Welcome to my stop on The Beast and The Bethany Blog Tour!
I am always excited to join TheWriteReads for a book tour and reading this book just further illustrates why. I have to thank Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Egmont books for making this book available to me. One of my goals for 2020 was to read more diversely. Reading this middle grade book was just something I needed. I was never read the harry potter books and I know nothing about the books and stories this book is marketed to be a collage of. But I can definitely say that this children’s book is really different. It has also been taken up by Warner Bros to make into a movie and I am quite excited to see what they make of it.
Title: The Beast and the Bethany
Author: Jack Meggitt-Phillips
Publication date: 1st October, 2020
Publisher: Egmont Publishing
Blurb
Ebenezer Tweezer is a youthful 511-year-old. He keeps a beast in the attic of his mansion, who he feeds all manner of things (including performing monkeys, his pet cat and the occasional cactus) and in return the beast vomits out presents for Ebenezer, as well as potions which keep him young and beautiful. But the beast grows ever greedier, and soon only a nice, juicy child will do. So when Ebenezer encounters orphan Bethany, it seems like (everlasting) life will go on as normal. But Bethany is not your average orphan . .
Purchase Link: AMAZON
Review
I read this book under two hours because once I started I just could not put it down. I will try not to spoil this book because as with lots of Children’s books, the plot isn’t wide and the story is really focused on the outcome. Ebenezer is 511 years old but he looks nothing like his age because of a potion that he gets from a monster he keeps in his attic. He has basically been living a solitary life of enjoyment, he has all the money he can ever spend and if he does spend it all, the monster can just vomit some more for him. But it appears that the monster is now greedy for something and he would not be giving Ebenezer the potion that keeps him young unless he gets him what he wants. He wants a tasty plump child. The HORROR!
At this point in the book you begin to see Ebenezer’s idea of morality, I mean its one thing for him to fed the monster one of the rarest birds in the world and it is another to feed it a child (I want to believe that anyone would put the child before the bird, but I cannot speak for animal rights. Don’t come for me, I Eat Meat!). But Ebenezer begins to question is standing, its just one child, right? So when he finally finds the worst child he thinks he can get he decides she is perfect for the beast to feast on.
Bethany is a honestly a spoilt brat, however she did not deserve to be eaten by the beast. Getting to know Bethany better, Ebenezer finds out that she is also a creature of circumstance. A friendship buds between them and he has to chose between death and giving his friend to the beast.
Rating
I gave this book 4.8 out of 5 stars
I hope you check out The Beast and The Bethany upon its release
Thanks for reading.
She definitely would
I think this will make such a good basis for a film – Great review.
Thank you Jules. I cannot wait for the movie. I just know it would be great