Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl Series: Caster Chronicles #1
(2009)
Audiobook
{17 hours and 38 minutes} (563 pages)
Via: Audiobook Sync
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2016 Backlist Books, Read 2016
Synopsis
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.
Find the book: Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository
My Review
This story is unique in that it is told from Ethan’s point of view. This could have made the book amazing, but I just didn’t like Ethan at all. That could have been that I just didn’t connect with him or that I really just didn’t care what happened to him.
Then there is Lena. She is just so… passive. She doesn’t try to change her situation at all. Things happen to her but she doesn’t seem to actually do much. Her motive seems to be “I can’t do anything to change it so I may as well not even try.”
There were other little issues I had with the novel. There are Light Casters and Dark Casters. In Lena’s mind, these are absolutes. You are either Dark or Light, black or white. However, some of the events make it seem more like shades of gray. So which is it? I have no idea.
Then there is the whole cursed family thing. Apparently, the curse has no exceptions and yet exceptions are made. The Duchannes children aren’t supposed to be raised by their parents and yet Lena’s younger cousin Ryan lives with her parents? Color me confused.
To top off everything, Ethan has no idea what is happening and he is the narrator! How are we supposed to know what is going on then?
I listened to this audiobook while driving cross-country or else I may have had to DNF it. I was that confused at times. I am glad I stuck with it, though, because the ending was not what I was expecting.
While this wasn’t the book for me, I have heard so many great things about it. I hope you loved it more than I did if you’ve read it.
Oh, I feel you with this one. I kiiiiind of liked it when I first read it but I think it was because I was new to YA in general. Ethan is the worst. Movie Ethan is even WORSE, if that is possible, and I cannot even think of this book without cringing at him! And no, I didn’t like the whole division thing, which was one of my big problems with the book- I wanted to smack Lena. The side characters were wayyy better than the main ones in this series! Sorry this didn’t work for you, but great review!
I’m glad to know I’m not alone on this one. I don’t think I’m going to be tracking down the movie anytime soon if Ethan is even worse there than the book.
Thanks for visiting. I hope you have a wonderful upcoming week!