Quotes from Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast

“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

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Popular quotes

“It is tragic to see how the religious sentiment of the West has become so individualized that concepts such as "a contrite heart," have come to refer only to the personal experiences of guilt and willingness to do penance for it. The awareness of our impurity in thoughts, words and deeds can indeed put us in a remorseful mood and create in us the hope for a forgiving gesture. But if the catastrophical events of our days, the wars, mass murders, unbridled violence, crowded prisons, torture chambers, the hunger and the illness of millions of people and he unnamable misery of a major part of the human race is safely kept outside the solitude of our hearts, our contrition remains no more than a pious emotion. ”
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― Charles de Lint, quote from The Very Best of Charles de Lint

“Lord Marshmoreton: I wish I could get you see my point of view.
George Bevan: I do see your point of view. But dimly. You see, my own takes up such a lot of the foreground”
― P.G. Wodehouse, quote from A Damsel in Distress

“-Puede que haya un modo de que escapemos de este lugar -dijo Lúmino al día siguiente.
(...)
-¿Cómo? -pregunté, pero entonces se me ocurrió una idea-. Tu magia. la recuperas cuando me proteges.
-Sí.
(...)
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Suspiré. Estaba deseando tener esperanzas.
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Hubo un momento de pausa. Creo que mi sarcasmo lo molestaba.
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― N.K. Jemisin, quote from The Broken Kingdoms

“sometimes when everything seems at
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when all conspires
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and the hours, days, weeks
years
seem wasted –
stretched there upon my bed
in the dark
looking upward at the ceiling
i get what many will consider an
obnoxious thought:
it’s still nice to be
Bukowski.”
― Charles Bukowski, quote from You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense

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