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Monstrous Beauty

Elizabeth Fama (Goodreads Author)

3.64 · Rating details · 4,976 ratings · 999 reviews

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably dra ...more

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Hardcover, 295 pages

Published September 4th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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Lists with This Book

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

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Average rating 3.64 ·

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· 4,976 ratings · 999 reviews

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Nov 10, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pn-ghosts, 2012-favorites, pn-sea-creatures, gothic, 1800s, read-2012, young-adult, mythic-and-fairy-tale-ish, august, 2012-publication

Take a photographic tour of the Monstrous Beauty world as Elizabeth Fama stops by The Midnight Garden to kick off her blog tour! Plus win a finished hardcover of the book.

It was a woman--as pale and luminescent as a ghost, with swirling white hair. Ezra startled, dropping his pencil into the water. Her face snapped toward him. Her eyes were too large, clear green, and had horizontal, slit-shaped pupils, reminiscent of an octopus.

Did your pulse quicken when you read that paragraph? Mine did! ...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Catie rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, ya, read-in-2012, supernatural, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Those two stars up there are for the mermaids, which ironically were the main reason I felt hesitant to read this. But damn if she didn’t deliver on the mermaids. These ladies are creepy, clawed, razor-toothed monsters capable of twisted magic. The prologue of this book, wherein the mermaid Syrenka tries to make love to the man she’s been watching for months and then accidentally kills him, had me completely enthralled.

And then the story flashed forward by a few hundred years and Hester showed ...more

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Apr 09, 2012 K. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fairy-tales-are-naughty-and-twisted, hit-me-in-the-heart, to-buy, 21st-cent, fantasy-sci-fi-dys, e-book, goosebumps, ok-fine-its-ya, this-shelf-is-divine, historical

Elizabeth Fama's Monstrous Beauty is a dark and twisted concoction of myth, curses, history, and murder. It is a piercing story about a mermaid who longs to love and a young girl who has discarded any hope of it. I haven't read many sea-folk lore, and so won't pretend to understand this "new" and "original" approach to the mermaid legend. The story is certainly mature, however, daring to be more graphic and seasoned (if you catch my meaning), than most young adult novels in the market. In fact, ...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, ebook

I have tried to read mermaid books - a new hype in today's YA market - and book after book I keep finding myself disappointed, realizing that these water beings are simply not my forte... until now. Is it the dark, twisted plot? Is it the violent, yet beautiful story? Is it the combination of local sea lore mixed with curses, murders, love, and horror? Let's just say, this is definitely more up my alley than the froufrou mermaid books that I have been using for kindling lately.

Monstrous Beauty w I have tried to read mermaid books - a new hype in today's YA market - and book after book I keep finding myself disappointed, realizing that these water beings are simply not my forte... until now. Is it the dark, twisted plot? Is it the violent, yet beautiful story? Is it the combination of local sea lore mixed with curses, murders, love, and horror? Let's just say, this is definitely more up my alley than the froufrou mermaid books that I have been using for kindling lately.

Monstrous Beauty welcomes the old sea-folk lore, where mermaids are beautiful, perilous beasts who seduce and kill those who unfortunately come upon their waters. There is even mention of specific lore details such as the goddess Atargatis; I can't say I was extremely familiar with the mythology myself, but this book piqued my interest enough to have me browsing Wikipedia to learn more about it. It's a very fascinating subject with a lot of history and legends surrounding it. Though knowing absolutely nothing about the history of these sea creatures will not diminish your enjoyment of this book in the least, it's merely to say that it will increase your appetite for it. Rich imagery created by brilliant descriptions turns these mythical beings, as well as their underwater world, the villagers, the alternating time periods, all of it, into a strikingly picturesque tale. It may revolve around it, but the mermaids are not the only thing to look forward to in this novel; we have a cursed family, a love story, an enthralling history, and even a few ghosts.

Naturally, with such vicious creatures in our midst, we get a plot that is much darker than your usual paranormal mermaid novel. It's violent, gory at times, with scenes of horror and seduction that I would not normally expect from a YA novel, making me recommend this for more mature readers. I found these aspects really impacted the seriousness of the mermaid myth. They are not, in fact, sweet loveable creatures. They're manipulative, treacherous monsters who will make you look at The Little Mermaid in a whole new light.

Hester is dealing with a genetic defect that has killed all mothers in her family after they have given birth, but when she meets the mysterious Ezra, he helps her figure out some answers to this apparent curse. The mesmerizing manner this story is told keeps a perfect pace, constantly bringing us deeper into this fiercely gripping tale, never letting our attention falter. While Hester is delving farther into her unusual family history, we get thrown into the past where a passionate love story with mermaid Syrenka and her human lover unfolds. With the past and the present intertwining in more ways than one, this whirlwind romance quickly becomes a richly developed mystery. And even though I solved large parts of it long before Hester -- in some cases I even marveled at how easily she could have deciphered it if only she thought it through for a minute -- I still enjoyed the thrilling climax which is soon followed by a flawless ending.

