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A review by wdallas126
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found this story really endearing. It took me about 25% to get into it and the ending was a tad rushed, but I loved everything in the middle. I was invested in the characters and the angst they had going on. It would make a great series adaptation in my opinion, a la Bridgerton s2.
While it took me a bit to warm up to Nina, once I did I really enjoyed her characterization and her growth over the book. The reasons she and Hector were drawn together felt realistic and I was invested in their scenes throughout. Ultimately, I was really glad we also had chapters from Valerie's perspective to see her development (read: spiral) which was fascinating and made the main conflict more bearable for me to read.
This world that is part regency era mixed with a slightly fantastical world. I really enjoyed it and the adjustments to the rigid rule systems that were made. The way that the telekinesis is utilized subtly in the story was enjoyable to me and it was intricately tied to the characterizations as well. Plus, it added nicely to the dramatic flare. Otherwise, not straying too much from the regular historical world was to its benefit.
This is certainly vibes heavy and overall light on the plot. The pacing wasn't fast by any means, but a lot of ground is covered throughout the novel. The scenes were mostly them lightly courting or having visits which established the angst and tension. This style worked for me and is what made it progressively more compulsively readable, but it won't work for everyone.
Finally, the writing was different than I was expecting, since this was my first SMG novel. It worked really well for this time-period/style of novel (almost imitative of Austen-era novels) though it was a bit less descriptive than I expected. However, it served the angst and emotions greatly which I think should always be the end goal with this type of book. All in all, I enjoyed my time majorly, and would consider reading more from this author in the future!
While it took me a bit to warm up to Nina, once I did I really enjoyed her characterization and her growth over the book. The reasons she and Hector were drawn together felt realistic and I was invested in their scenes throughout. Ultimately, I was really glad we also had chapters from Valerie's perspective to see her development (read: spiral) which was fascinating and made the main conflict more bearable for me to read.
This world that is part regency era mixed with a slightly fantastical world. I really enjoyed it and the adjustments to the rigid rule systems that were made. The way that the telekinesis is utilized subtly in the story was enjoyable to me and it was intricately tied to the characterizations as well. Plus, it added nicely to the dramatic flare. Otherwise, not straying too much from the regular historical world was to its benefit.
This is certainly vibes heavy and overall light on the plot. The pacing wasn't fast by any means, but a lot of ground is covered throughout the novel. The scenes were mostly them lightly courting or having visits which established the angst and tension. This style worked for me and is what made it progressively more compulsively readable, but it won't work for everyone.
Finally, the writing was different than I was expecting, since this was my first SMG novel. It worked really well for this time-period/style of novel (almost imitative of Austen-era novels) though it was a bit less descriptive than I expected. However, it served the angst and emotions greatly which I think should always be the end goal with this type of book. All in all, I enjoyed my time majorly, and would consider reading more from this author in the future!