Anyone who knows me knows that Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairytale...my favourite love story...my favourite dream that teeters on the knife's edge between fiction and reality.
There have been hundreds of retellings of this classic tale of rose petals, magic, and the deepest value of inner beauty. One of my absolute favourite versions of this story was penned in this century...a hypnotic modern retelling that appeared first on the page, and then across the silver screen.
Beastly.
The story of Kyle...strikingly handsome in face, popular and wealthy in lifestyle, and arrogant and cold in heart and soul. One word, one curse...and his flawless features are warped into the scarred, tattooed visage of a modern-day beast. Pushed aside by his horrified father, locked away in a house where none but his blind tutor and his loving housekeeper are witness to his "ruined" appearance.
The story of Lindy...a tenderhearted dreamer in love with roses, burdened by a careless father who makes one mistake too many. Swept into circumstances that lead her straight into Kyle's prison-palace...into a greenhouse full of roses...
...and love enough to break a curse.
I want nothing more than to press this book into the hands of every last human being on this planet...perhaps then a new view could be taken on appearance, on romance, on the realities of love.
Some fool has spread a rumor that women want a certain thing in a man. Strong muscles, masculine features, and a popular streak boosted with money and power.
Like I have said, the person who invented this mentality was a fool...and has passed his foolishness down to twist the minds of men and women both.
Knights don't always come wearing shining silver armour, prancing in atop a white horse...they don't always have perfect hair or flawless skin...they aren't always the most popular or the one with the most fantastic car.
What I care about is behind the helmet and steed.
I want to see the dents.
I want strength of character...depth of heart...eyes that see me and not my body's lack of perfection...hands that can carry me when I can't stand.Am I the only one that thinks like this? Am I so very strange in my mindset?
If I am, correct me, please.
But not every woman is Cinderella. We don't all want Prince Charming.
Sometimes, all we are is Belle...
...and all we want is a Beast.
I just was scared that you didn't love me. And I didn't think you could because of how ugly I am. I should've known better. That's not who you are. You took one look at me and still said you'd seen worse. And somehow, when I'm around you, I don't feel ugly at all. ~Beastly
