DNF

The fact Nina was one of the only people who didn't know that Hector not only knew who she was but knew who the other people in her life would've been fine on its own. But the fact that we got Hectors point-of-view and watched Nina make a fool of herself. I was also not enjoying the fact that we had to read Hector point-of-view and read his thoughts as all the events that took place made me very uncomfortable. I couldn't get over it.

But as always, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing was beautiful and the concept was interesting.

I absolutely loved, loved, loved this!

The Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, really? More like hypocrites and narcissists.... vanity, egotistic admiration of one’s idealised self-image and attributes! Pathological self-absorption. That’s exactly how Silvia Moreno-Garcia characterises The Beautiful Ones.

All in all this is a love triangle set in the early 20th century. Then throw in a paranormal element, betrayal, revenge and retribution and here we have a powerful plot.

It is spectacular; well written with great character development. I didn’t like many of the intriguing and complex characters, then again I wasn’t supposed to, they made the story.

Antonina Beaulieu, she prefers to be called Nina, is an innocent 19 year old who is preparing for her debut into society. Nina stays with her cousin Gaetan and his wife Valerie so that she can attend the Grand Season of balls. With the intention of being introduced to her future, very wealthy husband, she is paraded as an eligible catch to a host of similarly high-born suitors.

Valerie is a bitch! And I mean a real bitch! She treats Nina abominably. She is a villain; cruel, spiteful, mean and so, so venomous! Great characterisation. What a temperament!

However, Nina isn’t a narcissist, she is a really sweet young lady, who knows what she wants and will do as she pleases. She is different, she loves insects and beetles and has telekinetic skills, all of which her family endeavours to keep a secret. So much shame!

Then we’re introduced to the entertainer, Hector Auvray who is an accomplished telekinetic, a person who Nina seeks out at the very start. They become friends, he embraces Nina’s skills and helps her develop control and improve them positively.

Naturally, Nina falls in love with Hector, who unfortunately is behaving like a bit of a cad as he has secrets and is using Nina as a way in which to ingratiate himself with Gaetan and Valerie. Heartache is inevitable.

Moreno-Garcia goes into so much detail about the clothing styles and architectural features. The scandal, gossip and passion oozes out of each page. I have highlighted an inordinate amount of sentences and paragraphs that impressed me whilst reading this novel. I am compelled to read more books written by this author.

I don’t want to reveal any triggers here, so don’t want to go into too much detail, just buy the book and read it.

Excerpt:

“You know what is wrong with you, Valérie? You think everyone has the same low opinion of the world that you have. But the world need not be cruel and everyone in it a jackal. And affection need not be a terror and a curse and agony. It is only that you wish it to be that way.” Pity. He was looking at her with pity, the look one might spare a beggar holding up a grubby, shaking hand. Her palm collided with his cheek. He stood unmoving. Caught in his cold stare, it was she who was forced to retreat, to blink away the salt from her eyes. “You’ll regret crossing me,” she whispered. “I am sure of it.” Valérie snatched her hat from the chair and put it on, rushing toward the door. She stopped by the entrance to give him one last look. “Best forget about the girl, Hector. I won’t let you have her. Ever.”

Thank you Quercus Books, Jo Fletcher, NetGalley and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for this ARC provided in exchange for my unbiased review.

This spring Nina has a chance to join her cousin and his wife Valerie during the Grand Season. Her debut didn’t start as she wished. It was caused by her struggles to control her telekinesis abilities. She became a subject of gossip for many high-positioned people in society. When the entertainer Hector Auvray arrives in town, Nina’s main goal is to meet him. He’s telekinetic like her, however, he was able to base his carrier around it.
When they meet for the first time, he sees potential in her and tries to help her to master her talent. As her skills are getting better, her love for Hector is blossoming in her. However, she doesn’t know that the love she develops in her heart isn’t mutual.

