Moreno-Garcia crafts a love triangle romance reminiscent of classics like ANNA KARENINA, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE and THE GREAT GATSBY, with her unique mark of sci-fi/fantasy.
Her main character Nina has the page-turning charm of MEXICAN GOTHIC'S heroine Noemi, although more of the innocence of her cousin.

Thank you Macmillan and NetGalley for the enjoyable e-ARC!

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can confidently say that I think Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of the best writers ever. Her style and ability to craft a narrative is unmatched in my opinion. After reading and loving Gods of Jade and Shadow, I have slowly been making my way through the rest of her books. When I saw this one was up on NetGalley, I could not pass up the chance.

The Beautiful Ones was originally published in 2017, but it is getting a reissue in paperback this year. I remember struggling to track down the original hardcover of this book and Certain Dark Things because they were out of print, so I am very excited that readers are getting another chance to pick up a copy!

If you know of this author because you read and enjoyed Mexican Gothic, you should know that this story is very different. Silvia Moreno-Garcia does not stick with one certain genre or style. Every book I have read by her has been completely unique and different than the last. The Beautiful Ones is no exception to this. It is a novel of manners with a hint of fantasy. The story itself follows Antonina Beaulieu as she travels to Loisail to stay with her cousin Gaétan and his wife Valérie for the Grand Season. She meets the Beautiful Ones, or notable socialites, and is expected to make friends and find a suitor. Nina does not really fit in as a “proper lady” like she is expected to, especially since she struggles to control her telekinesis. However, she is drawn to a telekinetic performer named Hector Auvray who helps her learn more about controlling her abilities. Nina falls head over heels for him in the process, but Hector is hiding a big secret that could hurt Nina and ruin their relationship.

There is a lot of drama and romance to the point where it feels like a classic Jane Austen novel in some ways. I loved this because it is something I have not seen done by the author before. I really appreciate how she cannot be defined by one style and excellently pulls off whatever she chooses.

One thing I think this author is known for her is impeccable writing. It is so beautiful and atmospheric. I really enjoy how it works to pull you into the narrative more. I have seen others say that the writing is slower, and I would agree to an extent. It feels like a slow build and burn compared to other books. It is not slow as in boring, but it is just the style that is consistent between her books. I know it is not for everyone, but I absolutely adore it!

The story itself was so entertaining, but I appreciate how it comments on other important concepts like societal and familial expectations. Through the main characters, we see how people deal with pressure and conformity. This can be really difficult to manage when you are also figuring out what you want for yourself. Making the right decisions for yourself can be hard when you always have to worry about what others will think. Beyond that, I enjoyed the conversation this book had about love, heartbreak, and moving on.

I thought the characters and character development were really solid in this book. It was interesting to see how they played off one another and dealt with different expectations. I really liked Hector and Nina, so I was rooting for them the whole time. I like that the author allowed them to grow not only for the sake of their romantic feelings but as individuals as well. I also really liked how Nina and Valérie show the different ways people manage societal exceptions. Nina stays true to herself and does not quite agree with most things that are expected of her. On the other hand, Valérie deeply cares about these things. She has had to make tough choices for herself and her family, but it makes her seem cold and selfish. Both characters work to show what it means to resist or go along with outside pressures.

I have said it before and I will continue to say it, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an auto-buy author for me. She has never let me down, and that is something I do not understand. I am beginning to think she has some kind of magical powers because every time I read one of her books I give it five stars. Her writing is just that good. I really do think The Beautiful Ones is something that a lot of readers will love, and I cannot recommend it enough!

*Content warnings: arranged marriage, gun violence*

Thank you to the publisher, Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book before its release on April 27, 2021.

Book Review for The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

Hector Auvray is a psychokinetic performer who is madly in love with his teenage crush Valérie. Despite her marriage, Hector will stop at nothing to be near her again including courting her neice Nina. I have to admit the first third of the book is hard to get through. Valérie is not a likeable character but the interplay between all the people is engaging (pun intended) and interesting. This story has a slow "Night Circus" feel to it. It builds and builds until before you know it, you're enjoying yourself.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia often straddles genres with her writing. This book is no exception. Here she delicately weaves Historical Fiction, fantasy and YA romance flawlessly. I absolutely loved reading this beautifully written book. Thank you so much Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to review it. It releases April 27th, if you like YA romance go ahead and add this fantastic book to your tbr.

