Author/illustrator: Jack Meggitt-Phillips, Isabelle Follath
Genre: MG Fantasy
Published by: Egmont
Publication date: 01/10/20
Pages: 256
My rating: ★★★★★
I received a free review copy from The Write Reads and Egmont in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Lemony Snicket meets Roald Dahl in this riotously funny, deliciously macabre, and highly illustrated tale of a hungry beast, a vain immortal man, and a not-so-charming little girl who doesn’t know she’s about to be eaten.
Beauty comes at a price. And no one knows that better than Ebenezer Tweezer, who has stayed beautiful for 511 years. How, you may wonder? Ebenezer simply has to feed the beast in the attic of his mansion. In return for meals of performing monkeys, statues of Winston Churchill, and the occasional cactus, Ebenezer gets potions that keep him young and beautiful, as well as other presents.
But the beast grows ever greedier with each meal, and one day he announces that he’d like to eat a nice, juicy child next. Ebenezer has never done anything quite this terrible to hold onto his wonderful life. Still, he finds the absolutely snottiest, naughtiest, and most frankly unpleasant child he can and prepares to feed her to the beast.
The child, Bethany, may just be more than Ebenezer bargained for. She’s certainly a really rather rude houseguest, but Ebenezer still finds himself wishing she didn’t have to be gobbled up after all. Could it be Bethany is less meal-worthy and more…friend-worthy?
Where to begin? I don’t even know how to review this, I honestly can’t remember the last time I had that much fun reading a book! It’s both laugh out loud funny and heartwarming in equal measure, though I did cry when the Beast ate the talking/singing bird.
You need to read this, seriously. The Beast and the Bethany is a delight from start to finish, I could not get enough of it! The story follows Ebenezer, a rich 511 year old man who has a beast living in his attic. The Beast provides Ebenezer with gifts in exchange for an exotic variety of meals, When the Beast asks for a child, Ebenezer sets out to find the worst child he can, though he gets more than he bargained for with Bethany. I love, love, love this book! I love how the plot progressed, how Ebenezer and Bethany grew, the bond they formed. That ending, though! I feel like there could be more to come, I definitely hope so because I have many unanswered questions! Throughout the book are incredible illustrations by the talented Isabelle Follath, not all of them were included in the proof and I can’t wait to see them when I buy a finished copy! This is by no means my best review, I guarantee the books is 100% better than I am reviewing it.
The Beast and the Bethany is by far one of my favourite middle grade reads of the year, definitely one I’ll be recommending to anyone and everyone!
Buy from: Waterstones Hive
Fantastic Book Dragon 
I totally agree it was a great book!
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