Hector arrived in town with only one goal, to find the woman he loves. A few years back they fell madly in love with each other. Before Hector left with a promise to make his name and status in the society, he proposed to Valerie. However, before he succeeded she broke the engagement and married a rich and high-positioned man. Now when Hector is back in town he tries to get closer to her despite her marriage to another man. When he meets the cousin of Valerie’s husband, he sees the opportunity to get closer to Valerie, and he takes it.

Book Review

I heard about Silvia Moreno-Garcia books before, however, I’ve never read any of them before. After reading this novel, I have the feeling I will read them all. This book was spectacular. The story isn’t extraordinary, however, the writing, and the characters are. The writing skills of the author made this book feel special. Every page was dragging me in and didn’t want to let go. I didn’t want to finish reading this book too fast because I wanted to savor it as long as I could.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the time when Hector trains Nina and helps her to explore her talents in the right way. I could feel that the feelings between them were born. I was very upset when Hector noticed it too late. He still had Valerie in his head. I couldn’t understand how he could keep being devoted to a woman like Valerie. One conversation with her, and I knew she has venom in her veins. The only thing she ever cared about is her. She was using anyone she could to benefit from it. Thankfully, he wasn’t blind till the end of the book, and he changed his actions. Even if he knew that it’s too late for him to go back to Nina, he still tried in the best way possible. He has shown her that he’s the only person around here that listens to her and accepts her the way she is. No changes are needed.

Hector is a good and simple man. He believes in love and tries to always follow his heart even if he knows from the start that he’s in a lost position. I didn’t like the part that he was tricking Nina, just to get closer to Valerie, but he was punished for it soon after. As much as I liked him, I think he deserved what Valerie did to him. He was trying to break her marriage and used Nina to make it happen. However, he knew he did wrong and slowly was repairing what he did wrong. He was even ready to take the death shot for it. I think he will always regret his actions.

Nina is such a sweet and energized young lady. She was never interested in being proper. She wanted to develop her telekinesis skills and find true love with a man who will accept her. Through pain and tears, she finally found her place in the world. Many people around her tried to use her for their benefits but thankfully she avoided it all and found her happily ever after.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Quercus Books for providing me with a copy of this amazing book. I cannot wait to read more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books. I’m fascinated by her writing style and the stories she shares with us.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Quercus Books and Jo Fletcher books, for the chance to read and review this book!

Nina wants to join the Beautiful Ones, Loisail's most notable socialites and this spring may be her chance, thanks to her cousin's connections. But, even though the Grand Season is just begun, her debut was disastrous. She is telekinetic and she has always struggled with her powers, causing cruel whisperings and making her subject of gossip.
Everything changes when she meets Hector Auvray, a famous entertainer, with her same power, using it to perform for admiring audience. Hector sees her for her potential, not as a witch, as the others do and she dazzled by him. Under his tutelage, her power and control of her magic blossoms, as her love for him. But secrets and bitter truths risk to ruin everything between them.

The Beautiful Ones is a story about romance, love, a tale with magic and power, betrayal and passion, scandal and gossip. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing style is lush and evocative, creating a story filled with intriguing and complex characters, dramas and melodramas, paranormal and realism, adventure and love in a rollercoaster of emotion and plot twists. Nina and Hector are amazing characters, complex, brilliant, compelling in their thoughts, secrets and actions.
I loved reading the story, because the author possesses a skillful way to capture the reader attention since the first page, refusing to letting it go until the very end of the story.

2.5 stars

You ever want to like a book more than you actually did? That was sadly the case for me with this book.

The Beautiful Ones tells the story of Nina, who arrives in Loisail for The Grand Season. While at a ball she meets Hector, a telekinetic performer, who is initially uninterested in her, but develops an interest once he learns of her family name. Nina happens to be the cousin of a man who married his first love. A love he still pines for.

What commences is a tangled mess of a love story that, at times, felt like a real chore to get through.

