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.

If you’ve read Silvia’s previous books, you’ll know that no two are alike. This is also true when it comes to The Beautiful Ones. It straddles multiple genres including romance, a dash of the paranormal and historical elements.

Nina, a young socialite journeys to the city of Loisail’s from the country to debut in the Grand Season, essentially hoping to find herself a good match. However, things don’t go to plan. Nina has the gift of telekinesis, which is in much need of being honed. After random manifestations cause people to start calling her the Witch of Oldhouse. Her options become severely narrowed. Her power doesn’t sit well within societal conformities in which Nina is expected to live, and she is encouraged to repress it. However, once Nina meets Hector, a renowned entertainer with impressive telekinesis skills, her desire to learn more increases and an unexpected love starts to blossom, much to the chagrin of her cousin’s wife.

The story is told from multiple perspectives and is full to the brim with tension and melodrama. I would recommend it to people who enjoy tense reads, with characters that lean towards the obsessive.

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a fantasy romance novel set in a world reminiscent of 1900s France. It is all about high feelings, jealousy, missed opportunities and bad choices very reminiscent of classic novels written in the late 1800s.

When I saw it was the latest book from Moreno-Garcia I wanted to to try. After Mexican Gothic, I didn’t want to miss out on another fantastic read.

Problem for me: the very center of the narrative is a romance, and as such it was a little difficult to keep my attention. All the fantasy elements and historical setting are just little details and I’m really not used to that. I read classics that could be classified as romance, in a way, like Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, but I don’t know, they’re more about society as a whole, than just the love story. This wasn’t the case here and I think I just wasn’t the audience.

But the book is well written and I am sure many will love it. It has the usual back and forth and change of mind and I can’t decide, and this cannot happen and mistaken assumptions what all eventful romance should have. It keeps you on your toes, even if ultimately we know what will happen. The pace and escalation of events is very well done and the characters are believable. Nina is particularly likable, even if I think she could have been expended on more, especially her feeling of inadequacy. We are told many things but not really shown any of the negative opinions people have about her magic until about halfway through.

I recommend it to fans of historical romance with just a hint of magic. The fantasy is so minimal it could be almost akin to have characters involved in stage performance instead.

The Beautiful Ones feels like a 19th century classic, and I'm not usually a fan of classics but I was completely invested in Nina's story. It's all about societal expectations, reputation, drama, and most importantly, romance.

We follow Nina Beaulieu as she prepares to make her debut in the capital. Living in the countryside, Nina has been sent to live with her cousin and his wife in Loisal to become a proper lady and find a husband, and what better time to do so than the Grand Season. But Nina isn't used to this big city and all its etiquettes and rules of propriety. She's used to the countryside and running in fields and talking walks by the river and collecting insects so she finds it difficult to fit in and make friends. But during a party she makes the acquaintance of Hector Auvray, a telekinetic performer she admires. She happens to have those same telekinetic but has never been able to control them so she asks him to help and teach her. Hector accepts, but it's with a very specific motive in mind. The wife of Nina's cousin, Valérie, happens to be Hector's long lost love and he wants to win her back.

I loved the writing, it was so atmospheric. You felt the swish of the dresses, the waving of the fans, the feeling of the city. It was like I was right there with them as they took a walk in a park and rode in a carriage. And the different POVs between Nina, Hector, and Valérie, were so interesting, it added so much intensity, to know everyone's feelings and thoughts was so great. It added to the drama, the heartbreaks, the resentment. I loved the relationships between all the characters, how it wasn't all sweet and perfect but full of mistakes and pains.
I loved seeing the evolution of all the characters, both in their relationships and on their own. Seeing them juggle between what's expected of them and with their inner desires.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. I was lucky to be part of the blog tour last year for Mexican Gothic and I’m still reeling from how much the book added to my absolute hate of mushrooms. The Beautiful Ones is a totally different mood and an absolutely fabulous story.

What an engrossing story this was! Even though I don’t commonly gravitate towards romance novels or books that focus primarily on these kind of plots, the fact this was a novel of manners with telekenetic hijinks and was written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia had me hooked.

I recently read Sorcerer to the Crown which completely captured my heart so the high society vibes had me hooked. We start off in the country of Loisail, a city comparable to London in the 19th century and here, the young socialites are referred to in society as the ‘Beautiful Ones’. The emphasis on reputation, social standing and wealth is very clear from the beginning. The first point of view we get into this world is via Hector Auvray. We do learn very quickly that Hector is a self made made, having no fortune or family standing, all of his wealth earned from his years performing and his distaste for the large party he’s attending.

