Beautiful Darkness (novel)
Encyclopedia
Beautiful Darkness is a young-adult fantasy novel written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. The second novel in the Caster Chronicles, it was published by Little, Brown
on December, 2009. A sequel, Beautiful Chaos was released on October 18, 2011.
, died during their battle against Lena's evil mother, Sarafine. The two fell in love when Lena came to the small, unchanging town of Gatlin in South Carolina. Lena is a caster
and unlike other caster families, hers shares a curse that was unpurposefully put on them by their descendant, Genevieve Duchannes. So, each of the family members have their fate chosen on their sixteenth birthday, as in if they are going to be Dark or Light. Dark meaning they use their powers for evil and Light meaning they use their powers for good. The night that her uncle had died, Lena's sixteenth birthday, one of Lena's eyes had turned Gold (The eye color of Dark Casters) while the other remained Green (The eye color of Light Casters), therefore leaving her in the middle of Dark and Light.
Sometime after Macon's death, Ethan starts worrying about Lena, who has been acting strange ever since. Lena has stopped writing in the tattered old journal that she used to carry around with her. She has even almost stopped Kelting
with Ethan and rather prefers to block him out. Ethan, on the other hand, is having strange visions that include Macon, Abraham Ravenwood and a girl named Jane, who Macon appears to be madly in love with. On the last day of school, after Lena has told Ethan that she and her family are leaving town, Ethan, Lena and Link (Ethan's best friend) are alone on a lake because of an incident that took place at the high school's parking lot. After kissing Ethan, Lena takes off into the forest and, after chasing her, Ethan witnesses her jump on to the back of a Harley and ride off with a stranger. In hope of finding her, Ethan and Link drive to Dar-ee Keen, Gatlin's greasy version of Dairy King. Instead, they meet up with Ridley, Lena's Dark Caster cousin, who always appeared barely dressed, with the power of persuasion. Ridley is with a guy who introduces
himself as John Breed and claims to know Lena. Ethan realizes that John was the one Lena had run off with.
At his job in the library, Ethan meets Olivia "Liv" Durand, who befriends him quickly. After giving Liv a tour of Gatlin, Ethan and Liv are eating at the Dar-ee Keen when Lena's car races by, obviously stating that she had seen Ethan and Liv together. During the town's annual County Fair, Ethan is shocked to see that Lena is wearing Ridley's type of clothing. Black tank that rode up on her stomach, black skirt about five inches short, streak of blue in her hair and black-rimmed eyes. Throughout Ethan and Lena's conversation, Liv shows up. Jealous and angry, Lena takes off, causing a chain reaction of chaos as she went. Afterwards, during the pie contest sponsored by Southern Crusty, Ridley, John and Lena cause maggots, beetles and grubs to crawl of every pie except one, Amma Treadeau's. Amma is Ethan's grandmother, taking care of him since his mother died. When Ethan and Link follow the three troublemakers, they see them enter the Tunnel of Love and disappear, not leaving a clue to where they went. Desperate to get some help, Ethan and Link go to the Lunae Libri, the Caster library, in hope of finding Marian, the Mortal librarian and Caster library Keeper. Once inside, Ethan hears a laugh, guiding him to a room in which he finds Liv. Liv explains to him that she is a keeper in training and knows quite a lot about the Caster world. Marian, on the other hand, suspects that Ethan may be a Wayward, a Mortal who helps Casters in finding the way to their fates, or the one who knows the way. It is also revealed to Ethan that his mother was a Keeper. Determined to find Lena, the three friends, Ethan, Link and Liv set out through the Caster tunnels underground. Eventually, they find their way into a Caster bar, where they find Ridley, John and Lena. Ethan is shocked to see Lena dancing with John, his hands on her hips. After Lena admits that she does not want to see Ethan there, Link, Liv and him get out of there. Back in the tunnels, Ethan almost kisses Liv. In Gatlin, when Ethan goes to see Lena at her mansion, she reveals to him that she is going to run away before her family leaves and that she has put a Cast on him, one that will make sure he is unable to tell anyone. After, on All Souls Day Ethan realizes that the Jane from his visions was his mother, Lila Jane Evers and that she loved Macon, after Marian gives him the Arclight, a metaphysical prison for Incubuses. Though he is shattered, Marian confirms that Lila also loved Mitchell, Ethan's father.