The characters were well developed, though apart from Nina I didn’t find many of them particularly likable or memorable. Nina was charming in her innocence and the way she tried to navigate a world that was new to her.

This book felt like reading a historical romance of a telenovela; there was a lot of bitterness, manipulation, heartbreak and scandal.

But despite all this I still found the story dull and this was also a very slow paced read, there were large chunks of the book where I felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. Nor did I particularly connect or care about any of the characters.

I especially struggled to get through the various character’s melodramatic narration when there was no dialogue.And the paranormal element which I was looking forward to reading more about felt very sidelined.

On paper this has everything I would want from a book; a love story with a paranormal element, a charming historical setting and some beautiful writing. However, for me, none of these seemed to come together to create a compelling and engaging story.

Overall, beautiful cover art aside, this book didn’t do much for me. However, I’m still really looking forward to checking out other works from this author.

If you like a slow burn historical romance with a slight paranormal element and messy love story, then The Beautiful Ones could be a story for you.

“Do you remember what it was to be young?" She asked. "Every trouble would be solved by sundown, and every dawn you'd have a new chance to remake the world.”


It’s one thing to come across a book that I love to the point where it shapes my identity, it’s another when I come across an author whose any and all works I feel compelled to read. My relationship with Silvia Moreno Garcia’s books (I have so far read two, three more are on my TBR) are much softer, but sturdier. What I mean to say is that with The Beautiful Ones, I became convinced that any genre Moreno-Garcia might dip her toes in, I would be more than happy to follow. She is an auto-buy author now. Because see, The Beautiful Ones bear no similarities to Moreno-Garcia’s other novel I have read, Mexican Gothic, though they share the same character-driven quality and the kind of prose that switches between the characters’ inner worlds and the narrative itself naturally. It’s possible to see this in The Beautiful Ones as well, in the way Valerie’s malicious thoughts about Nina seep through the narration or how Nina feels about Valerie in return.

The Beautiful Ones was first published in 2017, this edition has a brand new cover and I’m glad I got to read it no matter how late. It’s “a novel of manners” and a romance, it’s a fantasy “for readers who like their fantasy more mundane than epic”, it’s a period drama with telekinesis. Nina Beaulieu, a debutante who comes to the glittering city of Loisail for her Grand Season, is made to feel like she does not belong in the Beautiful Ones, members of high society who shun her ability of telekinesis as witchcraft and base tricks. She reminds me of Harriet from Jane Austen’s Emma a bit in that she is an impressionable young girl who is swayed by her cousin’s wife Valerie’s perceptions of a proper lady but struggles to conform to the stereotype in many ways. Soon after we meet her she develops a crush on Hector, a performer who ever since he can remember has been on the stage performing with the help of his telekinetic powers. He has his own reasons for coming to Loisail, however, and soon enough the threads between these players become even more tangled.

I would recommend this book to any reader who might prefer a dash of fantasy in their romances. As a reader leaning more on fantasy I expected the telekinesis aspect of the novel to be different, more pronounced, but I still appreciated that it was utilised in a way that puts emphasis on Nina’s position in society and to show how the Beautiful Ones define beauty. In the end, truths are revealed about that beauty through Nina and through her powers. As for the romance, I enjoyed seeing how dynamics of the unrequited love between Nina and Hector were reversed. Societal pressure and expectations are just one of the obstacles that they faced, but it was so strong that it felt like a force of its own.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an E-ARC of The Beautiful Ones for review.

DNF @ 33%

I've read and loved three of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novels, but unfortunately, The Beautiful Ones is the first of her works that isn't for me. While I was intrigued that it was a novel of manners and romance, the story didn't manage to engage me enough for me to be invested in anything that was happening. Moreover, I do not mind reading about unlikable characters, but my issue with The Beautiful Ones was that it didn't have any character that I found interesting, or wanted to read about. All in all, I just personally wasn't the right audience for the book, but I'm sure other readers will love this book.

This story was so pretty!

