Name: Abby Williamson's review of The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Item: The Beautiful Ones
Rating: 5
Author: Abby Williamson

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping Belle Époque romance rich with love and betrayal, with more than a dash of magic. 'One of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time' MJ Rose, New York Times bestselling author of the Reincarnationalist series They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail's most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina's chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun and already Nina's debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis: the haphazard manifestations of her powers have long made her the subject of gossip - malicious neighbours even call her the Witch of Oldhouse. But Nina's life is about to change, for there is a new arrival in town: Hector Auvray, the renowned entertainer, who has used his own telekinetic talent to perform for admiring audiences around the world. Nina is dazzled by Hector, for he sees her not as a witch, but ripe with magical potential. Under his tutelage, Nina's talent blossoms - as does her love for the great man. But great romances are for fairy-tales, and Hector is hiding a secret bitter truth from Nina - and himself - that threatens their courtship. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

The Beautiful Ones

Alli

He had killed her, in his own way. Satisfaction could be found only in vengeance, in his death.

A sea roared inside her and made demands, but she waded it, she bobbed up, took a breath, and opened her eyes to the cold winter morning, Then she rose because the day was there, the world was there, and she wanted to be part of it.

"Nina is not a name," Valérie replied. "Attempting to shorten your name is a horrid habit, one you should outgrow. 

While her mother was expecting only a suitable match, Nina was hoping for the romance of a lifetime followed by the grandest wedding imaginable.

She'd read of men who inspired women to blush prettily, who made their hearts hammer in their chests, who could cause a girl to swoon. She'd read, yes, but never experienced it.

Valérie Beaulieu must remain he remembered her: the most devastating woman in the room.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic. They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him. But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

A Novel

Elena M.

Abby Williamson

"Truly one of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time. This sweeping tale of love lost and found is told with old-world elegance and grace with just the right touch of magic." —M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be. Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valerie Beaulieu she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamt of. But Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive. The Beautiful Ones is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the belle époque.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is such an incredibly versatile author with a very good grasp on her creaft. "The Beautiful Ones" was not exactly my type of book but the author takes such care and enough time to build-up the relationships between the characters and unravel some of the others that the book ends up being an incredibly satisfactory experience. The plot and the setting were creative and kept me invested throughout and more importantly, kept me rooting for Nina and Hector.

this was not a book i expected I’d enjoy so much and has such a fun time reading it. while the ending got a bit long in the end and some drama was drawn out i still enjoyed my time with it. hector and nina were sweet and i found myself rooting for them since they first met. was a little disappointed by how rushed Valerie’s ending seemed to me since she was built to be so complex I felt by the end she had lost some of that. overall a great read, and a quick one too if you’re looking to scratch the historical romance itch 

miranda

Really well written I enjoyed this one very much 

Stephanie Ianculovici 

I wanted so bad to love this but every other line in Part I consisted of Hector saying “She was not the kind of woman men would stare at in admiration, attempting to secure a dance with her. She lacked style and grace.” (direct quote and although they do kiss after this particular line which, uh, he says it plenty other times as well). Valerie is meant to play the antagonist here so my hatred for her I understand but the way Hector would speak about Nina (still in Part I) felt more like he was referring to some child rather than a woman he’s courting. Some part of that may be language differences considering the time period but I’ve read so many book set in similar environment’s that I find it hard to imagine that is the only reason. Then in Part II when he is chasing her, it felt more like he was doing so because he missed her caring for him rather than him having any sort of emotion towards her. Can’t find the quote but I’m fairly certain he said it himself as well. AND THEN he has the audacity to try and be “friends” again but she shows him no interest so he chases her. Then somehow she says she loves him and he “sighs”……….. but they still have a happily ever after <3

Somya Verma

🌙

"Truly one of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time. This sweeping tale of love lost and found is told with old-world elegance and grace with just the right touch of magic." —M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the belle époque. In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be. Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valerie Beaulieu she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamt of. But Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.

