I love dark fairy tales and I know those words were what drew me to this little book. But now that I’ve read it I can say it is very very strange: the story, the language, the setting, the main character. I would never tell someone not to read something but this was not for me.

Great characters, compelling plot, amazing setting. Will definitely recommend this book. Can't wait for the public to discover it!

Quirky, different and interesting. Excellent writing with beautiful imagery. A modern day fairy tale with lots of chew on.

A dark fairytale set in 1940s Quebec about a young girl who suddenly grows a beard and therefore must hide in the forest. There are so many metaphors here, but I think the book needed to be a bit longer to develop all the themes that the author suggests - or perhaps it is best for the reader to instill whatever meaning they chose. Either way it is a unique book, lovely and disturbing.

I enjoyed reading this Novella. The story is told from the point of view of a young girl who is hidden away. The story is haunting as she tries to find her place in the world. It is a quick but enjoyable read.

This was a lyrical exploration of survival and the issues of 'otherness' that I raced through in one sitting. The plot, such as it is, is linear and straightforward - a young girl is born and grows to childhood, at which point she grows a beard and has to flee the Boots. The descriptions of the forest are beautiful and the protagonist is somehow entirely believable while also being something from fairy tales. I thought that the way the narrative was constructed from a formal perspective was really interesting, with page breaks and line breaks creating a poetical feeling. All in all, this is a fascinating read that will stay with me for a good long time.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thrilling and compelling, I adored little beast. It was written with suspense and a prose so beautiful, it rivaled Roshani Chokshi's The Star Touched Queen. Simply beautiful!

Quick read; it almost felt like a dream. The streaming consciousness and thoughts pouring onto the page. The main character, born with a beard, is strong and resilient, she makes her escape from a town that rejects her. Once on her own her tales and imagination keep her alive. The time comes to go home and even this is by her own rules.

'Little Beast' by Julie Demers is a fairy tale with a twist. Set in 1944, in a small village in rural Quebec which is bordered by a vast mountain and a raging river, live a mother, a father and an eleven-year-old daughter. One day, the daughter begins to develop a full beard, the shock of which drives her mother to depression and sends her father away into the wilderness. The girl is kept locked away from prying eyes, contained like a caged animal, unable to live like a normal child. One day, the other villagers become suspicious and storm the cottage, looking for the bearded girl. When they come for her, she escapes into the winter wilderness - alone, afraid and uncertain of her identity.

'Little Beast' is a tiny novella at only 148 pages, but it is powerful. The girl's narrative voice is strong and engaging, and the reader feels both sympathy and alliance with her. The stunning natural setting juxtaposes with the harsh treatment the girl receives from those closest to her, and the villagers she encounters. Unnamed and cast adrift from society, the girl begins to form her own identity as she forges a path through the wilderness, relying on common sense and an affinity with the natural world.

The language used by Demers is poetic yet stark; the girl's loneliness, isolation and self-hatred are clear, but expressed in lyrical prose that flows like the river through the novella. Brought up in an enclosed environment, surround by rules and imperatives - 'Be like this, don't do that' - and with a mother who is both her protector and persecutor, the girl has been sheltered and distanced from the outside world, yet she is fully aware of her difference, her othering. In a remarkably matter of fact tone, she says; 'There is something unfair about not being able to choose your face' - this poignant and thoughtful tone permeates the novel.

To the girl, men are figures of fear - reduced to threatening objects like boots, beards, the musky scent of hunters. On the other hand, women are fully fledged, complex creatures, emotionally rich and vivid. The girl falls somewhere between the two; her beard makes her seem masculine but she is female and identifies as such, a girl becoming a young woman. This exploration of identity, gender norms and appearance in such a young child is powerful; the way she is treated unsettling.

'Little Beast' is an evocative novella, sharp and engaging. It is dreamlike in quality, the fairy tale elements in contrast to the stark reality lurking at the edges, preventing the reader from being lost in the illusory atmosphere. Perfect for fans of dark, twisted tales, with strong characters and a modern edge. Translated from the French by Rhonda Mullins.

This is a fantastic book that, unfortunately, was not for me. The writing was lovely, and it flowed very well for a translation (I'm always curious how much of a translated book's lyricism and turn of phrase comes from the original author, the translator, or a quirk of going from one language to the next).. It was a lovely tale, a new sort of fable, and I believe anyone looking for that sort of story will be thrilled with this book. It's not a long read, but the characters will stick with you.

This does not feel so much as a novel than a stream of consciousness and a rather odd one at that. Initially it baffled and fascinated me in equal measure.

To describe this Canadian novel, translated from French, is really hard. It is only short, the paperback counting only 148 pages, but it is pretty intense. Throughout you are caught in the narrator’s thought process, which is disjointed and unreliable. You wonder whether she is crazy or whether the world around her is really has mad as it seem through her eyes.

Whether it is the original writing or the translation I am not sure, but it did not quite work for me personally. I like quirky, but this one was just a step too far and although I never considered not finishing it, I found I did get a bit fed up with the bizarre narrative.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

A long time ago a young girl developed a beard. The mother hid her, the dad couldn't bear to look at her and when men came looking for her she fled to the forest. The story, I thought was a little mixed up and the translation not great. But the story idea idea definitely had potential.

Excellent prose (props to both author and translator). But story was confusing and basically non-existent. I was hoping for a dark, feminist fairytale, and I got – I'm not sure, really. It's a quick read with some great lines, but altogether it doesn't add up to as much as I'd hoped it would.

I believe this book has some serious potential. The style of writing feels original and unique and the fact that it is a pretty short read elevates the experience in this particular case, I feel. There is some depth to the words on this page, you can sense the disturbing thoughts and the angst, but I feel it is overly worked. Sounding original it also sounds fake and I think it sins there.
The book does not feel natural, you can sense a form over content conflict. I was excited about the premise, but I wanted more and I think there is a lot of room for improvement. That being said, I also believe it can be a polarizing tale, people will either love it or hate it and I think there is room for a lot of people to enjoy this book.

Little Beast was an interesting and short read. The protagonist is an eleven-year-old girl, who has been confined to her home for years due to her beard. After the men in her village come to the house to expose her, she is forced to flee and hide in the woods. The story is told while she is in the woods and flips back and forth between memories of the past and her current situation as she tries to evade those who are looking for her. The girl is both naïve and mature, simple and philosophical.

I normally really enjoy this style of writing; however, I think the translation makes it a bit too choppy for my liking. There were shining moments, but more often than not I found myself getting a bit lost and having to go back to re-read, or just skimming over sections without really absorbing much. I understand and appreciate the stylistic choice, but I think the book could have been better if it was a bit longer and more flushed out.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Little Beast is a charming read. It tells the story of a little girl who grows a beard and subsequently her mother hides her away from the other townspeople. Once the townspeople arrive at the house, the little girl runs away and this story tells about her adventures. The book is short and beautifully written, but unfortunately it just didn't work for me. It was too slight and felt as though it should have served as a short story in a larger collection of stories, rather than a short book.

Unfortunately, this copy is really hard to read because of the font and I won't be finishing it.

Little Beast is beautifully written short work, but I feel like it could be so much more!
A little girl is confined to her home due to her family's embarrassment of the beard she has sprouted. She leaves her home when the men from the town come to remove her from the house. This book is written from the perspective of the girl, so it is not always apparent what the actual intentions of adults are. It would be interesting to know.
There are references to death and sexual content, so maybe not appropriate for young readers.

A dark fairy tale, written beautifully. Lovely and disturbing at the same time. Reminiscent of Grendel.