The Beautiful and the cursed / Page Morgan.

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Title:

The Beautiful and the cursed / Page Morgan.

Author:

Morgan, Page.

ISBN:

9780385743112

Edition:

First edition.

Publication Information:

New York : Delacorte Press, 2013.

Physical Description:

343 pages ; 22 cm

Abstract:

Residing in a desolate abbey protected by gargoyles, two beautiful teenaged sisters in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Paris discover deadly and otherworldly truths as they search for their missing brother.

Subject Term:

Supernatural -- Juvenile fiction.

Gargoyles -- Juvenile fiction.

Sisters -- Juvenile fiction.

Geographic Term:

Paris (France) -- History -- 1870-1940 -- Juvenile fiction.

France -- History -- Third Republic, 1870-1940 -- Juvenile fiction.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791002292422	T MOR	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series and Lauren Kate's Fallen novels will devour The Beautiful and the Cursed , a wholly original interpretation of gargoyle lore.
After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and her younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties for Ingrid, and, disturbingly, the house her twin brother, Grayson, was sent ahead to secure for the family isn't a house at all. It's an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.
And Grayson is missing.
Yet no one seems worried about his whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.
Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows he's in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.
The path to Grayson will be twisted, leading Ingrid to discover dark secrets and otherworldly truths that, once uncovered, can never again be buried.

Praise for the Dispossessed Trilogy:

"A deliciously satisfying mix of historical fiction, mystery, and supernatural romance."-- The Bulletin

"Morgan combines fantasy with gothic romance in this well-crafted standout."-- Booklist

"Forbidden romance and hot kissing abound."-- Kirkus Reviews

"Morgan keeps the plot moving with constant action...dark adventure and romance."-- School Library Journal

"Morgan's fluid descriptions, inventive otherworldly elements, and characters with convincing motivations result in an immersive first installment."-- Publishers Weekly

Reviews (5)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Debut author Morgan launches the Dispossessed series with a well-crafted gothic fantasy told through alternating perspectives. In 1899, after suffering a crushing heartbreak and blamed for an ensuing fire, 17-year-old Lady Ingrid Waverly moves with her mother and sister to Paris. Her rakish twin brother, Grayson, is already there, having purchased an abandoned, gargoyle-adorned abbey, which their mother intends to transform into an art gallery. But upon arrival, Ingrid learns that Grayson has been absent for several days, and that a string of disappearances have been plaguing Paris. Ingrid is sure that something is wrong with Grayson, though only Luc, a servant in the abbey, appears sympathetic. As the narrative shifts between Ingrid, Grayson, and Luc's points of view, Morgan relies on familiar paranormal romance elements. The labyrinthine and dilapidated Parisian setting, filled with sinister figures of both human and demonic varieties, should hook readers, and Morgan's fluid descriptions, inventive otherworldly elements, and characters with convincing motivations result in an immersive first installment. Ages 12-up. Agent: Ted Malawer, Upstart Crow Literary. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Horn Book Review

When Ingrid arrives in Paris, she discovers that her home is an abbey guarded by gargoyles and her twin brother is missing. These mysteries are connected, and their unveiling will determine her future. Through twisted characters and dark caves, readers connect with Ingrid as she searches for the secret that will free her brother and prevent her being lost to the underworld. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Morgan combines fantasy with gothic romance in this well-crafted standout among the heavily populated field of books about gorgeous young women entangled with monsters. In 1899, 15-year-old Gabby accompanies her mother and older sister, Ingrid, to their new home in Paris. Upon their arrival, they discover that Ingrid's twin brother, who had preceded them by several months, has disappeared, and young women have also been vanishing from the Parisian streets. Among the new home's servants is Luc, who shapeshifts between a human teenager and a 400-plus-year-old gargoyle charged with protecting the humans who live in Gabby's new residence. What is threatening the house? The Dispossessed and, as it turns out, even a rogue angel. Morgan is as skillful in creating intriguingly distinct, real characters as she is in pacing the action. This debut guarantees an eager group of readers who will hold their breath for the next volume.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2010 Booklist