I read Mexican Gothic last year and loved it (it haunted me for weeks after) but The Beautiful Ones is entirely its own story. I am generally a fan of magical realism and girl power, which this story definitely has a lot of in Nina, the heroine. I also love a mysterious and flawed male lead / love interest, which again, this story has a lot of in Hector. The Beautiful Ones also has a sort of otherworldly vibe that is completely absorbing. It was a novel that I just had to keep reading.

Really my only critiques are that 1. the dialogue could seem overly clunky and formal at times (obvs that was the point, but just my taste) and 2. the concept of The Beautiful Ones themselves wasn't very clearly explained.

That aside, I wasn't ready for the story to finish when it did. I want more!

Solid 4.5*

Silvia Moreno-Garcia never fails to draw me in with her beautiful writing and atmospheric worlds and The Beautiful Ones truly delivered and even ascended beyond my expectations! Thank you so much to the publisher for reaching out and sending me an ARC of this book.

I had to admit I didn't know what I was delving into as I started this since the book fairly started super slow and I was actually quite lost as to how telekinesis fits in with a romance book, but BOY was I totally and pleasantly surprised at how well these two meshed together. This was a character-driven story and I really enjoyed seeing the growth of both Nina and Hector in the book! It was nice to see them both sorting out their feelings after going through so much which in turn culminated into their own happily-ever-after~!

This book also introduced me to a villain that I literally loved to hate. Valerie was exceedingly mean to Nina and very, very petty that I really wanted to reach into the screen of my phone to give her a well-deserved slap (or two, if I''m being honest), but there is a bitterness to her struggle that I couldn't help but sympathize with--Valerie has no freedom to love who she wants, burdened to uphold her family name, and a loveless marriage. It's no wonder why she became the bitter and petty woman that she is. Still, I think she deserved the consequences she gained. You reap what you sow.

All in all, this book was a gem! I really enjoyed reading every page of it and this has finally cemented Silvia Moreno-Garcia's place in my list of auto-buy authors. 5, glowing stars~

6/10 stars

My full review can be found on my blog (link attached).

Another of recently re-published novels, with a new (very sumptuous and eye-catching) cover, The Beautiful Ones has been my first unsolicited NetGalley book – hurray! 😊 I’ve received more titles since then (and I’m still struggling with saying no), but that old-new Moreno-Garcia’s novel definitely caught my eye. Having read and enjoyed Mexican Gothic, I expected The Beautiful Ones to be similarly dark and unsettling. The blurb promised secret bitter truths, magic and telekinesis, so I envisioned a fin de siècle vampire story, somewhere along the lines of Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (no, I haven’t read that one, I’ve only watched the movie 😉). Alas, I should’ve listened to the reviewers who claim that no two Moreno-Garcia’s novels are alike – because this one turned out to be a very straightforward historical romance, or novel of manners, with a slight fantasy twist. To be honest, I felt that the fantasy elements were mostly decorative, and I had a distinct impression that they were there for a single purpose only – for one scene at the very end.

Let’s be clear: I don’t read romances. Not because I’d never touch them with a ten-foot pole (though I’m getting there) but because I have already read a few, mostly historical ones, and my observations to date indicate that 1) they are generally following a very simple formula; and 2) I just don’t like them. I don’t find myself interested or even slightly invested in the daring adventures of hearts, in the usually contrived obstacles between star-crossed lovers, and in the dramatic resolutions. No, not even Austen (gasp!).

Imagine my conundrum with The Beautiful Ones, then – which is as simplistic in terms of cast and as baroque in terms of plot convolutions as it can get away with. The plot especially seems like something taken straight from numerous Latin American soap operas, with multigenerational families, secrets from the past, and beautiful, cold women. I was close to DNFing this one despite the evocative, trademark Moreno-Garcia’s prose, because veritably all characters seemed to be ready-made by the same romance-churning machines: walking stereotypes engaged in predetermined actions. Charming, sure, but not even considering not toeing the line of romance conformity. And yet, I’m glad I persevered and finished this book, because even if it didn’t change my opinion of romances as a literary genre, I was still pleasantly surprised by the feminist twists on the age-old patterns.

