I’m so glad many Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books are being rereleased! As someone who discovered her work from Gods of Jade and Shadow it’s great to be getting to read her earlier stuff! I can’t say this one is my favorite, I’m not a huge fan of romances in general, but I’m impressed by the heterogeneity of her work.

The Beautiful Ones is set in a fantasy word that might be equivalent to the late 19th or early 20th century and concerns itself with a handful of aristocrats, or Beautiful Ones. It’s a novel of manners, love triangles, lies, and magic. I was captivated by the story and drawn to these characters, especially the very flawed but remarkably human villain. The story alternates between the point of view of the main characters so the reader gets a chance to really understand what drives them. If you like Austen-esq period dramas with a hint of telekinesis, The Beautiful Ones is for you.

Hector Auvray has loved Valerie for ten years, even though she has married another man. When Hector returns to the city of Loisail and realizes that he can get close to Valerie by pretending to court her cousin Nina, he takes the opportunity. However, things soon become more complicated than he ever intended.

This quasi-fantasy (alternate universe) regency romance comes with all the familiar regency frills such as manners mishaps, a focus on wealth and status, and a great concern with reputation. This is a fun read that was quick to get through.

Well this was just a fun novel to read. The author made a note that people who read it after reading Mexican Gothic shouldn't expect the same - and to an extent, that's true. Mexican Gothic is a true gothic novel, almost a horror novel. However, The Beautiful Ones has its own gothic tones as well, although similar to Northanger Abbey in that the horrors in The Beautiful Ones are almost worse for how mundane they are. And while The Beautiful Ones is largely silent on colonialism, race, and xenophobia, it does do a good job of showing the pervasive sexism that women during the Belle Epoche suffered under.

Nina makes for a pretty likeable heroine - naive but someone who generally knows her own mind and is willing to fight for what she wants. Although some people might find her a little annoying, especially in the first part of the book, I never found her so. Hector on the other hand could certainly be frustrating! Especially so in the first half. Like others, I definitely wanted to bop him on the head several times. But then again, Moreno-Garcia does a really good job showing his slow by study character development, from someone who can't get over his first love, no matter how awful she is, to someone who finally realizes what's right before him.

My one complaint with the book was the time spent with the "villain," Nina's cousin and Hector's first love, Valerie. To an extent, these chapters did help reveal more of her character, the damage that being forced into a loveless marriage did to her and how she's now continuing the cycle of abuse by wanting to see Nina suffer as well. But after a point, it just got redundant. Yes, we know, you're cold-hearted and so selfishly mean you don't want to see any other woman be happy. I get it! Other than that, a really enjoyable read. This is the third Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel I've read, and I've loved all of them. Definitely becoming one of my favorite authors!

This novel is really well-done! The genre-blending was perfectly balanced--historical romance + drama in a fictional, French-inspired setting, with just the right amount of fantasy to make it feel fresh and different.

I'm not normally drawn in by love triangle plots (typically cursing the man or woman who keeps stringing these poor love interests along), but the pacing and character development was just right to keep me interested and sympathetic towards Nina and Hector's courtship. I never set the book down to complain that Nina should certainly do better and marry someone who can make up their dang mind, nor did I feel that Hector was punching above his weight. It was just the perfect amount of gentle, swoon-able, slow-burn romance.

I really love how Silvia Moreno-Garcia handles fantasy in this book--it's a little more toned down than in Mexican Gothic, but was still believable and intriguing. Telekinesis was seamlessly incorporated into her setting in a way that made it feel balanced, but significant. The telekinetic characters had to grapple with their "talent" (as it's called) in interesting ways, neither becoming overly-powerful nor overly-persecuted.

The only thing I disliked was that the ending was a little too...gentle? I wanted a greater reckoning, truthfully! Everything is resolved quite neatly, which I didn't find overly-satisfying.

A novel of manners, magic, and unrequited love. Nina's first Grand Season brings heartbreak as she discovers that her love interest may have ulterior motives. For fans of Jane Austen and Erin Morgenstern

I really enjoyed The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A beautiful story of love and betrayal. I was rooting for Nina throughout the entire story.

Antonina, Nina, was at the age to start looking for a husband. She wasn’t the average child though. She had a talent in telekinesis that was very frowned upon. It wasn’t very ladylike and attracted the wrong kind of attention. She finds Hector Auvrey at a party and knows he is also telekinetic. He begins to mentor her, knowing that her cousin is married to the love of his life. He has found his way back into Valerie’s life. What follows is the love and betrayal I mentioned earlier.

