The first book in the instant New York Times bestselling gothic fantasy series; a modern paranormal romance set against the gothic backdrop of an isolated southern town.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 UpβEthan Wate, a high school sophomore, plans to escape his small Southern town as soon as he can. Life has been difficult since his mother died; his father, a writer, has withdrawn into his study. Then Lena Duchannes arrives, and this strange new girl is the very one who has been occupying his dreams. She and her kin are Casters, beings who have supernatural powers. Getting to know her exposes Ethan to time travel, mortal danger, and love. The teens can hardly bear to be apart, but Lena's 16th birthday, when she will be Claimed for dark or light, is only 6 months away. To save her, they fight supernatural powers and the prejudice of closed-minded people. Yet, good and evil are not clearly delineated, nor are they necessarily at odds. In the Gothic tradition of Anne Rice, the authors evoke a dark, supernatural world in a seemingly simple town obsessed with Civil War reenactments and deeply loyal to its Confederate past. The intensity of Ethan and Lena's need to be together is palpable, the detailed descriptions create a vivid, authentic world, and the allure of this story is the power of love. The satisfying conclusion is sure to lead directly into a sequel. Give this to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005) or HBO's "True Blood" series and they will devour all 600-plus pages of this teen Gothic romance.β Amy J. Chow, The Brearley School, New York City
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Review
A hauntingly delicious dark fantasy, a cast of fascinating characters, a rich Gothic setting - this debut novel is one to watch -- Cassandra Clare, New York Times Bestselling Author Of The Mortal Instruments Series A lush Southern gothic whose memorable, eccentric characters draw you into their captivating world -- Holly Black, New York Times Bestselling Author Of Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale Beautiful Creatures is a tale of absorbing love and impossible choices. Like a thick, hot Carolina summer, this story seeps into you until it's all you can think about -- Carrie Ryan, Author Of The Forest Of Hands And Teeth
From AudioFile
Narrator Kevin Collins is eminently likable as Ethan Wate, a teenager trying to navigate the loss of his mom and emotional distance of his dad, the intriguing new girl at school, and the increasingly mysterious goings-on in his small Southern town. Even better, Collins is just as convincing as the town's cast of characters, including love interest Lena, caretaker Amma, best friend Link, high-school mean girls, and the imposing ladies of the DAR. Occasional sound effects, which are used mainly to distinguish dream sequences or flashbacks, distract from the narrative instead of enhancing it. But listeners will be charmed by the setting and story elements--call it Southern gothic meets contemporary witchcraft--and by Collins's skill with all of it. J.M.D. Β© AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
From Booklist
Ethan has lived in Gatlin, South Carolina, his whole life, as have generations of his family. If thereβs one thing he knows, nothing changes. Enter Lena Duchannes, and suddenly nothing is the same. Like most southern gothics, this story hides a secret, one that links Ethanβs and Lenaβs families. Otherworldly elements abound: Lena, from a family of spell casters, is waiting for her sixteenth birthday to see if sheβll be claimed by the Light or the Dark. Meanwhile, Lena and Ethan, who can read each otherβs thoughts, are traveling back in time to the Civil War, when two star-crossed lovers meet their fates. Throw in secret mystical libraries, a literal witch hunt, dead parents, and the snarky girls and sports teams of high school, and thereβs a lot going on here. Maybe too much. The 600-plus pages could have been cut to make a tighter, better story. Despite the bulk, thereβs plenty teens will like: romance, magic, hauntings, and the promise of more to come. Grades 9-12. --Ilene Cooper
Review
Praise for Beautiful Creatures _:
_ An Instant New York Times Bestseller
An Indie Next List Selection
A William Morris YA Debut Award Finalist
A New York Public Library "Book for the Teen Age"
"Gorgeously crafted, atmospheric, and original. I devoured it." - Melissa Marr, NYT bestselling author of Wicked Lovely
"A lush Southern gothic." - Holly Black, NYT bestselling author of Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale
"A hauntingly delicious dark fantasy." - Cassandra Clare, NYT bestselling author of City of Bones
"A potent mix of the gothic, the mythic, and the magical...With original characters, complex world building, and crackling prose, this is masterful storytelling." - Deborah Harkness, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches on the Beautiful Creatures novels
"Like a thick, hot Carolina summer, this story seeps into you until it's all you can think about." - Carrie Ryan, NYT bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth
"This book has it all...Who could ask for more? A sequel? Please!" - VOYA
"In the Gothic tradition of Anne Rice, the authors evoke a dark, supernatural world...Give this to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight or HBO's "True Blood" series." - School Library Journal
"[Readers] will be swept up by the haunting and detailed atmosphere, the conventions and strictures of Southern life, and a compelling and dimensional mythology." - Publishers Weekly
"Smart, textured and romantic." - Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Kami Garcia is a teacher and reading specialist with an MA in education, and leads book groups for children and teenagers. Margaret Stohl has an MA in English and studied creative writing under poet George MacBeth at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. They both live in Los Angeles, California, with their families. Beautiful Creatures is their debut novel.