Exciting, dark, and positively gorgeous, Monstrous Beauty has finally given me a mermaid book to rave about, throwing my expectations right out of the water (Ha! I made a pun!). A must read for those who would prefer their mermaid books in a more sinister tone.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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Jan 08, 2012 shady boots rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012-faves

This review is also available over at my blog.

_________________________

Part of my Mermaid Marathon, round two.

The year is 1872, and Syrenka, a mermaid, falls in love with the gorgeous Ezra, and makes the deadly decision to become mortal and live a life with him. Flash forward to almost 140 years later, Hester Goodwin meets a stranger with the same name, who seems to be living in a cave at the beach. In Hester's family, love has always lead to death. After the women in her family give birth to a ...more

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Apr 09, 2012 B rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hand-me-some-tissues, 2012-favorites, read-reviewed, netgalley-edelweiss-arc, i-totally-saw-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, didn-t-see-that-coming, 2012-reads

Wow. I can’t even begin to explain how thoroughly excellent Monstrous Beauty is. It’s to the point where I don’t even want to write a review, because, and I’ve said this before, it’s not going to come close to truly showing how amazing this book is.

Monstrous Beauty has everything that would make a book awesome: mermaids, ghosts, a curse, an awesome mystery, and an absolutely excellent plot.

The plot…. Oh my, that plot was… Wow. It took me some time to get used to the transitioning time periods, ...more

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Jan 18, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to ♥Rachel♥ by: Arlene

Shelves: audio-book

Monstrous Beauty was disturbing, tragic and yet beautiful and hopeful.

Hester comes from a tragic line of women. Each mother in her family who’s given birth has dies within days of delivery. Hester’s mother, her grandmother, her great-grandmother, and so on. Hester believes this is some sort of genetic anomaly and the only way to avoid death is to avoid love, marriage and pregnancy. Little does she know that this affliction is anything but genetic but stems from something far more sinister. The ...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Heidi rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 1.5 Stars (I didn't like it, but I still managed to read the whole thing).

So I finally did it. I read a mermaid book. My disdain for this trend was already pretty big considering I had yet to actually dip my toes in it, but when I started seeing one fabulous review after the other pour in for Monstrous Beauty I was determined that this would be the mermaid book for me. It was described as literary and haunting, beautifully written with dark, Gothic touches. Perfect for me. Oh, how wrong I was.

Th 1.5 Stars (I didn't like it, but I still managed to read the whole thing).

So I finally did it. I read a mermaid book. My disdain for this trend was already pretty big considering I had yet to actually dip my toes in it, but when I started seeing one fabulous review after the other pour in for Monstrous Beauty I was determined that this would be the mermaid book for me. It was described as literary and haunting, beautifully written with dark, Gothic touches. Perfect for me. Oh, how wrong I was.

The Lore: I’m torn about the mermaid lore in Monstrous Beauty. On the one hand, I love their physical descriptions, their general rules of being, and I pumped my fist like a mofo when Syrenka ripped open that rapist’s chest and ate his lungs (the best part of the whole damn book imho), but on the other hand it was all just so convenient. We didn’t learn a single thing about mermaids (or anything else for that matter) that wasn’t immediately relevant to the tale at hand. It wasn’t as if the story existed within this world that already existed, it was as if the world was being constructed to support the story. Also, didn’t Syrenka tell Ezra that to become human she had to bear a human child? And yet, it never occurred to him to ask her what she was doing with legs? The willful ignorance of the characters and the all-too convenient story lines were glaring.

It’s a bit rapey up in here: One aspect that particularly bothered me was the rapey-ness of the whole thing. A man who would go to great lengths to save another from the evil grips of a mermaid would suddenly be overcome with the need to rape her? Not to mention the fact that in the present day, Hester is continually leered at, physically accosted, and treated in a generally lecherous manner that is shrugged off almost as if this is perfectly normal male behavior. Um…what? A dude pushes himself on you, you manage to scare him off raping you by seeming crazypants, and you prove you’re crazy by not telling anyone about this creep?!?! How is that okay?! You let dudes eye bang you and proposition you for sex while you’re at work, and you don’t tell them off because you think your boss would be annoyed at you for breaking character? Yeah, pretty sure if your boss would actually be upset with you over asserting your right not to be treated like a sex toy on the job, you need to find a new place to work. But, Hester’s complete confusing lack of sense aside, why do all of these men in this book act this way? Are we as readers supposed to accept that most guys out there are just waiting for the opportunity to rape women, or is this supposed to be some mermaid mojo that they unknowingly hold over human men? If this is some sort of power that’s supposed to have been worked into the lore, we should see that, but it’s not there. And so we come to the fact that the only decent guy in this whole book is Peter and…

Hester: How do I disdain thee? Let me count the ways. Well, I already mentioned the ‘I’m going to let guys treat me like crap’ thing, so how about the ‘I’m going to treat guys like crap right back’ thing? Peter, her best friend, is so obviously in love with her and such a good guy–she does not in any way deserve him. She completely brushes him off, ditches him, and even has the gall to ask him for help doing illegal things after all of that. Then she gets all huffy when he asks if maybe she did this other illegal thing that she did do, makes him worry about her all night, and then at the end is all ‘oh you’ve been worried about me? Whatever, I’ll tell you about it some other time, how ’bout you read my dead lover’s headstone for me?’ Peter’s feelings are never once addressed.

