Robin McKinley · 256 pages
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“As I have said, you have no reason to trust me, and an excellent reason not to.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“At least I was true. My intellectual abilities gave me a release, and an excuse. I shunned company because I preferred books; and the dreams I confided to my father were of becoming a scholar in good earnest, and going to University. It was unheard-of several shocked governesses were only too quick to tell me, when I spoke a little too boldly -- but my father nodded and smiled and said, 'We'll see.' Since I believed my father could do anything -- except of course make me pretty -- I worked and studied with passionate dedication, lived in hope, and avoided society and mirrors.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“I said: "He cannot be so bad if he loves roses so much."
"But he is a Beast," said Father helplessly.
I saw that he was weakening, and wishing only to comfort him I said, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“Beauty: "You called me beautiful last night."
Beast: "You do not believe me then?"
Beauty: "Well - no. Any number of mirrors have told me otherwise."
Beast: "You will find no mirrors here, for I cannot bear them: nor any quiet water in ponds. And since I am the only one who sees you, why are you not then beautiful?”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“I smiled. "I understand now. But It doesn't matter and you needn't apologize. They have been very kind to me too. Even if we did differ a little about suitable dresses." He considered me a moment, a mischievous light creeping into his eyes, and said: "Was THAT the dress - that night you wouldn't come out of your room?"
I grinned and nodded, and we both laughed;”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“The weak grey light that serves as harbinger of red and golden dawn faintly lit my window. I fumbled for a candle, found and lit it, and by its little light saw that the rose floating in the bowl was dying. It had already lost most of its petals, which floated on the water like tiny, un-seaworthy boats, deserted for safer craft.
"Dear God," I said. "I must go back at once.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“It was of grey stone, huge block set on block;but it caught the sunlight like a dolphin's back at dawn.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“And since I am the only one who sees you, why are you not then beautiful?”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“Would it help perhaps if I told you that, had your father returned to me alone, I would have sent him on his way unharmed?”
“You would!” I said; it was half a shriek. “You mean that I came here for nothing?”
A shadowy movement like the shaking of a great shaggy head. “No. Not what you would count as nothing. He would have returned to you, and you would have been glad, but you also would have been ashamed, because you had sent him, as you thought, to his death. Your shame would have grown until you came to hate the sight of your father, because he reminded you of a deed you hated, and hated yourself for. In time it would have ruined your peace and happiness, and at last your mind and heart.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“The Beast turned back to me. I could look at him fairly steadily this time. After a moment he said harshly: “I am very ugly, am I not?”
“You are certainly, uh, very hairy,” I said.
“You are being polite,” he said.
“Well, yes,” I conceded. “But then you called me beautiful, last night.”
He made a noise somewhere between a roar and a bark, and after an anxious minute, I decided it was probably a laugh. “You do not believe me then?” he inquired.
“Well’—no,” I said, hesitantly, wondering if this might anger him. “Any number of mirrors have told me otherwise.”
“You will find no mirrors here,” he said, “for I cannot bear them: nor any quiet water in ponds. And since I am the only one who sees you, why are you not then beautiful?”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“I want no presents from the Beast,” said Father. “Is he trying to buy us off? Let him take his rich gifts back, and leave us our girl.”
“Please, Father,” I said. “Think of them as presents from me. I’d like you to keep them, and think of me.” Father dropped his eyes, and reluctantly put out a hand and stroked the fur collar of his new jacket.
Ger sighed. “I still don’t understand—and I don’t like not understanding. It makes me feel like a child again”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“I was not frightened, but I was ashamed. “I’m sorry,” I said.
The claws retreated, and his arm dropped. “Don’t be,” he said. “I don’t mind telling you.” He looked at me. “But perhaps you mind being told.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
“he followed me with his eyes as if I wore a black hood and carried an axe, and he was next in line.”
― Robin McKinley, quote from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
Robin McKinley
Born place: in Warren, Ohio, The United States
Born date November 16, 1952
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“Dan was not to be deterred. “Yeah. We see it all the time. It's one of the things that surprises white people when they first come to a reservation. A lot of the kids don't look like Indians. Some of them are blond, like Eugene, or redhead. Some have blue eyes. That bothers white people. We can see it. You talk different to those kids. They aren't real Indians to you. “Every Indian notices this. Those kids are Indians to us, but not to you. Since your people first came over here we have been taking white people and letting them live with us. They have become Indians and we think that's fine. But it drives you crazy. “In the old days, during all the fighting, people would be captured, or we'd find someone without a home — you know, there were a lot of kids without parents — their parents were killed in accidents or maybe in the Civil War.” “Maybe by Indians,” I said. I was getting irritable. “Yeah. Maybe by Indians,” Dan answered. He would not take the bait. “We took those kids and those other people and let them live with us. We made them Indians.”
― Kent Nerburn, quote from Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder
“George's hand lifted and fell away again. It seemed an insult to imply that anything so small as a touch could stop the raw feeling in Sir Stephen's suddenly dark and haunted eyes.”
― Mette Ivie Harrison, quote from The Princess and the Hound
“She holds herself with such reserve. She smiles, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes, even in the company of the girls she's chosen to eat with. Why?
I have no clue, and I really don't want to spend my time worrying about it. But my brain pushes at the question anyway.
Why are people aloof?
Because they don't want to let others in.
Why don't they want to let others in?
Well, sometimes because they're shy, and sometimes because they're convinced of their own superiority.
But those aren't the only reasons. Sometimes it's because thay have something to hide.”
― Lauren Myracle, quote from Bliss
“People can love their lies, tell their lies, believe their own lies until hell pays a visit.”
― Carol Plum-Ucci, quote from The Body of Christopher Creed
“accommodates his discourse to the way of speaking and acting amongst men; for he knoweth all things, and needeth not to go anywhere for information. Note here, that two of the three angels went away immediately for Sodom; whilst the third, who represented the Lord, remained with Abraham. 18:22. And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord. 18:23. And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked? 18:24. If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein? 18:25. Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked; this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment. 18:26. And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. 18:27. And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes. 18:28. What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city: And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty. 18:29. And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty. 18:30. Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 18:31. Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
― quote from St. Joseph New American Bible
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