The title explains it all: Beauty is a beautiful book, imaginatively retelling the magnificent tale of Beauty and the beast. 
 Although this book is a bit dry (as McKinley tends to go into detail a bit more than necessary), it positively enraptured me. Everything about the book holds me in awe, from the paralyzing fear Beauty holds for her captor, to her sweet innocent sisters. I love the seeming paradoxical nature of her self-desecrating attitude towards her physical appearance, yet strength and gratitude due to these same supposed flaws. The question of the "secret" she must discover holds the reader in suspense, while her distressing longing for home draws the reader into her world of confusing beauty. 
 Without patience, this book can be held as boring, or tedious, but with the right perspective, this book is simply wondrous.