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| from Goodreads.com |
So, we all know the story of Beauty and the Beast. Belle, a
strong and intelligent young woman from a French village, takes her father’s
place as a prisoner at the castle of the Beast, a vapid prince who was cursed
by an enchantress. They fall in love, go through conflict, overcome the
conflict, and then live happily ever after.
Jennifer Donnelly’s Lost
in a Book, tells the story of what happened while Belle was a “prisoner” of
the Beast, as well as gives us a glimpse of why the enchantress cursed the peace
and who she really is.
“Reading became my sanctuary,” Belle continued. “I found so
much in those books. I found histories that inspired me. Poems that delighted
me. Novels that challenged me…” Belle paused, suddenly self-conscious. She
looked down at her hands, and in a wistful voice, said, “What I really found,
though, was myself.” (p. 19)
After the Beast gives Belle the library and all its
collection, Belle discovers a book within the library that shows her a world of
adventure, knowledge, and freedom. However, the enchantress who created the
book, Madame …, is more than she seems.
Love and Death are in a competition that has gone on since
the beginning of time. Love, believes the Beast can be saved and that Belle
will be the one who saves him, through love. Death, knows she is all powerful,
because sooner or later, everyone journeys with death. And so, Belle and Beast
are caught in the middle of the ongoing game of Love versus Death.
“Love is not for cowards.” (p. 111)
“Something There" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast
