A Review of the Book "As Old as Time" by Liz Braswell

Title: As Old as Time

Author: Liz Braswell

Publisher: Disney Press

Year: 2016

484 pages

From the Back: Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father's reluctance to leave their little cottage in case Belle's mother returns - a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.

    But when Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind - images of the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making.

Personal Thoughts: The first time I read one of these "twisted tales", I didn't really find it enjoyable, so it took me a long time to pick up another one (I have a few on my shelf). I'm sure glad I gave this style another chance because "As Old as Time" was really quite good! There was humour; there was action; there was suspense. And if you've ever watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast (the cartoon version, thank you very much), you could almost break out into song where appropriate! It was a very fun read that changes my mind about "The Twisted Tales" and so, perhaps, I'll pick up another one off my shelf sooner rather than later.