My greatest desire is to have a unicorn in my home (maybe I already do) and every night it takes me on intergalactic trips.

It takes me to the stars and we listen together to cosmic sounds and melodies.

A unicorn whose eyes would fill with tears of fear at my own. Who would love me and at its touch I would annul life and death together.

In my arms it would shine like an unquenchable celestial bow and on our trips... all of creation would feel longing and euphoria because we would have destinations in the marine spring and the endless summers of the sky.

I would hide it inside my mirror and only the one who would hear the silence and smell the starry sky could find it.

This particular book is a fantastic story full of adventures and magical images.

The plot seemingly appears simple but it is complex and full of symbolism.

If we stand in the story itself, we read the adventure of the last untamed unicorn.

When it realizes its solitary existence, it begins a thrilling journey into the myth of fantasy and magic with the aim of finding and freeing all those unicorns that were imprisoned in eternity.

The value of the book lies in the greatness of its encryption.

Behind all the clichés of a fairytale lies the production of hope!!

It is worth reading for the wonderful hidden creation of the fairytale myth in timeless symbols.

Seek for the power of love, absolute freedom of life, love, melancholy, oblivion.

Find those who are disappointed and are afraid to see their powers and abilities.

Search for kindness, peace, harmony.

Dare to recognize the fears that hold you captive and unable to love.

If you take a risk, maybe you can claim a place in the dream.

Good reading.

Many greetings!

This book has haunted me ever since I first finished it many years ago.

I'll be driving down the freeway and the slant of sunlight off a truck's rear window will suddenly remind me of a line in one of these chapters.

All of a sudden, a fever will grab hold of me and it won't be quelled until I get home and reread that passage.

This often turns into rereading that chapter and then rereading the entire book.

I'm not safe anywhere. Recently, when I was sick to death, the first thing I reached for was this book.

How do I immunize myself against it? I don't know.

I find myself at an even greater loss when I ask myself if I really want to be free.

There comes a time in everyone's life, if they are so lucky, when they happen across a book that turns their life inside out and upside down.

This is one such book. To the uninterested observer, it appears as a silly book about unicorns, seemingly only appealing to tween girls and basement nerds.

But to these people, I express my sorrow that they will live their lives with the incredible loss of never having read this book.

The Last Unicorn is about remembering the past, foreseeing the future, and accepting our losses and defeats when they are handed to us.

It's also about learning to treasure the bright spots within them. It's about what it means to possess and to be possessed.

Two characters passing through a wood early in the novel debate the existence of unicorns, first jokingly, then heatedly, and finally with a bit of trepidation, sorrow, and fear at the passing of the unknown while they were not watching.

"I wonder if any man before us would have thought his time a good time for unicorns?" one of the woodsmen asks, and soon we see quite clearly that the answer is, and always will be, a resounding and cold-hearted no as our unicorn is put in damp, dark cages, both literal and figurative.

Not much happens in this book in the traditional storytelling sense. The unicorn's quest ends rather abruptly by the time we reach the castle, which happens less than halfway through the book.

After that, the characters mill around in a stagnant environment, and the battle of wits that any other author might have substituted here as the main course of action is instead replaced by a battle of reflection and remembrance, of memory and time.

The main action in this book is not played out in gallant sword fights, daring chases, and grand acts of wizardry (although there is plenty of that; make no mistake, at times this can be a very violent and bloody book), but rather the choices and changes the characters go through in their lives.

Finally, to speak of the few criticisms directed at the text - without giving too much away, for the second half of the book, there is indeed a romance in the pages.

Some others have spoken about how it lacks a heart-gripping quality, and to this, I'd have to agree.

But you have to remember that the romance really isn't meant to be viewed as such, and so people seeking a grand romantic adventure will be advised to look elsewhere.

The Lady Amalthea throws herself at Liir with an unnatural devotion that quite frankly obliterates all that she is, even admitting to herself that she allows him to construct everything she is as a person.

As a result, their romance is very light, very lovely, but it hasn't been earned at all.

And because you can not claim something you haven't gained the right to earn, in the end, they are the only ones left with nothing to possess.