Little time after, Liv and Ethan both come to the conclusion that Sarafine was trying to pull the seventeenth moon out of time to get Lena to claim herself. With the help of Ridley (Who loses her powers after an encounter with Sarafine through the journey), Link and Lucille, Ethan's Great Aunt's cat, the one who keeps disappearing, they find The Great Barrier, the place Sarafine is leading Lena to, after sometime in the Caster Tunnels. Halfway between though, Ethan learned that Lena made a deal with the Book of Moons, a powerful Caster book, for Ethan's life after Sarafine killed him. It was Ethan's life for something, which unexpectedly turns out to be Macon's life. Now, Ethan understood why Lena had been acting strange and blaming herself for killing her uncle. Before the team is about to enter the Sea Cave where Sarafine is hiding, Ethan understands the purpose of the Arclight and, with the help of Liz, is able to bring back Macon from it. Once outside, Macon has Green Caster eyes, which confirms that he has switched from an Incubus to a Caster. He also explains how Lila Jane's ghost helped him once The Book of Moons took his life by capturing him inside the Arclight. In order to help the teenagers fight off the Incubuses and Dark Casters inside the Sea Cave, Leah Ravenwood, Macon's sister and a Succubus, goes with them. Inside the cave, John is holding Lena, who has no idea where she is or what she is doing. There are also a lot of Vexes, powerful demons of the underground, who are sent back once Amma, Arelia (Macon's Mother), Gramma (Lena's Grandmother) and Twyla (Macon's Aunt) arrive. Quickly, while the others are fighting, Ethan helps Lena revive. Lena claims herself to be both Dark and Light, killing off both Twyla, a Light Caster and Larkin, a Dark Caster (Also Lena's Cousin), because on her last birthday, Lena had learned that she were to turn Dark, then all the Light Casters in her family will die and if she turned Light, all the Dark Casters in her family will die.
One night after, Link sneaks through Ethan's window and wakes him up. While the fighting was going on, Link was bitten by John, who is revealed to be a hybrid, half Caster, half Incubus. So now, after Lena confirms it, Link is turning into an Incubus.
- Lena Duchannes - Another main protagonist, Lena is somewhat of an outcast among Stonewall Jackson High when she first arrives in Gatlin. She is Macon Ravenwood's niece, which causes the other students to tease her. She and Ethan find that they both feel somewhat like outcasts, and they develop a close friendship, eventually falling in love. She enjoys writing poetry in a journal she carries with her. She is the descendant of Genevieve Duchannes and also called "Lena Beana" by her family members and Ethan. Lena is the daughter of John Wyatt Eades and Sarafine Duchannes.
- Amarie "Amma" Treadeau - Amma is the housekeeper for the Wate family. She is truly interested in the dark arts and voodoo, leaving small trinkets around the house to ward away evil spirits. She acts almost like a grandmother to Ethan, and she is very protective of him. She has practically raised him since his mother died. She enjoys doing crossword puzzles and is related to Sulla Treadeau, who was a famous card reader.
- Macon Melchizedek Ravenwood - Lena's uncle, he has always tried to protect her. He was a Dream Incubus, which means he could only come out at night (sleeps during the day) and consumes dreams. Now he is a Light Caster. Macon is Silas Ravenwood's and Arelia Valentin's son.
- Wesley "Link" Lincoln - Link is Ethan's best friend. He is an amateur musician, and he plays in a band that he is very proud of, although they aren't very good. He is the only other student, besides Ethan, to accept Lena as a friend. He is very supportive of both Ethan and Lena, and he stands beside Ethan no matter what happens. Link is now an Incubus.
