Beautiful Creatures reviewed

Beautiful Creatures reviewed

The young adult (YA) book genre is famous among adolescents but also teens and adults. While younger generations can relate to their content, for older readers, it may evoke nostalgia and remind them of their teenage years.

One of the most popular YA books is Beautiful Creatures. Published in 2009 by Little, Brown, and Company, this book was written by two close friends, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

It is the first book of the Beautiful Creatures series, which later became a part of another series called the Caster Chronicles series, which also includes the Dangerous Creatures series and The Untold Stories novellas.

In 2013, the book received a movie adaptation of the same name and a graphic novel that won the 2013 Goodreads Choice Award for Graphic Novels & Comics.

What is Beautiful Creatures about?

If you plan to read (or listen to) Beautiful Creatures, but warning – this section might contain spoilers.

The main character and narrator of the story is 16-year-old Ethan Wate, who lives in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina, where rarely anything happens. He spends his days attending high school and hanging out with his best friend, Link.

A change comes in the form of a new girl called Lena Duchannes, a niece of Macon Ravenwood, the town’s recluse. Furthermore, she looks exactly like the girl appearing in his dreams.

At first, Ethan has trouble getting close to Lena. But a shared flashback of the Civil War reveals that their ancestors were lovers and that after Lena’s great-great-great-great grandmother Genevieve tried and failed to revive Ethan’s ancestor, she became evil and cursed her whole lineage. Ethan also learns that Lena is a Caster and has magical powers.

While the two grow close, Uncle Macon and Ethan’s housekeeper Amma try to separate them for a mysterious reason. In addition, Sarafine, Lena’s mother and a Dark Caster, is plotting with another Dark Caster member of Lena’s family, Ridley, to make Lena join them. Because of her ancestor’s curse, this will be decided on her 16th birthday, which is approaching.

The story reaches its peak when Sarafine confronts Lena and reveals that if she gets claimed by the Light, her Dark Caster relatives will die. On the other hand, if she gets claimed by the Dark, her Light Caster relatives will die.

During the fight, Sarafine stabs Ethan. In an attempt to save him, Lena repeats her ancestor’s mistake and ends up Unclaimed.

Beautiful Creatures – Our book review

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is a rare YA book of the paranormal romance genre that was successful after Twilight. It features Southern Gothic fantasy elements and shapes them into a modern setting of a teenage love story.

What makes it unique is that the story is told from the male lead’s point of view. This way, the book rejects stereotypes of a typical teenage book where the girl gets saved by the boy she likes and makes this book a refreshing read.

Ethan is also a likable narrator. He is not your typical teenage boy who chases girls and gets in trouble but rather enjoys old-fashioned things like reading books and waiting for the right one. Contrary to his classmates and townsfolk, he is not narrow-minded and accepts Lena for who she is even though people around him dislike newcomers and try to pressure him into being like them.

Through Lena, we learn how it is to be an outcast. She stands out from the crowd with her mysterious, dark looks. Moreover, she has an internal struggle that she needs to overcome before she turns 16. She is not perfect, but that is what makes her an intriguing character.

The rest of the characters are rich and well-described, with details that make you invested in their lives even more. They fit in well with the seemingly uneventful town that is, in reality, full of secrets.

The book also contains powerful messages about family, love, and loyalty. Both Lena and her great-great-great-great grandmother Genevieve did everything to save the one they love, even if the chances are low. Ethan’s and Lena’s guardians are also honorable characters. Although she seems strict, Amma selflessly takes the place of Ethan’s deceased mother and does everything to protect him. For Lena, her Uncle Macon dies while protecting his niece despite being a Dark creature that is supposed to be evil.

Although the book has two authors, it doesn’t affect the pacing. The story flows smoothly, and the writing style is enjoyable, which makes this book an irresistible page-turner.

Discover Beautiful Creatures on Speechify Audiobooks

If this review made you interested in the book, try listening to the complete Beautiful Creatures series on Speechify Audiobooks with:

  1. Beautiful Creatures (2009)
  2. Beautiful Darkness (2010)
  3. Beautiful Chaos (2011)
  4. Beautiful Redemption (2012)
  5. Dream Dark: A Beautiful Creatures Story (2016)

You can also find other books by Kami Garcia, such as The Lovely Reckless, Broken Beautiful Hearts, Dangerous Deception, The Mortal Heart, The Seer’s Heart, and many more. In addition to Garcia, there are many other authors of supernatural romance novels.

Additionally, you can customize your listening experience or save time by increasing the reading speed up to nine times faster or taking your device anywhere you go.

Download Speechify Audiobooks today, and listen to Beautiful Creatures as your first book for free.

FAQ

What age is Beautiful Creatures appropriate for?

Because it contains some violent scenes and several characters die, Beautiful Creatures is recommended for ages 13 and above.

Is the ending of Beautiful Creatures predictable?

The book includes some of the typical elements of a YA supernatural romance novel. There are many hints throughout the book about things that will happen in the future (such as a song appearing and disappearing from Ethan’s iPod). But rather than predictable, the ending is unresolved. But things get clear in the sequels.

Does Beautiful Creatures book have a sequel?

The sequel to Beautiful Creatures is Beautiful Darkness.

Is there a love triangle in Beautiful Creatures?

There is no love triangle in Beautiful Creatures. The romance is between Lena Duchannes and Ethan Wate.

What are the other books in the Beautiful Creatures series?

There are four books in the series: Beautiful Creatures (2009), Beautiful Darkness (2010), Beautiful Chaos (2011), and Beautiful Redemption (2012).

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Dyslexia & Accessibility Advocate, CEO/Founder of Speechify Dyslexia & Accessibility Advocate, CEO/Founder of Speechify

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