Thanks to Kodansha and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book.

Since the death of her mother, Belle has been living as a recluse. After an attack, she ends up in the beast castle where not everything is as it seems.

I was very excited about that book! In the past, I’ve read Grand Guignol Orchestra as well as Ludwig Revolution from Kaori Yuki and I’ve loved them! That’s why I was quite happy to get an arc of that manga. As usual, the art was stunning and the story was spooky. It reminded me a lot of her other series Ludwig Revolution because both of them are retellings with an arrogant prince as the male lead. I really liked that the message shared in the OG tale of beauty and the beast was also present here. The people all around the Kingdom are obsessed with beautiful things, but are they always good?

The end of that volume left us on such a cliffhanger and the sneak peeks of the second book are very promising. I cannot wait for the next volume to come out!

4 stars for me.

Oh wow wow wow!

This is the first Kaori Yuki book I've read and it did NOT disappoint! The story is not exactly like you're used to, but still the same. Belle is NOT the town beauty in this, her mother is. Everyone thinks she's 'like a boy' and she's got strange purple hair that makes her weird. She wanders into the forest with her mother one day, joking about the Beast old wives tale not be real. The tale is that the beast takes beautiful girls and kills them.

Then, obviously, he comes and takes her Mom who later turns up dead?

Or is she?

Then dad locks her up in the house cuz she's "so ugly" but she hears the Beast is around and wants to know if her Mom is really dead. Then ANOTHER beast comes and it's all very tricky and intricate.

This beast is kinda mean, but ends up saving her and the whole enchanted castle is the same but there's blood and people die. It's like Alice in Wonderland meets Beauty and the Beast. I really, really, really am excited for more of this!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.5 🌟

First and first, I'd like to express my gratitude to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with an e-ARC of this manga.

This manga is a gloomy reworking of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. That's what makes it stand out and draws me in.
• What if Belle's parents both were alive?
• What if Belle's father has a grudge against her?
• What if the supporting characters are beings (animal+human) similar to the cursed beast?
The author did an incredible job twisting this classic tale and bringing another perspective to the original story without affecting the original tale.
I highly recommend it to all Disney fans if you're seeking an alternative perspective on this story.

So this manga was a lot more freaky and dark than I first thought going into it! It’s definitely more on the grittier side of fantasy which I usually enjoy and I did like some aspects of this story but there were quite a few things that I didn’t.

I really ended up liking the actual Beast when we meet him later on in the story. He’s a very grumpy, sarcastic character which I always love. He was terrible but stuck with the Beauty and the Beast theme of presenting as this horrible Beast when in reality he’s a lot softer on the inside.

I liked the main character but we spent more than half this volume being told she’s ugly and horrible by her father until even she believes it. I hope she learns otherwise in future volumes!

Overall, I did like the story and the ending intrigued me enough to want to continue on with this series in the future.

3/5⭐️

TW: death, gore, dismemberment, blood, death of a parent, abuse, emotional/mental abuse, physical abuse, confinement, violence.

If you're looking for a dark fantasy retelling of a fairy tale, you've come to the right place.
Be warned though, there is a toxic-abusive relationship with a parent, so if you're uneasy with that, you may want to avoid pages 23-32 and 39-42.
(Essentially you're missing that Belle's father locks her up in the house, calls her ugly and tells her that her mother died because of Belle, forces her to work while he takes the money she earns and goes to the pub, and eventually tries to kill her because left the house and she was supposed to rot in the house alone.)

Belle, born with violet hair-nothing like her parents', has been loved by her mother and tolerated by her father. All while Belle is living a mostly innocent childhood, there is a 'Beast' travelling across the lands, searching for beautiful women and abducting them; only returning their bodies after their faces have been removed. One day, Belle decides to go into the woods; followed by her mother, when the two hear a monstrous carriage approaching with a beast as the driver. Belle's mother, protecting her precious daughter, throws her daughter into the river and is, herself, abducted by the beast.

Returning to town, Belle sees a corpse dressed in her mother's gowns, but lacking a birthmark that Belle and her mother shared. Geared with the thoughts that her mother wasn't the corpse she had seen - that her mother could still be out there, somewhere, Belle decides the next time she hears the monstrous carriage approaching, she would seek answers.

Due to tiredness/not feeling too well I am not writing a long review.

I received this book from Netgalley/publisher in exchange of an honest review.

So, when I saw that Kaori Yuki had a new manga... of course I had to request it. I have read several of her manga and I knew that this was going to be dark and weird. XD And it was! This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and BOY BOY BOY it is fucking dark. Our Belle is a girl who after years doesn't believe she is beautiful, thanks mom and dad. There is a monster out there posing like the beast... and murdering all women who are beautiful. And then there is the real beast... who is quite beastly but I also quite liked him as he does show some great qualities (he does save Belle a few times and shows appreciation for her... well sometimes). I loved reading about the curse and the castle. And there is a villain and I just love her design.
But yeah, darkness everywhere with a fucked up family for Belle and things that are bad everywhere.
Belle is a bit hit/miss, sometimes I like her, other times she was just so frustrating.
I am definitely curious to see how this story goes.

