The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

October 23, 2024 4:55 AM

A solitary unicorn wonders what happened to the others of her kind. She goes to search for them, and finds herself travelling through a world that has changed beyond her recognition, full of dangers and unexpected companions.

Molly laughed with her lips flat. "And what good is it to me that you're here now? Where where you twenty years ago, ten years ago? How dare you, how dare you come to me now, when I am this?" With a flap of her hand she summed herself up: barren face, desert eyes, and yellowing heart. "I wish you had never come. Why did you come now?" The tears began to slide down the sides of her nose.

The unicorn made no reply, and Schmendrick said, "She is the last. She is the last unicorn in the world."

"She would be." Molly sniffed. "It would be the last unicorn in the world that came to Molly Grue."

posted by Pallas Athena (10 comments total)

"But the men had net yet reached the pasture gate when the white mare jumped the fence and was gone into the night like a falling star. The two men stood where they were for a time, not heeding the Mayor's commands to come back; and neither ever said, even to the other, why he stared after the magician's mare so long. But not and then after that, they laughed with wonder in the middle of very serious events, and so came to be considered frivolous sorts."

My favorite book of all time, largely for passages like this.
posted by Archer25 at 8:09 AM on October 23, 2024 [4 favorites]

Love this book.
posted by kyrademon at 10:06 AM on October 23, 2024 [1 favorite]

Some years ago Peter Beagle did a tour promoting the new 2K release of the movie. I got to see the movie in a proper theater, have him sign my copy of the book, and exchange a few words. He was very pleasant and polite. I don't remember what I said to him about the book, but I do recall him enthusiastically responding to my comments like I was the only person who had ever had such an insight. I'm sure I hadn't, but he was a mensch about it and made me feel great.
posted by mrphancy at 12:53 PM on October 23, 2024 [3 favorites]

When I was young, Schmendrick was my favorite character because I very much felt like a Schmendrick, with Molly Grue a close second.

Now that I'm middle-aged and have a good bit more justified confidence in myself, Molly Grue is the one whose words I read and reread whenever I pick up this book.

The language throughout is just... so gorgeous, without faux-archaism or purpleness. Always good prosody, and the use of repetition is chef's-kiss throughout. ("No, no, listen. Don't listen to me, listen.") I wish I could write like that.
posted by humbug at 6:26 PM on October 23, 2024 [2 favorites]

This has long been a favorite of mine, and there is a follow up short story called Two Hearts - it’s in the collection The Line Between- that has me sobbing without fail. It has the same melancholic acuity (descriptive and emotional) as the novel.
posted by janell at 10:09 PM on October 23, 2024 [1 favorite]

humbug, yes, I feel this too.

janell, I think there's a short story sequel to "Two Hearts" now? I haven't read it, but it looks like it's in this book.
posted by Pallas Athena at 8:35 AM on October 24, 2024 [2 favorites]

I saw the movie on tv as a kid many years ago and it was the first cartoon I had ever seen that was magical but also grimly sad in an adult way that I am probably not describing very well. Anyhow! Love both the book and the film. I think I’m long overdue for a re-read.
posted by janepanic at 10:02 AM on October 24, 2024 [2 favorites]

I probably read this for the first time when I was eleven or so, because the movie was released in 1982, and I have an indelible memory of riding home in the car from the orthodontist, spotting a poster for the movie outside a theater, and whipping around so fast I almost mashed my face against the window cartoon-style. I was *so* excited to discover that there was going to be a movie for one of my favorite books.

This is just a magical piece of work, both book and film. I should really do a reread.

(The last time I watched the movie, Molly Grue's speech made me cry *so hard*.)
posted by velvet_n_purrs at 10:17 AM on October 24, 2024 [1 favorite]

I only vaguely remember seeing this as a child. I remember nothing of it but that I cried so much my face hurt.

I've never read the book. But I've considered reading it to my disabled child (woman's age, child's mind). I've read her adult books before, I read to her every night, but I'm not sure how much either of us could take. I never know how much she comprehends.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 2:39 PM on October 24, 2024 [1 favorite]

This was one of the first fantasy books I read when I was a pret-teen where even as "good" triumphed over "evil," it did not mean that any of the characters got a traditional "happily ever after" ending. There is a depth of beauty and sadness to this book that I have never found anywhere else in literature.
posted by KingEdRa at 4:45 PM on October 26, 2024 [2 favorites]