I love how Moreno-Garcia uses descriptive language to build tension and set moods. In Mexican Gothic, it was a kind of murky dread and feel that something like a layer of grime is hanging over a lot of false opulence. The same is clear here, these large houses and larger fortunes, described through the beautiful gowns, the large imposing homes and the tightly managed codes of the Grand Season. I appreciate the way as well the author handles the presence of a home or house. Later on in the story see’s the characters spend the summer at Nina’s home, Old House. Where High Place from Mexican Gothic just made your skin crawl, Old House is wild and almost unkempt compared to some of the houses in Loisail. But there is a natural joy there that can only come from a happy, large family living there with the joy of nature in it’s rooms.

Nina was a character that I felt a lot of kinship with. I don’t have telekinesis (pity) and neither have I ever been a high society lady. I do however come from a family with a huge amount of cousins and kinship. We are a very close family and I really responded to that side of Nina. She also is unapologetically herself and embraces her own eccentricities the majority of the time. She knows she’s pretty, even says so to herself when a man compliments her, and she is honest in her interests. I have to admire how she’s so honestly into Hector as well, approaching him directly at a party alone which is marked as clearly a no no. The romance over all between them is tragic and delightful overall and I can definitely see it was joyful to read.

Now we come to what is undoubtedly, the most insidious villain I’ve read in a while; Valérie Véries. If the Beautiful Ones are the highest crop of society, then Valérie is the height of what it means to be one. She is a tactician and maneuvers everything within her control to suit her plans and her comforts. The sheer toxicity of her and the mildly toxic nature of her relationship with Hector are hard not to react to. The amount of times she infuriated me and made me even more protective of Nina was a real testament to her writing. Women in these societies didn’t have much in the way of autonomy or control, Valérie herself being a pawn of her own great and penniless family name, but it’s impressive the sheer scale she manages to control from such a limited position. The true fear I feel from the authors villains is the fact they are akin to very real people and I think we all know someone like Valérie. A tragic yet toxic figure who never quite recovered from a loss and a family who used her as much as she intends to use Nina.

Slower paced as this is, I challenge you to find a way to put the book down. I found the book to engage me very quickly, keeping me constantly engaged at the romance and the drama. The second half definitely moves at a more brisk pace but by the time we got there, I was already invested in the potential outcomes of the story. I think this clearly shows the range of Silvia Moreno-Garcia as well. This, her last book and both an upcoming reissue of her vampire novel and a mystery novel , both due out this year, are testament to her well deserved applause.

I want to thank Ella for sending me a finished copy of this book for review and having me on the social media blast for the release as well as Jo Fletcher/Quercus books and NetGalley for an ARC of the book for review as well. You can read The Beautiful Ones now and as usual, happy reading to you all!

I love that every Silvia Moreno-Garcia books are different from each other. The Beautiful Ones is more romance heavy than her other books. It's full of magic, drama, and romance. Her writing style is amazing. It is very atmospheric and sucks you in from the very first sentence. I really enjoy The Beautiful Ones and right now Silvia Moreno-Garcia is my auto buy author list. If you love slow paces romance books with a magical twist this one is definitely worth to try.

I can't stress enough how much I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing! She is one of the few authors who keeps me gripped no matter the genre, and even manages to get me out of my comfort zone every once in a while. The Beautiful Ones is an intoxicating story of manners, first love and first heartbreak, but also of how appearances can be deceiving, and the personality someone shows to the masses may not also be who they truly are inside.

Antonina (Nina) Beaulieu has arrived in Loisail to stay in the house of her Cousin and his wife Valérie to be inducted into society and to, hopefully, find a husband. There she meets Hector Auvery and as young ladies are prone to do, falls head over heels in love. Hector is initially put off by Nina's lack of social graces, but when he learns her name, he realises that she may just be useful to him. Will Nina get her fairy tale ending, or will Hector play her for the naive girl she is, only time and a season in the city will tell.

The Beautiful Ones is told from three POV's; first and by far the main pov is Nina, she is headstrong, if not a little naive, and simply wants to be whisked away on a whirlwind romance like in her books. She never thinks to act like a proper lady, always failing with her social graces, much to the chagrin of Valerie who is meant to be introducing her to civilised society. Her ability with Telekinesis has always made her seem strange to others, especially because she insists on doing it in public, something that is not proper for a young lady, but Nina in all her naivete does not see why she should be treated different than any man. Nina was by far my favourite character, and when her heart broke, mine broke right alongside it. I loved seeing her grow as a character throughout the story, she goes from wanting a whirlwind romance to simply wanting to be loved. But even that is not easy, and she show's true strength of character in making her decision.