The title is OK.
Based on "Beauty and the Beast", as well expressed by both the name and the cover.
The story is quite chaotic, using all sorts of elements of the classics in a variety of ways. The result is that instead of enjoying yourself, you are sometimes a little confused by events. Various tricks such as "Ha-ha, the father is evil in this story, are you surprised ?!" are also included. It seems that more fairy-tale characters (such as Sleeping Beauty) will join in and the chaos will swell. But otherwise the Beast is a cool guy, he doesn't give it away too nobly. It amuses me that his name is Prince Cyril xD
This opinion is in Bulgarian, sorry for the translation errors. I am adding a link.

I wasn't sure this would be comparable to The Ancient Magnus. Given how much I enjoyed that particular series.it was a really high bar to set.
But it did and I LOVED IT!

It is dark and sinister, and incredibly interesting.
To add to this wonderfully well done atmosphere, I found myself deeply enjoying how Kaori went about depicting the trauma and abuse that Belle went through and how this effects her. But how if you look under the tarnish you can see the shining person she was still there.

I WILL, be continuing this manga because the world is incredibly interesting, Belle has already captured my heart and also I have so many questions about how The Beast got into this situation.

2.75 to 3 stars

For me, Kaori Yuki's well-known for her gothic-like style shojo manga like Godchild and Angel Sanctuary. As I have only read Godchild, I can say that gothic themes are not mainly for me. (Though I want to let others try Angel Sanctuary as it has some high praises). Now this is my attempt to like Yuki-sensei's new work.

The artwork is fine. I love my manga art to be cute or have great shadings and paneling. Though for beginners, this is really great and friendly to the eyes. And I would rate the first volume cover of this 5/5.

And my, Yuki-sensei is really great with her dark shojo stories as she's so good with that art (mind you, not all shojo readers can create scary-looking but appealing creatures like she does).

Now this is another Beauty and the Beast adaptation but there are lots of fantastical characters here and they all look alluring. The beast is actually a slim and tall man who we can only say that it's his face that is considered 'ugly' physically. But really, he's not really ugly I must say, he just looks weird. I'm so excited to see how he looks like when he was human cause I'm pretty sure he's a pretty prince.

There's a little bit of sneek peek for volume 2 and I think that's where I will be hooked. And it looks like it's getting to be a little lighthearted than I was expecting.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kaori Yuki and Kodansha for an e-ARC.

Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost 1
by Kaori Yuki

I received a digital arc of this graphic novel from NetGalley and Kodansha Comics in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of manga. I have read many series through WEBTOONs digitally as well as manga graphic novels from my local library. I’m also a big fan of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale and have read many versions of this story. This however was truly unique. While this sticks to many of the traditional base points - a beast in an enchanted castle in the woods with some kind of amazing roses and a beauty named belle who doesn’t fit in. There are also many new aspects being introduced - potential villains or side characters that are wholly new and will keep the reader tensely following the story over the course of several volumes I’m sure to find out what is really going on. Ends on a cliffhanger obviously as it is volume one that is to be expected. I enjoyed the art style and while lavender hair would have been more apparent in a full color graphic novel I understand why that is difficult with print items. 5/5 Very enjoyable quick read.

I’ve gotta say that I’m almost always a fan of the Beauty and the Beast story and all the variations that come with it. This is a great addition to my retelling so collection. This is unique in that Belle wasn’t living a happy quant life with her father.

About that… there is some intense verbal emotional abuse going on in this. Like a lot. So if that’s a trigger for you, this is not for you. It just made me want her to rise above it all the more. This didn’t diminish the quality of the read for me, but I did sit back, shake my head, and exclaim “damn” like ten times.

Anyway, the art in this is absolutely incredible and so original!! The beast is a creature to wonder all on his own, but then there are tons of other characters that are beautiful and detailed and wonderful. The clothes were also so gorgeous!! Each outfit is textured and lovely. Especially the dresses and the beast’s attire. I just can’t help but go back through and admire the drawings all over again.

This is also kind of dark, but quite humorous. At least, if you’re into some dry humor with some sarcasm thrown in for good measure. The beast is particularly saucy, which I adore. And yeah, I’m swooning over him, back off, I’m allowed to love manga characters! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

I can’t explain how much I recommend this to lovers of creative retellings, arrogant brooding princes, and heroines with pluck despite all the shit they’ve been through.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Kodansha, and Kaori Yuki for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!