And those illegal things? Made no sense. Hester supposedly wants to be a historian, but no history program in their right mind would accept her. First, Hester inexplicably needs to steal a book from the rare section of the library. (Side note–loved the librarian here who was awesome and helpful in Hester’s genealogical research!) The librarians let her look at this book as much as she wants. She expresses shock that she’s allowed to touch it, but then as soon as their backs are turned she shoves it in her backpack. Then, she also has to steal a doll from the museum. She has to steal it right that second. It’s so important, even though the task she needs it for has been left undone for well over a hundred years, and I’m pretty sure a day or two to go through legitimate channels would make no real difference. She potentially damages more historical property in order to complete this task–and almost certainly destroys the doll. Clearly Hester has no real respect for this field she wants to be a part of.

Then, let’s talk about her curse. Hester believes (and rightly so) that the women in her family carry a curse that will make them die shortly after giving birth. Okay…so she decides that she can’t have children. Logical enough, right? Nope! To Hester, not having kids equates to ‘I can never be in a relationship with anyone ever’. Apparently, she had the sing-song ‘First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage’ drilled into her head to the point of severe brainwashing. Since when does not wanting children mean you can’t have love? What kind of message does that send? Sure, I’ll hand it to Elizabeth Fama, she addresses the notion of birth control, but Hester believes that without surgical procedures, there’s no guarantee love won’t mean death for her. This is ridiculous. Birth control, when taken properly, is extremely effective. The pill, for example, is over 99% effective. Set a freaking alarm and take it at the exact same time every day, then make your partner wear a condom as a backup form of birth control. I pretty much guarantee you’re not going to get knocked up unless you’re some kind of fertile wonder. Hester sits around all mopey about her lot in life without ever really thinking about her options or taking control. After reading other heroines that don’t want kids, but have enough agency to still be happy in life–because IT’S OKAY TO NOT WANT KIDS (look at Katsa or Aya), Hester was just insufferable.

The Relationship: Insta love, no development, inexplicably drawn to one another…could I be less interested? Hester, who has decided that she must be alone forever to the point where she has only one friend and treats him like dirt, instantly drops all of her ‘hard-earned’ personal strife when she meets Ezra. Which says to me not ‘oh I’ve been suffering with this curse and now I can’t resist love’ but, ‘oh hey, no one’s ever good enough for me, but this dude’s cute so I guess I’m good to go now’. Seriously, she has one real conversation with him and then is ready to make out and potentially drop what little life she has to hang out with him on the beach forever? That’s healthy emotional growth for ya.

The explanation: Okay, first, I have to say that the urgency of this ‘mystery’ made zero sense to me. Hester had this unexplained need to suddenly uncover the details of her family curse, free pinned spirits, and fix something that’s been happening for over 100 years. There was no reason behind her urgency or actions, no legitimate motivation spurring her on. Then, Hester uncovers the fact that she holds Syrenka’s soul within her body. I didn’t find this charming or self sacrificing on Syrenka’s part, I found it pretty messed up. Syrenka throws her soul into the empty shell of her own daughter’s body after realizing that she’d used her own daughter’s soul to pin the spirit of Ezra (and apparently everyone else who died that day–though I’m pretty sure this was never addressed). See–maybe it’s just me–but I don’t get this. Putting your soul into someone else’s body doesn’t save that person. That person doesn’t exist, the body is a shell. Sticking your soul in their body only gives you a new body. It’s not self-sacrificing, it’s self-indulgent. It’s some weird method of practicing immortality. I didn’t think ‘oh how lovely’ when this was explained, mostly I just felt disturbed and it made me dislike Syrenka more.

The obvious: I don’t deal well with characters who don’t figure things out as fast as readers. I really don’t deal well with characters who take as long to figure out the obvious as Hester does. The fact that Hester is seeing and communicating with ghosts is obvious to the reader from the beginning. They literally tell her that no one else talks to them, but she still doesn’t get it. In fact, after she finally begrudgingly accepts that one character must be a ghost, it never occurs to her that these other people who are obviously displaced in time might also be dead. Really, Hester?

Obviously, I failed to find Monstrous Beauty beautiful. I didn’t feel as if there was any emotional development, the world building was a patch job, the pacing inexplicable, and the outcome unsatisfactory. Maybe I should just stay away from mermaids all together from now on… ...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Nafiza rated it it was ok

Shelves: source-net-galley, read-2012

This is a mermaid story. Consider yourself warned. I have yet to read a mermaid story that I actually really, really liked. I was hoping to like this as much because it comes backed by our lovely Wendy but I think this is one of the few times our tastes will diverge. I found the novel strong, likable but ultimately stereotypical of all others that exist. It didn’t give me anything new but it was an entertaining read.

