There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
I never even saw it coming.
Ethan Wate is haunted by nightmares of a beautiful girl who slips through his fingers every time -- but even in his wildest imaginings, he never thought his dream girl was real. Until she moved to town, that is. Lena Duchannes is the troubled niece of Gatlin's very own hermit, and as a result she's instantly shunned by the entire town. Except for Ethan. Ethan is determined to learn the truth about the centuries-old secret that bound his fate to Lena and her tangled family tree. Unfortunately, the path to answers ends in a single grave.
Beautiful Creatures is a haunting Gothic tale of secrets and blood bargains, set in a Southern town too small to contain it. The town of Gatlin is its own character in the story, an insular, small-minded community full of DAR debutantes and legendary shut-ins. Though it was rather over-the-top, this intense characterization provides a vivid backdrop for a timeless tale of star-crossed love. The creepy nightmares and eerie melodies that open the novel suck readers in, piquing their interest with a foreboding air.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with Ethan and Lena. Ethan prides himself on his dreams of leaving the boondocks, his college brochures and map of faraway places -- yet he never actually stands apart from the small town crowd until Lena comes along. Suddenly, Ethan is ready to cast off the clique into which he's been assimilated, risking it all for a girl he doesn't even know. Likewise, Lena was hard to get a handle on. Though she is the powerful one in this relationship, she still comes across as weak -- in need of her white knight to comfort her and chase the demons away. The two teens instantly fall in love, for no apparent reason. Though I expected a supernatural explanation at some point in the story, one never came.
Nonetheless, the secondary characters were a treat. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl give special attention to the creation of Gatlin's quirkier inhabitants. First, there's Amma, Ethan's voodoo psychic housekeeper and stand-in mother. Amma is an admirably strong woman who taught Ethan to stand up for what he believes in, a combination cookie-baking grandma and military general. Then there are the Sisters, Ethan's older-than-dirt, borderline insane aunts. They will keep readers laughing with their off-the-wall and lightning-fast banter, and strangely reminded me of the Fates. Finally, there's Macon Ravenwood, the town's resident recluse who is actually more Rhett Butler than Boo Radley. Macon is a mystery, cloaked in shadow and secrets. He is fierce in his family loyalty, as well as in his devotion to his niece Lena -- but you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alleyway.
Beautiful Creatures is a dark and stormy (quite literally) tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end, as past and present collide in unnerving visions of doomed lovers more than a century before. This first installment only hints at the vast world of monsters and magic hidden beneath the human veneer of Gatlin. This is a world in which anything is possible, and Garcia and Stohl take that to the extreme -- weaving together ghosts and the gothic, curses and visions in a spell-binding tale readers will hate to see end.
And in the end, there was a grave.
I never even saw it coming.
Ethan Wate is haunted by nightmares of a beautiful girl who slips through his fingers every time -- but even in his wildest imaginings, he never thought his dream girl was real. Until she moved to town, that is. Lena Duchannes is the troubled niece of Gatlin's very own hermit, and as a result she's instantly shunned by the entire town. Except for Ethan. Ethan is determined to learn the truth about the centuries-old secret that bound his fate to Lena and her tangled family tree. Unfortunately, the path to answers ends in a single grave.
Beautiful Creatures is a haunting Gothic tale of secrets and blood bargains, set in a Southern town too small to contain it. The town of Gatlin is its own character in the story, an insular, small-minded community full of DAR debutantes and legendary shut-ins. Though it was rather over-the-top, this intense characterization provides a vivid backdrop for a timeless tale of star-crossed love. The creepy nightmares and eerie melodies that open the novel suck readers in, piquing their interest with a foreboding air.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with Ethan and Lena. Ethan prides himself on his dreams of leaving the boondocks, his college brochures and map of faraway places -- yet he never actually stands apart from the small town crowd until Lena comes along. Suddenly, Ethan is ready to cast off the clique into which he's been assimilated, risking it all for a girl he doesn't even know. Likewise, Lena was hard to get a handle on. Though she is the powerful one in this relationship, she still comes across as weak -- in need of her white knight to comfort her and chase the demons away. The two teens instantly fall in love, for no apparent reason. Though I expected a supernatural explanation at some point in the story, one never came.
Nonetheless, the secondary characters were a treat. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl give special attention to the creation of Gatlin's quirkier inhabitants. First, there's Amma, Ethan's voodoo psychic housekeeper and stand-in mother. Amma is an admirably strong woman who taught Ethan to stand up for what he believes in, a combination cookie-baking grandma and military general. Then there are the Sisters, Ethan's older-than-dirt, borderline insane aunts. They will keep readers laughing with their off-the-wall and lightning-fast banter, and strangely reminded me of the Fates. Finally, there's Macon Ravenwood, the town's resident recluse who is actually more Rhett Butler than Boo Radley. Macon is a mystery, cloaked in shadow and secrets. He is fierce in his family loyalty, as well as in his devotion to his niece Lena -- but you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alleyway.