[...]

And because of that wilful abandon The Beautiful Ones turned out to be quite enjoyable after all. All the winks and nods to classics, not only in plot construction but even in the choice of tells and metaphors (pearls, white roses and tulips, hair up or down, blondes vs brunettes, etc.) are accompanied by the slightly subversive message of female agency, very much in play even in the world apparently ruled by males. Of course, The Beautiful Ones doesn’t paint either sex as particularly bright, and it conforms to another old adage, that while the man is the head of the family, it’s the woman who is the neck that turns the head. Even the male look is directed and managed by women who dictate the styles in vogue, who build their own prison of norms and rules, destroying one another with pointed words and well-placed whispers. Still, while nothing new or eye-opening, The Beautiful Ones is done in style, because style is what Moreno-Garcia has in spades. Just look at that cover! 😉

All in all, if you’re prepared for what you’re getting – i.e. a straightforward, languidly moving romance in a historical/fantastical setting, you may be quite pleasantly surprised. For me, it was an enjoyable experience which nevertheless won’t change my views on romance: this one time was enough for the foreseeable future 😉. That said, I will certainly read more by Moreno-Garcia; she has a wonderful way with words and an enviable ability to create evocative, vivid imagery.

I have received a copy of this book from the publisher Tor/Forge/Quercus Books & Jo Fletcher Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

A character driven book full of romance, magic and drama. Reading the synopsis gave me Bridgerton vibes with a twist of magic, and I was not disappointed. I'll admit it started slow but push through and it will pay off. I would recommend to any romance readers looking to branch into fantasy, Bridgerton watchers patiently waiting for the next season & of course, Silvia Moreno-Garcia fans. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy.
4 Stars.

Beautifully written, sensitively done. I'm not a huge romance reader, however this one swept me away. It is angsty and sweeping and the characters were wonderfully vivid. Sometimes I found Nina a bit irritating, but I guess that's to be expected as she is naive to the world.

I'm always stunned by how wonderfully versatile Moreno-Garcia is as a writer. Fantastic.

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was a surprisingly delightful read. When I started reading I was hesitant about the story and the writing seemed a bit clunky but by the 30% mark I was enthralled by the characters and invested in their tale.

At its core, The Beautiful Ones is about love and consequences thereof. It is about love but not at the right time or at the right place. This leads to a lot of drama which was very entertaining to read. Moreno-Garcia captures the essence of the historical era and uses strict social conventions of the time to construct her conflict. The time period and fictional setting work in Moreno-Garcia’s favour and makes the book a delight to read.

Antonina, the main character, reminded me very much of myself and I appreciated her impulsive nature and her inner wildness. Her love for the natural world and the outdoors contrasts beautifully with the vanity and materialistic nature of the city and Valérie’s life. Hector is, of course, the dashing hero of the day and I could not help but sympathise with him. His struggle of making a name for himself in a society that cares only about one’s name is a great backdrop for his romantic adventure.

The inclusion of the fantastical added another layer of intrigue to this book and I found that Antonina and Hector’s shared abilities drew them closer together. Their quiet moments together, learning their art of psychokinesis together, were some of my favourite scenes from the book.

The pace of this book was quite slow but I didn’t even notice it. Moreno-Garcia writes in such a way that you forget the world around you and suddenly you realise you’ve been reading for hours without looking up. I really had the best time reading The Beautiful Ones. It ripped me straight out of my little reading slump and made me excited to pick up a book again.

Overall, this was a heartwarming historical romance with lots of conflict and drama created by the characters themselves. If you need a book to drag you out of your reading slump, put a smile on your face and make you forget the world for a little while, I would definitely recommend The Beautiful Ones.