Hector was a character I initially disliked, his almost obsession with a past lover, and his treatment of Nina in the first half of the book had me swearing at him on more than one occasion. He, unlike Nina, knows the reality of the world, that not everybody can marry for love, but that doesn't stop him from using her to his advantage, knowing deep down that she was developing feelings for him. The benefit of us having his pov is that we know that he likes Nina a lot longer before the idiot knows it himself, and by then it might be too late. His character changes in the second half of the book, he atones for his actions, and realises that his past love was not the person he thought she was. Now there is only one person he can imagine sharing his life with, but he hurt her beyond repair.

Valérie was a character I never warmed too. Constantly angry that she had to marry for money and not love, instead of trying to help to make sure that doesn't happen to Nina, Valérie does everything within her power to hurt her. She is the queen of polished refinery, the epitome of what a lady should be, and she takes every advantage to use her sharp tongue to tell Nina how she is failing to live up to her standards. If Hector made me angry, then Valérie had me frothing at the mouth. I will admit to feeling extremely happy about her ending, and feel it was well deserved. The benefit of having all three POV's is that we as the reader are generally always a step ahead of the characters, we can see the drama coming, we get to feel their tension, their emotions as certain things come to light, and this made for an engrossing and gripping read. She also graces us with a brilliant cast of side characters who all make an impact no matter how little page time they get.

If I got to have an author write my life I would pick Silvia Moreno-Garcia, her writing style is flawless and never fails to completely envelop me, and ensure I stay glued to the pages. Her descriptions of the places and outfits in The Beautiful Ones had me longing to visit her alternative version of post-industrial France. She also brings a fantastical element to the book with both Hector and Nina being Telekinetic, though their abilities do play a part in the story The Beautiful Ones is, first and foremost, a romance, but I did enjoy the parts of the book where their abilities were used. Nina, having no formal training lets her emotions rule her power, something that has caused issues in the past. On the flip side we have Hector who is a professional, and I found myself wishing I could be there to see all his tricks in real life.

The romance in this book was incredibly well written, there is angst, drama and one of the best love triangles I've had the pleasure of reading. One thing I loved the most was seeing Hector unwittingly fall for Nina slowly but surely. Hector's feelings creep up on him and I did have a little smirk on my face when the realisation hit him. Nina on the other hand loves freely and without question, there was no denying that she fell head over heels for Hector from their first meeting, but after his betrayal she becomes wary of him, and I found myself gripped to the pages needing to know if he would ever win her back or if their romance was never meant to be.

I don't think there was anything about this book I didn't love. Silvia Moreno-Garcia made me fall in love with her writing in Gods of Jade and Shadow and cemented herself as one of my favourite authors with Mexican Gothic, something which The Beautiful Ones adds too. I found myself utterly head over heels for these characters, the world they inherit as well as Moreno-Garcia's luscious prose and I cannot wait to get my hands on more of her works. An easy 5 out of 5 and a book that will, without a doubt, make my favourite of the year.

REVIEW

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES | SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA

Once every so often a writer comes along who literally blows you mind and whose books you await with eager anticipation. For me Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of those authors. I was late to her party with Mexican Gothic being my first, but I am now truly on board the Moreno-Garcia train. Her way with words is sublime and her ability to sculpt both complex characters and exquisitely rich imagined environments is near perfection.

The Beautiful Ones doesn’t tread the horror of Mexican Gothic I’d best describe it as an intoixicating, fantasy tinged romance. It is set during The Grand Season, in the fictional Loisail in the glamour and optimism of a belle epoque inspired era. The Beautiful Ones of this story are the aristocratic families of Loisail who drift from glamourous party to glamourous party. Each party a subtle minefield of social conventions . If you think of the social rules in the parties of a Jane Austen novel you’re pretty close.

The story unfolds through alternating chapters featuring our lead protagonists Hector, Nina, and Valerie, who you will love and hate throughout the book, as they discover what love is and what love isn’t, the inequality of the sexes and the power of their gifts . The book is a pleasure to read. It takes a hold of you and doesn't let go.

Prepare to be dazzled and lose yourself in The Beautiful Ones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️out of five

First of all I should highlight one more time that I am in love with Silvia Moreno-Garcia writing. I liked it in Mexican Gothic and now I enjoyed The Beautiful Ones. This book is full of drama, love triangles, romance, magic, broken and then healed hearts. This book is not just only about romance, it is also about accepting yourself and someone around you who has some peculiarities (as Nina, who had the talent of telekinesis).
I really did not like Valerie. Author managed to created truly despicable character. And at the same time I pitied Antonina and Hector,.
Overall, so far this book is my favourite one among Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novels.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Quercus Books for providing me with the ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Jo Fletcher for an ARC of The Beautiful Ones. Below is my honest opinion.

