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(Rest assured, this is a far cry fromBeastly.)
On the one hand, its a resonant experience to feel so immersed in the Beasts loneliness.

Credit: Penguin (2); Feiwel & Friends; Balzer + Bray
Shallcross beautifully paints his isolation, his brooding turning Heathcliff-esque.
This provides startling insight into a man cursed not for his cruelty, but his own fear of affection.
Yet staying in the Beasts headspace renders some of the source materials more problematic aspects especially glaring.

Balzer + Bray
But what throws a wrench intoDeath Prefers Blondesis that theres just too much happening.
Its a lot to keep track of, and Roehrigs wonderful characters get lost in the intricately connected plots.
Sequels are nice, dont get me wrong!

Penguin
But theres a real pleasure in diving into a world knowing the stay will be short and sweet.
(There was blood smeared across my stolen dress, Keralie narrates at one point.)
The flaws here are familiar for a debut; Scholte simply takes on too much at times.

Feiwel & Friends
(The sci-fi concepts, particularly, never feel as fleshed out as the fantasy elements.)