Thank you to NetGalley and JoFletcher Books for ARC with an exchange honest reviews.

This is a re-published book with better cover and more beautiful than before.

4 stars

I loved it how this love triangle was not too hard to pick which side. I had the highest sympathy to Nina since I can related to her. She was a hopeless romantic girl and so do I. Never born as a lady, just born to be herself. Plus, she was gifted with telekinesis which differentiate her from others except Hector, At first, I was frustrated how dumb she was at the first place but probably as she was still young and never knew what is love all about. However after that she was developed her character into more realistic woman.

I would also like to applaud Valerie's character as she managed to make me feel sick about her and she was a good antagonist character. Is this a feminist book somehow? as I found out all male character in this book are just stupid except Etienne??? the only sane male character.

For the plot, I admitted it was a simple and quite typical soap opera drama plot. Hence, it's easy to follow but still it's interesting and I still stick in reading it till the end. This also reminds me of Jane Austen-ish plot but plus the family drama.

Overall, this book is entertaining and deserve to give attention to it. Another different genre which Silvia still managed to steal our attention.

****Will be posting in Goodreads separately due to technical errors****

think Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a genius and has an unparalleled range. I absolutely loved Mexican Gothic and Gods of Jade and Shadow so I was excited for this book and I’m so glad that I truly adored it so much.

This book has a gorgeous prose which draws you in. In a slow paced character driven book, this book hooks you right from page one with it’s compelling characters and intriguing story. It has beautifully layered characters which will have you invested in the story. If you’re looking for character driven historical romance with beautiful writing, setting and amazing overall vibes, I highly recommend The Beautiful Ones💫

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was a great read!

For my romance reader friends, I would classify this as literary fiction that plays with a romance novel structure and definitely has a lots of the elements rather than a true romance novel. However, it still satisfied my romance reader heart!

The book is set a late 1800s French/European-esque alternate universe and readers who are familiar with historical romances will immediately pick up on the social niceties and social structures that frames this story. But, ah! The author provides a story of manners with a twist!

What if some people were also telekinetic?

Our heroine, Nina, a country bumpkin is sent to town for the social season. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite take, as not only Nina’s manners are unpolished, she has an unattractive interest in insects and worst of all, occasionally sends things bumping into the night when she loses control of her telekinesis.

This inability to control her power is what draws her to Hector, the male MC, who is the premiere telekinetic in all the lands. Hector came from humble beginnings, but garnered wealth and adulation through his talent. He is seemingly kind to Nina and helps with her training her telekinesis and she quickly falls for him. However, unknown to her, he has a history with her cousin’s wife and his courtship might not be all it appears to be.

Within this romantic setting, I really enjoyed this character driven story. Nina with her puppyish energy and determination, and stoic Hector with his deeply buried but intense feelings were really compelling characters. In particular, Nina’s character development was truly a delight to follow as she is put through her paces in the narrative.

I also really enjoyed villainous Valerie, who used her beauty and grace to claw herself a place in their society. She is a survivor and I admired that element of her character a great deal.

All in all, I enjoyed this character driven story of manners with a small fantasy twist and other romance readers should give this a try!

I can always count on Silvia Moreno-Garcia to create a wondrous world that I’m bound to get lost in. No matter what genre she chooses, I know that I’m going to be transported delicately and all at once. The Beautiful Ones was no exception to this.

In The Beautiful Ones we are introduced to what it means to live in, and survive in, high society where in one breath you may be loved but then in the next you may be scorned, especially if you don’t fit societal expectations. This is a character led novel of manners, which reminded me of the first time I read Austen – I fell in love then and I’m falling in love now. There is such a beauty in simplicity and a wonder in the day-to-day experiences that you often don’t get to truly value unless you slow down and take a breath.