Lyric Hooey

** spoiler alert **
           A little slow to start, but about a quarter of the way through I was hooked! Thank goodness Valerie finally got what was coming to her, she was insufferable. This has one of the most heart-warming, satisfying endings I’ve read.

Stef

I never expect to enjoy this one even the pace of the story so slow. Emang slow burn romance banget cerita nya makin ke belakang makin gregetan ngikutin love story nya 😜Dan emang antogonis female nya ular banget blind by jelousy like every lady deserve to have life like hers.

Caterina P.

I absorbed this book in one sitting. A fun and dramatic read.

i could see why people would think it is good but honestly it was bored and i felt unaccomplished after reading it

Asia Laurie

Mackenzie Young

Did not vibe with this one… And I’m upset because I love Mexican Gothic. Bleh

Lia Yuliana

Update 11/01/2022

Find my reviews on :  An Ode to Fiction
Official Release Date : April 27th 2021
Buy the book :
 Amazon |  Book Depository

4/5 ⭐️


  
    “A sea roared inside her and made demands, but she waded it, she bobbed up, took a breath, and opened her eyes to the cold winter morning. Then she rose because the day was there, the world was there, and she wanted to be part of it.”
  


The Beautiful Ones is a dramatic historical romance-fantasy that got my emotions levitating with delight and slamming on jagged rocks of pain.

The Beautiful Ones is a slow burn romantic story filled with the dramatics of love from the innocence and fierce devotions of first loves, the searing pain of a broken heart, and the bitter poison of possessiveness and jealousy by Silvia Moreno Garcia author of notable books such as Gods of Jade and Shadow, Mexican Gothic, and plenty more in her repertoire of best sellers. I picked The Beautiful Ones on a whim driven by my mood to read something light hearted and less complex. Previously I only read one book by Silvia Moreno Garcia which I mildly enjoyed plot wise but I did enjoy Garcia's beautiful writing that can be found in every page of this book. In this historical romance Garcia adds an element that amplifies the emotion and dramatics of expression by giving the main characters a talent. This talent is quite straight forward that is the ability to manipulate objects with their mind. The story of The Beautiful Ones is set in the 19th century Europe with it's customs and decorum similarly found in many classics and modern novels set in this timeline. And this comes with the themes expected to surface throughout the story that Garcia weaves through parallels between characters and through the development of the characters exploring on the themes of love, social standing, class and wealth privileges, and the pressures of conformity in marriage expected of women. The theme that stood out for me is connected with the antagonist of the story Valérie. The parallels between Valérie and Nina are staggering throughout the story. It is also made apparent through Valérie resenting Nina and the history that was uncovered about her circumstances during her youth. 

The historical setting that is vividly described in detail serves as the perfect background for a story that is heavily focused on character interaction and relationships. Their activities might be as mundane as sharing a pot of tea or walking around a park but it all carries a gravity of consequence that could cost their reputation and plague characters with whispers of gossip, side eyes, or worst, be featured on the papers for the whole of upper crust society to view. Alas this did not hinder our main character, Nina Beaulieu, to set her heart this first Grand Season in Loisail upon a fellow gifted with the same talent as hers named Hector Auvray. Nina is of on a bad start before she met Hector, she is already labelled as an odd woman in her hometown and it is no different in Loisail. Gaétan and his wife Valérie has made arrangements to help her find a husband in her first Grand Season, but Nina knows this lifestyle doesn't suit her. When Hector decides to court Nina it felt like luck was on her side and she can have her fairy tale like ending. All that idealistic image and innocence shatters as she is entangled in a scheme and a decade old wound that still throbs bleeding into the present.