Last year, I read Gods of Jade and Shadow and Mexican Gothic back to back and fell in love with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing. The Beautiful Ones is a continuation of that love. Still very different from the other two books, it’s another romance story with fantastical elements. The story is set up as a love triangle between Hector, Nina, and Valerie. While one of these grows into the villain of the story (minor spoiler, it’s not Nina), you still sympathise with them as their demise is slow and beautifully constructed. The climax of the whole affair reminded me slightly of The Picture of Dorian Gray, where a beautiful person has a rotten personality. It wouldn’t have surprised me if someone had ended up dead, turning the book into a tragedy instead of a fantasy romance.

Moreno-Garcia’s writing is, again, top-notch, and she shows herself as a true chameleon. From the first page, I had the feeling like I dove into a new Jane Austen book, except in a French style. The society she created is about the same, with strict rules, classes, and manners. The relationships between the characters are intense and well-written. Halfway through the story I already had an idea of what the ending could be, but Moreno-Garcia still surprised me.

Don’t expect this to be anything like her other books. But if you don’t mind crossing genres, exploring new worlds, and reading wonderful tales, I suggest Silvia Moreno-Garcia to your list of must-read authors.

It’s probably no surprise that I give The Beautiful Ones five stars. I loved it and wanted to finish it in one go, just like with Moreno-Garcia’s other books. I highly recommend it if you like Jane Austen and want a fantasy romance that isn’t just fluff but feels real.

With it's beautiful writing style and a plot full of romance, drama, magic (and a few beetles) I can confidently say I really enjoyed my time with The Beautiful Ones! It's very different from Mexican Gothic, being a romance rather than a horror, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia's elegant prose and strong characters still infuse this book, creating a beautiful and indulgent story. I found it to be a very sweet romance, with its well-rounded and distinguished characters, the perfect amount of drama and a gentle touch of magic, all combining to create a lush story. A lovely standalone romance that I would wholeheartedly recommend if you are interested in reading!

Love can take it’s time to arrive. We may be distracted by a lost romance; we may not understand what love is or we may be also mistaking love for a duty we must perform. It’s confusing and can make us both our best and worst selves. In Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s magnificent The Beautiful Ones we are shown a love triangle that pulls its characters in all these directions and reminds us sometimes magic is still real.

Hector Auvray is a renowned travelling entertainer now performing for high society and demonstrating his scientifically ratified powers of telekinesis to dazzle audiences. He arrives at the time of the Season when The Beautiful Ones (the nobility) parade their young generation to find a suitable marriage. He accidentally crosses paths with Nina de Villiers and a courtship begins. Hector also discovers that Nina shares his telekinetic ability, and he teaches her some ways to control this skill rather than just be on the receiving end of it when emotions run high. But Hector ten years ago was an impoverished young man just eking out a living and Nina’s aunt Valerie was romantically involved with Hector; even engaged when she broke it off to marry Nina’a Uncle. Hector thinks this may be a way to get back in touch with Valerie, Valerie thinks Hector seeks revenge and Nina thinks she has found true love. Each character will face the ithers and ask themselves what is it they really want.

This is a brilliantly constructed tale of romance but also loss. Moreno-Garcia splits the tale into two parts and gives us characters going through personal cards that will by the end really change themselves and the reader’s views of them. The character work here is dazzling. Hector appears at the start almost a villain using Nina to pursue a lost love affair of his own. Nina is the innocent pawn I the game that her scheming Aunt uses to punish Hector for his impudence in coming back. WE are initially sympathetic to Valerie for realising that she was indeed in love with Hector but his low status compared to the other Beautiful Ones she is part of meant she could never truly follow her heart. He first part of the novel is this swirl of games; hidden conversations and revealing of secrets that comes to a very dramatic confrontation one stormy night.

But it’s the second part of the tale which really lifts the tale, and some authors may have stopped there too as a great way to have a tragic romance tale. After this climax the characters are revisited one year later, and the events have changed them and make us see each differently. Hector is humbled and we see a man slightly more broken by unrequited love he never realised he could move on and that Nina was a woman with far more in common with him than he realised. Nina though herself has realised that love is not always like the novels she reads with frail heroines and she wants to experience life for herself including her own desires and a nice young man appears who could offer that opportunity. Now Valerie is the schemer, and we see she has no desire for anyone to find love happily and she plans Nina to have the same transactional marriage she herself was forced into. I loved the way organically we both understand the characters. Why they act this way and also that each character gets to now choose their own behaviour and suffer the consequences- now no one is purely a stereotype and that makes the story flow beautifully.

