more like a 3.6 stars. i was hesitant at first when i read some reviews saying it was like a "re-telling of beauty and the beast". i would say it uses elements of this, and probably a few other fairy-tales, but rouge has it's own unique story. a tale about race and beauty standards, whatever the complex is called when there's jealousy between family members about youth, the complexities of being in a mixed-race child being raised by a white parent, and, to my surprise, a glimpse of good old Quebec religion x politics. the ending made me cry, but any story about mother-daughter relationships usually does. i didn't feel the ending was too rushed, and maybe everything the author had to say about how belle really feels had already been said in sub-text, but i do wish there was a little bit more of an acceptance about how she feels about how she looks, something like a "yes, i do like how i look. the 'wild' hair and dark skin that my father gave me is not that bad after all. everything my mother loved about me, i will learn to love myself". something like that, given she had this whole journey about wanting to be more beautiful (but i guess it's a metaphor?)(but then it's also kind of true because of the sub-plot about how she always compared herself to her mum? anyway) i also thought the writing and inner monologues were pretty cheesy with the forced french inclusions and whatnot, like we get it, they're french speaking. but anyway, i still enjoyed the story, i think it will leave a lasting impression on me.

Merged review:

more like a 3.6 stars. i was hesitant at first when i read some reviews saying it was like a "re-telling of beauty and the beast". i would say it uses elements of this, and probably a few other fairy-tales, but rouge has it's own unique story. a tale about race and beauty standards, whatever the complex is called when there's jealousy between family members about youth, the complexities of being in a mixed-race child being raised by a white parent, and, to my surprise, a glimpse of good old Quebec religion x politics. the ending made me cry, but any story about mother-daughter relationships usually does. i didn't feel the ending was too rushed, and maybe everything the author had to say about how belle really feels had already been said in sub-text, but i do wish there was a little bit more of an acceptance about how she feels about how she looks, something like a "yes, i do like how i look. the 'wild' hair and dark skin that my father gave me is not that bad after all. everything my mother loved about me, i will learn to love myself". something like that, given she had this whole journey about wanting to be more beautiful (but i guess it's a metaphor?)(but then it's also kind of true because of the sub-plot about how she always compared herself to her mum? anyway) i also thought the writing and inner monologues were pretty cheesy with the forced french inclusions and whatnot, like we get it, they're french speaking. but anyway, i still enjoyed the story, i think it will leave a lasting impression on me.

Merged review:

more like a 3.6 stars. i was hesitant at first when i read some reviews saying it was like a "re-telling of beauty and the beast". i would say it uses elements of this, and probably a few other fairy-tales, but rouge has it's own unique story. a tale about race and beauty standards, whatever the complex is called when there's jealousy between family members about youth, the complexities of being in a mixed-race child being raised by a white parent, and, to my surprise, a glimpse of good old Quebec religion x politics. the ending made me cry, but any story about mother-daughter relationships usually does. i didn't feel the ending was too rushed, and maybe everything the author had to say about how belle really feels had already been said in sub-text, but i do wish there was a little bit more of an acceptance about how she feels about how she looks, something like a "yes, i do like how i look. the 'wild' hair and dark skin that my father gave me is not that bad after all. everything my mother loved about me, i will learn to love myself". something like that, given she had this whole journey about wanting to be more beautiful (but i guess it's a metaphor?)(but then it's also kind of true because of the sub-plot about how she always compared herself to her mum? anyway) i also thought the writing and inner monologues were pretty cheesy with the forced french inclusions and whatnot, like we get it, they're french speaking. but anyway, i still enjoyed the story, i think it will leave a lasting impression on me.

Merged review:

more like a 3.6 stars. i was hesitant at first when i read some reviews saying it was like a "re-telling of beauty and the beast". i would say it uses elements of this, and probably a few other fairy-tales, but rouge has it's own unique story. a tale about race and beauty standards, whatever the complex is called when there's jealousy between family members about youth, the complexities of being in a mixed-race child being raised by a white parent, and, to my surprise, a glimpse of good old Quebec religion x politics. the ending made me cry, but any story about mother-daughter relationships usually does. i didn't feel the ending was too rushed, and maybe everything the author had to say about how belle really feels had already been said in sub-text, but i do wish there was a little bit more of an acceptance about how she feels about how she looks, something like a "yes, i do like how i look. the 'wild' hair and dark skin that my father gave me is not that bad after all. everything my mother loved about me, i will learn to love myself". something like that, given she had this whole journey about wanting to be more beautiful (but i guess it's a metaphor?)(but then it's also kind of true because of the sub-plot about how she always compared herself to her mum? anyway) i also thought the writing and inner monologues were pretty cheesy with the forced french inclusions and whatnot, like we get it, they're french speaking. but anyway, i still enjoyed the story, i think it will leave a lasting impression on me.