The main component that gives this story life and intrigued me is the characters. Garcia brilliantly fleshed out the characters and succeeded in characterizing them to a believability level nearing real life. Everyone is distinct in personality and voice, each with their own blinding ambitions and melancholic thoughts. As a reader I have certain doubts about establishing off page relationships or history between characters as they can be a hit or miss that I mostly forget about. Not in The Beautiful Ones the history between characters that became the main hurdle of the first half is utilized in a strategic and calculative way. Garcia built up the tension and the suspense wonderfully that when it is released the effects are instant and explosive. The emotions in each scene aren't conveyed in the words that are spoken but in the pauses and silent stares, moments that are stretched to prolong the impact of a climax. Nina is a smart young woman that is endearingly herself and tragically gullible fresh with the innocence of youth, yet Nina is also strong and brave. She endured a lot of bullying in her life for having lack of grasp of her unique talent. When she met Hector it was clear how perfect they are for each other since their first meeting. Of course in any romance happy endings are expected but the process of Nina and Hector to finally profess their love for each other is what makes the story so enjoyable. The suffocating denial, the unrequited loves, the realization, and then the satisfying confession. Hector's and Nina's development were on equal scales as I see them grow to be remarkable characters. I especially resonate with Hector as the man spent a decade floating in delusions and pinned down by the shackles of toxic unrequited love. 

Final thoughts, The Beautiful Ones is a beautiful and enjoyable read fit to immerse readers into a slow burn love story full of drama and intense emotion. I loved every moment of it even though the font used in this paperback is super mini I couldn't stop reading. I will likely reread it again in the future as Nina and Hector has become somewhat a comforting presence. Their interaction is endearing and full adoration that I want that bit of magic for myself. Highly recommend for any romance lovers out there especially anyone that enjoys period dramas.

Easy romance novel. Could have contained more magic but was a good read

Jenn

 was 100% correct. Jane Austen would enjoy this in modern day. 

Lyndi Stettner

@marycjskinner was 100% correct. Jane Austen would enjoy this in modern day. 

if you like bridgerton you will love this book!!! it is written so beautifully. it took me a little bit to get into, but the second half captivated me. 

Emily Hutton

Catherine Jauch

Gorgeously written. A beautiful page turner. Each character, even the worst ones, has a way of breaking your heart. A somewhat realistic depiction of love and infatuation in a fantastical yet grounded world.

Heather abney 

EXTREME SPOILERS!!!!This book was so beautiful!! I love the innocence and radiance  that the main character Nina has. It’s so interesting to see  how realistic this was from showing the blinded love someone has towards another and truly seeing that love can change into something fictional that could end up being made up in your head. I felt pity for Valerie even though I despised her in every way in the end you can see that she was forced to become this vindictive away there was constant pressure but she was also selfish and self centered even though her love for hector was true. Nina’s passion for life and goodness gravitates hector, I loved seeing how once hector finally let Valerie go and wasn’t blinded by her he noticed how much he gravitated towards her and needed her. She brought back his youth that he had lost from the years of loving another. All in all I enjoyed this book a lot even though I love the spice of books this one was sweet and light hearted. 

Francis Buggey

yup one of the best books i’ve read this year 😭

Amanda Matthews

I saw another review of this book that said something like “it’s not you it’s me” and I totally relate to that. This book never really sucked me in. I had to force myself to keep going back and taking small chunks at a time just to get to the end. I found myself completely unable to relate or connect to Valerie. She was irredeemable and it wasn’t even fun to dislike her as with some “villains.” I thought the story dragged and the telekinesis felt like an afterthought and was only brought in occasionally to fill a plot hole. Overall just not for me. 

To redeem this story, I did find it interesting to read about love in the two very different ways they are expressed in this novel. Reading about fiery passion exploding versus a slow burn blossoming and then to see the impact of them through all the characters perspectives was interesting. However, not enough to keep me engaged. The ending felt simultaneously out of whack while somehow predictable. I can understand the high reviews appealing to the romantic side of readers but this was just not for me. 

Izzy Cueto

I was a moth to a flame with this book. Every hour not spent reading this book, I was thinking about it. Filled with passion and longing, this book will stay with you. A beautiful, period piece in a world that is very similar to our but not quite. I wish I could erase my memory and read this again. 

Mary Skinner

I don’t even know where to begin. First of all, this is one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while, and definitely my favorite in 2022 so far. 

