The
Beautiful Ones
The
Beautiful Ones Trilogy Book 1
by
Kody Boye
Genre:
YA Scifi Romance
My mother once said
that only the Beautiful Ones survive. This is because, in the
war-torn Great South, beauty is a currency, and to have it means you
will never have to worry about a thing.
The only problem
is: beauty is judged by our capital’s Gentlewomen, and there is no
guarantee that we will past their test.
Every year, the
Gentlewomen of the capital leave the Glittering City to oversee the
annual Procession. They travel settlement to settlement selecting
girls, aged sixteen and older, to become Beautiful Ones. If chosen,
we will be lifted into a life of luxury, but the cost is our free
will.
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My
mother once said that only the Beautiful Ones survive. This is because, in the
Great South, beauty is a currency, and to have it means that you will never
have to worry about a thing. You will never be alone. You will never go hungry.
You will never have to worry about being homeless. The people will love you—and
most importantly: you will never have to worry about being persecuted for being
less than.
“Remember,”
my mother says on the day that my life may truly begin. “Chin up. Back
straight. Eyes forward. Never look back.”
I
look at her in the reflection of the mirror and nod regardless of the nerves
fluttering about my stomach.
“All
right, then,” she says. “Let’s go.”
She
takes my hand and leads me from the small bedroom of our simple dwelling and into
the kitchenette. There, she gathers up everything that will be necessary to
lead me through town and, eventually, into the square. The first item is a
hood, which will cover my head to shield my face from the sun, the next a pair
of tinted glasses that will protect my eyes from the bright light and the
blowing sand. Finally, she retrieves a simple handbag, which I already know
contains within it a tin of fat, to keep my lips moist; a locket, to remind me
of the family I may soon be leaving behind; and finally: currency, which are
simply dirty bills stained with sweat and tears. My mother has slaved for hours
in the sweatshops for this money—all to ensure that, should I happen to pass
the Gentlewoman’s test, I will be able to eat on the train that will take me to
the Glittering City.
If I pass.
The
idea is daunting, the reality even more so. My red-and-yellow sun dress feels
heavy upon my shoulders—not only from the weight of the fabric, but also its
importance as a family heirloom. It has always been meant for me—always—yet at the same time, it feels
wrong to wear it, especially in front of my mother, who is dressed in old
clothes of her own.
“Mom,”
I say, looking toward the clock. “It’s time to go.”
“Kelendra,”
she says, taking a step toward me. I see myself in her features at this
moment—her slender nose, her high cheekbones, her plump lips, her green
eyes—and realize now how lucky I am to have had her as my mother. Her genetics,
and those of my father who is off at war, will hopefully carry me beyond the
life of poverty I have always known.
“Yes,
Mom?” I ask when finally the reality of the situation begins to settle in.
She
doesn’t say anything. Instead, she leans forward, takes hold of my arms, and
squeezes. The whole while she is careful not to wrinkle the sun dress. “Good
luck,” she says.
We
both know this is an empty statement. Luck only plays a small role in what
happens once we arrive at the annual Procession. The rest comes down to my
appearance and how well I’ve taken care of myself for the past sixteen years.
With
that in mind, I reach up to brush my mother’s hands away from my shirt and turn
toward the doorway.
It
isn’t long before we’re stepping outside. I immediately pull the hood over my
head and push the tinted glasses over my eyes to prevent my hair from parting
and my meticulously-curled eyelashes from being disturbed by the slight wind
that skirts along the streets. Nervous, now more than ever, about the dangers
the outside world holds for me, I cross my arms over my chest and wait for my
mother to secure our modest dwelling behind us before starting down the street.
“Are
you nervous?” she asks.
“Why
should I be?” I reply, determined not to let my emotions get the best of me,
lest I start crying and risk ruining what little homemade makeup I have on my
face. “It’s not like anything will change if I don’t get accepted.”
My
mother doesn’t say anything. Rather, she reaches down, takes hold of my hand,
and squeezes it for a moment before relinquishing her hold.