The writing is strong and smooth. I liked the characterizations and I thought th This is a mermaid story. Consider yourself warned. I have yet to read a mermaid story that I actually really, really liked. I was hoping to like this as much because it comes backed by our lovely Wendy but I think this is one of the few times our tastes will diverge. I found the novel strong, likable but ultimately stereotypical of all others that exist. It didn’t give me anything new but it was an entertaining read.

The writing is strong and smooth. I liked the characterizations and I thought that Syrenka was one of the most intriguing mermaids I have come across so far. I wish the book had stuck with her and not Hester. The plot was well thought out and I liked the old Pastor and Linnie. Sam was also adorable. Why does Hester call her father Malcolm and not dad? This was never discussed but occurred enough times to become an issue with me.

The story moves between time and this was not done smoothly. The transitions often feel jarring and have the effect of jerking you out of the story and breaking whatever cadence you have built up so far. Hester treats her best friend and crush before the arrival of the ghost dude horribly. Very horribly. This does not make me warm to her. At all. Spoilers ahead, highlight to read.(view spoiler)

(view spoiler) To make matters even more worse, the villainess of this piece is an immortal being who apparently has no other motivation, is female and ugly and very one dimensional. She swoops in and becomes the bad guy so everyone else can be innocent in varying degrees of course. It didn’t work for me. If this was a reference to the sea witch, it really didn’t work me. I needed the villain to be developed more.

I couldn't get into the contemporary portion of the romance, that is Hester and Ezra because I believe that Fama had created Syrenka and Ezra's relationship strongly enough that I felt betrayed for Syrenka, if that makes sense. (view spoiler) Plus, it is not Hester that Ezra loves, it is Syrenka's soul in Hester or whatever bit remains that attracts Ezra.

My last words? I wasn't too enamored of this book. Not as much as I wanted to be anyway. However, don't take my word for it! Wendy loved the novel and she has written a very eloquent review that I urge you to read. And then make up your mind after you have considered both reviews. ...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012, arc-tour

When I first started Monstrous Beauty I was practically begging "please don't be just another paranormal romance, please!" Mermaids are probably my favorite mythical creature andI have long searched for a good mermaid story. Most mermaid books just don't work for various reasons.

When the book started I was worried. The book begins in 1872, following the mermaid Syrenka who has fallen in love with a human. The book gets really dark really quick, setting a tone that lasts throughout the novel. I l When I first started Monstrous Beauty I was practically begging "please don't be just another paranormal romance, please!" Mermaids are probably my favorite mythical creature andI have long searched for a good mermaid story. Most mermaid books just don't work for various reasons.

When the book started I was worried. The book begins in 1872, following the mermaid Syrenka who has fallen in love with a human. The book gets really dark really quick, setting a tone that lasts throughout the novel. I liked the darkness. The immediate lovestory worried me. But the story wasn't actually about Syrenka and Ezra.

What may have seemed like a romance for the first few pages changed. It fast forwarded to modern times and started following Hester. The mystery took center stage--inexplicably rancid communion bread, an unsolved triple murder in a church crypt and stories about the church being haunted. From that point onward I couldn't put the book down.

Monstrous Beauty is a dark creepy paranormal. There is some romance, but it's more of a secondary plot. The story focuses on Hester as she unravels the dark secrets in her family's past. Hester's mother died shortly after childbirth, as did her grandmother before and great grandmother before her. In Hester's mind love and death are interwoven, so she has decided to shut herself down against even the possibility of being in a relationship.

The story jumps between present day in the 1872, revealing Hester's families past piece by piece. Both timelines are necessary and relevant to understand the mystery. Pieces of the past are revealed as Hester discovers them so that the reader can began to piece together the puzzle along with her.

The book is well written, allowing you to sympathize with both Hester in the present and Syrenka in the past. Also, the human "villains" are not simplistic, but complicated characters who's motivations you understand and even sympathize with at times. I always appreciate when all the characters are believable. Too often the heroines have understandable motivations, but the villains are just evil for the sake of being evil. But in this book almost everyone is doing what they think is right. Good and evil is not completely black and white.

Though there is a love story, which of course is my least favorite aspect, but when everything is revealed it actually makes sense. It never overwhelms the rest of the story, the mystery to unravelling the past is always the central plot-line and the romance advances the story. I may not like it but I understand it's purpose.

This is the best mermaid book I've read by far. What's more, is it's not just good in relation to other mermaid books, but actually a good book. If you're looking for a paranormal that's more creepy than lovesick then this is the book.

I received an ARC of this book from Southern Book Blogger ARC tours. If you live in the South and haven't signed up you should! ...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Zemira Warner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mermaids, fantasy, ghosts, i-own, best-of-2016, dark

Here you go, guys! The first 'best-of-2016' book!

