First published in 2017, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones is back in print in a lovely new 2021 edition from Jo Fletcher Books (or via Tor in the US), and deservedly so. With the carefully observed characters and social customs of a novel of manners, set in a fictional world influenced by late-19th Century Europe and with a dash of telekinesis added in for a little bit of a fantasy edge, it’s a rich and characterful social drama, a slow-burn romantic love triangle, and a tale of conformity and conflict. The story begins in the city of Loisail during the Grand Season, with its glittering balls attended by the Beautiful Ones – the cream of society – and revolves around a trio of characters caught in a tangle of history, passion and deception.
There’s Hector Auvray, a charismatic entertainer who has dragged himself up from the gutter and made his fortune wowing audiences with his telekinetic prowess; Valerie Beaulieu, a beautiful socialite locked in an unhappy marriage for the sake of her family; and Antonina (Nina) Beaulieu, the young cousin of Valerie’s husband, who’s been sent to the city from her country home to make of her a lady, though her own telekinetic gifts are the least of her problems in this regard. A decade ago Hector and Valerie fell in love only to be forced apart by circumstance, and with fame and fortune on his side Hector hopes to finally win her hand. When he finds Valerie cold and unwelcoming, however, he sees in Nina an opportunity to stay close to the Beaulieus and cling to his long-held dreams, so sets out to court her. Unaware of Hector’s history with Valerie, Nina sees in Hector a dashing suitor and a man she could love.
And so the plot plays out, a stately dance of drama between (mostly) the three main characters that’s variously awkward, uncomfortable, angry and endearing, while also cleverly told, beautifully depicted and consistently heart-rending. Events proceed at a gentle pace, allowing Moreno-Garcia to gradually explore a little of this world along with Hector and Valerie’s obsessions with the past and their designs upon Nina. In their own ways they both struggle to let go of each other despite how their lives have ended up, whereas Nina – pushed to become something she isn’t, and doesn’t want to be – hopes to forge her own future unbound by social constraints. The three characters’ arcs are perhaps not especially surprising but it’s deeply satisfying to watch them develop, in particular the dynamic between Valerie and Nina as the older woman attempts to force her younger cousin along a path she has already walked. The two women are studies in contrast, one instantly likeable and the other increasingly vile, but similarities emerge as the book progresses that cast a little light on Valerie’s appalling behaviour.
So this isn’t a fantasy novel as such, instead much more of a romantic period drama, but there’s enough of the magical to set this apart from a straight-up historical romance. Moreno-Garcia cleverly incorporates the fantastical elements in a way that feels – for both the reader and the characters – natural and brilliantly everyday; Hector and Nina’s telekinetic talents are just accepted as part of life, unusual and noteworthy for sure but still essentially normal. They do, however, provide a link between Nina and Hector, a point of understanding between each other and a reminder that for all Hector’s obsession with Valerie he has much more in common with Nina, neither of them truly belonging amongst the Beautiful Ones. Adding a little magic to a richly detailed, character-driven story like this proves to be an absolute delight, combining effectively with the somewhat damning depiction of the rich, spoiled, over-privileged Beautiful Ones to create an evocative tale with a considerable emotional heft. On the face of things it’s more for romance fans than fantasy fans perhaps, but in truth it’s well worth checking out for anyone interested in compelling characters and beautiful writing.
Review copy provided by the publisher
See also: all the other Silvia Moreno-Garcia reviews on Track of Words
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