Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Oct 12, 2010
- paranormal, YA -
reviewed by Tara SG
received for review from Traveling ARC Tours
Book Order (Caster Chronicles)
- Beautiful Creatures * * * *
- Beautiful Darkness * * * * (Oct 12, 2010)
- TBA (Fall 2011)
- TBA (Fall 2012)
Links
Author’s Website : www.beautifulcreaturesthebook.com
Amazon : pre-order hardcover
Add To Your GoodReads TBR List
This book in 6 words:
emotional action-packed sequel did not disappoint
Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I really enjoyed the first in this series and was honored to get a chance to review the sequel. It had been about 7 months since I had read the first in the series so I took some time to reread the last 100 pages or so (which sounds like a lot, but keep in mind it was a 600 page book). Beautiful Darkness isn’t much shorter, but it went very quickly. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and was left wanting more. I can’t say I was completely happy with how some events unfolded, but there were also some surprises I really enjoyed!
Brief Summary
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena’s family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan’s eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there’s no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town’s tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.
- via GoodReads
Plot/Pacing/Writing Style
This review may contain spoilers for Beautiful Creatures.
When I finished Beautiful Creatures I felt a little let down. We spend the whole book waiting to see if Lena will be Light or Dark… and then it is left undecided. I was honestly curious how they could successfully extend this plot line, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is a heart-breaker. We watch as the characters deal with grief, trust, love, secrets, and more.
The pace was pretty well-done. It was an intense book with a lot of emotional ups and downs. I liked the writing style. I feel like the authors do a wonderful job of keeping you completely wrapped up in the story.
Characters
It didn’t take me long to fall back into step with Ethan. I love that this book is from a male POV. I really felt for him in this book and could see how much Lena and her situation was affecting him. I think he’s growing up and learning things that would shake up anyone’s world.
Lena was extremely hard to like in this book. I understand that she is dealing grief and guilt after accidentally killing the man who raised her. She just seemed to deal with it all wrong. I honestly was wondering why Ethan didn’t leave her specially when a more suitable partner is introduced. Even at the end of the book I was worried about how their relationship would develop.
I was surprised to enjoy Link, Riley, and other side characters as much as I did. I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in the future books.
Recommendations
If you liked Beautiful Creatures then I highly recommend reading this!!
Great review! I’m a Ridley fan, and it was good to see a deeper side of her, but you’re so right about Lena–I found myself wanting to skip every scene she was in! Somehow it’s much worse when intensely powerful supernatural characters whine.
I skimmed…Because I’m almost finished with Beautiful Creatures and did not want any spoilers. Glad to read your little six-word support for the sequel!
I REALLY want to read this one, though I’ve been hearing a lot about people not liking Lena very much in Beautiful Darkness. I think I need to find the time to re-read Beautiful Creatures beforehand too…Thanks for the review!
I’ve been waiting to read this closer to the release date so I was interested in reading your review. I am curious about Lena being very down and the introduction of a new female character, hmmm
I want this book so bad! Why is October so far away??
Lena is tough to like (and forgive) in this book, I agree! great review!
@ Tiger Holland : I’m a Ridley fan too
@ Mrs DeRaps : Ooh how are you liking Beautiful Creatures?
@ Natalie : I’m sure you’ll like this one
I think rereading the first book is a good idea. I’m really glad I took the time to at least reread the end.
@ Kate : I was worried about how they were going to continue the story after the way the first one ended, but I was impressed with all the new angles they threw in!
@ Christina : It seems like there are a lot of good books coming out this fall! Of course as soon as they do, I’ll start counting down to the spring
@ Stacy (Wicked Walker) : Thanks
She really is. I’m hoping she wins my love back in the next book.
[...] the simple font and the placement is perfect. Those of you who have been lucky enough to have read Beautiful Darkness will understand why this stood out to me It is the last lines of T.S. Eliot’s “The [...]