As
we make our way up the street, careful to make sure that we don’t stray toward
the mounds of sand that the neighboring women have swept from the cobblestones,
I try not to look at the houses of those neighbors who live alongside us and
wonder just what it is they might be thinking. Already I can imagine their
thoughts at hand—their doubts, their worries, their insecurities. My mother’s
oldest friend, Mrs. Garret, waves at me as we pass, and I wave back to ensure
that she is noticed. She is an elderly woman, crippled beyond compare from what
Witch Doctor Emery describes as arthritis of the back, and was the one kind
enough to supply the spices that my mother used to create the makeup I now wear
on my face.
“Let’s
stop for a moment,” my mother says.
“But,”
I start.
“Her
blessings will do you good, Kelendra.”
I
am anxious beyond compare to get to the town square before the rest of the
girls arrive, but know that I can’t refuse my mother this luxury. Mrs. Garret
has always been one for prayer, and it would be wrong to deny her the chance to
offer some spiritual guidance for me on this monumental day.
With
that in mind, we turn and approach the woman’s front door.
“Well
hello dear,” Mrs. Garret says, centering her old eyes on me. “Aren’t you
looking beautiful today.”
“You
can’t even see my eyes,” I say.
“It
doesn’t matter. I can tell from your posture. The way you hold yourself is very
regal.”
“Thank
you, Mrs. Garret.”
“Now
then,” the old woman says, turning her eyes on my mother. “Shall we pray?”
“We
shall,” my mother says.
I
reach out and take hold of my mother’s hand, then extend my palm to grace Mrs.
Garret’s. I tremble as the hot sun beats down upon my shoulders and as the
woman begins her prayer, calling upon a kind God who has ensured that we have
always had food on the table and good health for both my mother and I.
“Hear
me,” Mrs. Garret says, “as I pray for Wynnona Byron, and for her daughter,
Kelendra—who, on this day, is to be tested by forces beyond her control, and
her beauty witnessed by the masses.”
I
raise my head from prayer to find both Mrs. Garret’s and my mother’s eyes
closed and look toward the road, where other girls and their mothers are making
their way down the road. I take note of Ashlynn, who is pretty but not
exceptionally beautiful, then Sondra, who bears a disfiguring birthmark across
her face, and nod at each of them—feeling, deep down, in the fibers of my
being, that neither of them will make it regardless of their merits or
characters. Most girls are picked based on what is traditionally
beautiful—first being their eyes, clear and radiant in color; then their skin,
smooth and clear as water. Their features must not be marred by scar or acne,
blemish or disability, neither of which these girls are blessed with. I am,
fortunately, and therefore have a better shot at being picked by one of the
Gentlewomen during the Procession, but just because I am beautiful does not
mean that will determine my fate.
No.
There
are rules that no one knows—boundaries that no Unfortunate Individual can
understand—and for that reason, I will take all the blessings I can get.
Mrs.
Garret says, “Amen” and lifts her head to look at me, a sad expression on her
face as she realizes that I have dismissed the prayer in lieu of my own
thoughts and feelings. “Kelendra,” she says.
“Yessum?”
I ask.
“You
will do well.”
“Thank
you,” I say.
“I
am fortunate to have known many fine young women throughout my life,” Mrs.
Garret continues, “and though I realize that not all of you will make it
through, those who do will do many great things. I know, if you are picked, you
will do the same.”
“Thank
you, ma’am,” I say.
“Now—don’t
stand around on account of me. Go, and know that I will be praying for you.”
With
a nod, I turn, guide my mother back toward the street, and begin to mentally
prepare myself for what is to come.
Above
all, I understand three things:
I
am kind.
I
am smart.
And,
without a doubt: I am beautiful.
All her life Kelendra has been taught that beauty is
everything. If you have beauty then you will want for nothing and you will be
rich. Well that is if you are one of the chosen ones.
Each year girls sixteen and older are to participate in the
annual Procession and if chosen will then be taken to the Glittering City to
live, marry and raise a family of their own.
