The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic, is a wonderfully written novel set in late 19th century France. The Upper Class is enjoying the Grand Season while young Nina makes her first appearance in the city and is immediately drawn to a performer with telekinetic powers much like her own.

This is a novel of manners and rules, passions and betrayals, where class and status are everything and marriages are rarely made for love. The slightest scandal can ruin a woman’s life, and lives are manipulated by those with more money and power.

This type of novel would not usually interest me, by Moreno-Garcia is a wildly gifted and intelligent writer, I was drawn in from the first page and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. I absolutely loved it.