Wow. Can't believe this book was sitting on my shelf for almost 4 years before I read it. I've tried to read it a number of times, mostly during the summer, because of mermaids. Mermaids=Summer That was my logic which turned out being a huge mistake. I was expecting something light and this book was the opposite of that. But it's not depressing either. I picture this book as that perfect January day, when it's actually warm enough to get outside ...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Coranne rated it it was amazing

Whew. This was an intense book- not what I expected at all. I think I am going to break this one down into a few parts:

The Cover:

Take a look at this cover- she is pretty right? Long blond hair, smoky eyes, doing her model thing. The first thing I want to say is- this cover is ALL WRONG. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful cover. But other than the fact that there is a blonde mermaid on the front on some rocks- it doesn't have much to do with the actual mermaid in the book. First of all- the Whew. This was an intense book- not what I expected at all. I think I am going to break this one down into a few parts:

The Cover:

Take a look at this cover- she is pretty right? Long blond hair, smoky eyes, doing her model thing. The first thing I want to say is- this cover is ALL WRONG. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful cover. But other than the fact that there is a blonde mermaid on the front on some rocks- it doesn't have much to do with the actual mermaid in the book. First of all- the tail is all wrong- she is described as having dolphin-like tail not a fish tail. The mermaid herself is pretty, but seems to be brooding and lounging- nothing like the actual Syrenka. I am not sure why it irks me so much, but I feel like the cover doesn't fit this book or do it justice. It is a gorgeous cover, but I don't think it is the right cover for this book.

Characters and Plot:

Wow there are a lot of characters in this book. I thought I would have trouble with keeping them all straight, and at the beginning- I did. But as the characters started to tie together the past and the present, I was amazed how the author had created such a complex web of events and clues throughout the book. This is not a book to read through quickly or when you are distracted. The author uses a great deal of foreshadowing and hinting throughout her novel and then pulls everything together within the last 5 chapters. This is a book that requires the commitment of the reader- because if you give up halfway through the book, you will miss the last quarter of the book where a significant amount of high action events are.

These are not Disney mermaids (think more Pirates of the Caribbean than Ariel if you have to have a Disney comparison). Syrenka has feelings, but a large part of her is very wild and acts on instinct. This is not a story I would recommend reading on a dark and stormy night (unless you enjoy being terrified- ha ha!) I am admittedly a pansy, but man this story has some scary parts! This is a mermaid story, but it is also a ghost story and a scary one at that.

The author has done a fabulous job with this novel. I hope that when it comes out in August that you will take the time to read it- it is very different from a majority of books on the YA market. It would appeal to females AND males (it is very romance light) and also people who do not typically read YA. This was an impressive re-entry to the fiction world and I can't wait to see what will come next from this author. ...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Arlene rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Arlene by: Crystal

Shelves: young-adult, ghosts, fantasy, ya-fantasy, read-2012

Wow! Color me awed! Monstrous Beauty is a fantastic yet horror filled novel that’s filled with gorgeous prose. I was literally hypnotized for the entire story. I can’t wait to see what else Elizabeth Fama has up her sleeve because she truly delivered quality entertainment with Monstrous Beauty!

This story juxtaposes two different points in time including 1873 and the present. Fama transports her readers to Plymouth Plantation where a centuries old curse takes the life of a particular lineage of ...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Crystal rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012

Holey moley!! I had no clue that this book would A. be as creepy as it was and B. deal more with ghosts and history than actually mermaids. Yes the mermaids play a big part but the ghosts play an even bigger part in my opinion and it was pure brilliance on the authors part! This book was creepy, captivating and oh yeah not for the faint of heart. *hehe*

This book has two stories in it. One that dates back to 1872 and the other in 2011. Told in alternating chapters we get to see two very different Holey moley!! I had no clue that this book would A. be as creepy as it was and B. deal more with ghosts and history than actually mermaids. Yes the mermaids play a big part but the ghosts play an even bigger part in my opinion and it was pure brilliance on the authors part! This book was creepy, captivating and oh yeah not for the faint of heart. *hehe*

This book has two stories in it. One that dates back to 1872 and the other in 2011. Told in alternating chapters we get to see two very different stories take place. In 1872 we have Ezra who is intrigued with mythical legends of sea folk. When he happens to stumble upon the very legend that he seeks he instantly falls in love and he knows that his life will never be the same again. In 2011 we have Hester and she is not what I expected. At first she seemed like your typical seventeen year old, she goes to school, has friends, and works in the summers. Well what is interesting about Hester is that she works at a Pilgrim plantation, this is a place where everyday she gets to act like she is a pilgrim for the tourists. I found all this very interesting and it gave Hester a whole different vibe than other girls that are in books today. So cool! Hester is also big into history and she lives in the same small town that her ancestors did. This gives her a starting point when she starts to look into the "curse" that has befallen most of the women in her family. You see after her mother gave birth she died shortly after, this happened to not only her but also her grandmother and her great-great-great grandmother. Knowing that this could happen to her, Hester vows to never get close to anybody so that maybe she can break this "curse". What she doesn't know is that this supposed curse goes way back in history and involves a soul, a baby, a mermaid, hatred, and love.

