Module 8: Beastly

Beastly

By Alex Flinn

Summary:  Kyle Kingsbury is one of the most vain boys at his school.  He believes that with his good looks and his famous dad, that he can get anything or any girl he wants.  He plays a mean trick on a not so popular girl at school which he soon regrets. She casts a spell on him turning him into a beast.  The only way he can break the spell is by getting someone to love him as the beast.  His father treats him like an outcast, banishing him to a house outside the city so no one will discover what has happened.  The one thing that Kyle finds joy in is growing roses.  Kyle is awakened in the middle of the night and discovers that a druggie has broken into his green house.  As Kyle dangles the man from a upper story window, he offers to trade his daughter for his life.  Soon after, Lindy moves in with Kyle, his teacher, and his maid.  At first she is reluctant, but eventually she falls in love with the beast.


Flinn, A. (2007).  Beastly. New York, NY: HarperTeen.

My Impression: My initial reaction to this book was that I thought it was a little silly.  As I continued reading, I quickly became hooked and could not put it down.  You really get attached to Kyle as his heart truly changes and he realizes the important things in life.  Rooting for Kyle, it is impossible to put the book down because you have to find out if he is able to break the curse.  Students who like Twilight and the The Mortal Instruments are bound to enjoy this modern take on a traditional fairy tale.  Overall, I give this novel a B+.

Professional Reviews:

Kirkus Review (September 2007)

Cavalier and cruel, Kyle Kingsbury rules as prince of an upper-crust school until he angers the wrong Goth girl, who casts a spell that makes him look as ugly as his inner self. When claws, fur and fangs appear, Kyle is confined to a Brooklyn brownstone, where he grows roses, paws through The Hunchback of Notre Dame and IMs other transformed kids. Flinn's contemporary adaptation of Beauty and the Beast pulls fairy tales and classics like Phantom of the Opera into the context of modern teen life. Kyle's hilarious chat-room sessions most effectively exploit clever convergences of old and new. Chris Anderson moderates (sans Hans), while BeastNYC (Kyle), Froggie (a webbed prince) and SilentMaid (a little mermaid) offer support using the virtual vernacular. Teens will LOL. They will also find their preoccupations with looks, status and pride explored thoroughly. When Lindy, Kyle's Beauty, moves in, much of the interesting adaptive play recedes, but teens will still race to see if the beast gets his kiss, lifts the curse and lives happily ever after. (Fiction. YA)

Beastly. (2007). [Review of the book Beastly, by Alex Flinn]. Kirkus Reviews, 75(17), 927. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/ 

Library Uses:  
Create a display titles, "If you liked the movie, you'll LOVE the book." Each month or bimonthly switch out the feature book with a summary and student reviews of the book.  You could even have students nominate the book that will be used on the display, but begin with using Beastly by Alex Flinn