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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I’m rating this one a little bit after I read it so I can’t quite remember all of the details about why I didn’t like it but I hated most of the characters I thought they were so annoying and irredeemable I just could not care about them at all I just was waiting for the story to end. This was my second book by this author I read Mexican Gothic and was obsessed. I love it it’s one of my favorite books. Then I read this one and I did not care for it. I know you have to like a specific type of book. It was a period piece. It was drama like a Telenovela kind of thing and I just could not deal with the characters I just hated them all.
Nope. There was no one to like. They were all idiots!
As always another brilliant book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I wasn't 100% about this book going in as I tend to dislike romance in my books and all the tropes that go with it. However despite this being a romance at heart it was definitely a gothic as well full of schemes and betrayals.
I loved all the characters we were introduced to, it is amazing how Silvia Moreno-Garcia can make you so interested in a character you despise. The use of miscommunication did annoy me slightly but not enough to stop me reading this book in a day! Can't wait to get through the rest of this Author's back list she is definitely an instabuy author
I loved all the characters we were introduced to, it is amazing how Silvia Moreno-Garcia can make you so interested in a character you despise. The use of miscommunication did annoy me slightly but not enough to stop me reading this book in a day! Can't wait to get through the rest of this Author's back list she is definitely an instabuy author
Wow, I loved this book!
First thoughts after finishing:
I need to read every book by this author +
I need to read more books like this
What hooked me into reading The Beautiful Ones was hearing it described as Jane Austen vibes x telekinesis x suuuuuper slow burn romance and yes, yes it was all those things and more in the most wonderful way (though I’d argue the “super slow burn romance” is more one “u” in “super” than five, if it requires a “super” at all).
I love character driven books, I love fantasy, I love historical fiction, and I love romance. This was a win.
I’m sure some people will find this book boring, but as in Jane Austen, it doesn’t require some epic battle plot or the like to make it engaging, even if it is “fantasy.” The character interactions and the setting alone are enough to keep me invested. In addition to Jane Austen, this book also reminded me of the slice of life and subtle magic in Studio Ghibli movies.
My only complaint is that I would have liked Valerie to have a little more depth, or I at least think the story would have benefited from exploring her and Hector’s past romance more in depth rather than through those characters thinking about it and the readers being told about it. I think it would have made for a more impactful emotional punch (and perhaps some torn feelings?) if we were made to like their romance before we get invested in the one between Hector and Nina.
That being said, I adored the romance between Hector and Nina. And Nina! What a lovely and genuine character. I appreciated how she wasn’t fitting the all too common mold of “modern feminist character/girl boss in period piece.” The first meeting between the two is also wonderful. Hector comes off as a bit of a jerk and from his reflections about Nina and the situation, you just can’t wait to see him get punched in the face with feelings for her.
I must also add, though it is not exactly a complaint, I thought the telekinesis and magic would play a larger role in the story. It might have been nice to have more scenes featuring Hector helping Nina develop her abilities, but I also kind of love how the telekinesis is just part of the world without being the focus.
I was in such a reading slump (I used to be an avid reader and then turned into someone who, though was reading lots of stories in other formats, didn’t read more than a few books per year) and The Beautiful Ones reignited my passion for books. I was enjoying every moment and looking for my next book (or two, or three) while I was reading. This one will stick with me for a long time. Perhaps a new favorite.
First thoughts after finishing:
I need to read every book by this author +
I need to read more books like this
What hooked me into reading The Beautiful Ones was hearing it described as Jane Austen vibes x telekinesis x suuuuuper slow burn romance and yes, yes it was all those things and more in the most wonderful way (though I’d argue the “super slow burn romance” is more one “u” in “super” than five, if it requires a “super” at all).
I love character driven books, I love fantasy, I love historical fiction, and I love romance. This was a win.
