends who cared for each other. Those two were absolutely perfect for each other and I loved how their relationship developed. In addition, the forbidden romance aspect added to the allure of their relationship.
If it hadn't been for the positive reviews, I would have given this book a miss, so thank you to all the lovely people who raved about this book. Of Beast and Beauty was a wonderful book that had be completely captivated in its beautiful writing. YA Fantasy fans, you don't want to miss out on this gem of a book!
Rating
Cover : 5/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5
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