It’s BEAUTIFUL. The way the author communicates longing and desire had me absolutely breathless - and this is without spice. There is no spice in this book, but there are many moments of unspoken passion, unrequited adoration, and silent suffering, which are even better. The writing was captivating and evocative. The plot was twisty and compelling. This is a romance, and in my opinion, a very good one. 

The story follows a young woman who is entering high society for her first season. She explores the social mores that govern her world, her own feelings of displacement and insecurity, her burgeoning desire for passion and romance, and her own physical capabilities. Along the way, there are men who wish to use her, woo her, love her, and protect her. And of course, there is One Man who has his own battles to face.

I read this book in one sitting yesterday. I didn’t intend to, but I was so captivated that I couldn’t help myself. Like I was ENTHRALLED. I never skim - I NEVER skim, and the last 3rd of this book was so exciting to me that I had to fight myself to not skip ahead. 

This won’t be for everyone - it’s not your typical booktok book, and I actually felt like it reminded me a lot of the classics - but for those who might be looking for a more subtle, timeless kind of novel…I can’t recommend enough. 

If Jane Austen were alive today, I think she’d love this book. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic. They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him. But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Jessica Van Wart

One of the best books I have ever read. The slow burning romance, the unspoken heartbreaks. I enjoyed every word of this book. 

Samantha Kalany Hughes

Though this one started out on the slower side, I really ended up falling in love with the stylistic font of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel The Beautiful Ones. I feel like I was conditioned to love this author due to her work with Mexican Gothic and how mystically beautiful that work of art was mastered. This novella wasn't as supernaturally set-up, so it seemed, and with that being so, this read dabbled more in the romantic side of things. 

From what I could tell, time-wise the setting for this scene was somewhat earlier in the 1900s in France, though there were some fictional locations, as I found in my Google Searches. Though bullied her whole life for her exceptionalities, or psycho-kinetic functionalities, Antonina "Nina" navigates her way through the country-side and eventually the bustling, busy city-scape of Losail to find her way. Stumbling upon the likes of Hector Auvray, a performer with the abilities like her own she falls in and out of love and hurt all while finding herself even further. 

I definitely got vibes of a slightly more-modern and mystical version of Pride and Prejudice.. for Hector was very much serving Mr. Darcy looks. Overall, I was pretty keen on enjoying the novel and look forward to reading more of Moreno-Garcia's works! 

4/5

Laura Kehoe

Originally Published on The Book Unicorn

I think this was another case of “It’s not you, it’s me.” This book was beautifully written, the characters were well-developed and complex, and the plot was totally cohesive. But, I still didn’t love this as much as I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it a lot. It just didn’t grab like I’d hoped.

One of the reasons for this is probably the romance. I knew going into this book that there was going to be a lot of romance. And I was in the mood for a nice little romance, so that was totally fine with me (I’m not often in the mood for romances, so I wanted to wait until I was ready). But I also thought there was going to be more magic to balance out the romance. There was a little bit of magic, and what was there was really cool. But magic had a very small part in this book. So between the reeealllyyy heavy romance, and the severe lack of magic, I was left feeling a little disappointed.

Also, the characters. I’ll admit, I really liked Nina a lot. She was by far, one of my favorites. But the rest? Eh, not so much. Hector grew on me and I ended up liking him by the end. Everyone else just kind of drove me crazy. Especially Valérie, who was just too much for my taste. But, I will say that everyone seemed to stay true to their development and I enjoyed learning the back stories for each character. Like I said, the development of the characters was so well done. I just didn’t care for the end result in some cases.

