I’ve heard The Beautiful described as Anne Rice for young adults. As a Rice fan I’d have to say... it really isn’t. There are only two similarities: New Orleans and vampires. When it comes to the tone, quality of characterization and plot, they are vastly different.

New Orleans is such a vibrant and lush backdrop for a story - and this book kind of wastes it. The setting is barely described and honestly, because of that it really could have been set anywhere. It was definitely a sorely missed opportunity to add some beauty to the book.

And then there’s the characters and the inevitable love triangle. Both aspects felt incredibly flat, with no sparks at all between any of the main players. That made it really hard to care about their fates.

But it’s not all bad news - the plot itself is creative and has a lot of potential. But a good book needs to be more than an intriguing blurb on the back cover. I hope future books in the series move closer towards reaching that potential. I’m just not sure whether I will bother to read them. Ah well...

2.5/5