I'll gladly be posting my 5 star review on my Bookstagram 'AprilsBookishLife' and in the 5 star highlight stories, Goodreads, Twitter and after release Amazon. I'll update this review with links as I post the reviews.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a master of genre fiction, and nothing exemplifies that more than The Beautiful Ones. This novel captures all the longing and intricate rituals of a historic romance with the fantastic world-building of a fantasy novel. When she was sent to stay with her cousin for her first season, Nina, a young girl with telekinetic powers, does not expect to enter a dance with the famous telekinetic performer, Hector Auvrey, and her own cousin-in-law, Camille. I read the last half of the book in one sitting because putting it down was nearly unthinkable. Fans of Bridgerton and A Midnight Bargain alike will find themselves drawn to this elegant and enthralling novel.

With the manners of Pride and Prejudice, the intrigue and freshness of Bridgerton, and the deeply devoted characters we have come to know and love from Moreno-Garcia, this book simply begs to be read on a cool spring night, warm beverage in hand. The realities of making one's way as a woman in a society fashioned with a strong code of "honor" that does nothing more than uplift the Madonna ideal of a woman's virtue while dismissing her complexities and the grace afforded young men of the same set, is on full display and watching the two heroines make different choices and deal with the consequences of those decisions is fascinating.

A tale of grace, manners, class, gossip, rebellion, a little bit of magic, and a dash of Jane Austin.

Mexican gothic was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. So of course I was super excited to get my hands on The Beautiful Ones. Do not expect to this to be anything like Mexican gothic. The Beautiful Ones is a totally different genre.

The book is separated into 2 parts with a different love triangle in each.
I hardly ever read romance/love stories, with the exception of the classics. I love pieces set in the early 1900’s or Victorian age. It never really says the date the story is set in, but is inferred that it is set in this era. I did enjoy the characters in this tale. I loved Nina’s attitude about not caring what the ‘beautiful ones’ thought of her.

To me, the book is more of a young adult romance novel. I usually stay away from these sort of books because they are just not my thing. But The Beautiful Ones is an exception. Sylvia Moreno Garcia is an excellent author and The Beautiful Ones is a very well written story that captured my attention until the end.

Many thanks to Sylvia Moreno Garcia, the publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!!!

This is a fantasy of manners, where the fantasy elements are fairly restrained - the setting is non-existent European-esque, and a couple of the characters have telekinetic abilities (i.e., they are able to move objects with their minds). The main conflict, though, is straightforward relationship drama, in a 19th century style. Hector courts Nina, but only to be closer to her cousin's wife Valerie, who broke their engagement 10 years ago. The exploration of love lost and won, and what love means, is moving and well-done.

I was enchanted by Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing style in Mexican Gothic, so when I heard that she had written "a novel of manners and a romance," I already knew this would be one of my top reads of the year.

Reminiscent of The Great Gatsby and Sense and Sensibility, The Beautiful Ones tells the tale of Nina Beaulieu, spending Loisail's Grand Season under the watchful eye of her cousin's wife, Valérie. Known as the "Witch of Oldhouse" in her small hometown due to her telekinetic abilities, she comes to the city with dreams of a fresh start and of finding the kind of love she's only read about in books. When she meets Hector Auvrey, who has made his living off of his own powers, they agree to a teaching relationship which develops into courtship. However, Nina soon discovers that no one in Loisail is without their secrets, especially those closest to her.

Moreno-Garcia takes her time with The Beautiful Ones, using multiple narrators to weave together a story that smashed my heart and put it back together again. I'm not typically one for a slow burn, but the writing was impeccable, inciting all the proper emotions without fail. Moreno-Garcia does not take the easy route-instead forging a narrative which propels the reader through a storyline that refuses to conform to traditional standards. I recommend this book with all my heart to anyone looking for a beautiful, exciting new tale of lost love, magic, scandal, and feminism.