In terms of the world that Moreno-Garcia has created this sits in a belle epoch style turning of the centuries where the old ways and the new are starting to mix and clash. Society balls and dances are still prized but the young start to revel in ideas that a woman and man cannot go anywhere alone without causing scandals. This becomes an intriguing step in Nina and Hector’s future relationship where they start to recognise that they are equals in many ways and although family scandals could arise, they start to realise their own love may need to take important and of all the characters Nina becomes the one I most liked for taking the world on herself to find her own path in it. Add to that though is the slow burn of the telekinetic ability these two have. Its starts as a small parlour trick, becomes a dazzling piece of theatre entertainment but it also as the relationship grows becomes how the two leads bond and has a key role to play in the dramatic finale when lives go on the line for love. I really enjoyed how subtly the role this plays I the tale was laid out and yet still felt quite natural for the tale at the end.

The Beautiful One is an intelligent and character driven romance tale with characters you may finding you both hate and then sympathise with as we understand them more. Love isn’t always about doing the sanest thing, but it is about learning to grow up and respect your partner and In found this a hugely impressive piece of storytelling. Highly recommended.

The Beautiful Ones, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a beautifully written romance/novel of manners with a touch of magic.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: Antonina ‘Nina’ Beaulieu debut has begun and she has the chance to join the ranks of the Beautiful Ones, the most notable of socialites, due to her cousin’s high rank. But Nina cannot control her ‘talent’, her telekinetic abilities leaves her alienated. However, the arrival of Hector Auvray changes everything – he uses his talent to perform and he sees Nina’s potential. But Hector has his own motives for visiting Loisail, ones that may threaten Nina’s romantic fairytale.

CW/TW: Guns/Gun violence/Arranged marriage/Emotional manipulation.

Before I dive in a big thank you to @QuercsBooks @JoFletcherBooks @ellakroftpatel for a spot on the tour for this beautiful book!

The Beautiful Ones, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a beautifully written novel of manners with a hint of magic and world of drama. Moreno-Garcia continues to impress with her skills covering a broad range of genres. I was introduced to Silvia Moreno-Garcia with her gorgeously creepy gothic book Mexican Gothic and I loved it so I knew I had to read her newest book. While The Beautiful Ones is equally as gorgeous as Mexican Gothic it is important to note it is also completely different and focuses on an entirely different genre so as readers prepare for a completely different book.

The Beautiful Ones is as beautiful as the title and cover suggests, reminiscent of Austen or Bronte in plot and prose and yet unique and distinct. Moreno-Garcia’s prose is as gorgeous as her previous books, rich and vivid – she paints a vibrant and lively image of each and every setting from the naturalistic to the city. The rich descriptions help bring the setting and characters to life but the prose still maintains a beautiful simplicity making it an easy but compelling read that you end up racing through.

The story is primarily told from the perspectives of Nina and Hector , with some insight into Valerie’s view on things. The multiple pov narrative structure works perfectly with the plot and prose helping to balance the pace of the story and slowly build tension and drama throughout. Each narrative perspective is strong and has a unique voice, they are easy to distinguish between and work well to balance with each other. The multiple pov works particularly well with this book and the plot which is focused around society and romance, it allows drama to be created perfectly through dramatic irony, tension and mysteries working on multiple levels. The most interesting thing is that we, as the reader, are aware of a lot of (though not all) the deceptions throughout the novel due to the multiple pov, while the other characters are not, and yet we still feel tension and suspense throughout because of the connection that’s been built with the characters. This was done particularly well and I loved how masterfully Moreno-Garcia utilised our frame of knowledge to create the powerful irony throughout, maintaining the drama and tension while letting us in on the truth and reveals is the true mark of a fantastic writer and it was very successful in this book.

I loved all the perspectives in this book – they were all captivating for their own unique reasons and the character motivations made them engaging from start to finish. I did enjoy Nina’s particularly as she knows the least of all the characters making her chapters all the more heart-wrenching and tense. Hector’s chapters were intriguing due to his character being more morally grey than Nina and Valerie, and Valerie’s were interesting due to her cold and careful approach to other characters, her mind was fascinating though.

The actual plot of the book was thrilling and engaging, full of high society drama and messy romances. We start off with Hector arriving in Loisail in search for Valerie, a past love. In his search he meets Nina, relative to Valerie through marriage. Upon meeting Nina, Hector sees a way to Valerie – despite not being able to be with her. Hector is also a man of ‘talent’, he has telekinetic powers allowing him to move objects with his mind, Hector is a performer utilising this talent. Hector’s story was interesting to watch play out, playing on different types of love from obsessive/toxic to an arguably more pure love. his story is messy and complex and written well – Hector’s story makes him slowly grow on you.