Beautiful Creatures is a dark and stormy (quite literally) tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end, as past and present collide in unnerving visions of doomed lovers more than a century before. This first installment only hints at the vast world of monsters and magic hidden beneath the human veneer of Gatlin. This is a world in which anything is possible, and Garcia and Stohl take that to the extreme -- weaving together ghosts and the gothic, curses and visions in a spell-binding tale readers will hate to see end.
Rating: 
17 Comments on Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl & Giveaway, last added: 8/15/2011
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17 Comments on Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl & Giveaway, last added: 8/15/2011
I had the same thought about Ethan and Lena. I liked it, but it felt like the pace kept dragging. It took me two weeks to finish the first book. I will read the sequels, just not at the moment, ha.
I *loved* Amma and the insane, older than dirt aunts. I will agree that it does keep readers guessing until the very end.
Fantastic review!
I felt like it dragged myself, although I loved parts of it. I think that's why I haven't picked up the second one just yet, although it's on my list of books to read. I did like the secondary characters almost better than Ethan and Lena as well. Great review! Thanks!
I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well. I'm actually excited for the novella that was just released since it's Link's story. I do think this series has promising parts to it.
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Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
I have enjoyed this series so far, but I do agree with your review. I was very annoyed by them falling in love so quickly, and I also thought there would be more of an explanation in respect to the supernatural. I am still excited for the next one though!
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thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
I've been wanting to read this. It makes me a little sad to hear that the main characters are hard to connect with, but since I have a tendency to get attached to secondary characters, I'm glad to hear they are awesome at least.
Thanks for the giveaway!
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I love gothic novels and fun secondary characters, so I think I would enjoy this book. :) Thank you for the great review and giveaway!
http://twitter.com/#!/LiederMadchen/status/103010695599243264
liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com
Believe it or not, I had a very easy time connecting w/Ethan, Lena was the one that was harder for me to connect with. But overall I enjoyed the first book very much :) I haven't had time to go out for book 2, so this giveaway is perfecttt! Thanks so much for hosting!
Diana
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I have had this one sitting on my TBR self for a while and hope to get to it soon. I have read lots of reviews and it sounds like a book I will truly enjoy as I tend towards dark and haunting.
Great review! I enjoy a tale with a gothic feel and the aunts sound like my kind of characters. Too bad the main characters weren't as appealing as the secondary ones.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
I've read reviews now where some connected and some have not with these characters. It's hard to get into a story if you don't get into and connect with the characters. Also about falling in love right away, where it was not led up to...that's hard to grasp. I'm reading a book now like that. I would still love a chance to read this book. Please count me in for the contest.
I'm an email subscriber .
+1 tweeted at http://twitter.com/#!/Tanya1224/status/103182404813983744
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com
Love at first sight with no reason seems to be such a common theme now which is too bad :(. I'm glad the secondary characters made up for it though!
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I've heard so much about this series. It's definitely on my to-read list.
I've seen these books EVERYWHERE. And I haven't read them! Gah. Thank you so much for the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/Leecheeeee_3LB/status/103221049109389313
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I have been meaning to read this for ages. And I think that I disagree with your take on Ethan, even though I haven't read it. A person can harbor high aspirations and dreams of living a bigger life elsewhere INSIDE while they remain protected on the outside by assimilating into the cliched small town crowd. Lots of us dream big yet never get off the ground in real life.
Thank you for your review and this contest!
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I just started reading Beautiful Creatures yesterday. I'm only a few chapters in so I don't think I have a real sense of the characters yet.
It's interesting to read a review that wasn't all good things. I've only ever heard great things about this series. I never got what this series was really about since the summery is so vauge, I think they didn't want to give anything away. I hope that I like it. But I hope you like the second book better, hopefully it gives all the answers. I can't stand series that keep you hanging for a couple books, without leaving you a little something. Great review! Now I'm interested to get reading and seeing what I think of all the characters and book in general. Thanks for the giveaway!
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I really love these books the writing is so good I feel like I'm actually in Gatlin and I love that! The characters are so real and some of my favorite charaters are the secondary ones like the 3 crazy great aunts their so funny! I can't wait for Beautiful Chaos!
I tweeted: @MissyRissy_rox (sorry it wouldn't paste)
And I'm a email subscriber: [email protected]
I liked Beautiful Creatures. I haven't gotten a chance to read Beautiful Darkness though. I am sorry that you did not connect with Lena and Ethan. I connected with them but I agree that it was somewhat difficult at first. I personally don't have a problem with the whole love at first sight thing being used it books even though it has become a cliche. I think that the whole initial hate that becomes love has become a cliche as well. I imagine it is very hard for authors to get perfect strangers deeply invested in one another in a few pages.
I appreciated the attention that the authors placed on developing their secondary characters. It really annoys me when a book has flat characters.
Thanks for the giveaway.
finnickfan(at)yahoo(dot)com