Sounds pretty cool right??!! I know my little synopsis does not do the story justice by any means, but will give you a little glimpse into what this story is all about. There are so many characters and twists and turns throughout this book that I can guarantee you won't want to put it down. I did mention that this isn't for the faint of heart right?? There are several parts of this book that gave me the shivers and they were a bit on the gory side, but man on man were they awesome!! I loved every minute of it and I am so glad the author chose to include those little icky parts. It was so amazing watching this story unfold piece by piece and to see Hester figure everything out. I really appreciated the paths these characters took. There was no love triangle and no teenage angst, for the most part. The romance was believable and I loved the way the author used souls. It made everything come together perfectly.

Great characters, awesome plot with so many secrets that it took me up until the very last page to understand, and just an overall brilliant book about mermaids. What more could you ask for??!!

This review and more can be found here:

...more

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Jan 22, 2018 Ronak Gajjar rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, stand-alones

“Why do you believe that love and death are intertwined?”
THIS IS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BEAUTIFUL READ!
Thanks to lovely and cute, Meghan for the recommendation.
"You're not a dork, you're adorkable."
description

Mermaids have always been alluring fascinating creatures. This totally isn’t mermaid world neither human. It is though half balanced in between the worlds the story flourishes itself way to interesting. The mermaid’s name - Syrenka reminds me of the first part of Pirates of Caribbean. Initially, ...more

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Apr 07, 2018 Jessika rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, wishlist, fairy-tale, favorites, fantasy, library, paranormal

I loved this book! As a fan of fairy tales, I really enjoyed how the author portrayed the folklore of mermaids. Like a true fairy tale, this story was very dark & evocative. Actually I was surprised by just how dark, gruesome, and even gory the plot was in some parts. That is not to say that this book is all doom & gloom, but it does get pretty tragic. I would recommend this for more mature readers, as it does touch on some heavy topics, including death, gore, rape, and grief.

But anyway, back t I loved this book! As a fan of fairy tales, I really enjoyed how the author portrayed the folklore of mermaids. Like a true fairy tale, this story was very dark & evocative. Actually I was surprised by just how dark, gruesome, and even gory the plot was in some parts. That is not to say that this book is all doom & gloom, but it does get pretty tragic. I would recommend this for more mature readers, as it does touch on some heavy topics, including death, gore, rape, and grief.

But anyway, back to my original point, which is that the writing was deliciously atmospheric. To me, it felt like the perfect rendition of mermaid folklore. When I think of the ocean, the words that come to mind are: dark, mysterious, tempestuous, eerie, beautiful, and lush. I think Elizabeth Fama captured that perfectly with her writing.

I also enjoyed the two storylines--one set in the past & one set in present day. I was worried that this would make the flow feel choppy, but it felt natural to me. In reading the sections set in the past, I was able to figure out the mystery before Hester did. I didn't find that to be a bad thing though, I thought it added to the suspense as I watched Hester start to piece together the clues.

I will say again that I absolutely loved this book, but there were a couple things I wasn't crazy about. The first one was something minor: Hester's swearing. Now, I'm not a saint myself & swearing in books doesn't bother me in the slightest. I guess it just sounded unnatural in her case? Unnatural & unnecessary. But that wasn't really the thing that bothered me. I loved this book, but I did not buy the insta-love.

****SPOILERS AHEAD****

(view spoiler)

Despite the insta-love thing, I did really love this book & I can absolutely see myself re-reading this at some point. I loved the atmospheric writing & the mermaid folklore & the seaside setting. If you are looking for a mermaid tale that's on the darker side, you NEED to read this! ...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Carol Saller rated it it was amazing

[Disclosure: I had the good fortune to read this book before publication, since the author is a friend.]

Monstrous Beauty has all the ingredients to become a classic: complex characters, meticulous plotting, intelligent prose, and page-turning situations. The opening pages grabbed me by the throat—and by the heart—and kept me reading.

Syrenka is an original. No Disney mermaid, she is a true creature of the sea, animal-like in her instincts and morals. Her transition to human form is anguished and [Disclosure: I had the good fortune to read this book before publication, since the author is a friend.]

Monstrous Beauty has all the ingredients to become a classic: complex characters, meticulous plotting, intelligent prose, and page-turning situations. The opening pages grabbed me by the throat—and by the heart—and kept me reading.

Syrenka is an original. No Disney mermaid, she is a true creature of the sea, animal-like in her instincts and morals. Her transition to human form is anguished and difficult, and we ache for her in spite of her blemished character. One of the pleasures of the book is watching Syrenka evolve as she learns to live with her newly acquired soul. In addition, the history and lore and culture of the undersea realm that Syrenka comes from, with it’s horrifying queen Noo’kas, are fully realized.

The book is ingeniously plotted without reliance on coincidence or contrivance. Much of current YA literature is cranked out to a formula; it is a rare treat to find a book written with this level of care and craft. The twists and revelations are so well planned and paced that the climax took me totally by surprise—although in hindsight, I could see that all the groundwork had been laid and that everything made perfect sense.

Anyone who knows Beth Fama knows how much time and energy she would devote to researching the remotest details in a book like this—whether on marine life, nineteenth-century dress and manners, or the best way to kill someone slowly. What is astonishing is how seamlessly she was able to integrate that knowledge into the book so as to enrich but not distract.