I've been hearing for years and years that The Last Unicorn is a must read for fantasy fans. And it's absolutely true.

The Last Unicorn is the captivating story of a unicorn who lives alone in a wood. One day, she discovers that she is the last of her kind and decides to go on a journey to search for her people. Along the way, she meets a bumbling wizard named Schmendrick, a feisty woman named Molly, and eventually a layabout prince named Lir.

Just like in A Fine and Private Place, Beagle's writing is filled with humor. I can clearly see his influence in the works of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Schmendrick seems like an ancestor of Rincewind the Wizard. I found the characters to be well-rounded, even the villain of the piece, King Haggard.

The best part of the writing comes when something tragic befalls the unicorn. You can easily imagine the sense of loss she feels, which truly tugs at the heartstrings. It's a beautifully written and engaging story that will leave you spellbound.

I think my 13-year-old daughter summed up this read beautifully when she said, at the end of it, “I wanted to love this book so badly.”

Yes. I knew exactly what she meant by that, and I feel the same way.

I liked it, but I wanted to love it, maybe in the way that I loved Dune and A Wizard of Earthsea. I wondered if I didn't love it as much as those adolescent favorites because of my current age, but my daughter's an adolescent, and she felt conflicted about this story, too.

The author, Peter S. Beagle, is a poet, and there's poetry here for sure. The descriptions are vivid and imaginative. For example, “The walls of the room seemed to thaw and run away, and the wizard's starry gown became the huge, howling night.” This line creates a magical and almost dreamlike atmosphere.

However, there are also some parts that don't quite work. There are lines that just don't add up or make sense, like “The path itself was enough of a fact to bruise feet.” Sometimes, it feels like Mr. Beagle is trying too hard to create an American classic.

Despite these flaws, my middle child and I loved the character of the unicorn. She is both introspective and unapologetic, powerful and almost aloof. For a female character written in 1968, she is a surprising combination of being both focused and feminine. Her power comes from her inner guidance, not from adopting a masculine stance.

In the end, we're conflicted, but we think we're going with 3.5 stars, rounding up to four. Rating this story feels a little like rating an autumn breeze or a summer shower – it's hard to put a number on something that is so intangible and yet so evocative.

This gave me the exact same feeling as Howl’s Moving Castle did. In fact, the two stories might be distant relatives.

This was a modern fairy tale full of absurd characters, strange happenings, and tender observations about life. It was like a magical world that I could escape into.

I have been going through a rough time lately, and this was the best book I could have picked right now. It gave me so much comfort and made me forget about my troubles for a while.

My favourite quotes from the book are truly inspiring. "Take me with you. For laughs, for luck, for the unknown. Take me with you." This line makes me want to embrace adventure and take risks.

"Whatever can die is beautiful — more beautiful than a unicorn, who lives forever, and who is the most beautiful creature in the world. Do you understand me?" This quote makes me think about the value of life and how precious every moment is.

"There never is a happy ending because nothing ever ends." It reminds me that life is a continuous journey and there is always more to come.

"You pile of stones, you waste, you desolation, I'll stuff you with misery till it comes out of your eyes. I'll change your heart into green grass, and all you love into a sheep. I'll turn you into a bad poet with dreams." This passage is so powerful and充满了想象力.

"He thought, or said, or sang, I did not know that I was so empty, to be so full." It expresses the feeling of finding something that fills a void inside.

"No one dares to cherish What I choose to crave" This line makes me feel a sense of independence and determination.

"Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to a butterfly." This is such a beautiful and touching way to say goodbye.

Overall, this book is a wonderful read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a bit of magic and inspiration in their lives.

I read this book mainly because I've heard that it's a fantasy classic, and I felt that I should give it a try.

And indeed, it was truly magical. It read like a genuine fairytale, filled with a unicorn and other mythical creatures, a noble prince with his quests, a wise wizard, and an evil king. The story was so enchanting that I could clearly see why it has become a classic.

