A Rose By Any Other Name
To Love A Beast by Karen Witemeyer is a very charming Christian historical tale that I loved. It is the first book in Once Upon A Time In Texas series and I cannot wait for more.
This is a charming re-imagining of Beauty & The Beast set in Texas in the late nineteenth century. It is all very cleverly done with its setting, choice of names and even the colour of the fabric of the dresses all reminding the reader of the original tale.
This is more than just a fairy tale. This has the hand and heart of God permeating the whole book.
We see that God is faithful and keeps His promise to never leave us. He goes with us even when we do not see Him. “Just because you can’t see any evidence of His presence doesn’t mean that God isn’t with you.” We can trust God with our lives. “God has everything under control.” In the chaos of life, nothing surprises God.
There is the theme of true beauty. “Your face does not define you… Your actions do.” True beauty leads from the heart. A heart that is pure and good and kind is always attractive. We need to show others the heart of God by what we do. “The man lived his faith… and… influenced the lives around him.”
We see a life that has been scarred – literally and mentally as a character hides himself away from life. He fears the reactions of others to him. However, a kind heart “saw him instead of his scars.” Our scars show that we have lived. “His struggle. The pain, the loss, and the search for hope.”
Ugliness is not in an appearance but in the state of a black heart, a black heart bent on revenge. We see that lives that chase after outward beauty, wealth and privileges are chasing the wrong things. “Superficial pleasure that came with wealth and prestige.” These things do not last.
Within the novel there is the theme of hope. “Hope sees possibilities where fear sees only barriers… Hope cannot be stolen or destroyed. It will only be lost if you surrender it… Hold tight.” When we have hope, we can face today. “The world might seem dark and frightful, but as long as you have hope, you have power.” When people have hope, they flourish.
God does His best work with broken lives. “God could reshape broken vessels for His glory.” God uses our hurts and disappointments. He transforms our messes into masterpieces.
Family is important. Family is not just blood related but all those who love us.
The book binders transform old worn out covers into new fresh ones. This reminds us that God can transform our tired lives into new fresh ones.
I thoroughly enjoyed To Love A Beast. It was very cleverly done and highly entertaining.
JULIA WILSON