All that being said, I did like this book. The world created was so much fun and fascinating. I loved the mixture of magic and a sort of Victorian-England-inspired world. Anyone who’s a fan of those sweeping BBC romance shows (think Poldark, or Downton Abbey) could probably appreciate this book quite a bit. I might have had some issues with parts of it, but I’m still really glad I picked this book up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance rich with love and betrayal, with more than a dash of magic. 'One of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time' MJ Rose, New York Times bestselling author of the Reincarnationalist series They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail's most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina's chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun and already Nina's debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis: the haphazard manifestations of her powers have long made her the subject of gossip - malicious neighbours even call her the Witch of Oldhouse. But Nina's life is about to change, for there is a new arrival in town: Hector Auvray, the renowned entertainer, who has used his own telekinetic talent to perform for admiring audiences around the world. Nina is dazzled by Hector, for he sees her not as a witch, but ripe with magical potential. Under his tutelage, Nina's talent blossoms - as does her love for the great man. But great romances are for fairy-tales, and Hector is hiding a secret bitter truth from Nina - and himself - that threatens their courtship. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

Sahi K

As far as I remember, the advance copy of this book was one of the earliest copies I ever received on Netgalley, during my initial days of blogging in 2017. But I was also overwhelmed by the many arcs I had gotten due to my enthusiastic and impulsive requesting, and I quickly lost interest in this one. I never expected to encounter this book again, with a new cover and rerelease and more importantly, the now popular name of the author behind the book. I was also lucky enough to receive this one as a gift recently, so I was finally interested to see what it was all about. 

As someone who is very rare in my picks of historical fiction, it was nice to delve into a new fantasy world, albeit with very similar societal structures and expectations to that of the various romances I have encountered with dukes and viscounts. That’s why this world felt very familiar and easy to get into, just with a tad bit of magic (or is it science?) added into it. I have always felt the author excels in writing lush and vibrant descriptions, and I think that was very evident in this type of story and definitely made it more richer. It was so easy to get lost when the author wove enchanting tales about the billowing dresses, the opulence of the city, the rustic country and more importantly, the raw and gritty emotions that drive people to do hurtful things. The pacing was also just right, always enticing me through some new crumb, whenever I felt my interest lagging. 

And what fascinating characters the author has managed to create. I really loved Nina for her sweetness and innocence, but also for trying her best to be herself in a world that wanted to mould into a box she couldn’t fit in. Her enthusiasm for her beetles and butterflies, the easy way she could give her affections without expecting much, her desire to be able to want more than just a proper marriage - it all dug deep into my heart and I know she’ll remain quite a memorable character for me. On the other hand, Hector wasn’t easy to like to start with but I enjoyed getting to know him better and slowly fall for him as well. It was so easy for him to be perceived as a bad guy after the first half of the book, but the author deftly captures the turmoil within him and takes us on a journey with him, where he pieces back together his broken heart and embarks on a new but scarier phase of his life - to try and love again. Nina and Hector’s relationship starts off with lies but it truly develops into something full of love and understanding and particularly, respect, which I absolutely adored. 

Valerie is a character who I suppose some readers might feel sympathetic towards because of the circumstances of her upbringing and the insurmountable expectations on her shoulders placed by her family, and maybe there was some goodness in her when she was younger - but in the present, I only found her to be spiteful and obsessive and vindictive, who just couldn’t tolerate anyone else’s happiness because she wasn’t happy herself. I’m not usually prone to hating characters, but my mom has been subjecting me to a daily Hindi tv show where there is a very similarly vindictive woman whom I hate and I suppose I may have projected all that loathing onto Valerie’s character as well. But I don’t think I’m wrong in this case. 

There were also a good number of side characters, but only a few make a significant impression. I was indifferent towards Etienne in the beginning but it was nice to see him value his friendships, across social classes. I still don’t know how I feel about Luc, probably more pity than anything but I definitely can’t say I like him. Nina’s family as a whole seemed to be a good support to her and it was nice to see that. 

Overall, this was quite an entertaining fantasy of manners, with gorgeous descriptions, very in-depth characters, a boatload of angst, and a delicious slow burn romance that made the experience worth it. The author does a singularly good job of evoking all kinds of emotions in the reader, and I really appreciated that. This probably has to be my favorite book by Garcia, but I have one more arc to go and I really hope Certain Dark Things will give me all the vampire content I want.

Abby Williamson &
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Abby Williamson &The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Abby Williamson &
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia