Gaston is a walking red flag, and Serena Valentino’s Kill the Beast: A Tale of Everyone's Favorite Guy doesn't try to hide it—instead, it treats his narcissism like a slow-motion train wreck you can't look away from. This isn't the slapstick, egg-eating buffoon from the 1991 movie; this is a gritty, psychological deep dive into how a local hero’s ego curdles into something genuinely monstrous.
Kill the Beast is a dark, folklore-heavy origin story that swaps Disney's usual sunshine for psychological tension and toxic obsession. It’s a perfect fit for middle schoolers who have outgrown the animated classics and want a story with more teeth. If your kid is into the "villain's perspective" trend or shows like Hilda, this is a solid pick that tackles entitlement and vanity without being preachy.
In the original Beauty and the Beast, Gaston is basically a caricature of "the jock." In Valentino’s latest novel, he’s a case study. The book explores the idea that Gaston wasn't born a villain; he was built into one by a village that worshipped his looks and a trio of meddling witches (the Odd Sisters) who saw him as a perfect pawn.
For a middle schooler, this is interesting territory. They’re at the age where they’re starting to notice how social status and "popularity" actually work. Valentino digs into the specific brand of entitlement that comes when someone is told they’re the hero of every story they’re in. It’s less about "bad guy does bad things" and more about "how does a person justify being terrible?"
If your kid has read other books in Valentino’s Villains series—like the ones for Maleficent or Ursula—they know the deal. There is a shared lore here involving the Odd Sisters, three witches who essentially act as the puppet masters behind Disney’s greatest tragedies.
This connective tissue makes the series feel like a "literary MCU." It rewards readers for paying attention to the background details. In Kill the Beast, the sisters are at their most manipulative, playing on Gaston’s vanity to see just how far he’ll go to prove he’s the "best." It adds a layer of cosmic horror and folklore that you just don't get in the Disney+ versions of these stories.
Let’s be real: middle schoolers are already watching Stranger Things and playing Hades. They can handle a little psychological rot.
The "gritty" label here refers to the tone—it’s moody, atmospheric, and occasionally violent in a "Grimm’s Fairy Tale" kind of way. There isn't graphic gore, but there is a heavy sense of dread. The book deals with themes of obsession and the "beast" within the man, which is a much more sophisticated take than the "no one fights like Gaston" song would suggest.
It lands best for the 11-14 crowd. Younger kids might find the pacing a bit slow because it focuses so much on Gaston’s internal monologue and his deteriorating mental state. Older teens might find the prose a bit simple, but for a 7th grader who wants to see the "real" story behind the cartoon, it hits the sweet spot.
If your kid finishes Kill the Beast and wants more stories that flip the script or lean into dark folklore, skip the usual suspects and check these out:
- The School for Good and Evil: A fantastic series that deconstructs the whole "princess vs. witch" trope. It’s fast-paced, funny, and gets surprisingly dark.
- Hilda: For the kid who loved the folklore elements and the weird creatures in the Villains series, this show (and the graphic novels) is a masterclass in modern myth-making.
- The Last Kids on Earth: If they need a break from the psychological heavy lifting but still want monsters and high stakes, this is the go-to.
- Lore Olympus: For the older end of the middle school spectrum, this graphic novel series reimagines Greek myths with a heavy focus on the complicated (and often toxic) dynamics of the gods.
You don't need to turn reading into a homework assignment, but Gaston is a goldmine for "teaching moments" that don't feel like lectures.
Ask them: "At what point did Gaston actually become the villain?" Was it when he decided to lock up Maurice? Or was it much earlier, when he decided that Belle was a "trophy" he was entitled to win? It’s a great way to talk about consent and respect without using those specific buzzwords.
Ask them: "What do you think of the Odd Sisters?" In these books, the villains often feel like victims of the witches. Is Gaston responsible for his actions if he's being manipulated by magic? It’s a classic "nature vs. nurture" debate that middle schoolers actually find interesting.
The biggest friction point isn't the content—it's the expectations. If your kid goes into this expecting a fun adventure, they might be disappointed. This is a tragedy. We know how it ends (spoiler: he falls off a castle). The "hook" is the psychological descent. If your kid is a reluctant reader, the first 30 pages might feel a bit dense with descriptions of Gaston's vanity. Encourage them to stick with it until the Odd Sisters show up; that’s when the plot actually starts moving.
Q: Is Kill the Beast okay for a 10-year-old? It depends on the kid, but generally, yes. If they’ve handled the Harry Potter books or Percy Jackson, they’ll be fine. The themes are "darker" in a psychological sense, but it’s not inappropriate.
Q: Do you need to read the other Villains books first? Nope. Each book stands alone as a character study. However, the background plot involving the Odd Sisters makes much more sense if you’ve read at least one or two of the previous entries.
Q: How does this compare to the Maleficent movie? It’s similar in that it gives the villain a "reason" for their actions, but Valentino’s books are usually less interested in redeeming the character and more interested in explaining their downfall. Gaston remains a jerk; you just understand the "why" better.
Q: What are the main content warnings for Kill the Beast? There is some fantasy violence, themes of manipulation, and a heavy focus on toxic obsession and narcissism. It’s gritty folklore, not a slasher flick.
Kill the Beast is a smart, atmospheric read that respects a middle schooler’s ability to handle complicated themes. It takes one of Disney’s most one-dimensional characters and gives him a tragic, messy, and fascinating history. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between "kid" books and more mature YA fiction.
- Check out our digital guide for middle school for more age-appropriate media picks.
- See where this series ranks on our best books for kids list.
- Get a reading list
