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A review by amberacks12
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this one, really, I did. I liked Nina and Hector as characters and was pretty interested in Valerie as a complex individual with relatable pain.
But it also kind of fell flat.
The main romance plot was not very believable, in my opinion.
And as some characters gained complexity, others flattened to single characteristics and lost my interest.
Up until the halfway point, one individual is clearly not even ever thinking of the other romantic lead, and then suddenly, we are supposed to believe in this character’s utter devotion to someone they were just using to get close to someone else.
I am trying really hard to avoid spoilers so I apologize if that was weird phrasing.
If I ever get to a point in a romance and find myself cheering for any of the romantic leads to remain single, then in my opinion, this romance isn’t working for me.
But as a very light fantasy period piece and study of human nature, I thought it was relatively enjoyable.
Enjoyment: 4
Emotional impact: 3
Educational value: n/a
=3.5
But it also kind of fell flat.
The main romance plot was not very believable, in my opinion.
And as some characters gained complexity, others flattened to single characteristics and lost my interest.
Up until the halfway point, one individual is clearly not even ever thinking of the other romantic lead, and then suddenly, we are supposed to believe in this character’s utter devotion to someone they were just using to get close to someone else.
I am trying really hard to avoid spoilers so I apologize if that was weird phrasing.
If I ever get to a point in a romance and find myself cheering for any of the romantic leads to remain single, then in my opinion, this romance isn’t working for me.
But as a very light fantasy period piece and study of human nature, I thought it was relatively enjoyable.
Enjoyment: 4
Emotional impact: 3
Educational value: n/a
=3.5