Will be posted on my blog and Amazon shortly.

This was a really unique and interesting take on beauty and the beast tale, but has a darker and more Grimm style, I love how it maintains the original story and makes sure it’s recognisable, but still twists in its new mythology and characters, along with a very unique twist in the story. I look forward to future volumes and thoroughly recommend to manga and Beauty and the Beast fans

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a dark twist on Beauty and the Beast, it was a pretty quick and fairly easy read, however some parts did get a little confusing because of how the words are placed, but you get the point.

Great character developments, except for the beast.. you don't get a lot other than the typical upset as a means to show his emotions towards most things.
The drawings are pretty well done too and some are a bit creepy, which I enjoyed.

I highly recommend this is you are a fan of Fairytale retellings.

CW/TW:
Gaslighting, murder, Kidnapping, bullying, abuse

This was good, not only did it have my attention but is also has my favorite fairytale beauty and the beast BUT is a spin on a Grim type style and actually was very interested mostly cause i can feel this is held for finding your confidence in yourself but also knowing that you are beautiful no matter what.

[1.7 stars]

It was not bad, but it was a strange story and a little confusing, and the main character was so unbearable. I didn't hated it but it wasn't what I expected. The cover is beautiful I have to ​admit.
​I didn't put 1 star because it was not that bad.
This was my personal opinion so that I don't like doesn't mean that you 're not gonna like it.

Plot: 2⭐
Characters: 2⭐
General: 1.7⭐

This manga has an interesting story, its not exactly a beauty and the beast retelling, more like takeing yhe concept and making it new! I'm really interested in reading the next book and I think it will draw a lot of people in with the art and story.

Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost is a very unique spin on a classic fairy tale. Belle spent her childhood as a tomboy known for her strange violet hair, but after the loss of his wife, her father keeps her contained in their house in order to "protect" her. Nearly losing her spark, Belle manages to escape after years of confinement in order to find out what happened to her mother and find a way to the beast who took her.

This manga didn't grip me the way I was hoping it would, but I love that it blazes its own trail in a way that keeps the original story recognizable while building a unique world of strange magic and enemies. This story is balancing a lot and it amazed me that it pulled so much off in just the first volume. The emotional struggles Belle has with her PTSD and her father weave in well with the big struggles of the face stealer, Prince Cyril, and the mystery of Belle's mother. This is one of the most unique twists on the story I've seen, and if you're looking for a retelling unlike any you've read before I'd definitely recommend this!

❧ 3.5 ★

I jump at the chance to read any fairy tale retelling, and Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost was not an exception. This was a more gruesome version of Beauty and the Beast, especially with the inclusion of a murderous streak in the village and faces being stolen. It is an interesting concept, and the visuals really help propel the narrative forward. I would definitely recommend this to younger readers that are interested in reading darker stories because the main character had a juvenile tone in how she carries herself. I will be looking out for the next volume of this series.

If you are a lover of fairy tales, this is the book for you. Combining several well known tale types, such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Little Red Riding Hood," with some that are much less familiar to most readers, like "Fitcher's Bird" and "Donkeyskin," <i>Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost</i> tells a literary fairy tale that feels like a natural offshoot of the fairy tale tradition. References to the aforementioned tales abound, from Belle's red hooded cloak to the local legend that the Beast marries beautiful girls only to destroy them (a la "Bluebeard" or "The Robber Bridegroom"), and Kaori Yuki has even done enough research that the salons hosted by mysterious woman La Medium could be a reference to the 17th and 18th century gatherings where tales like the best-known versions of "Beauty and the Beast" originated.

There's more than enough meat in the title tale type to get a good dark fantasy, so by adding in elements of other fairy tales, Yuki is not only making this her own work, she's also hiding little treasures like strawberries in the snow. Sure, that particular tale type hasn't come in yet ("The Kind and the Unkind Girls"), but this is a dark blend of enough recognizable elements to make it worth reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Not only did the synopsis about a Beauty and the Beast retelling grab my attention, but I love the stunning manga cover design! I applaud the artwork put into this manga; from the lush forests, the bustling towns, to the Beast's Castle. I appreciate the unique and memorable character designs too!

This was a dark read and puts such a twist in the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. The first volume introduces the relationship between Belle and her father. From constantly being put down for her appearance and with low self-esteem, Belle is a character who doesn't think for herself. However, she has hope that her mother is still alive and decided to seek the Beast.

When the Beast appeared into her life again, he is the complete opposite to Belle. He is self-confident and does not care about looks. He called her out for many things and yet he still protected her and stood by her side. Belle has put her trust in him and decided to stick by his side too in order to find out what really happened with her mother.

The first volume has a great start so check it out if you're a Beauty and the Beast fan or those who are interested in a dark and twisted tale.