And did I mention the romance? Oh, yes—the story includes a dreamy male love interest, Ezra. A complicated guy. With issues.

The excitement never lets up, with present-day Hester’s mysterious ties to the sea, to the past, to a possible family curse; mermaids, secrets, ghosts, murder. And all of it holds together in a tight drama that builds to a wrenching but inevitable, and satisfying, resolution.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book!
...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Joy (joyous reads) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

Well. That was unexpected.

Merfolks novels has never been my cup of tea; they almost, always manage to disappoint me. I've been staying clear of them just because I find it hard to summon enough interest to keep on reading. Imagine my surprise when Monstrous Beauty broke the mold.

The novel is rich in history, legend and myth - there's even ghost stories. I went into this book expecting the usual tales about forbidden love between humans and merfolks and yeah, it has those but outside of that ro ...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Fans of Proper Mermaid Stories

Recommended to Lisa by: Myself

Shelves: blew-my-mind, emotionally-invested, heaven-in-a-book, flail, good-creepy, for-review, all-the-right-things, boy-crushes, must-have, netgalley

How hard was it for me to come to this rating? Hard, I tell you. Hard. I completely loved this book, but it also completely devastated me. It was beautiful and dark, eerie and lush.

The writing was basically flawless for me. I could tell that the author really did some research on the topics that she was writing about. I could see what I was reading. I was transported to each setting and each time-frame.

You see, for me, Mermaids have always been known as evil sea creatures. They have. I grew up o ...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Ava rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, cover-lust, four-stars, dat-title, fantasy-romance, young-adult, paranormal-romance-fiction, historical-fiction-romance, e-books

3.5

I waited months for this book.

I feel really horrible about not liking MONSTROUS BEAUTY better. It was no doubt written beautifully, with an interestingly eery, gorgeous plot, and heart-wrenching scenes, but there were some things about it that took away from a 5-star rating.

Monstrous Beauty is split into three parts - Ezra in the 1870s, Syrenka in the 1870s, and present-day Hester. The three parts remain vastly different for me.

I absolutely adored Syrenka's story, and I enjoyed it even more w ...more

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Jan 20, 2016 Dominique rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-reader, 2016, ya

It made her think about how recording information, ideas, and stories can collapse the time and space between the writer and the reader ... there was such romance in listening to voices of the past.

I loved this story! The romance was okay, Hester was okay, the intertwined stories were okay, but Syrenka was amazing! Syrenka is for me how mermaids should be, and I would love another book about Syrenka´s past (besides the novella).

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Aug 09, 2012 LiarLiar marked it as to-read

Shelves: arc-s, dying-to-read, amazing-covers

i like this cover than the new one
i don't know why but to me the old cover is more alluring
and it fits the title well :) ...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Asheley T. rated it it was amazing

(a similar version of this review can be found here at Into the Hall of Books: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...)

What an absolute treat to read Elizabeth Fama's MONSTROUS BEAUTY! This book is so well-conceived and so well-crafted that I struggle with my thoughts even now, and it has been days since I finished the story. There is so much going on inside of this book that at any given time, it seems like your head should be completely spinning, but it somehow all makes sense. Everything met ...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Lea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: supernatural, historical-fiction, dark, couldnt-stop-reading, creepy, favorite, ghosts, mystery, mermaids, quick-read

OK, so where do I even begin with this book... because I seriously LOVED IT!!! It's been awhile since I've read a book where I felt totally captivated, where I was basically hanging on every word, and the more I read the more obsessed and involved I became with the story and characters... But Monstrous Beauty single-handedly was able to wipe from memory many of my horrible experiences I've had lately with several YA books, and has restored my faith in the genre as a whole.

YEAH. It was THAT good. ...more

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Jan 30, 2019 ᒪEᗩᕼ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: atmospheric, dark-or-darkish, historical, 2019, listened-on-audio, young-adult, mythical-creatures, supernatural, ghosts

๏ Highlights ๏

Present Day Interspersed With Historical Flashbacks
Pilgrims of Plymouth History
Mermaids
Cursed Ghosts
An Evil Sea Hag
Doomed Romance

With Narration by Katherine Kellgren

๏ My Thoughts ๏

I'm fairly certain the reason I was never able to fully immerse myself in this story is due to the narration by Katherine Kellgren. I didn't like her accent, it felt all wrong to me and I couldn't tell if the story was in the present tense or the past tense, most of the time.

The story feels like ...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Navdha rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-what-i-expected, should-i-even-bother, idon-tlikethatcharacter, ilovethecoveromg, yay-it-s-over, it-was-okay-ish, not-very-happy, turned-out-better-later

A mermaid fascinated by human, stalks him, falls in love with him and the human blinded by her beauty and simply fascinated stays close; then in the moment of heat, human gets pulled underwater, mermaid forgets he needs air to breathe and ends up killing him.

