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Monstrous Beauty Elizabeth Fama Books

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Monstrous Beauty Elizabeth Fama Books

I love mermaid books. I really do. The paranormal creatures I tolerate or love are the mermaids, angels and werewolves. But mermaids seem to really do it for me. What can I say, I love the great deep. So it might be my bias for mermaids which made me love this book as much as I do but it is certainly good.

Mermaids and ghosts. Sounds weird? I can't believe it myself because how can you mash two genres together? But Elizabeth Fama is supercalifreakinawesome as she has woven an intricate and wonderful story with a world so convincing I stopped listening to my lectures in school and just read this book. (Granted, the lectures were boring and it was a rehash. Bad, bad student.) I read it everywhere because I can't stop. This book has adventure, mystery, romance, danger, myths and everything you'd possibly want. The secrets just kept on coming and I was not ready for any of them. One moment you'd think you got it all figured out but the next thing, boom, Elizabeth has dropped another bombshell and you'd have to form your theory again. Until the very end of the book, you don't know (well at least I don't know) what's the actual deal. This makes for a great reading experience because I was always on edge. So it goes to say that the pacing was extremely well thought out and was gripping.

The book alternates every chapter or every few chapters from the present day (Hester) and 1872/1873 (Syrenka). This totally works because I am so invested in both timelines. Elizabeth Fama writes both time frames convincingly that it was not jarring to read. Even Pastor McKee's scottish accent was just awesome! Admittedly, I was suffering from Pitying-the-Other-Guy syndrome as I was feeling so bad for Peter yet falling in love with Ezra. Another fictional man. What is happening to my life? Ezra is a naturalist and of course, being a scientist made me relate to him and his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Syrenka's life was so poignant, especially at the prologue with Pukanokick. It was heartbreaking and at the same time that you're feeling pity for her, you know that she's the one to blame. Actually, everyone's life was bittersweet or, as Syrenka pointed out, sweet-bitter. Hester was relatable to me, even if I question her actions at times. Just not a fan of her sorta insta-love with Ezra though if you've read the book, it makes sense. Peter took a backseat and wasn't fleshed out but I do understand as he's not too integral to the story than say the other characters. Linnie seriously creeped the hell out of me. There's a particular scene, or for me, two scenes (or maybe three or four, depending on your iffy meter), that might be icky or a dealbreaker with others. This is not some fluffy, light stuff guys. It dabbles with death, soul, life, power, revenge and everything in between.

Anyway, I don't think I can write a review that will give this book justice as I was actually at a loss for words when I finished it. Just see for yourself how Elizabeth Fama went from I-don't-know-her to will-definitely-read-all-of-her-books for me and how I just gained another mermaid novel I love. Or how YOU will gain a mermaid novel that you'll love. Or how YOU will get lost in this world and with these characters. Read for yourself. :)

Thank you to Elizabeth Fama for writing a tale so exquisite. I love you all! <3

(Sorry if my thoughts are all over the place. That's good, right? When you read a book and your mind can't catch up with all that it's thinking. Heehee.)


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Monstrous Beauty Elizabeth Fama Books Reviews

Monstrous Beauty is a hauntingly beautiful tale of love, deceit, fate and tragedy. It's one of those rare books that caught me completely off guard and in a very good way.

And here's the thing... while it does contain mermaids, I wouldn't exactly say Monstrous Beauty is a mermaid book. It sort of defies being pigeon-holed as such because it contains a wide variety elements---mermaids, curses, ghosts. And yes, that's a lot of randomness but it does work. The story's told through the alternating narratives of Hester (present day) and Syrenka (the past). Normally I find this kind of switcheroo jarring, but Fama pulls it off and in a very natural way. From the get-go, you know the story's end-point but you don't know how it got there. You're like a detective, putting the puzzle together piece by piece but in a very fresh and interesting sort of way. I picked up the audiobook, narrated by Katherine Kellgren, and I highly recommend that you do too because she's magnificent; definitely one of my favourite readers to date. Kellgren's voice lulled me into a trance-like state and you can't help but hang on to her every word.

In case you were wondering, Monstrous Beauty isn't one of those Disney-esque, happily-ever-after fairy tales, oh no. Think more along the lines of the Grimm Brothers. This isn't Ariel we're dealing with here. These mermaids are fiercely alluring but with an added fear factor we're talking pointed teeth and sharp claws. Oh yeah. They've got a deadly amount of strength, they're super vindictive aaaaaand also kind of terrifying. Then there's Hester. She's the average, reliable, girl-next-door type who has both brains and snark. At the beginning, she's confident and gawkward but as the story progresses and things get crazy, she becomes vulnerable and desperate and kind of stupid. I'm talking teenage-girl-in-love-for-the-very-first-time kind of stupid, and this of course, leads her to do some very stupid things. I gotta be honest. Hester was frustrating, particularly with regard to how she treats her friend Peter. It's kind of s***ty but at least it shows imperfection and makes her a more relatable character. In fact, there's something that draws you in to each one of these characters, that makes you want to dig deeper and know more. That's how layered and interesting they are!

