At the time of this review, there are four volumes available in Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost, with a 5th scheduled to release November 2022.

We first meet Belle as a younger child, out in the forest with her mother. She seems to be the sort who always gets into trouble, chasing after the next adventure… until it goes horribly wrong.

This story has darker tones to it. Not only does Belle’s mother sacrifice herself to save her daughter, but Belle’s father locks her away. He verbally abuses Belle every chance he has, and isolates her from the rest of the community. It takes a toll on her, and it’s something she struggles to overcome up to the end of the fourth volume.

The beast may look scary on the outside, but it doesn’t take Belle long to realize he’s genuinely kind. It proves that you can’t always judge someone by the way they look. And while his family and friends are under a curse, just like in all the other Beauty and the Beast stories we’ve all read, this one has a few twists that keep things interesting.

The story is full of manipulative people, those willing to kill for what they want, and a few horrifying aspects that may trouble younger readers. But as an adult, I can’t get enough if this story! And the artwork is amazing. (Did you see the covers? Gorgeous!) Seriously. If Kaori Yuki offered prints of Belle and Beast, I’d certainly buy one!

All the stars for Beauty and the Beast of Paradise Lost! — because 5 isn’t nearly enough.

*Disclaimer: Neither the author/artist nor publisher requested a review. I purchased paperback copies from Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. The review above is only my opinion.