Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Book Review: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia



The Beautiful Ones
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published October 24th 2017
by Thomas Dunne Books St. Martin's Press
ARC for Review

Synopsis 1
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the belle époque.

In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.

Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valerie Beaulieu she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamt of. But Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.

Synopsis 2
A young woman finding her way It is Antonina Beaulieu's first Grand Season in the elegant city of Loisail. A chance to take her place in high society, to find a suitable husband, and to leave her checkered past behind. Because Antonina possesses telekinetic powers, powers she can't control, that have made her the subject of cruel gossip.

A gentleman with a secret
Famed telekinetic performer Hector Auvray is also new to the city. He arrives in Loisail with the intent of recapturing the heart of his former flame, the beautiful Valérie Beaulieu, and finds his way into her household by courting Antonina.

Astounded by Hector's abilities, which she wishes to master, and flattered by his attention, Antonina does not suspect the duplicitous drama which will unfold.

A romance with a dash of the fantastic
Set in a sumptuous world inspired by the Belle Epoque, where scandal is a dreaded weapon, The Beautiful Ones is a tale of desire and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion.




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Matters of the Heart Are the Hardest to Categorize

Let’s start off by looking at that cover!! I was immediately drawn to the vibrant green with the beautiful scroll. I was very excited about this read and I was not disappointed. From the first page Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing is captivating. Romance and scandal all wonderfully woven together with just enough pull to keep the reader turning the pages.

The Story, Antonina is a wonderful young lady with an amazing heart. She lives in a world where ladies are to be a certain way and anything else results in scandal for the families. Reputation is key and the only thing that may be more important is how much money the family has. Nina(Antonina) does not have to worry about money but her telekinetic gift means people have looked down on her since childhood. No one except her family treats her with kindness because this gift is not something “ladies” should have. Nina has found Hector and he has the same gift hoping to make a new friend and know someone who can share understanding with her she quickly becomes enamored with him. Hector has other plans and they involve only Valerie.

The Characters, You know how I feel for Nina she is the wonderful light of this story. My heart went out to her I loved getting to know her and watch her become an incredible talent with an untarnished heart. Hector is confused and hurt and he makes so many mistakes. He has a certain sense of charm that keeps drawing the reader in. Uncertain of the outcome I kept cheering for Nina so all I wanted for her was happiness. Valerie, oh boy all I can say about her is she let a certain darkness overtake her she became cruel and evil. All the beauty on the outside did nothing for the withering rotting heart within. The secondary characters added a lot of zeal to the story that created a lot of depth.

The End, Nina faces a lot of strife and heartache but she overcomes it by developing into something greater than before. Something that has always been her foundation is her family and they do not disappoint. I am happy to report everyone gets what they deserve.

My Rating
4.0 I did not want to put this down, when I had to I kept thinking about picking it back up again and what would happen next. I recommend this for anyone that loves a crazy romance with drama and a wonderful ending.










Purchase
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About the Author



Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of several novels, including Gods of Jade and Shadow. She has also edited a number of anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu's Daughters). Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination.









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