Beautiful Redemption (Beautiful Creatures) [Hardcover]

Kami Garcia (Author), Margaret Stohl (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 23, 2012 | Series: Beautiful Creatures (Book 4)

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The fourth and final installment picks up after the massive cliff-hanger in Beautiful Chaos and doesn't disappoint." (Entertainment Weekly)

"The Beautiful Creatures novels contain a potent mix of the gothic, the mythic, and the magical. Readers can look forward to more of what they love in the final installment, Beautiful Redemption, as they follow Ethan's compelling journey to its bittersweet close. With original characters, complex world building, and crackling prose, this is masterful storytelling." (Deborah Harkness, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches)

About the Author

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl live in Los Angeles, California, with their families. Beautiful Redemption is the fourth and final book in the Beautiful Creatures series, following Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, and Beautiful Chaos.

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (October 23, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780316123532
• ISBN-13: 978-0316123532
• ASIN: 0316123536
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.5 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (709 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Teens > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy
  • #79 in Books > Teens > Love & Romance

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 58 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich, imaginative and rewarding finale October 27, 2012

By Emily J. Morris VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been a "Beautiful Creatures" fan since the beginning, and I'm happy to say this is a series that remains strong from beginning to end. This finale did have me worried--with Lena's story more or less over, what was left to tell? But the aftermath of the death of Ethan Wate was perfect fodder for a strong and entertaining ending that was plot enough to stand on its own while still wrapping up the Caster Chronicles.

The jumped-off-a-water-tower Ethan finds himself in the Otherworld, a charming world of the dead that resembles Gatlin. Here, the writing duo makes a ghostly realm that is thoughtful and fun in its rules. However, when Ethan learns he was truly not meant to have died, he digs deeper into the supernatural realm to find a way out. This synopsis, I'm afraid, only scratches the surface of a truly delightful novel that not only aims to bring back Ethan but to tie up all other loose ends of the series.

The fantasy is creative, Southern and gothic--a winning combination splashed with a bit of teen culture and wondrous characters. The writing, which I have always liked, has hit its stride, and the characters know themselves. Garcia and Stohl are comfortable in both the normal and supernatural worlds of Gatlin and it shows.

My husband accused me of reading this in one sitting (not quite true), but it really was one of those novels I had trouble putting down. This is a gorgeously told story and a most satisfying conclusion to what has been a stellar series.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sad that it is over October 27, 2012

By Nereid

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I for one will be sad to bid goodbye to the Caster world of Light and Dark and all the characters that have entertained me throughout this series. Told from both Ethan and Lena's POV, this book details Ethan's journey through the Otherworld. A quest he chooses to undergo to find the Far Keep in order to return back home to Gatlin and to Lena. An interesting take on death and the belief that dying is not the end but another journey into the unknown and I liked the idea of the homes being in the graveyard instead of the headstones though it is a little macabre. Ethan will risk his soul and finds allies in the unlikeliest of places and his love for Lena spurs him on. Lena in turn never gives up on Ethan and through her family and friends will achieve the impossible and find the Book of Moons. Ethan has been such a likeable character, someone who you would be proud to call your friend and a boyfriend whose loyalty and devotion is inspiring. Lena has had her moments and sometimes she was incredibly frustrating and a bit whiny at times though she came through for Ethan when it counted. At the end of this book, I came away with having read a wonderful love story of how that love is eternal and that by being loved we are also redeemed even those who feel they don't deserve it, even Ridley our resident bad girl finds love in the end. I am now looking forward to watching the movie of Beautiful Creatures when it opens in 2013.

25 of 31 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great series; last book a bit subpar November 12, 2012

By KVB99

Format:Hardcover

Since this is the last book in the series, I want to offer my review both of the last book itself, Beautiful Redemption, and a review of the series as a whole:

Series: I give the entire series 4.5 stars. I truly enjoyed the characters and the storyline. It was fresh, original and utterly engaging. I also was impressed with the fact that this series did what few manage. It mostly got better with each book (we'll talk about book 4 below). As much as I liked book 1, I didn't think the story line could be sustained, but wow was I wrong with book 2, and then book 3 -- the best in the series in my view. They took me on such a roller coaster of emotions that by the time the end credits rolled on book 3, I was out of breath and my pulse pounding. But there were a few stumbles here and there, fortunately none that big, and they were few and far between. Probably the biggest reason why I'm only at 4.5 stars -- still a pretty strong endorsement -- is the occasional times when events/plot lines seemed implausible or not adequately explained. Without going into chapter and verse, one broad example is that Lena is sometimes portrayed as the uber caster of all times, and then at other times she's just a helpless damsel in distress. But, as I said, this is only a minor demerit.