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up-This paranormal romance set in Paris introduces readers to Ingrid Waverly, an earl's daughter who has left London where she was recently the wrong side of a love triangle and an accidental arsonist. What Ingrid lacks in social graces she makes up for in wit and beauty. Her younger sister, Gabriella, is dark while she is fair, but just as headstrong and a dash more daring. These young women are the heart of the novel, in which world-building and romance are developed with equal attention. Although the story heavily relies on information-dumping about gargoyles-creatures that also take human form, known as the Dispossessed-angels and demons, Morgan keeps the plot moving with constant action and third-person limited narration from four main characters. The driving mystery is the disappearance of Ingrid's twin brother. In their search for Grayson, who vanished four days before their arrival in Paris, the sisters meet a handsome bookseller and a charming Scot who happen to be members of the Alliance, a secret organization that supports the Dispossessed in their fight against demons. With the help of the Alliance, Ingrid and Gabriella are determined to save their brother. But their persistence puts them in danger, which is frustrating for Luc, the gargoyle who guards all the inhabitants of the Waverly home, especially because of the growing sensual attraction between him and Ingrid. Although a sequel is forthcoming, Morgan skillfully allows this book to stand on its own. Teens may not be surprised by it, but will nonetheless enjoy the dark adventure and romance.-Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York City (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

A newish supernatural being arrives in this straight-out gothic saga. Gargoyles, forced to protect humans from demons, lurk overhead on the old Gothic church in Paris bought by a titled English family in 1899. Gargoyle Luc tries to protect the family's two daughters as they roam Paris looking for their missing brother, Grayson. Proper in name only, Ingrid, 17 and the story's main heroine, doesn't bother with chaperones, while Gabby, at 15, dresses in a sexy red dress and goes out to visit men alone. Meanwhile, hellhounds are slaughtering Paris' population of young ladies. Readers learn early that Grayson is a prisoner in the Underneath, where gargoyles and humans cannot go. Luc can't seem to do his protecting job properly even with the help of the Alliance, a group of humans who also fight demons. Forbidden romance and hot kissing scenes abound. Gargoyles are not yet overexposed in books for teens, and Morgan's description of the Underneath also stands out as inventive. However, the gothic genre leads her into the usual conventions of sentence fragments and hyperbole ("Hesitation meant death"). Her execution of the story comes across as awkward and inexpert, with much repetition. The concept may be somewhat new, but the plotline could have been lifted from any 1930s monster movie, including the villain who obligingly explains all before attacking. A nifty idea clumsily executed. (Paranormal suspense. 12 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Excerpts