The characters in this novel are not meant to be perfect, but they are crafted wonderfully and you get to appreciate and understand where they are coming from, even if you don’t necessarily understand (or approve of) their choices or their actions. The magic subtly interwoven made it feel like it wasn’t otherworldly, but was just something that was, for those who had the talent. It wasn’t in your face, it was just there.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to be an auto-buy author for me and I am absolutely thrilled to see where we get taken next and what experience she has next in store for us. Wherever we go and whoever we follow, I will be there.

Thank you to Jo Fletcher Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review, and to Jo Fletcher Books for providing me the opportunity to take part in the Social Media Blast for the book release.

My thanks to Quercus Books/Jo Fletcher Books for a review copy via NetGalley of ‘The Beautiful Ones’ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Beautiful Ones’ is a historical romance with a touch of the paranormal. It is one of the author’s early novels, initially published in 2017 and now republished in various formats, including an unabridged audiobook edition, narrated by Imani Jade Powers.

Antonina (Nina) Beaulieu is about to make her debut during the Grand Season in Loisail, courtesy of her well connected cousin and Valérie, his beautiful wife. Valérie is one of the Beautiful Ones, Loisail's most notable socialites, and this will be Nina's chance to join their ranks.

However, Nina is different to most young women of her class and is genuinely more interested in nature and collecting bright beetles and butterflies than in gossip, gowns and balls. She also has the power of telekinesis. Yet this gift tends to manifest in haphazard ways and has led to some maliciously dubbing her the Witch of Oldhouse.

Hector Auvray is a renowned entertainer with his own telekinetic talents. Nina is dazzled by Hector, who sees her not as a witch but as a young woman ripe with magical potential. Yet although Nina is strongly drawn to Hector, his heart has belonged to another for some years.....

Will there be tears before bedtime? I don’t wish to spoil this enchanting novel with too many details, so will say no more.

Each of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novels are quite different to one another and she also skilfully straddles genres. ‘The Beautiful Ones’ is at heart an exquisitely fashioned comedy of manners that unfolds at an elegant, measured pace. It captivated me from its opening through to the final satisfying page.

I adored Nina and she reminded me very much of the classic heroines found in the Gothic romances that I adored when younger. She might be innocent and naive with a head full of fairytales and dreams of handsome princes but she is also intelligent, spirited and determined to be herself despite the restrictions of society.

The telekinetic talent shared by Hector and Nina added an extra dimension to the narrative. There is some melodrama in the story though I didn’t feel that this was overused and rather enhanced the drama, again keeping with the tradition of romantic suspense.

Since reading ‘The Gods of Jade and Shadow’ in 2019, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has become one of my favourite authors. Whether writing fantasy, horror or romance (and combinations of the same) her writing is elegant, rich in description and filled with characters that come vividly to life.

On a side note while I know that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the design depicting a portrait of Nina is exquisite. Happily, the beauty of the cover is reflected within.

‘The Beautiful Ones’ is a novel that I certainly plan on recommending widely.

A very strong 3.5 stars

I'm familiar with Moreno-Garcia's work through Mexican Gothic and Gods of Jade and Shadow , and I absolutely loved her ideas, her approaches, her worldbuilding and her heroines. So when I was offered a copy of The Beautiful Ones, I was really excited to read a fantasy of manners, considering how she had approached her gothic work. Also, having read The Midnight Bargain a little while ago, I was interested to see how the two compared. But this time around, The Beautiful Ones didn't quite land for me.

The story follows Antonina "Nina" Beaulieu, on her first Grand Season. Under the tutelage and instructions of her cousin Gaétan and his calculating wife, Valérie, Nina is ready to debut into the society of Loisail. But rumours dog her: for Nina has a talent (telekinesis), which she has long struggled to control and indeed she is sometimes known as the Witch of Oldhouse, something that might impact her chance of securing a good husband. But when she is introduced to Hector Auvray, there is a chance for her to find someone who can help her control her gift. As romance blooms between them, Nina is unaware that Hector is hiding a devastating secret, one that might threaten not just their relationship, but also Nina's heart.

