The Beautiful(The Beautiful #1)
by Renée Ahdieh
October 8, 2019
448 pages
Goodreads Summary:
New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.
When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.
At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.
New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.
When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.
At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.
Review
The Beautiful was a predictable yet also somewhat unexpected vampire story. For me, the characters and the romance stood out more than the mystery. Also while bits of the book felt repetitive, I was caught up in how atmospheric the tale felt.
The Beautiful is told in multiple POVs. I really enjoyed being inside both lead characters’ heads. It made every decision and move they made apparent. The villain’s POV, on the other hand, I was not much of a fan of. I took a stab in the dark guessing its identity and I was right. However, I will say, I’m curious to know what exactly happened in the past to lead to the now.
Despite her young age Celine's been through a lot. Which I think is why her thoughts seem quite mature. "...how the simplest words often carried the most weight." (ARC, p. 253). She was also damn defiant. Anyone who dared tell her what to do was setting themselves up for a challenge. Celine was unrelenting when her mind was set. I admire her ferocity.
Prior to The Beautiful I have not read anything by Renée Ahdieh. I was pleased to discover the way she handles her romance was just to my taste. Yes, Celine and Bastien's feelings felt instalove-y but I love the tension Ms. Ahdieh creates between the two. Their chemistry was undeniable. They captivated me. What I truly do not care for is the incoming love triangle. Argh. I just know it will be a total pain in the next book.
We get some answers at the end of The Beautiful but I still have plenty of questions. This is definitely only the beginning. With a sequel title called The Damned, I am eager to see what is coming for these characters.
*I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.
looking forward to reading this one!
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