Thank you Macmillan-Tor and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I will definitely read more of Moreno-Garcia’s books.

Each book of Silvia Moreno-Garcia deals with a different genre which is so interesting to me. The beautiful ones draws inspirations from romantic classics, sprinkled in with some fantasy. Regardless of the style or genre the author pursues, she manages to pull it off brilliantly. As usual, the author's writing is beautiful and atmospheric. The pacing of the book is a bit slow, but it still managed to keep me interested in the story. Characters were fleshed out and well-developed. All in all, a great book that I would recommend to everyone!

I love all of the books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and this was no exception!! I was so grateful for the opportunity to read and review this through Net Galley. This story was captivating and beautifully written and, as usual, she tells such a wonderful story you are left wanting more and thinking about the characters long after you finish the book!

A unique take on an old story. The characters are well developed though generally fall into a recognizable type. The introduction of sci-fi/fantasy elements into what is otherwise a straightforward novel of manners adds a layer of intrigue. About halfway through the ending became quite obvious and I wasn't proven wrong. Ultimately though it was a nice way to get there and did not detract from the overall enjoyment.

Nina has telekinetic abilities, which isn't considered ladylike and she is at odds with her cousin Valerie. After meeting Nina at a party, telekinetic entertainer Hector decides to pursue her to get closer to Valerie, the woman he is truly interested in. He helps Nina master her telekinetic abilities, but his secret for courting her could destroy their relationship when she discovers the truth.

I enjoyed the way the historical feel intertwined with the fantasy elements. This is a character-driven slow burn told from all 3 points of view. The story made me pity Nina for the secret Valerie and Hector were hiding from her. I do wish I would have liked Hector more, but courting Nina to get closer to Valerie caused me to dislike him and Valerie from the start too much. Great story for those who like love triangles and fantasy takes on socialites.

There’s intrigue and romance aplenty in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s fantasy set in a world inspired by late 1800s France. It’s Austenesque in its focus on manners, with a dash of Wuthering Heights level drama, and a pinch of fantasy. It’s an addictive recipe sure to keep you reading.

2 stars = it was okay

The Beautiful Ones tells the story of three people whose lives are interwoven and paths get crossed when Hector Auvray comes to Loisail, where his former love currently lives. Nina Beaulieu is also currently living in town, and she expresses great interest in Hector's telekinesis ability, as she herself wants to get control of her own. The story unfolds when Nina boldly introduces herself to Hector, and he realizes the opportunity he has when he realizes a door has been opened to the Beaulieu household.

The first thing I must say when I start this review is that I haven't read Mexican Gothic, so I didn't have the expectations that some people did. However, I still had high expectations and, unfortunately, I found that this genre of story is not for me. The story is very slow-paced and I wasn't interested in the characters enough to enjoy the description of their slow-paced days. I nearly DNF'd it but I kept expecting something to happen due to the interesting telekinesis aspect (which it didn't, really). So I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who isn't a fan of slow stories about everyday life, because it will be a difficult read.

Aside from that, I just really didn't feel the love that the characters had for each other at all. Not even the 10-year-wait-and-yearn was convincing to me. It all felt very bland, and even when I read the pretty words towards the end, which would normally attack my heart, I just didn't believe them. I know many people have loved the romance in this book so maybe it's a me-problem, but. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Although this book didn't work for me, I still hope to read and enjoy other works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia :)

This one surprised me!

While I was not a huge fan of Mexican Gothic, I loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing. This book gave me everything I was looking for in a regency romance after the Bridgerton hype early this year.

And a new cover to fit the gorgeous contents, you can’t go wrong with this novel.

This one's going to surprise fans of MEXICAN GOTHIC.

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES is a lush, romantic fantasy. Everything you love about Moreno-Garcia's writing is here: impeccable prose, well-crafted characters, strong plotting and pacing. But fans coming for the pulpy horror of GOTHIC are going to encounter a much lighter, diaphanous world tinted with magic.

It's a fun ride. Moreno-Garcia is a master storyteller, and it's really fun to see her excel no matter what genre she's writing in. This one's memorable, and it's a must for fans of fantasy-tinged romance.

This is considered a supernatural comedy of errors but I imagine those who enjoy magical realism will enjoy this as well. It is in an imagined world but one that looks like ours of the past, though we don't have a date/era to ground us into the story. It is a slower paced novel that both adults and young adults could enjoy, I think it is considered adult but I would feel comfortable recommending it to those who like YA. I did not enjoy the romance aspect of this story as much as I was hoping to.

I really enjoyed this book. Not quite as much as Mexican Gothic, but the prose and the flow of this story made it a thoroughly lovely read.