4/5

When I say I would throw any current read out the window to read an impending release by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I mean it. Antonina Beaulieu is a fish out of water, sent to the city of Loisail to stay with her cousin and his wife as she prepares for her first grand season where she will hopefully find a husband. Unfortunately she's been dropped straight into a world she is both ill prepared and ill fitted for. Drawn to Hector Auvray, a performer who shares in the same telekinetic abilities as herself, she begins to hone her skills and find solace in his company. However, Hector keeps a secret, one that could shake the very foundations of their budding relationship. Her connections may have brought her to Loisail, but old ties are hard to break and could threaten the success of the season, as well as her impending marriage.

There is something exquisite, yet utterly unique about each of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's written works, and The Beautiful Ones is no different. This is a heartfelt and romantic story unlike anything I have read in a very long time. It's a sweeping tale of new beginnings and the long term consequences of the choices we make. This whole book felt like a period drama. It was melodramatic and oh so decadent, using its characters to fuel the raging fire of the central conflict. The focus on these relationships as a way to make a commentary about conformity and the suffocating weight of societies expectations was really interesting. I loved how it progressed to the point where each character had become the roadblock on their journey towards finding happiness. Not that I wanted either of the two main characters to be unhappy, but it was a very realistic portrayal of how sometimes you can become your own worst enemy. One that certainly kept things entertaining and made me want to bang my head against the wall on more than one occasion. This novel is definitely more of a romance with a dash of fantasy intertwined, than strictly fantasy. However, the romance took me by surprise. There's nothing I love more than a complicated relationship and two people who have to overcome something in order to be together. Hector and Nina showcased that perfectly. Although the pacing of this was quite slow, I found I didn't mind as I was once again drawn into the authors incredible prose and talent for storytelling. It's clear I can rely on this author for a wide array of different novels. In creating this, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has shown that she can thrive in truly any genre and I for one cannot wait to see what she does next.

Trigger warnings: guns, violence, arranged marriage

I saw Silvia's warning that this was something completely different than Mexican Gothic so I went into this book unsure of what to expect. I have to say, I really enjoyed it! I welcomed the slower pace for the first quarter of the book because Silvia's prose was just so beautiful and whimsical that I wanted to take my time absorbed in her words. Once the pace quickened, I absolutely devoured the story!

As I began the story, I worried that Nina was falling into the dreaded "not like other girls" trope but as the story continued, I realized that the emphasis on Nina being "different" was quite important to this story where women are expected to be/act a certain way. Nina really grew on me as the story continued and I ended up loving her story arc. As for the main antagonist, they fell a little flat for me. They were completely unlikable and I wished we could have spent more time seeing this person break through their cold façade.

I'd never read a "novel of manners" book and I think this was such a great introduction into this kind of literary work. While the telekinesis was a subtle part of the story, I loved that it was the thing that Hector and Nina could bond through.

I'm a big fan of Moreno-Garcia's writing; I'm not picky about which genre--if she writes it, odds are, I'll read it. So when I saw this beautiful cover, I couldn't wait to get started.

Years ago, telekinetic street performer Hector Auvray fell in love with a girl above his station. He returns to Loisail in hopes of reconnecting, only to meet Nina, the telekinetic cousin of his first love. Torn between holding onto his old love and his fascination with her cousin, Hector strikes up a friendship with Nina, a choice that threatens to tear more than one life apart.

I really enjoyed this book.

Before I jump in, I think it's worth noting that The Beautiful Ones is very different from Mexican Gothic, so some readers might be surprised at the genre shift.

I've been arguing about the merit of genre literature since college, and The Beautiful Ones is a case and point that writing does not have to be lit fic in order to be taken seriously. Here, the narrative voice is perfection. Moreno-Garcia nailed the diction, the atmosphere, the banter. The reading was seamless and effortless and utterly visual. From the minute details to the overarching themes, TBO is a well-built fantasy world reminiscent of the Victorian Era.

At times, I felt like I was reading an Oscar Wilde. Satirical elements of social commentary dominated the prose: Nina, the naive, unpolished country girl who's more interested in beetles than husbands, and Valerie, a beautiful city woman consumed with her need to preserve her reputation and wealth. The country is portrayed as inferior to the city, a marker of Wilde's satire, and overlapping with some Shakespearean elements of comedic reprieve. We get word play, mistaken identities, various love triangles, and plenty of unrequited longing. The opening scene screamed of Romeo and Juliet to me, where Romeo is broken-hearted over Rosaline before meeting Juliet. I loved this so much, the classic nods and structure to some of the greatest canonical authors while feeling authentic to its own story.

