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Monstrous Beauty Audiobook
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(3.00) - 1,216 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra's help, Hester investigates her family's strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean - but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.
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"Yay! Plymouth! This book was amazing, maybe because I've been to Plymouth so many times? A little chunky with dialogue and descriptions at times, when word choice didn't flow with the style. Ultimately wonderfully imagined, and a lot of fun for a quick read towards the end of the semester."
— Darcyparker (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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Monstrous Beauty packs a serious, sexy wallop.
— Bookpage -
Fama (Overboard, 2002) delivers a beautifully written, romantic ghost story with an artful construction that incorporates a murder mystery and detailed historical fiction.
— BCCB -
History buffs, fantasy lovers, and mystery fans will all find something to please them in this engrossing story…
— School Library Journal -
horror and humanity are adroitly handled…
— Publishers Weekly -
...this stylish fantasy mesmerizes.
— Kirkus -
“Fama does not shy away from the big issues: love, death, longing, lust, fear, and revenge all play out through her complex and multidimensional characters.
— Booklist
Awards
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A 2013 ALA Odyssey Award for Honor Audiobooks
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Odyssey Honor Audiobook, 2013
Monstrous Beauty Listener Reviews
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" This was such a hauntingly beautiful novel. I have been wanting to read something different and intense for a while and finally I found it. It was so tragic and I know I will be thinkning about it for the next few days, which good books always do for me! "
— Jennifer, 1/3/2014 -
" A good but not great read. "
— Foggygirl, 12/26/2013 -
" Creepy mermaids, a fairly obtuse protagonist, and ghosts abound in this overly long tale set in present and past Massachusetts. An on-page rape scene near the beginning of the book makes it one I will only give to older readers. "
— Marilyn, 12/13/2013 -
" A fresh take on the story of a mermaid and a human falling in love. I really liked the phsical descriptions of the mermaids. "
— Donna, 9/20/2013 -
" Slow beginning and until the last third of the book, this was set to be a two star review. Once things got moving, though it turned into an entertaining read. "
— Erin, 8/5/2013 -
" The story was much darker than I had expected. I would recommend this book to older teens. This may be a spolier, but the mermaid rape scene took me by surprise. "
— Marta-Kate, 2/14/2013
About Elizabeth Fama
Elizabeth Fama is the author of Plus One and Monstrous Beauty, which was a 2013 Odyssey Honor audiobook.
About Katherine Kellgren
Katherine Kellgren (1969–2018), narrator and actress, appeared onstage in London, New York, and Frankfurt, including in the role of Laura in a regional production of The Glass Menagerie and appearances on Comedy Central. In recognition of her mastery of audiobook narration, she received many honors, including the prestigious Audie Awards, with four for best female narrator; the Odyssey Award; Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award; dozens of AudioFile magazine Earphones Awards; an AudioFile Golden Voice Award; Booklist Voice of Choice award; and acclaim from press and listener reviews.