For someone who grew up obsessed by magicians, slight-of-hand, and magic tricks, reading Patricia C. Wrede’s “Mairelon the Magician,” and Alexander Lloyd’s “The Rope Trick,” this book was like an homage to some of my childhood favourites, all grown up.

I’d definitely recommend the book, and look forward to future stories by this author!

Choices determined by station or lost station. A broken engagement,a determined suitor, a naive but spirited young woman. Here are the elements that drive this wondrous story. The social season in Loisail is ruled by tradition and the socially prominent. Hector Auvray entertains the wealthy with magic of the “ mind”. He moves objects. A craft he shares with Nina a young woman from a wealthy family who indulges her eccentricity and pins their hopes on her finding a “suitable “ match this season. Her cousin presses his wife to oversee her season in the city. What no one knows is Hector and Valerie know each other and his return spells chaos for Valerie. Hector has returned to be near Valerie and to do that he seeks out the naive Nina , who uses her skills to move objects to engage Hector. The restrictions and mores that dictate decorum are on full display. In courting young Nina something awakens in Hector,and infuriates Valerie. The ending is worthy of Fitzgerald. Happy reading

A lovely work of historical fiction with just enough magic to satisfy this lover of magical realism. The intrigue, the genuine and complex characters, and the larger question of what it means to belong drive this story on in the best way.

If you appreciate period fiction or stories about magic, this book won't disappoint.

Absolutely splendid. The Beautiful Ones has that elegantly-paced weaving of storyline with character centric plot that most classics have. But with a touch of magic. This is my second read from Moreno-Garcia and I can’t help but notice how she tends to entwine magic into her stories with such carefully placed nonchalance.

I will say, this book is a bit fluffier and more romantic in nature than my usual reads. What can I say? I was in a mood.

Our story focuses on three main characters as they each struggle with their feelings for one another and their place within a society of Old Money Socialites, The Beautiful Ones as they are so humbly referred to.

Antonina (Nina) Beaulieu is a young girl making her first rounds in society under the tutelage (read as “oppressing thumb”) of her cousin’s wife, Valérie Beaulieu.

While Nina prefers the quiet recesses of nature and books, Valérie remains completely obsessed with her name and its reputation. She is vain, steely, and harshly composed at all times...an unyielding rock. Because she views Nina as a rambling dolt of a child, she tends to be rather crass with her, often chiding her for what she seems as less than comely behavior amongst other socialites.

Enter Hector Auvray. Though we meet him right away, his connection to the Beaulieu family and his true intentions don’t become entirely apparent to Nina until much later.

What begins as a tired tale of a hopeless love triangle, quickly turns into an emblazoned love square.

As Hector and Nina draw closer to one another and Nina grows in her “talents” under Hector’s wings, events turn volatile and emotions run high.

This book will leave you utterly filled to the brim with frustration at times, but if there’s one thing that can be said about Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, it is that she can truly piece together a breathtaking tale. This slow climb is truly an ascent up a steep mountain and a quick tumult down.

I enjoyed every page, no matter how infuriating at times, and the qualities that caused me to fondly remember classics such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice were simply icing on the cake.

Moreno-Garcia is never scant on the details and I love how character driven her plots are. She seems to understand the nuances of human emotion so purely.

I think it goes without saying, but i will say it nonetheless: this book is nothing like Mexican Gothic. If that is the only work you have read by Moreno-Garcia, the shock of it may be a bit much for you. *fans self*
But I find no fault in an author having widely varied stories to tell. In fact, I prefer it this way. That being said, don’t come here expecting Mexican Gothic vibes.

This is a purely romantic Historical Fiction that takes place in what I believe to be The Gilded Age, or the late 1800s - early 1900s in France.

Anyway, READ IT. Read everything she writes. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

This story takes place in an alternate history and resembles late 1800s France. Our main characters are sweet Nina, the viscous Valerie, and quiet yet cunning Hector. Their story of love and loss is a slow burn. This book was beautifully written. I feel in love with the amazing detailed descriptions of the opulent wardrobes and houses of each of the characters. While this book straddles various genres, I would say this is mostly a romantic gothic. I don't think this story was my cup of tea. For me, it was hard to root for Hector as a romantic hero since he was gaslighting so many of the characters in the beginning. I don't think there was enough done in the second half to redeem his character. The story was also slow and mainly revolves around our three main characters, which was something I was not expecting from this book. I do wish it included more world building or explanation of Nina or Hector's telekinetic abilities. If you are in for a slow burn, dark romance, this is the book for you!