Nina’s story starts off idyllic, she is young and new to the season having been presented for the first time. Upon meeting Hector she believes she has entered into a fairytale story of love forever after. But, Nina has her own problems, not quite fitting in with The Beautiful Ones who make up the high society due to her country looks and her own telekinetic talent. Nina’s story was engaging due to her naivety, making it easy to accept her poor decisions, but also due to her strong character. Despite being a bit easily lead romantically, Nina is wholly and truly true to herself and her story shows this time and time again and I loved watching her grow over the book – I also particularly loved her hobby/interest, a unique thing that was written beautifully and was romanticized in a delightful way. I enjoyed her development (apart from one decision she made late in the book) but overall I enjoyed the drama, pressure and tension that play out in her narrative.

Valerie has some chapters in the book that build up her own part in the story. I did not like Valerie, but I did like her chapters. Valerie’s story is a bit more subtly complex than Hector and Nina’s as she is much more manipulative and puts things into motion. Her demure facade and wicked sharp mind made her story very compelling and interesting to read about.

Overall, however, the story focuses on Hector and Nina and their relationship. The book is more or less slow burn with a lot of drama throughout, and it as delightful to read about. I would have preferred some more magic which was present throughout but more of a background element to the story – the book is very light on the fantasy elements it is, much more purely, romance/novel of manners. However, I loved the messy complex relationships present throughout the book and the drama filled plot.

The cast of characters is pretty decent though mainly focused on Nina and Hector. All the characters are well developed and individual with their own strengths and weaknesses making them come across as very real and human. Nina is sweet but stubborn and naive, she is still young though so her mistakes are ones we can understand as a reader. I loved her strong personality, unique interests and passion – she is easy to connect with because she is so human and true to herself. Hector took me a long time to warm up to, and by the end of the book I wasn’t 100% sure I truly liked him, but his character was incredibly interesting. Smart and hardworking, Hector is quite admirable, and yet he is perfect either. He makes decisions which are selfish and even cruel but he does go through a good and well developed arc making him more likable and intriguing as he comes to terms with the truth of his life and love. There are a lot of side characters that you will love, love then hate or dislike straight way, which was fantastic – they were all written well and were built up well.

Overall, this was a gorgeously written book that dives into high society, love and the rules surrounding it. Filled with drama, twists and turns and a hint of magic, the book will keep you captivated from start to finish.

*I received an eARC form #Netgalley @QuercsBooks @JoFletcherBooks @ellakroftpatel in exchange for an honest review, and thank you for the spot in the Social Media Blast!*

https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/mini-book-review-the-beautiful-ones-by-silvia-moreno-garcia/

In a bold move after the success of Mexican Gothic, The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia can barely be deemed to belong to any speculative fiction categories. Perhaps being best described as a subtle magical realism. In a fictional post-industrial French city named Loisail, a nouveau riche telekinetic performer named hector is torn between his first love, the beautiful, entitled, and well-married Valerie, and her young niece by marriage, Antonina. While Hector has carried a torch, and a broken heart in the decade since Valerie broke off their engagement, he is drawn to ‘Nina’s sweetness, and to their shared telekinesis.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia seems to be an author who can write almost anything. She dipped deeply into Mayan mythology and the 1920’s for her Gods of Jade and Shadow. She tackled Gothic fiction, abjection and bodily horror as well as race and sexism in Mexican Gothic. Her research was so impeccable that her main character’s interest in anthropology name checks the actual anthropologists that I studied in university myself. Now she has shown exactly how well she can turn her hand to historical Romance. A sumptuous drama, full of society and manners, where one mistake can ruin a reputation and even a life.
To some readers, The Beautiful Ones, named for the rich and fashionable ladies who rule the society setting, of which Valerie is one of its leaders, may be disappointing. When one loves a book as much as many loved Mexican Gothic, there can be a disconnect when an author deviates so sharply in style. However, I truly hope that people give The Beautiful Ones its just desserts. The language is truly beautiful. Lyrical, and even languid, full of subtlety and delicacy.
Five out of five stars, and may even bring new readers to Moreno-Garcia who would discount “genre” fiction.

Fantasy does not have to be one set thing and as the years progress, I find fantasy books that have moved away from just being magical creatures going out on a quest far more interesting. The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia has the lightest of fantasy touches and uses the genre as a way of adding magical realism to a version of our own past. Have you ever wanted to read something like Bridgerton, but with characters who can move objects with minds?