However, I'm only giving it 3 stars. The reason is that the emotional connection and immediateness that are present in more modern fantasy works are lacking here. It felt as if I was watching the story unfold from a distance. Although the characters definitely experienced a range of emotions - danger, love, hope, and despair - I didn't really feel involved or invested in them myself.

So, based solely on the reading experience, it earns a 3. But I do recognize that it's still a really great classic fairytale that has its own charm and significance in the world of literature.

Michel Gondry has an interesting theory. He believes that when we sleep, our bodies, minds, souls, and hearts (and perhaps other aspects) are opened up. And when we awake, we have a desire to be close to others (which might also explain why some people wake up feeling horny). It's like a rebirth or a cleansing of the daily琐事. (He explains it much better than I do, of course, because he's Michel Gondry and I'm Mariel.) I, on the other hand, dislike being touched. I don't wake up craving physical connections in that way. Instead, I'd rather wrap myself up in a cocoon. Preferably a bubble, so that I could still see what's going on around me and then use it to make my bubble extra pretty.

Now, let's talk about Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn. This book is like that moment of waking up and feeling touched for me. It contains everything I love and is a sort of rebirth of why I loved in the first place. Beagle is truly a genius. Have you ever noticed how desperately ironic kid's entertainment is today? There are a lot of things that are ironic, actually. (And I'm not saying that The Last Unicorn is a kids' book. It's not. It's a book for people who care about important things.) But there's nothing ironic about this story. The humor is light-hearted, and the overall experience is one of amused calm. I hate it when people wink at me. It stresses me out. The joke isn't on anyone in this book. Beagle doesn't have the inclination or the time (nor do we) to waste on pointless jabs or needless hijinks. It's about being true to oneself and getting to be what one could be at their best moments. Finally, it's about how the everyday things carry over and what we use to carry us through, all making up the whole. That's what time is really for. Being able to convey pure-hearted intentions goes beyond being a great writer (which he is). He must be an amazing person to be around.
I love this book so much that I don't even know where to start or stop trying to describe it. Can you be young again when you're old but be old when you're young? It's like that. The only part of The Last Unicorn that I didn't feel was as timeless as the other stories (if I had been alive hundreds of years ago, I'd still have loved Robin Hood) was the love story. It was foreign to me and didn't make my soul yearn to keep living it in my mind. I feel that Sharon Shinn's The Shape-changer's Wife is a kindred spirit of The Last Unicorn (Beagle endorses it on the cover, which isn't a surprise). In this regard, Shinn did it better. The love in her book was about freedom, and it made my heart soar. For once, I didn't feel torn or suffocated. I understand love as nature. What I don't understand is the coming together of two beautiful people to be beautiful together, the wanting to hold onto that beauty and pine for it to stay that way forever. That's not nature. That's what people say is "we're only human" when they want to excuse something depressing. That loss made me feel hollow, and it wasn't a waking up and wanting it back thing for me. But give me an image like the unicorn leaving her haven to seek the rest of her kind, or a worn-down woman getting to be young once more through Maid Marian, and I'm blown away. It's like an arrow straight to my heart. The Last Unicorn is what's still there (the heart of the matter) when change, time, and other things are stripped away. I barely remember my dreams. If I had a good one, I probably wouldn't remember it. But what I dream of in the daytime is stuff like this.

Wonderful story that I read waaay too late in the game!

The Last Unicorn is a remarkable quest novel. The main character is highly driven, on a mission to discover if she is truly the last of her kind, a cause that instantly earns our sympathy. The story is populated with a diverse range of side characters, almost as interesting as those in Alice in Wonderland. However, I could have done without some of the names, especially Schmendrick, the bumbling wizard. Come on!

To be honest, that last point is what prevents this from being a truly great classic in my opinion. Let me elaborate. I'm not typically a fan of comic-fantasy, a genre that was popular during cynical war and post-war eras, like when this was published. I have a love for humor, but turning all the characters into caricatures or the butt of a joke is a misstep. We understand what fantasy is, but don't make fun of it or devalue it to the point of ridicule.

