Beastly by Alex Flinn We all know the tale of Beauty and the Beast. We've seen Belle sacrifice herself to protect her father, and live with a beast inside his grand castle. But what do we really know about the beast? A witch cast a spell upon him, turning him into a Beast. But what was he feeling? Who was he before he became a Beast? We’ve never seen the story told through his eyes. Until now. Young adult author Alex Flinn explores the Beast’s side of the story in Beastly, a modernized fairytale for teens. There’s no singing, parading through the streets, or villains named Gaston in this rendition of Beauty and the Beast. Instead, there is Kyle Kingsbury, a teenage boy with perfect looks…and not much else. Read more at Suite101: Beastly by Alex Flinn – Book Review and Summary | Suite101.com http://www.suite101.com/content/beastly-summary-and-reviewa236936#ixzz1VBIqYCef
Summary Kyle Kingsbury rides through life on his looks and his celebrity (what with his father being a big-time news anchor and all). He’s adored by all the girls in school, and gravitates toward the Barbie-doll, airhead types. Ugly people are beneath him. In fact, they don’t even exist. Kyle decides to play a prank on an overweight, green-haired Goth girl named Kendra. She stood up to him in English class, and now it's his turn to exact revenge. He invites her to the school dance as his date in order to humiliate her, secretly inviting his bimbo girlfriend as his real date. But instead of crying or becoming embarrassed, she simply walks out, leaving Kyle uneasy. When Kyle arrives home that evening, Kendra is waiting in his room. That’s when she reveals her true identity. She’s not a high school student at all—she’s a witch! And she’s seen the ugliness inside of Kyle. She casts a spell upon him, one that makes him equally as ugly on the outside. She turns him into a Beast! Kyle will only return to his human form if he finds someone he truly loves who loves him back within two years. And to break the spell, they must share a kiss. Kyle knows it’s hopeless. Who could love a hideous Beast? Even his own father ships him away to a big house with his maid, Magda, and his blind tutor, Will, where he kind hide from the world. As time passes, Kyle expands his horizons, building his own greenhouse to grow roses, and reading many of the classics like The Phantom of the Opera, and Frankenstein. He even changes his name to Adrian, wanting to forget his past. Kyle begins to lose hope until one day a junkie breaks into his backyard. Kyle catches him and makes the man promise to bring his daughter to Kyle’s house in exchange for not going to the police. Kyle watches the man’s daughter through a magical mirror given to him by the witch. He recognizes the girl, Lindy, from school. He desperately wants to make Lindy feel comfortable, not like a prisoner, even though that’s exactly what she is. But what if she can’t handle the sight of him? Will she ever learn to trust a Beast? Could she ever love him?
Characters Kyle Kingsbury is the son of Manhattan's news anchor, Rob Kingsbury. He is tall, blonde, rich, and handsome. He is the most popular guy in school and dates the hottest girls. When Kyle asks an unappealing new student, Kendra, to the upcoming dance as a practical joke, Kendra, who is really a beautiful witch, transforms Kyle into an ugly beast. Kyle's father is ashamed of his son's appearance and locks him in a large apartment in downtown New York so no one will see him. Kyle's only company is his housekeeper, and, later, a blind tutor named Will and his dog, Pilot. He changes his name from Kyle (which means "handsome") to Adrian (which means "dark one"). His only happiness comes from the rose garden he plants and maintains in his small backyard, encouraged by Will. Adrian has two years to break the witch's spell by falling in love and being loved sincerely despite physical appearances. • Linda "Lindy" Owens is the modern version of "Beauty". She is described as not the most beautiful girl with red hair, green eyes, and crooked teeth. She often talks about how she 'dug a tunnel' out of her life and applied for Kyle's school, Tuttle, the most expensive private school. Kyle, when he first saw her, called her a total zero. When he gets the mirror, he keeps watching her, and slowly falls in love with her. When she first comes to the house, she is afraid of being used as a sex slave. After a few days she comes out and tutors with Will and Adrian. She loves the roses in the greenhouse. She misses her father, but when she goes back, she is sold again for money and drugs. When they both go back to school, she and Kyle are dating. She is described as very smart, and tolerant of her father's drug-filled life. • The Witch used her powers too frequently in her youth and, as punishment, is sent by the witch elders to New York City to work as a servant. She disguises herself as a new student at Tuttle to spy on Kyle. She introduces herself as Kendra Hilferty, bearing green hair and dark clothes, and is overweight and ugly. However, before she transforms Kyle, her "ugliness" disappears and she is described as a beautiful witch. She also is disguised as Magda, the Kingsbury's maid, to serve and, at the same time, spy on Kyle during his two years. At the end, Kyle finds out everything about the witch, but lets her go as a part of the deal they made earlier. •
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Rob Kingsbury is Manhattan's most popular news anchor. He has a son, Kyle. He is rich and handsome and lives in a large apartment with his son and the maid, Magda. He works 24/7 and barely spends time with his son. When he finds out about Kyle's transformation, he locks him up in a luxurious five-floor apartment because he's embarrassed of him and doesn't want anyone to know that his son is a monster.[1] • Will Fratalli is in his late twenties, tall and slender with curly hair. He is hired to tutor Kyle after Kyle's transformation. He is blind, and has a dog, Pilot, who serves as a helper and a watchdog. At first, Pilot feels uncomfortable around Kyle but as the time passes, he starts to become fond of him.[1] In the end, Kendra restores Will's eyesight as a part of her deal with Kyle. • Mr. Anderson and the Support Group Members are members of a special online support group for people who have gone through transformations. Mr. Anderson is a normal person who started the support group to help people who have gone through bizarre changes. Froggie is the frog prince. Grizzlyguy is the prince from Snow-White and Rose-Red. Silentmaid is Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid. Kyle/Adrian uses the screen name BeastNYC on it.[1] • Daniel Owens is Linda's sickly and drug addicted father. •
