As Old As Time

As Old As Time
by Liz Braswell

 From the publisher:

"What if Belle's mother cursed the Beast?

Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father's reluctance to leave their little cottage in case Belle's mother returns--a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.

But Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind--images of the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making. "

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, but maybe I shouldn't have been surprised because Belle is definitely my favorite of all the Disney Princesses. This story added to and twisted the events we know so well. I loved that it also became the story of Belle's mother and father and a whole new plotline that wove seamlessly into the story, yet there were moments that came straight from the movie that I could quote while reading. It was like an old friend with many new, fascinating characteristics. Is it a classic that I'm going to read over and over again, or even think about all that often? Nope, but it was fun while it lasted.

Areas of concern:
*I was surprised by a handful of the *d* word and one use of *piss*.
*A couple of main characters, along with many other unknown characters are kidnapped and tortured to try to "take the magic out of them" - not graphic, but intense.