The Beautiful

Renée Ahdieh

Oct 2019 · The Beautiful Quartet Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Now in paperback, the first book--an instant bestseller--in the sumptuous, sultry, and romantic YA vampire series from New York Times bestselling author Renee Ahdieh.

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city becoming embroiled in the glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain.

When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien's own lair--the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks--Celine must battle her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

Ratings and reviews

I actually struggled to finish this book. There was a lot of hype over this book and I have to admit that I was looking forward to getting back into vampires again! However, I’m not sure this was the book to pull me back in to that world. I have struggled with this author’s writing in her other books as well so it may just be that her writing style is not something I enjoy, just a matter of taste. The story itself felt long and drawn out and did not have what I believe was the intended effect at each twist, turn, and revelation. Even the romance, which I think is the pull for vampire stories (the ill-fated, impossibility of it) did not work for me. I didn’t find myself pulling for the main relationship and felt even less convinced of the secondary romantic element.

The Beautiful was my most anticipated book of 2019. I know the bulk of society decided they were done with vampires after Twilight, but that was something that I definitely never agreed to. Twilight was just getting me started on the vampire trend. The lack of these mythic creatures in seemingly most of recent releases has been disappointing, which means that as soon as The Beautiful was announced, it was at the top of my TBR. Going in, I was entranced. The setting and atmosphere of the story is extraordinary. The attention to detail paints an image that is unfamiliar but addictive. It left me wanting to know and learn more. In addition, I absolutely loved the dynamics that were set up early in the story, such as that of Celine and Pippa. The relationships amongst the characters were the stabilizing force in the story and, truthfully, what actually ending up keeping me interested. The only word I can think of to describe the second half of the book is “murky.” Its narrative and development felt very unclear to me. I found myself re-reading but still failing to comprehend the events that were taking place. The initial set up seemed to drift away. Revelations and plot twists seemed to come out of left-field. My least favorite trope of all time occurred. While the ending set up a very interesting thread to be continued in book 2, I couldn’t help but feel devastated at the turn the narrative and writing took. I’m crossing my fingers that book 2 will capture my heart the way that the beginning of this story did. Here’s to waiting another whole year for the answers I need!

Very unique twist on vampires, werewolves, and fey. It's so easy to make a connection with the main characters. The setting in early america with proper language and social divides shows well in the book. Ahdieh writes magic and myth like it's second nature. I am in love with the beginning of this series!

About the author

Renée Ahdieh is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her spare time, she likes to dance salsa and collect shoes. She is passionate about all kinds of curry, rescue dogs, and college basketball. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She and her family live in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of the Wrath and the Dawn series, the Flame in the Mist series, and The Beautiful series.