This is Kelendra’s lucky year as she is sixteen but will she
be one of the chosen. Is Kelendra beautiful enough for the Gentlewomen the
ladies who are in control of Glittering City? If she is chosen what awaits
Kelendra on the other side? Will a life in Glittering City be the luxury she
has been lead to believe?
I have really and truly enjoyed reading about this world
that the author has created for The Beautiful Ones and can’t wait to see what
is around the next corner for Kelendra and her new life and to see what she
will do with it.
The Beautiful Ones caught my attention from the summary and
never let it go until I had read the last page but even now I am still thinking
about it and wanting more. I can’t wait to see where Kelendra’s journey takes
her and how it will turn out. While I loved seeing things from the Beautiful
Ones point of view I would also like to see things from the Handsome Ones point
of view as well to see what their lives are like and to the go through the same
process as the ladies. How are the men chosen to be a Handsome One?
The Beautiful Ones is a very new and interesting take on the
dystopian world it is filled with beauty of course to hold your interest right
up until the end. The Beautiful Ones is a great introduction into this new
dystopian world one in which I would love to see more of. I agree with the
reviews of others who are comparing The Beautiful Ones to The Hunger Games and
The Handmaids Tale.
If you have seen or read either of these two books or TV
shows, The Hunger Games or The Handmaids Tale and like them both then I am sure
that you will love The Beautiful Ones. So I would like to suggest that you one
click yourself a copy today to start on this beautiful journey with The
Beautiful Ones.
The
War Outside
The
Beautiful Ones Trilogy Book 2
I
have accomplished the goal of my lifetime. I have become a Beautiful
One.
But it is not at all what I expected. Between the glitz,
the glam, the fame, fortune, and my recent wedding, it’s almost
impossible to believe that a civil war rages beyond the capitol
city’s walls, and that my life was nearly taken because of it. This
is why, the day after the attempt on my life, I choose to designate
my Purpose to the great war.
There’s no guarantee that my
words will change anything. But as my presence within the Glittering
City grows, it becomes quickly apparent that I am in danger… and
that no one, not even my government, can save me.
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Kelendra’s dreams have finally come true she has been chosen
as one of the Beautiful Ones. She has made it to the Glittering City and
married her husband, Daniel the Handsome One. She is ready to start her new
life within the city. She has presented her Purpose to the Gentlewomen and the
ones who run the city. Now she awaits their reply to see if they accept her
Purpose or not.
In the meantime a hit has been put out on Kelendra and she
has to lay low for a while until her assassin is found. Daniel takes her to his
home to meet his parents and for Kelendra to see what her new life is going to
be like. But after someone tries to kill her Kelendra is whisked away to
another location in hopes of avoiding the assassin once again. Can the SADs
keep Kelendra safe?
Come join Kelendra on her journey in The War Outside to see
if her dreams as the Beautiful One are all she expected them to be. As the
saying goes if she knew then what she knows now would Kelendra’s dreams still
be the same?
The War Outside is just as good if not better than The
Beautiful Ones. It is filled with action and suspense from the first page and
just the twists alone are enough to hold your attention and keep the pages
turning and wanting more. I can’t wait to see where Kelendra’s journey takes
her next in future books of this amazing series.
I still want to see the Handsome Ones side of the story as
well. I would like to more about how this whole society began or more about how
it all began and why you know with more detail on the subject. I want to know
who and how the Handsome Ones are chosen and what their life is like before
they are chosen.
This has been an amazing journey with going deeper into the
Beautiful One’s life and world. The world building for this series is so very
awesome and amazing as well. The writing and creation of this world is so
amazing and beautiful, no puns intended of course.
This is one series that I highly recommend to all fans of
dystopian societies. Yes I do recommend The Beautiful Ones and The War Outside
to everyone.
Born
and raised in Southeastern Idaho, Kody Boye began his writing career
with the publication of his story [A] Prom Queen’s Revenge at the
age of fourteen. Published nearly three-dozen times before going
independent at eighteen, Boye has authored numerous works—including
the short story collection Amorous Things, the novella The Diary of
Dakota Hammell, the zombie novel Sunrise and the epic fantasy series
The Brotherhood Saga.
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