The telekinesis was an interesting angle, and if I wished for anything, it was for that to play a bigger part than it did. I kept expecting it to escalate, but overall, Nina's talent felt more like it could stand for any trait that would ostracize her from the rest of society. I understand the symbolic nature of the storytelling, and I think it was a clever character choice, but I would've loved to see a little more Firestarter thrown in there.

Overall, The Beautiful Ones is a smart, witty read with classic themes and a beautiful narrative flow. I'd recommend to fans of period dramas, soft love triangles, and atmospheric love stories.

Thank you to Macmillan Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I liked this even more than Silvia Moreno Garcia’s other novels. Each tries something very different and this time it was manners and magic in a diverse, charming alt-history/fantasy world.

It worked so well for the style and nature of her writing. Slow, character-driven, rooted in an enjoyable if occasionally (intentionally) melodramatic romance. It’s lush and easy to envision and really quite a mix of Austen and Bronte. Moreno Garcia is such an electric talent to read; hard to predict and easy to enjoy.

I LOVED Mexican Gothic so I had really HIGH hopes but was not able to finish this book, sadly. I'm really sad about it, but I just could not get into it. The characters did not compel me and I didn't find myself curious to see what happened next.

The Illusionist meets Jane Austen in this historical inspired novel with a speculative twist. A performer with telekinetic abilities returns to see his first love, now married, only to court her cousin by marriage in order to spend more time with her. A novel of manners and a novel of errors. I loved the blending of a fictional historical setting with speculative elements in the background, the extremely imperfect characters, the lush world building, and the voice. If you're coming to this one off of Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, you may be surprised by how different it is in terms of story, genre, and feel, but that is actually one of the things I love about her as an author-- how wide-ranging and far-reaching her skills as a storyteller are. In short: don't go into it expecting a Mexican Gothic, but just a really good book.

Because of the synopsis and the author I had hoped to like this book more than I did. The main characters Hector, Nina and Valerie were well drawn, but the pace of the writing was too slow, the book too long, and I quickly lost interest. I was also hoping for more of a supernatural/ magic element because of the characters telekinesis abilities.
Without giving too much away, when Nina goes to Hector in his rooms leaving her important event, I felt a sense of deja vu, like I’d read from this scene to the end of the book before, but I can’t remember where or why I feel this way.

I absolutely loved Mexican Gothic. I made it a selection for a book club that I host and sent a copy to my sister. So I was beyond thrilled to get an ARC of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's newest book. I was equally excited to hear that this book would be different from Mexican Gothic. I adore authors who can write different types of stories. This story was beautiful. I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into it but I really did enjoy it in the end. The characters are very well written and the three different perspectives help the plot progress while keeping the book engaging.
That said, this book does go at a slower pace and i think it’s more enjoyable if you focus on the characters as you read the book.
The book was significantly more romance focused than I had realized but I did end up enjoying it. I think I really like the authors writing style and how she crafts her characters. I’m looking forward to the next book I can read from her (:
Review found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3725643107?book_show_action=false

Damn, I knew I was right to be excited about this book. It wasn't what I expected at all, but I was utterly enchanted, like, reading-on-the-subway-with-a-stupid-smile-on-my-face enchanted. I actually read half of this book in one day, reading into the night, so enamored I was. Moreno-Garcia has created captivating, vibrant characters in a novel written with grace and elegance.

Immediately upon beginning this book, I felt like I was reading a Jane Austen novel (well...I've only ever read a single Jane Austen novel, Pride & Prejudice, but you get the idea). This is fitting, considering the author, on her blog, describes this book as a novel of manners. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, a novel of manners is "work of fiction that re-creates a social world, conveying with finely detailed observation the customs, values, and mores of a highly developed and complex society. The conventions of the society dominate the story, and characters are differentiated by the degree to which they measure up to the uniform standard, or ideal, of behaviour or fall below it."