I should have read The Last Unicorn as a young teen. The only reason I finally got around to reading it a few years ago was because of my affection for the cartoon version, which I saw at a very young age. Although, I remember being quite taken with the lovely, long-lashed, doey-eyed unicorn and was even slightly aroused by the busty enchanted tree thing. So maybe I should have been even younger. Ah, who am I kidding? I was getting boners since the day I was born!

\\n  SCHWING!\\n

I listened to the audiobook for this, and to my delight, the narrator was the author himself.

This was my first time reading the actual book, although I vividly recall watching the animated movie numerous times during my childhood.

Even now, as I think about it, I can still hear Mia Farrow's voice in my head as the unicorn.

As I listened to the audiobook, I discovered that there was some humor that had clearly gone over my head when I saw the movie as a kid.

I have to admit that the movie followed the book quite closely, and the parts they trimmed were rather unnecessary in the book.

However, there is one aspect that I don't recall from the movie.

I don't recall Lear being such a lovesick sap.

Even as a kid, I didn't want the cliched HEA (Happily Ever After) ending with him and Amalthea.

I much preferred the idea of her returning to being a unicorn.

Thankfully, the animated movie held true to that ending, which I'm really glad about.

Overall, I'm giving this a four-star rating mainly due to the nostalgia it brings back.

I am absolutely horrified to realize that I have never read this before. It is truly mind-boggling to think about how many precious years I have missed out on the opportunity to re-read this wonderful piece of literature.

I really, really loved it. It has this unique charm that combines playfulness with darkness, lyricism with melancholy. The ending was just perfect, yet it left me longing for more. I seriously considered flipping the book over and starting it all over again, something I haven't done with a book since my all-time favorite, Watership Down.

I have seen the movie adaptation, but as is often the case, the book is significantly better. I will definitely be picking up a physical copy, which is something I don't do very often anymore. I just want to make sure that I have it on my shelf, a constant reminder of this amazing reading experience.

This book is crafted as a fairy tale with a unique twist. It is set in a vividly realized fantasy world that is both slightly satirical and delightfully whimsical. This world has served as an inspiration for numerous works, from The Princess Bride to Stardust. And I truly love it!

Beagle's story is a charming romantic fable. It follows a unicorn who has protected her forest since time began. She decides to leave the forest in search of more of her kind. Having never ventured out before, the unicorn is astonished by the changes in the world. Most concerning is the fact that there are no sightings of unicorns anywhere. In fact, most people no longer believe in their existence. Undeterred, the little unicorn continues her journey, searching and longing for one like her. After being imprisoned by a witch to be an attraction in her traveling circus for a short time, she encounters an accident-prone magician. The unicorn and the magician then travel onward, hoping to find the answer to her quest in the land of a hardhearted king and a fearsome red bull.

This book is whimsical, evocative, and tantalizing. It effortlessly transitions from low comedy to high fantasy, faster than a dragon's wing. It is also highly original. This is the book that started it all, challenging the notion that fantasy has to be overly serious. By breaking the cliches, it only makes the genre better.

You may find the language old-fashioned, which was the case even when it was first published in 1968. Logically, this was intentional, adding to the contrast. Those who love The Princess Bride will be well aware of this.

I seriously wonder if Peter S. Beagle has Synesthesia. His choice of adjectives is not only beautiful but downright tasty. It's as if sounds have color and texture in his writing. He is able to vividly show people what it would be like to walk into a Van Gogh painting and live inside it.

His plot initially seems cliche. You might find yourself thinking, "This is like the start of hundreds of fairy tales I've read as a kid." However, you will be delightfully proven wrong as the story unfolds. His characters are unique and experience significant growth and development throughout the book.

Reading this book is a truly unique experience. It was the first Peter Beagle book I picked up at a friend's recommendation. If you've never read any of his works, make sure this is the first one you read. After reading The Last Unicorn, I was so captivated that I immediately ran out and bought four other books of his. Although none of them could quite match the charm of this one, they are all written with equal satisfaction.

As a side note, there is an animated movie based on this book. I haven't seen it myself, and I'm hesitant to do so. I think I just want to let the book stand on its own in my imagination, allowing my mind to create the magical world that Beagle has so masterfully described.