A new spin on "The Magic Flute" by an acclaimed author!
In a time when the world was young and many things were quite commonplace that are now entirely forgotten, Sarastro, Mage of the Day, wed Pamina, the Queen of the Night. And in this way was the world complete, for light was joined to dark. For all time would they be joined together. Only the ending of the world could tear them apart. In other words, in the days in which my parents married, there was no such thing as divorce....
Thus begins the tale of Mina, a girl-child born on the longest night of the darkest month of the year. When her father looked at her, all he saw was what he feared: By birth, by name, by nature, she belonged to the Dark. So when Mina turned sixteen, her father took her away from shadow and brought her into sunlight.
In retaliation, her mother lured a handsome prince into a deadly agreement: If he frees Mina, he can claim her as his bride.
Now Mina and her prince must endure deadly trials -- of love and fate and family -- before they can truly live happily ever after....

 

There are 192 pages in this book. This book was published 2004 by Simon & Schuster Ltd .

Mahlon F. Craft came to writing late in life. Beauty and the Beast is his second published work as an author. He is a graduate of the Art Academy of Cincinnati. After completing postgraduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the 1960s, he worked as an award-winning art director and graphic designer. Beauty and the Beast is the ninth picture book of his design. Kinuko Y. Craft has won more than one hundred graphic-arts awards, including five gold medals from the Society of Illustrators. In 2008, she was inducted into their Hall of Fame. Her art has been in print for almost half a century, appearing on the covers of such prestigious publications as Time and Newsweek. Her illustrated books on Greek myths and of classic fairy tales have been published in the United States and other English-language countries, and in Europe, China, and Korea. Says Kirkus Reviews, "Every detail of her work-the flowers by a spring, a red cloak unfurled against a blue sky, moonlight on a tiger's back-is beautifully rendered. " Beauty and the Beast is her ninth illustrated book. A long-time fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cameron Dokey is the author of the top-selling Buffy 'teen' novel HERE BE MONSTERS. Prior to joining the Buffy roster she has written more than twenty novels for young adults. THE SUMMONED is her first novel for the adult Angel series.