I’m sure some people will find this book boring, but as in Jane Austen, it doesn’t require some epic battle plot or the like to make it engaging, even if it is “fantasy.” The character interactions and the setting alone are enough to keep me invested. In addition to Jane Austen, this book also reminded me of the slice of life and subtle magic in Studio Ghibli movies.
My only complaint is that I would have liked Valerie to have a little more depth, or I at least think the story would have benefited from exploring her and Hector’s past romance more in depth rather than through those characters thinking about it and the readers being told about it. I think it would have made for a more impactful emotional punch (and perhaps some torn feelings?) if we were made to like their romance before we get invested in the one between Hector and Nina.
That being said, I adored the romance between Hector and Nina. And Nina! What a lovely and genuine character. I appreciated how she wasn’t fitting the all too common mold of “modern feminist character/girl boss in period piece.” The first meeting between the two is also wonderful. Hector comes off as a bit of a jerk and from his reflections about Nina and the situation, you just can’t wait to see him get punched in the face with feelings for her.
I must also add, though it is not exactly a complaint, I thought the telekinesis and magic would play a larger role in the story. It might have been nice to have more scenes featuring Hector helping Nina develop her abilities, but I also kind of love how the telekinesis is just part of the world without being the focus.
I was in such a reading slump (I used to be an avid reader and then turned into someone who, though was reading lots of stories in other formats, didn’t read more than a few books per year) and The Beautiful Ones reignited my passion for books. I was enjoying every moment and looking for my next book (or two, or three) while I was reading. This one will stick with me for a long time. Perhaps a new favorite.
This was a light palate cleansing read that had shades of Jane Austen, the Brontes, Bridgerton (the adaptation), and Dangerous Liasons. I enjoyed the light magical realism included. Totally predictable, but not too cheesy, even though it was basically romance.
You'll like the characters you're supposed to like, and hate the ones you're supposed to hate, and it will all come right in the end.
You'll like the characters you're supposed to like, and hate the ones you're supposed to hate, and it will all come right in the end.
The Beautiful Ones is set in a fantastical world, based on the Belle Epoque. Nina Beaulieu is staying with her cousin Gaetan and his wife, Valerie, in the city of Loisail. She is there for the Grand Season, the goal being to find Nina an agreeable suitor. But Nina doesn't display the proper etiquette and manners that is fitting for a member of Loisail society. Adding to that, Nina is telekinetic and can send all manner of things crashing and shattering when she is distressed. Traits proven to send even the most smitten suitor running for the hills.
But Nina isn't interested in just anybody. Her interest lies in the celebrated Hector Auvray, a person who shares her power of telekinesis and has taken it one step further by making a living performing his talent on stage to large audiences. Though Nina's eyes are set on Hector, his heart still belongs to the woman who stole it, then broke it, ten years earlier. That woman is none other than Nina's cousin's wife, Valerie. When Hector learns of Nina's relationship to Valerie, he begins courting Nina as a way to get to his beloved. What a treacherous web we weave...
Ah, for me, the love triangle trope will never get old.
The Beautiful Ones had been sitting on my shelf for almost two years and I finally decided to get to it. I was nervous going into this one because, unlike the majority, I did not care for Mexican Gothic and only rated it 2 stars. I'm so happy this book had an opposite affect on me.
The setting of this novel was beautiful and definitely fitting of the Belle Epoque and all the glamour that came with that era. Nina is so charmingly down-to-earth and real; a sharp contrast to the severe and hateful Valerie. OMG, that character! She was one of the most insufferable, spiteful, manipulative, hateful characters I have ever come across. I seriously wanted to be able to jump in the book so I could slap her face.
The love triangle dilemma in this story isn't one that makes you roll your eyes but rather keeps you riveted to the page, waiting to learn what the consequence will be for each nasty action committed. And, believe me, the story is rife with nasty actions.
This book kept me turning the pages well into the night, anxiously waiting to discover what was going to happen next. It enveloped me in a world of high society, balls, fancy dress, romance, love lost and love found. I ate it up. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. I highly recommend it.