Book 4: Well, if you have read books 1 -3, you, of course, absolutely must read book 4. That goes without saying, so good was book 3. So, you're not reading this review to help with that decision. It's already been made. So, what can you expect? Well, book 4 is decidedly a step below books 1-3. With this book, everyone knows exactly how the book is going to end (come on, was there any real doubt?).... That was not the case with books 1-3, so we can forgive the impossible task the authors had in living up to the pell mell, where-the-heck-is-this-read-taking-me, atmosphere of books 1-3. But, book 4 does provide a satisfactory resolution to the series that all fans of the series will enjoy reading. My biggest fear when I started reading was that the book will end abruptly after the big climax and resolution, and I was pleased that the authors knew they had to add on some epilogue chapters wrapping up some loose ends. My only complaint with the epilogue chapters is that they were too low key. I got the feeling the authors kind of ran out of gas. Yes, all the main characters are ushered out for a curtain call, so we do get a last look at them. But I expected, wanted, more about Ethan-Lena than I got. I just invested like 2000 pages in them and I thought the final send off could have been stronger. But, then again, isn't that the sign of a good series -- leave them begging for more. In the end, I will miss the characters and the story. It is with a mixture of regret and appreciation that I say goodbye to the Caster Chronicles. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying Conclusion To A Great Series! January 1, 2013

By Scott Reads It

Format:Hardcover

"Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?"
Beautiful Redemption was a shocking but beautiful conclusion to The Caster Chronicles. I definitely enjoyed it but not as much as the other books in the series. For those who don't know, The Caster Chronicles is a 4 book series that started with Beautiful Creatures and it is a love story unlike any other. If you haven't read any of the past 3 books in the series or plan on reading the series, stop now because there will be SPOILERS.

Unlike most series, The Caster Chronicles is told mostly from the point of view of a teenage male. Ethan Wate is definitely one of my favorite male protagonists from a YA novels because he is realistic. Ethan isn't some sparkling vampire who saves his girlfriend from werewolves or he isn't fighting some fight to the death. Ethan is just a some-what average teen who just wants to lead a normal life. One day he meets Lena, a caster who changes his life for better (or worse).

Beautiful Redemption ended exactly where Beautiful Chaos left off with Ethan Wate dead after his heroic suicide off the Gatlin Water Tower. Ethan is dead in some sort of weird afterlife for people who still have unfinished business with the living. The whole execution of the afterlife was very original and brilliantly done. Ethan is trying to cope with Lena's absence while trying to find a way to get back to his love.

Beautiful Redemption, like all of the other novels in the Caster Chronicles are ridiculously long. I don't mind the length but more so the pacing. Beautiful Redemption starts off with a bang but from there it went a bit downhill. There was way too much moping Ethan Wate and not enough of the take action Ethan I find awesome.... Once Ethan starts his quest at a second chance at life, the pacing really went alot faster. Ethan's quest was action-packed and gripping.

Another segment of Beautiful Redemption is Lena's point of view which sounded almost exactly like Ethan's point of view. I didn't really mind because it was definitely entertaining and interesting. I guess since Ethan and Lena spend so much time together, their voices sound very similar. Lena is trying to help Ethan with his quest from the real Gatlin but I did prefer reading Ethan's segment of the book.

As usual I love the second characters in the Caster Chronicles because they really complete the series. Linkubus was his usual hilarious self and he is still trying to cure himself of Ridley-fever. Ridley is supposed to be a dark and evil character but I can't help but like her. Ridley is really a lollipop craving teddy-bear inside, I just know it. Liv and John Breed are not my favorite couple because honestly they have some pretty tough competition (Ethan + Lena, Link + Ridley).

Gatlin, sweet ol' Gatlin! You may just seem like a Southern town but you're nothing short of extraordinary. The Caster Chronicles is one of those series where the setting isn't just a setting. Gatlin feels like home to me even though I have never lived in the South. Gatlin is an unique setting that is unparalleled in any novel. It may not be a dystopian society but I don't care! Gatlin may not exist in reality but it does exist in fans' hearts.

The conclusion to The Caster Chronicles isn't perfect but it's still pretty darn good. The writing adds a Gothic flair that adds a strange and mythical feel that really engrosses the reader. Beautiful Redemption started off slow but by the time it reaches it's final sentence, fans will be in tears. Beautiful Redemption was nothing short of addicting and I have high hopes for both Garcia and Stohl's upcoming books. I am so pumped for the Beautiful Creatures movie, I can't wait to be astounded.

3.5 Stars Read more ›