Nina has travelled to the city Loisail for her first Spring season, and it is expected that she will meet a man. To chaperone her is Cousin Valerie, one of the Beautiful Ones who knows all the rules for society life. Her skills are required as not only does Nina have a lot of country about her, but she also has the Talent to move objects with her mind. This is considered a common trait to have, and it is not helped when Nina takes a shine to Hector, a leading performer of the telekinesis arts. One final spanner in the works … Hector has spent a decade pining for Valerie and plans to win her back.

Beautiful Ones has all the manners of a Regency Romance, but with added magic. By adding fantasy elements Moreno-Garcia has freed the novel from any restraints you would have from history intervening. This is a time and place that feels familiar to the reader but in fact has its own rules. The Talents in the book are not front and centre, but act to make Nina even more different and Hector more compelling. The book would work without their shared powers, but the magic adds a sense of poetry that highlights Moreno-Garcia's excellent writing even more.

Having read a few of the author’s novels in recent years, I cannot think of anyone currently writing characters as well. A book that centres around a love triangle and the restraint of polite society is not something that would normally appeal to me. I am more of a spaceship and laser gun type of person. However, Moreno-Garcia writes such compelling characters that you are drawn in. This does not take chapters to grip, but mere paragraphs. This is a fantastic skill to have and one that I have witnessed in all their books so far.

As well as having interesting individuals, the relationship between the main three characters is electric. The power dynamic between the three shifts through the book and we are given a glimpse into how all three are thinking. Even the least sympathetic character, Valerie, is fleshed out enough so that you understand her motivations. Like with any romance you hope that it ends well, but there is a sense of suspense that means anything could happen.

With its central love triangle in many ways Beautiful Ones feels like a classic novel. It does not try to deviate too far from the costume dramas that you have read or watched on TV, but it does have a couple of extra things going for it. The Talents within the book add mystery and romance, differentiating the book. The other element is Moreno-Garcia's exceptional writing. This is an author who can draw me in within mere sentences and have me loving a book based in a style I would not normally think to read. There are great genre books that appeal to genre fans and great genre books that break out and appeal to all. Beautiful Ones is the latter and has even an old cynic like me enjoying a book about romance and magic.

Was this finally going to be the book of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's that I didn't like? ... Absolutely not. There is something captivating and raw about the characters that she writes, particularly her female protagonists, that I could read these characters endlessly.

The story is passionate, impassioned and trapped within the barriers and norms of society. There's something slow, sedate and utterly entrancing about the way that it's told, and the steady development of the three characters around whom it revolves:

Nina, new to Loisail (a kind of Golden Era Paris) and under the watchful gaze of her cousin by marriage Valérie. Valérie is the epitome of the Beautiful Ones; alabaster skin, completely in control of herself and her actions, and wealthy within the realms of her husband. It wasn't always like this for her - her own family had lost their fortune, even if they hadn't lost their status, and marrying within the nobility was supposed to secure her family's fortunes. So when Nina arrives, green and young and incapable of the coy and controlled behaviour expected of a woman of her class, Valérie is already set to hate her as Nina is allowed the freedoms that Valérie herself was never permitted at her age.

When Hector Auvray arrives in Loisail after a self-imposed exile of ten years, he arrives as a wealthy entertainer, but without status. Nina knows him by his reputation and is delighted to meet him during her first Grand Season. She doesn't have the tact or poise of others of her station and, although Hector is faintly irritated and bemused by her, he begins to find her charming. But her charms are overshadowed when he realises that she is Valérie's cousin. The woman to whom he was engaged ten years ago, before she chose to marry money, rather than a penniless entertainer. The woman for whom he has vowed to return, and to show what he has now become. Hector sees Nina as an opportunity to get closer to Valérie, whilst Nina has only eyes for Hector.

The Beautiful Ones is a love triangle that is told well. Because love can fluctuate and it can burn and it can consume. And each of the main characters are burnt by it, but can choose to emerge or to be consumed by their own passions.

We see one emerge stronger, another learn a new kind of love, a third become so embittered by the need to possess and to own that they will risk everything. Each character grows into their final form, bit by bit, until it's clear what the only outcome can be. It's just told so well.

For me, the 'talent' portion of the story is very lightly done. There are references to other rare talents, but the main focus is on Hector Auvray's performances and Nina's developing abilities. This meant that I knew how the book should resolve (and it did) but also meant that I would have liked more of this light fantasy element. It didn't require this to be developed further to be good, and would have been less of a character-driven story if it had, but I still wanted a little more.