To that end, the story is told from the perspectives of three very different characters: Hector, Nina, and Valerie. Hector is a telekinetic "talent" who has clawed his way out of poverty by becoming a stage performer. He is also, despite his aloof exterior, a shy romantic who has spent a decade pining for his first love, Valerie, who left him for a wealthier man. Valerie, the antagonist of the novel, is a bitter, jealous woman, shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of a family that has lost its former glory. Essentially guilted into marriage to a wealthy man who could uplift her family, Valerie is utterly resentful of Nina, who has a world of choices ahead of her. Nina, Valerie's cousin by marriage, is a budding entomologist who seems to have little regard for the social mores of the world she lives in. She is honest and straightforward, naive and somewhat impulsive, and she is, like Hector, a telekinetic who resents being told her powers are not "ladylike."

The story begins with Hector and Nina, in what I'm tempted to call a "meet cute." Soon after, Hector realizes that Nina is related to the woman he is still pining over, and he begins courting Nina as an excuse to see Valerie. However, eventually, in a beautifully written-slow burn romance, Hector begins to fall for Nina instead. With excellent craft and technique, Moreno-Garcia traces significant character development for all three of her main characters. Hector comes to see the error of his ways as he slowly opens up and allows himself to care for someone again. Nina sheds some of her gullibility and youth, yet retains the open-eyed wonder of an ingenue. Valerie grows more bitter and cruel by the chapter, yet the reader is not totally unsympathetic towards her fall from grace as she elucidates her disappointment with the turn her life has taken (she reminds me quite a bit of Cersei Lannister, actually...make of that what you will).

As I said, this novel was not what I expected. I thought I was going to read something heavy on the fantasy, and I was definitely left wanting in that arena. I would have liked more emphasis on world-building; it's not super clear whether this is meant to be a straight-up second world fantasy or some kind of alternate European country. In that same vein, I wish the existence of powers in this society had been expounded upon more, because for me it was fascinating to see telekinetics existing openly in a society that very closely resembled a mixture of early 20th century England and France. However, I do think that none of that was really the "point" of the novel; it's a story about love and relationships, with a touch of the fantasy element to add some color. I was reminded, in a way, of the film Another Earth, in which the fantastical (or sci-fi, in that case) elements were really only window-dressing to the overarching story of love, regret, and redemption.

Despite its underdevelopment, the touch of the fantastical definitely added to the story. Nina is made even more of an outsider because of it, having grown up under the epithet of "the Witch of Oldehouse." It has certainly shaped her character, perhaps even spurring her various acts of rebellion. In Hector I think she meets a kindred soul, a fellow telekinetic who has made something of himself because of his talent and not despite it. It is significant that Hector, I think, is the only person who never admonishes Nina for using her talent in public and being "unladylike." For all his flaws (and there are many, which is what makes him such a fascinating and likable character!), he respects Nina's autonomy and he loves her for who she is: an excitable, enthusiastic, and forthright young woman.

Minor characters were similarly endearing. Etienne, Hector's only friend, somehow manages to read him like a book, commenting wryly on Hector's various subtle changes of emotion throughout. Nina's sister, Marlena, is only around in a few scenes, but her love for her sister in those moments is clear and shining. Luc, Etienne's younger brother and would-be suitor for Nina at one point, is capricious and impetuous, but also childish in his innocence. Gaetan, Valerie's husband and Nina's beloved cousin, is seen as weak-willed and pathetic in his wife Valerie's eyes, but is shown to be a kind, indulgent, and forgiving man. Garcia-Moreno brings all of these characters to life in a narrative style that straddles third-person limited and third-person omniscient.

If it hasn't been clear amidst all this ebullient praise, I absolutely loved this book. I can see it as the kind of book to be read in schools one day as a classic, and I will definitely be recommending it for my library. More importantly, it has also inspired me as a writer. The vibrant characters, the deftly elegant writing style, the simple yet engaging plot - it has made me want to write my own novel of manners someday, in homage to this lovely book. 4.5 stars!

I went into this book as a huge fan of Mexican Gothic. I did read the author's warning that it was nothing like Mexican Gothic and I was a little nervous, but there was no need. The Beautiful Ones is such a lovely, whimsical, romantic story which such complex characters. I loved the magical realism element within the story and how something mentioned infrequently lines the plot out perfectly.