Paris Saint-Germain-des-Pres December 1899 So this was what a nightmare looked like by the light of day. Ingrid stared through the window as the coach drew to a halt along rue Dante's snowy curb, a single block from the ice-crusted Seine. Mother could not be serious. This place, this ruin, was to be their new home? Ingrid rubbed the fogged glass and saw the ancient and desolate abbey clearly. "You've completely lost your mind," Ingrid whispered. Her mother ignored her and continued to gaze out the coach window. Pockmarks riddled the blocks of dirty gray limestone, leaving the abbey looking like a ravaged victim of the pox. The four front-facing arched windows held dull and warped stained glass that had more cracks and gaps than lead and glass. The two planks of desiccated wood acting as doors had been left slightly ajar, as if beckoning someone, anyone, to enter. Ingrid didn't think she'd ever seen a lonelier place. Her mother's eyes began to mist over. "Isn't it marvelous, girls?" "Mama, please don't start crying again. You've gone through all your hankies." Ingrid's younger sister, Gabriella, opened her beaded reticule for one of her own. Their mother, Lady Charlotte Brickton, had been sniffling ever since their steamer had reached Calais and her feet had met solid French soil for the first time in over sixteen years. She was overjoyed to be home. Ingrid was just relieved to be gone from London. She never wanted to go back there. Not now, not after what had happened and what she'd done. But this abbey . . . it only added insult to injury. "Marvelous? It looks condemned," Ingrid said. The place was a hulking wreck. Even the new layer of powdery snow couldn't soften the blow. It coated the spikes of a tall wrought-iron fence like icing. Thick twists formed the gate, which was draped with ivy, roses, and thorny vines forged from the same metal. It was all as cold and uninviting as the whitecapped waters of the English Channel had been. "It's absolutely horrifying," Gabby whispered. An awestruck grin bowed her lips. Ingrid's sister pressed the tip of her nose against the cold pane of glass to get a better look. "Gabby, among the sane, horrific things don't generally bring about smiles." Ingrid flipped up the black mink hood of her cloak. Gabby pushed out her full lower lip. "It has charm." "If you find abandoned and haunted churches charming," Ingrid shot back. Their mother spared them an irritated glance as the footman opened the coach door. "Don't be so dramatic, girls. The abbey is a masterpiece, and entirely fitting for my gallery." The footman kicked down the short flight of steps and helped their mother to the curb. Behind them, a second carriage carrying their lady's maids and luggage rolled to a stop. "Do you really think it's haunted?" Gabby asked. "We'll have to ask Grayson if he's sensed anything. Oh! I know--we'll host a seance!" Ingrid sighed and held her tongue. Her twin brother, Grayson, would have better luck talking Gabby down from her idea of a resident ghost. Not even eighteen and without so much as one personal servant, Grayson had been sent ahead of them to Paris two months before to scout out a location for their mother's art gallery. Both the trip and the art gallery had been planned in a snap. Ingrid hadn't been able to believe that her father, Lord Philip Northcross Waverly III, Earl of Brickton, had finally decided to fund her mother's lifelong dream of opening a gallery of her own. He'd turned the idea down year after year--patronage of the arts was his wife's torch, not his, and he wasn't certain he wanted the Brickton name associated with such a bohemian endeavor. So when Grayson had rushed off less than two days after their father abruptly announced his support, Ingrid had started to wonder if the art gallery was being launched more because of the growing rift between Papa and Grayson than because of Mama's dream. Things had never been easy between her father and brother, but within the last year or so their quarreling had escalated. And taking to life as a wild, pleasure-seeking rake had only worsened Grayson's standing with their father. Ingrid hoped it was just a rebellious phase, but Papa had no tolerance for it. He might have sent Grayson to Paris with this task to occupy him, or maybe just to get him out of his hair. What Ingrid couldn't stop wondering was why everything had happened so quickly. Grayson hadn't confided in her before he left, and for the last two months she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something secret and serious had happened to spur everything on. The footman helped Ingrid navigate the steps to the curb. The December cold ate through her burgundy velvet dress as if it were a sheer slip of silk. She stared at the abbey, at the frescoes that had crumbled into unrecognizable scenes, and at the dozens of slates missing from the ramshackle roof. What had her brother been thinking when he'd chosen to invest in this heap? Ingrid was only thankful Papa couldn't see it. Some business with his seat at the House of Lords had kept him from escorting them to Paris as he'd intended. He'd come later, he'd assured them. Definitely for the gallery opening. "Where is Grayson? I thought he was to meet us here," Gabby said as she lighted on the curb. Her ruffled pink parasol was already open against snowflakes drifting from the platinum clouds. With her smoky eyes, short, slightly upturned nose, rosebud lips, and hair the color of golden rum, Gabby was a fifteen-year-old replica of their mother. Ingrid stood out in sharp contrast to them. Her hair, flaxen like Grayson's and Papa's, was only a shade lighter than her fair complexion. She'd been told more times than she cared for in her seventeen years that she was the epitome of English beauty: all cream and roses and soft petal-pink lips. With it came the expectation of a sweet disposition--an expectation those who met Ingrid dismissed immediately. "It's too cold for Grayson to stand out here all day waiting for us," Ingrid answered. She clenched her fingers into fists, hating the buzz of anxiety she hadn't been able to cast off for months. It always flared at the mention of Grayson, turning her blood into a glass of frothing champagne. The jittery feeling didn't worry her. She'd had this sixth sense for as long as she could remember. She and Grayson shared it, the same way they'd shared a womb, a nursery, and, before his recent rebellion, a personality. No, what worried her was what it always meant: that something was wrong with her twin. The sooner she saw Grayson, the better. And then maybe she could finally get answers about what had happened with Papa. Excerpted from The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.