As someone who has always loved fairy tales, I was excited to discover
the Once Upon a Time series of young adult novels focusing on these
beloved characters, many of which were introduced to contemporary
children through Disney movies. While Disney did not provide my
introduction to Beauty and the Beast, it was through that Best
Picture-nominated movie that I truly fell in love with the story. Since
then, I have encountered several retellings of the story, most recently
the Once Upon a Time novel Belle, written by Cameron Dokey.
Earlier this year, I read Beauty,
one of two Robin McKinley novels that retell this tale, and many of the
elements present in that novel are here as well. In both cases, the
title character is the narrator, and she does not consider herself to be
beautiful, particularly since she has two older sisters who so clearly
fit with traditional notions of beauty. In both books, those sisters are
just as kind as they are lovely, particularly once their life
circumstances change and they must work harder to sustain themselves.
Once again, Belle is especially close to her father, who is a wealthy
merchant. When several of his ships vanish at sea – one carrying the
love of her sister’s life – he sells all he has to provide for the
families of his sailors, then moves his family into a country cottage
resting on the edge of an ominous forest steeped in dark legends.
This 200-page-long novel has little in common with the Disney film
aside from an arrogant young suitor along the lines of Gaston, but his
role in the book is surprisingly small. The beginning sets us up to
expect his return later, but that never happens. Instead, his presence
merely seems to be a means of improving Belle’s relationship with one of
her sisters and causing her to contemplate the possibility the she
might possess beauty of an unconventional nature. Interestingly, in this
book, Belle’s mother is alive and well, though she does not enjoy the
strong rapport with Belle that her father does. However, Belle does have
a firm supporter in Alphonse, a lifelong friend of her father’s. The
gentle mentor role he slips into makes him possibly my favorite side
character in the novel. I also like Corbeau, the spirited horse who
bonds with Belle after showing her the way to the Beast’s castle.
Dokey has written several books in the Once Upon a Time series, including Wild Orchid,
which is about Mulan. In both stories, a particular tree plays a very
significant role in the plot. Here, it’s the heartwood tree, a majestic
tree with a beautiful legend surrounding it. When Belle hears of it, she
is intrigued, since she has a special gift for woodworking and longs to
uncover the secret that lies within its depths. It is this tree,
instead of the rose found in most versions of the tale, that causes the
Beast to turn on Belle’s father and leads to her decision to go to the
castle in his place.
It seems in Belle’s nature to be
introspective, but here she is perhaps excessively so. Dokey spends a
lot of time in her head as she philosophizes about the true nature of
Beauty. She has other concerns as well, but she keeps coming back to
this one. What does it really mean to have Beauty, and can she ever hope
to possess this quality herself? It’s partly because of all this time
in Belle’s head that we are nearly three quarters of the way through the
book before she ever meets the Beast. While I like the way the story
unfolds, it feels strange to have this central relationship relegated to
such a small portion of the novel. Additionally, we don’t get very many
details about Belle’s stay in the castle, and aside from Corbeau, the
place seems very lonely, with Belle and the Beast interacting only at
twilight and no other entities, human or not, making an appearance.
While I would have preferred to see more of the novel directly involving Belle’s stay with the Beast, Belle
is well-written overall and a nice take on the classic tale. The
heartwood tree is an especially intriguing addition. It’s not my
favorite version of the story, but Dokey still shows us how much there
is to love about this courageous young woman who doesn’t quite conform
to societal expectations.
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