The Last Unicorn (Deluxe Edition)

I love this book. Peter S. Beagle is a masterful wordsmith who can write a sentence both witty and ironic. He makes it look effortless, which is most definitely was not, but that is the true mark of a master. The story is a tribute to fairy tales and old fantasy works, and to me is about the loss of innocence but could be interpreted many different ways. I loved the cast of characters and their personal journeys. This was my second time reading this and I enjoyed it even more

Although considered by many to be one of the greatest classic children's fantasy novels of the last few decades, The Last Unicorn is largely unknown this side of the Atlantic. Now I will confess to having seen the animated film adaptation only once, as an adult, and really was not particularly impressed. But then, with many films, it is hard to appreciate them as an adult, when you didn't grow up with them, so I gave the book a chance.

The Last Unicorn is exactly that. A unicorn quite happily living her sheltered existence in her forest, until she overhears two hunters talking, and realises that she may indeed be the last living unicorn. She leaves the wood in search of her kin, only to be caught by Mommy Fortuna, and caged as part of show more her travelling menagerie. She is rescued by the mysterious Schmendrick the Magician who joins her on her journey. The two companions seek King Haggard and his Red Bull, en route encountering many hazardous situations and a new friend, Molly Grue.

Although based in fairy tale, with poetic prose and characters from myth and legend, The Last Unicorn feels somewhat conflicted. In places far more mature than a simple children's fairy tale, much of the story feels far too adult to be understood or appreciated by younger readers. At its heart, it is a tale of seeking what was lost, and accepting what can never be. A beautiful yet sad and bittersweet tale, and altogether a very pleasant surprise for this reader. And as with so many books I have recently read, it was the writing that I loved the most, here is a little taste.

"The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless colour of sea foam but rather the colour of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea."

Thoroughly recommended for lovers of fairy tale and fantasy alike. And hopefully the first of many Beagle novels for me. show less

After experiencing the story as a visual novel, animated movie and a book I give my heart away to the VN adaptation.

I loved the book, honest. It's full of sadness and joy and weariness of the world.

I enjoyed it, but it was a pretty heavy read. I struggled on at times for no apparent reason I could dissect.

Still, a classic and a recommended read.

Some of my earliest and fondest memories are in relation to this book. The animated film, is the first movie I truly remember loving as a child. I adored the characters. And in many ways I believe the book and film managed to inspire both my imagination and my literary preferences as I grew older. I can do nothing but gush. And Two Hearts, though added so many years later, manages to keep this world alive in a way I almost didn't believe possible. The Last Unicorn is a gorgeous story, one that has more then pushed itself through time and into the hearts of many.

A literary classic. A lovely written work that continues to be read and enjoyed many. This story continues to captivate readers of all ages. One of the most popular novels related to unicorns to date. The time through the story seems as ageless as he unicorn herself not truly feeling like its set in any certain time period or age. The characters are all interesting. The author likes to play with fantasy motifs and even the characters themselves have an air of being rather genre savvy. A lovely read and compelling story.

The premise: ganked from Barnes & Noble: THE LAST UNICORN is a tearful tale of the last existing unicorn's journey out of her familiar forest to save the species. On the way she encounters evil magic, dark castles, cursed towns, and a particularly interesting sea shore. The character's in this magical story invite you to learn with them, while Peter S. Beagle poetic prose are something to remember as he tells a story of bravery and courage. Do love, freedom, and happiness prevail? Or will we forever live in fear in a world without unicorns?

My Rating

Must Have: The Last Unicorn is a beautiful story, and considering the fact the book was written back in 1968, I'd say Beagle's style olds up well. I'm glad I finally got this fantasy classic show more under my belt, and even better was finally being able to read the sequel, "Two Hearts," right after the book itself. I'd already read the story when it came out in the Oct/Nov 2005 issue of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, but there were a lot of little things I missed that time because I hadn't read The Last Unicorn, so to read them back-to-back? Priceless. Beagle knows how to weave the emotional heart into a story, and I love him for that. Anyone who dares call him or herself a fantasy fan cannot continue to do so without reading The Last Unicorn and it's sequel. I personally can't wait to read more from this author, as his style has definitely evolved between these two pieces, and it's gotten better when it was already good to begin with.

In terms of "Two Hearts," my edition of The Last Unicorn has it in it (as well as a very interesting interview with the author: did you know he HATED this book for a very long time?), and if you're interested in tracking this hardcover edition down, the ISBN is 9780760783740. I don't know if later editions also have the novella and interview, but if you can get your hands on them, they're worth reading. But you can also find "Two Hearts" in Beagle's The Line Between, which is a collection of his short stories, so don't worry if you can't find an edition of The Last Unicorn that has the short in it. But do yourself a favor and read the two back-to-back. Trust me, it's a lovely experience.

Review style: definite spoilers. I mean, this is such a classic anyway that it's hard to even CALL details of this book spoilers, because you know the story or you don't. If you don't, and you really want to go into this story without knowing what happens, then there's no need to click the cut below, which takes you to the discussion in my LJ. If you've read it though, hop on over! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: Peter S. Beagle's THE LAST UNICORN

Happy Reading! show less

My favorite movie growing up. Glad I finally read the book.