Oh no, that's not the spoiler for you, that's only the prologue. I should've known it wasn't a book for me right then, but I try not giving up a book before I read at least 100 pages of it. Monstrous Beauty is a love-story with a mysterious ...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Lisbeth Avery {Domus Libri} rated it it was ok

Shelves: disappointed, two-stars, should-like-but-didn-t, i-wish-i-could-have-loved-you, could-have-been-better, reviewed, dual-pov

I don't know what happened with me and Monstrous Beauty. We just didn't click at all. I understand why people like the book but I just don't feel it. Yes, the book is beautifully written but it's also just kinda... boring. Nothing really happens in the book except for different people feeling bad for themselves and people getting torn up.

While I understand the allure of the book, of the writing, I can't help but notice all the flaws and faults. The beautiful words and imagery are masking some pr I don't know what happened with me and Monstrous Beauty. We just didn't click at all. I understand why people like the book but I just don't feel it. Yes, the book is beautifully written but it's also just kinda... boring. Nothing really happens in the book except for different people feeling bad for themselves and people getting torn up.

While I understand the allure of the book, of the writing, I can't help but notice all the flaws and faults. The beautiful words and imagery are masking some pretty big faults like the fact that the book for the most part isn't really well executed.

The flow of the book was very poor and clunky, and the book moved at such a slow pace that it had trouble holding my attention. It tried to do something special with two different POVs that seem different but come together but it failed mostly due to the fact that the transitions were shit.

Beautiful writing is great but it doesn't make up for having an otherwise pretty average novel. The writing sort of convinces you that Monstrous Beauty is a really amazing book, all around. But the truth is the only thing really spectacular about Monstrous Beauty is the writing.

There were two main characters, the first of which is Syrenka the killer mermaid. She's absolutely awesome, for the most part. I really loved her chapters because they were full of mermaid badassery. Who doesn't like dark mermaids anyway? While her romance was really weak, surprisingly it didn't detract too much from her POV.

What made Syrenka truly awesome was how she was a very real character. Under all her beauty and mystery is a truly flawed character with very human characteristics. Syrenka wasn't the all perfect character. I don't know how to describe her. She was magical and ethereal without being 'perfect'.

The second character is Hester. She's a human with a 'mysterious family curse', which to an extent was interesting. I guess. I mean, it wasn't all that absorbing but it wasn't completely a bore. What was boring about her chapters was instead how they were written.

While Hester wasn't a bad character, she was a very emotionless character that left it hard to really root for her.

Hester's chapters had none of the deep, dark beauty of Syrenka's. You go from a chapter written with the most beautiful language, something that can only be described as sensuous, to a chapter written like an average book. It makes sense that I didn't love her chapters. Maybe I would have appreciated them more if they weren't after Syrenka's but that's just not something you can change.

Monstrous Beauty was a very gritty and dark mermaid story with rape, murder, and gore. It's definitely not for the weak of heart. I really loved the brutality of the story. Fama definitely spent most of her efforts on plot execution instead of other things.

While personally I can't say I liked Monstrous Beauty, I can't say that I don't recommend it you read it because it's a very unique experience that should be experienced. ...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, favorites, 2012, mermaid-books, possible-ya-book-buzz-books, ya

Oh. My. Goodness. Go ahead and slap yourself now. This book is phenomenal. It’s almost beyond words.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of books featuring mermaids, but this book broke all the molds. It defied all my expectations. I was expecting something like a love story with a little under the sea action, but that is not what I got. What I did find is a fantastic story that had mermaids, an evil sea witch, ghosts, and true love. Wow x 3.
Yep, I said ghosts and mermaids. Epicness. The way the ...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Aleeeeeza marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2012-release, arc-netgalley-galleygrab

OMG WHAT THEY DID TO THE COVER?!?!?!

seriously! you tell me, which is the better one:

original:

or the new one:

yeah, i thought so too. sure, both covers are oversexed as hell, the first one even more so, but you can't deny the brilliance and allure and atmosphericness of the first one. ...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Evie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pure-awesomeness, september-2012, 2012-arcs, wish-list, ya

Fabulous book. Mermaids + century old curse + ghosts + forbidden love. Do I need to say more?
Proper review to come closer to the publishing date.

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. It's about a siren (Mermaid) who is caught by a sailor or fisherman [s]	6	32	Jan 16, 2018 05:22PM
Good Reads Mad Re...: MONSTROUS BEAUTY BY ELIZABETH FAMA- REVIEW AND MADREADS BOOK CHAT#2	1	5	Mar 28, 2015 09:10PM
}~>O MERBOOKS: T...: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama	43	74	Jan 05, 2013 05:56PM

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About Elizabeth Fama

Elizabeth Fama

415 followers

Elizabeth Fama is the author of Plus One (FSG, 2014), Monstrous Beauty (FSG, 2012), a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection and Odyssey Award honor winner, and Overboard (Cricket Books, 2002), an ALA Best Books for Young Adults.

(You're absolutely welcome to follow me on Goodreads, but I won't seem very interesting as a reader here. While I'm an active lurker on GR, I keep all of my person ...more