Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures (2009) is a young adult paranormal romance novel written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Garcia and Stohl combine their interest in Southern Gothic literature with supernatural romance. Beautiful Creatures is the first book in the four-part Caster Chronicles. The novel follows the romance between Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes as Lena comes to terms with the supernatural powers that make her a Caster. Lena and Ethan struggle to find a way to change Lena’s fate as they face their family’s history, harassment from the Southern town of Gatlin, and Dark forces who try to tear them apart. This novel explores themes of Prejudice and Social Exclusion, Fate Versus Free Will, and Southern Traditions and Supernatural Folklore.

This guide refers to the Little, Brown and Company 2009 print edition.

Content Warning: The source material contains racist and Southern stereotypes, suicide, mild violence, and biased language about mental health.

Plot Summary

Ethan Wate lives in Gatlin, South Carolina, with his father. He meets the new girl at school, Lena Duchannes, the niece of the town’s recluse, Macon Ravenwood. Although the other students make fun of Lena, Ethan feels drawn to her. Amma, Ethan’s housekeeper who helped raise him after his mother died, warns Ethan to stay away from Lena. At school, students bully Lena, and she shatters classroom windows with magic.

Ethan follows Lena to Ravenwood Manor. He accidentally touches a magical locket that causes them both to see memories of Lena’s ancestor Genevieve Duchannes and Ethan’s ancestor Ethan Carter Wate, who lived during the Civil War.

Lena tells Ethan that she is a Caster, meaning that she is a human who can use magic. On her 16th birthday, she will be Claimed for Dark or Light, and she does not have a choice in the matter. Through Genevieve’s memories, Lena and Ethan learn that Ethan Carter Wate died in Genevieve’s arms.

Amma warns Lena that her mother, who she thought was dead, is alive. Her name is Sarafine, and she is the Darkest Caster alive. Through Genevieve’s memories, they learn that Genevieve tried to bring Ethan Carter Wate back from the dead with a book called the Book of Moons. Genevieve did not resurrect Ethan Carter Wate but still had to pay the price of the spell: The Book of Moons turned her Dark and cursed every Duchannes child after her by taking away their free will in their Claiming. They would no longer have a choice whether they turned Dark or Light.

Ethan and Lena find the Book of Moons in Genevieve’s grave. They start to read through it to find a spell to help Lena face her own Claiming. A few weeks later, Ethan takes Lena to the winter formal dance. The cheerleaders pull a prank on Lena, dousing her in water and soap that ruins her dress. In retaliation, Lena’s cousin Ridley sets off the sprinkler system, ruining everyone’s outfit. Lena gets blamed for the chaos, and Gatlin forms a disciplinary committee, led by Mrs. Lincoln, to discuss expelling her. Lena’s uncle Macon interrupts the meeting and threatens to expose the town’s darkest secrets if they do not leave Lena alone.

Ethan learns that his mother is communicating with him from beyond the grave. She leaves a message for Ethan and Lena that Lena can Claim herself. Ethan learns that Macon is an Incubus; this makes him a Dark creature, even though he chooses to help the Light. On Lena’s birthday, Ridley throws Lena a birthday party, and Lena sneaks out of the house to attend it. During the party, Ethan learns that his father wants to throw himself over the edge of a balcony. Ethan leaves Lena to help his father and discovers that Ridley has his father under a spell.

Ethan convinces Ridley not to hurt his father and then goes back to Ravenwood. He finds Lena with Mrs. Lincoln, who he learns is Sarafine in disguise. Sarafine reveals that Lena can Claim herself. If she Claims herself Dark, all the Light members in her family will die, and if she Claims herself Light, all the Dark members will die, including Macon. Sarafine tells Lena that Macon has kept a secret from her, that Casters cannot be in relationships with Mortals without killing them. However, if Lena chooses to go Dark, Sarafine will make it possible for Lena to be with Ethan.

Lena resists this temptation and uses her power to fight off her mother. Ethan hears Lena calling for him. He goes toward her voice, but it turns out to be Sarafine, who stabs him. Lena uses Genevieve’s spell to bring Ethan back from the dead, even though she knows she will pay a price. Lena uses her power to block the moon, which means that she does not have to Claim herself. Instead, she will Claim herself next year, when she turns 17.

The spell brings Ethan back to life, but it kills Macon instead. Ethan comforts Lena as she mourns Macon. The following year, when she turns 17, she will Claim herself.