There were some discussion questions at the end of my copy of the book. One was 'What is unique about her [Silvia Moreno-Garcia's] approach to love?' I would say that, in all of her books, she creates a very equalising love. The heroine learns the strength of her own power, decisions and autonomy, whilst her partner learns to appreciate her for everything that she is, and everything that she has to offer, without compromising anything about herself.

Which makes books like this, with a well-told, equalising love story, a beautiful pleasure to read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno Garcia we meet Nina, a young woman being introduced to Loisail society for her first Grand Season. Nina however already has an unfortunate reputation due to her often out of control telekinesis powers that make her the centre of attention for malicious gossip. Things don't improve for Nina, who also has to live up to the high standards of Valerie, her cousins wife who's home she is living in while in Loisail. When Hector, a famous telekinetic performer arrives in town, Nina is enthralled but Hector comes with plans of his own which Nina gets pulled into.

This tale is very reminiscent of a historical romance with a little magic thrown in. Like many historical romances it is full of elitist snobs, scheming, betrayals and heartbreak. Luckily for me, I love this genre and was immediately sucked into this world. The writing flows, rich and beautifully engaging. The many eclectic characters give dimension to the story, I loved how impulsive and quirky Nina is, she's really well developed and has a naivety which is enchanting and causes you to be rooting for her throughout. By contrast, the vain Valerie is extremely manipulating and selfish, she made for a great antagonist.

The love in this story is definitely well fought for and did not come easily. I liked how it tackled heartache and loosing love, particularly how hard it is to move on from a breakup. I would have liked for more magic, perhaps some background to its existence in this world. At times the magic seemed like an afterthought or just a party trick, telekinesis is such a great gift and it would have been nice to see it appreciated more. Hector's mastery of it compared to Nina's struggles and how she improved played out in a lovely manner.

It's interesting that this book is called The Beautiful Ones, a referral to the wealthy, high class society, when the real beauty of this book is Nina, who is deemed "unstylish" and "not an enviable beauty". Quite a reflection that beauty is not skin deep and often not whatever is status quo in society.

If you are in the mood for a period romance with a strong female lead with magical powers, this is the book for you. Go grab yourself a copy because its out today!

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an Advance Reading Copy of this book! I have been wanting to read this authors other works for a long time now so swooped onto that request button as quickly as I could, regardless of the fact I had outstanding reviews on NetGalley and a World of Warcraft character to level.

I like to live dangerously.

As expected, on the 25th April I clicked into my account and lo and behold this book needed feedback by the 27th April. The race was on. And luckily for me, this was a really enjoyable book and I read it in basically four sittings. If any publishers read this, please hire me to speed read and review your books. Please.

I loved the mix of historical and fantasy – so much historical fantasy sits in a medieval or Arthurian frame and I absolutely love this more Victorian/Regency type feel with the grand season and coming to town but where magic is just there in the background. Where we don’t have duelling sorcerers or grand wars but human lives and their complexity.

The characters were the driving force for this book, their multifaceted wants and needs. I think though, this is where – and this is only on reflection afterwards – I wish we’d seen a bit more from our main pairing. Hector could have had far more guilt, feeling like he was doing the wrong thing and thinking of his possible budding feelings for Nina but pushing forward with his course of action out of pure stubbornness. And I loved the corridor scene with Nina, but we go into part 2 and are faced with an almost completely fine Nina – I would have liked to have seen her heartbreak, her tears and anger. The feeling of betrayal. Not just innocence and naivety and then normality.

For me, Valerie was the strongest written character. I hated her, but loved to hate her. Her motivations were so selfish and narcissistic and came entirely from a need to possess, rather than love. She didn’t want Hector, she just didn’t want him to think of anything but her – want anything but her. Her actions towards the end of the book though had me at a crossroads. They felt both strange (compared to her perfect, icy composure throughout) and the perfect reaction of a woman who’s finally had enough and has always had that simmering malice that’s grown into pure poison during her marriage. I’m on the fence. I like to see a character get their comeuppance, but I also found it a touch lacklustre.

A complicated, dramatic Grand Season romance... but with magic?? A combination I didn't know I needed until now.

Moreno-Garcia's writing style is so easy to engage with, from beautiful imagery to a range of complex and interesting characters. She creates a world that feels entirely natural while also truly fantastical. I was drawn into each character's backstory and motivations and enjoyed how the changing POVs allowed us to see key events from multiple perspectives-thus the narrative wasn't always rushing forward, but also didn't seem to drag.
I particularly appreciated how each characters' true colours were slowly revealed as we got a rounded view of them from not only themselves but from others in their life. This also made certain characters' growth over the course of the story all the more apparent and satisfying.

Overall this story was well crafted and gave me the exact Bridgerton/fantasy fix I didn't know I was looking for.