A fun romance, with a fun flare of supernatural, and the society common in most Victorian historical romances. The conflict of 'she said he said' got a bit tiresome, but the story still kept me interested. Valerie is a great character whose bitterness goes so well against Nina's simple joy towards the world.
Hector is a clown! But I do adore him. we can be two clowns together
Hector is a clown! But I do adore him. we can be two clowns together
I have started 4 books this week and my brain has rejected all of them (none of them were bad; they simply failed to pass the very specific vibe check right now). I finished this in one sitting.
I have to confess that I considered docking this a star because the visceral discomfort Valerie gave me (I sped it up each time she appeared, which might also be a factor in the single sitting read.) but the thing is even that character was whole and complete and made a certain (infuriating) sense to me.
I love Nina with my whole heart and I loved this book and I know it is going in the reread rotation.
I have to confess that I considered docking this a star because the visceral discomfort Valerie gave me (I sped it up each time she appeared, which might also be a factor in the single sitting read.) but the thing is even that character was whole and complete and made a certain (infuriating) sense to me.
I love Nina with my whole heart and I loved this book and I know it is going in the reread rotation.
A lot of people have been saying this is a pastiche of Jane Austen/Georgette Heyer with a bit of Emily Brontë and magic elements (namely, telekinesis), but I'll admit I'm kind of surprised I didn't see more comparisons to The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton?
There are a few reasons I'm not rating this higher - the first one being that the magic elements are just kind of tacked on and could be removed from the story without it being changed that much? It would be easy to have Hector go from a telekinesis performer to a musician of some kind, because the fact telekinesis exists (and only that) and how high society folks in this world are for the most part impossibly beautiful doesn't really have any impact on the whole setting, which I guess is supposed to be reminiscent of the Belle Époque? Is it steampunk? Something else? I don't know.
I think what Silvia Moreno-Garcia really wanted to do was to write a potentially destructive love triangle inspired by the above mentioned books, and while the main antagonist Valérie is pretty interesting all the while being despicable all around, I didn't really get attached to any of the characters, unfortunately. They were either two-note, either just kind of there, and while it was pretty clear early on Hector was way better off with Nina rather than mooning over Valérie, I just didn't really care, and that was a problem. Not to mention that the plot is pretty predictable and you get a constant feeling of "Wait, did I read that somewhere before?" So if anything, I really pushed through this one because I didn't want to end up in a reading slump due to not caring enough.
I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that this, like Mexican Gothic, is a 5-star idea, but then you get something that's... just decent, I guess? I can totally see why people like this book, though, I just feel like it could be so much more.
There are a few reasons I'm not rating this higher - the first one being that the magic elements are just kind of tacked on and could be removed from the story without it being changed that much? It would be easy to have Hector go from a telekinesis performer to a musician of some kind, because the fact telekinesis exists (and only that) and how high society folks in this world are for the most part impossibly beautiful doesn't really have any impact on the whole setting, which I guess is supposed to be reminiscent of the Belle Époque? Is it steampunk? Something else? I don't know.
I think what Silvia Moreno-Garcia really wanted to do was to write a potentially destructive love triangle inspired by the above mentioned books, and while the main antagonist Valérie is pretty interesting all the while being despicable all around, I didn't really get attached to any of the characters, unfortunately. They were either two-note, either just kind of there, and while it was pretty clear early on Hector was way better off with Nina rather than mooning over Valérie, I just didn't really care, and that was a problem. Not to mention that the plot is pretty predictable and you get a constant feeling of "Wait, did I read that somewhere before?" So if anything, I really pushed through this one because I didn't want to end up in a reading slump due to not caring enough.
I guess my disappointment stems from the fact that this, like Mexican Gothic, is a 5-star idea, but then you get something that's... just decent, I guess? I can totally see why people like this book, though, I just feel like it could be so much more.