As Old as Time

This book dives deep into the backstories of Belle's family and other side characters, following not only Belle and the Beast but other characters in previous times by turn. It builds a world with struggles that were definitely believable, and I loved seeing more consideration of the servants in the castle and Belle's interactions with the Beast.

That said–the narrative takes a dark turn, particularly in the last section of the book (warnings for torture, twisted asylums, abuse). It was too dark for me and not totally necessary, I think, though it did fit in with the overall plot.

Aside from that, I did really like how the story concluded, and the characters felt recognizable and solid. I think perhaps this series is not shy of going dark (I remember having this issue with one other in the series so far too) but it is an interesting take!