Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast was first published in 1978, written by American children's book author Robin McKinley. It was her first book, retelling the classic French fairy tale "La Belle et La Bete". The book was the 1998 Phoenix Award honor book. It was the 1966 -1988 Best of the Best Books for Young Adults. An unabridged audio-book recording was released by Recorded Books in 2013, narrated by Charlotte Parry, and is currently available via Audible.com. Roderick Huston, a wealthy merchant and
Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) to the Beast", whose personality ultimately helps make the Beast a more appealing hero despite the latter character's own flaws. While the Beast maintains "a heart of gold" despite being hideous in appearance, Gaston boasts a handsome exterior but remains "rotting on the inside"; the Beast risks becoming like Gaston on the inside if he fails to change his ways. Gaston represents "the difference between outward beauty and beauty of the soul", one of the film's central themes. The fact that Gaston's cruel nature is not mirrored by his handsome exterior "further emphasiz[es] the film’s message about inner beauty." A