And if the characters don't reel you in, there's always the historical Plymouth setting and sea lure out to get you. Fama's gone to incredible lengths with the amount of research and detail she included in the book. I really liked those scholarly elements. They keep the story grounded, especially when there's so much supernatural stuff going on. Monstrous Beauty proved me wrong in that it showed me exactly why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, or in this case, by its mythical entity. The writing is eloquent, the story so incredibly imaginative that I want to be part of this world. In short, the book was amazing and I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Monstrous Beauty transported me to a magical world, both above and under the sea. Well played, Fama. Well played.

Food for Thought Shockingly, Monstrous Beauty, ended up being one of my favourite reads of the year with it's engrossing storyline and engaging characters and beautiful prose. This book is full of unique twists and rich history and mythical elements, so there's something to please everyone. It's dark and creepy and haunting and romantic and I promise, you won't want to put it down. So don't judge. Just give it a try!
Hester believes her future is doomed to be cut short if she ever falls in love. She researches her family’s past hoping to find a solution only to uncover a tragic story that entangles her family and town history with folklore from the sea.

I enjoyed reading Monstrous Beauty far more than I anticipated. The writing was beautiful with imagery that was vivid and immersive. It really enhanced the seaside location and historical elements.

The story alternates each chapter between the present and past. It took me a while to get used to but I found it easy to follow. The writing is very rich and I found myself reading a bit slower to fully enjoy it. It made me a bit impatient at times especially when I felt the momentum close to revealing something new.

I loved how the story incorporated mermaid folklore. The way they were portrayed captured the idea of something both beautiful and deadly.

At times the story was darker than I expected. The characters are all wonderfully written with their own stories adding to the richness of the tale. Death, love and tragedy were common themes that were explored. The dark undertones gave a poetic quality to the overall story.

Monstrous Beauty is a beautiful dark story with a vivid depiction of mermaids and history.
I love mermaid books. I really do. The paranormal creatures I tolerate or love are the mermaids, angels and werewolves. But mermaids seem to really do it for me. What can I say, I love the great deep. So it might be my bias for mermaids which made me love this book as much as I do but it is certainly good.

Mermaids and ghosts. Sounds weird? I can't believe it myself because how can you mash two genres together? But Elizabeth Fama is supercalifreakinawesome as she has woven an intricate and wonderful story with a world so convincing I stopped listening to my lectures in school and just read this book. (Granted, the lectures were boring and it was a rehash. Bad, bad student.) I read it everywhere because I can't stop. This book has adventure, mystery, romance, danger, myths and everything you'd possibly want. The secrets just kept on coming and I was not ready for any of them. One moment you'd think you got it all figured out but the next thing, boom, Elizabeth has dropped another bombshell and you'd have to form your theory again. Until the very end of the book, you don't know (well at least I don't know) what's the actual deal. This makes for a great reading experience because I was always on edge. So it goes to say that the pacing was extremely well thought out and was gripping.

The book alternates every chapter or every few chapters from the present day (Hester) and 1872/1873 (Syrenka). This totally works because I am so invested in both timelines. Elizabeth Fama writes both time frames convincingly that it was not jarring to read. Even Pastor McKee's scottish accent was just awesome! Admittedly, I was suffering from Pitying-the-Other-Guy syndrome as I was feeling so bad for Peter yet falling in love with Ezra. Another fictional man. What is happening to my life? Ezra is a naturalist and of course, being a scientist made me relate to him and his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Syrenka's life was so poignant, especially at the prologue with Pukanokick. It was heartbreaking and at the same time that you're feeling pity for her, you know that she's the one to blame. Actually, everyone's life was bittersweet or, as Syrenka pointed out, sweet-bitter. Hester was relatable to me, even if I question her actions at times. Just not a fan of her sorta insta-love with Ezra though if you've read the book, it makes sense. Peter took a backseat and wasn't fleshed out but I do understand as he's not too integral to the story than say the other characters. Linnie seriously creeped the hell out of me. There's a particular scene, or for me, two scenes (or maybe three or four, depending on your iffy meter), that might be icky or a dealbreaker with others. This is not some fluffy, light stuff guys. It dabbles with death, soul, life, power, revenge and everything in between.

Anyway, I don't think I can write a review that will give this book justice as I was actually at a loss for words when I finished it. Just see for yourself how Elizabeth Fama went from I-don't-know-her to will-definitely-read-all-of-her-books for me and how I just gained another mermaid novel I love. Or how YOU will gain a mermaid novel that you'll love. Or how YOU will get lost in this world and with these characters. Read for yourself. )

Thank you to Elizabeth Fama for writing a tale so exquisite. I love you all! <3

(Sorry if my thoughts are all over the place. That's good, right? When you read a book and your mind can't catch up with all that it's thinking. Heehee.)