Well, this is first and foremost a romance. The magic (telekinesis) and the setting (an alternative post-industrial not quite France) are only so much window dressing, because I didn't actually feel like they served much of a point here. Nina's quirkiness is not just because of her telekinesis, but also because she is not part of the Beautiful Ones, people like her Valérie, who are gorgeous, whose beauty dazzles and wows. Nina's interests are also perhaps... uncouth for a young woman of her station, so the deck truly feels stacked against her. But she is by far the most sympathetic character of the narrative and her trials and tribulations just feel so real that there were a few moments in the books when I actually found myself crying, in desperation and upset at her problems. But the rest of the cast is... difficult. Hector himself is a complicated man and his past comes back to haunt him. Watching his relationship to Nina bloom was lovely, even if in the beginning he is clearly deceiving her; as the narrative progresses however, he clearly has a change of heart, one that affects how he sees her, and how he sees his own relationship with the rest of high society in Loisail. Valérie, however, is a vile character and I found absolutely nothing redeemable about her. I tried, for a long time, to try and find some level of sympathy for her but simply couldn't. She has no heart at all and her selfishness, her cruelty, her behaviour never seems to improve. I really thought that she might have a change of heart, something that might actually make her see the error of her ways - but no such luck.

I don't actually mind that this is a romance with a fantasy backdrop to it, but once again I try to think about The Midnight Bargain and how it seems that both authors are trying to write a fantasy of manners with a very feminist twist. Unfortunately, I don't necessarily see Moreno-Garcia succeeded in this endeavour in the way that Polk did; Nina is a much more passive protagonist than Beatrice ever was, and her approach to everything up until the halfway point seems to be to wait for things to happen. Valérie's cruelty never stops and by the end she is almost a caricature of a madwoman - I wasn't really that impressed with how her narrative ended, because it felt rushed and just... over. Done with. It didn't feel satisfactory. And this ties in with my issues with the pacing of the book, that there are certain sections where nothing much seems to happen, only for a crescendo to build and then crash against the reader like a wave. For a book that's less than 300 pages long, it drags at times.

However, I don't want people to think I absolutely hated this book, because I very much didn't. The romance is believable and realistic and the way that Hector and Nina grow to trust each other actually felt well done. She matures throughout the book, but so does he, as he learns to let go of the past and actually embrace a future with her. I was absolutely rooting for them at the end, even as I knew that their happily ever after was going to happen (again, it's a romance). The fantasy of manners aspect is really well done, with balls and galas and the threat of gossip and shame hanging over Nina at every turn. It truly speaks to Moreno-Garcia's skill as a writer that she's able to craft these worlds and bring such interesting perspectives to different fictional genres. Although it's a completely different novel from Mexican Gothic or Gods of Jade and Shadow, it immediately felt recognisable as one of her works and it solidifies her place among a group of authors whose works I would deliberately seek out. Also, the fact that she is able to elicit such strong emotions in me (pity for Hector, sympathy for Nina, repulsion for Valérie) just proves how damn good her characterisation work is. But I wanted slightly more of the magic, I wanted it to matter more than it did in the end (even as it played such a big role in the climax).

I would still recommend The Beautiful Ones: it's a really strong romance novel, with an emotional core that really tugs at the heartstrings and a heroine you can't help but cheer for.

3.5 stars
I expected a slow start after reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other books but they all had something to compensate for it like the atmosphere or characters, whereas I wasn't invested in the characters or their relationships until later in the book. However it did get better - the ending was so intense, with the action and tension that I missed from the rest of the story.
I did like that we got to see and understand the 'villain's' motives, although it didn't feel completely resolved for me. Nina was by far my favourite character with her bubbly personality and perseverance, and deserved better - I initially hated Hector but Nina brought out his best qualities.
One thing I would keep in mind is that the fantasy element is not a big part of the story, which is what appealed to me most going in. I think if you go into the story knowing that it's more of a slow historical romance then you will enjoy it more.