- Ridley Duchannes - Lena's cousin, also a dark Caster. She is a Siren and has the power of persuasion. Ridley's usual get up is private school girl outfits with boots and a red lollipop. She works for Lena's mother, Sarafine. She is the daughter of Delphine Duchannes, Lena's aunt, and Barclay Kent, Lena's uncle, and sister of Reece Duchannes, Ryan Duchannes and Larkin Kent. Ridley has a certain liking for Link.
- John Breed - He's first seen on the funeral of Macon. Ethan thinks first that John is an incubus but he soon changes his mind when he sees that John stands in the sunlight. On the end of the story it's revaled that John is a hybride. His dad was a incubus and his mom an evo, a creauture that can change in human, caster or suscubus. John only has the advantages of a incubus and none of the disadvantages.
- Reece Duchannes - Lena's cousin, and daughter of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Reece is a Sybil and can read faces. She is a Light Caster.
- Larkin Kent - Lena's cousin, and son of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Larkin is an Illusionist. He can spellcast and make anything look like something else. Larkin is known as a Light Caster but later on reveals himself as a Dark one.
- Ryan Duchannes - Lena's youngest cousin, and daughter of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Ryan is discovered to be a Thaumaturge, considerably known as a healer or a performer of miracles.
- Delphine "Del" Duchannes - Lena's aunt, Barclay's wife and mother of Ridley, Reece and Ryan. She is a Palimpsest and can read time. Delphine is a Light Caster.
- Barclay Kent - Lena's Uncle, Delphine's husband and father of Ridley, Reece, Larkin and Ryan. He is a Shifter and can morph things into other things for as longs as he likes. Barclay is a Light Caster and not really mentioned in the book.
- Emily Asher - Ethan's ex-girlfriend and daughter of Mrs. Asher. She is best friends with Savannah Snow.
- Savannah Snow - Emily's best friend, considered one of the popular girls and the captain of Stonewall Jackson High's cheerleading squad.
- Mrs. Lincoln - Link's mother, friends with Mrs. Asher and Mrs. Snow and member of the DAR.
- Mrs. Snow - Savannah's mother and member of the DAR.
- Prudence Jane Statham - Ethan's eldest great aunt and sister of Grace Ann and Mercy Lynne Statham.
- Grace Ann Statham - Ethan' second eldest great aunt and sister of Prudence Jane and Mercy Lynne Statham.
- Mercy Lynne Statham - Ethan's youngest great aunt and sister of Prudence Jane and Grace Ann Statham.
- Sarafine Duchannes - Lena's mother, also a dark Caster, considered the darkest caster alive. She sided with Abraham Ravenwood to try to get Lena to turn Dark. It is revealed in Beautiful Darkness that Sarafine is the one who murdered Ethan's mother Lila Evers. A fact she does not deny and almost brags about.
- Genevieve Katherine Duchannes - Lena's Ancestor. She was a Dark Caster and mistakingly put a curse on Lena's family.
- Ethan Carter Wate - Ethan's Ancestor, the one Ethan was named after.
- Abraham Ravenwood - A Dark Caster, the one believed to "start" it all, meaning the "darkness". He is Macon's Grandfather and was believed to be dead but is most considerably alive.
- Olivia "Liv" Durand - Used to be a Keeper in Training but because of the constant rule breaking, she is unqualified. Liv constantly makes Lena jealous since Ethan finds himself attracted to her as well as the fact that she herself is attracted to him. She also invented a selonometer, used to measure the pull of the moon.
Little, Brown and Company
Little, Brown and Company is a publishing house established by Charles Coffin Little and his partner, James Brown. Since 2006 it has been a constituent unit of Hachette Book Group USA.-19th century:...
on December, 2009. A sequel, Beautiful Chaos was released on October 18, 2011.
Plot summary
Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes are recovering from the fact that Lena's uncle, Macon Ravenwood, an IncubusIncubus
An incubus is a male demon that has sexual intercourse with sleeping women.Incubus may also refer to:- Film :* Incubus , a film in Esperanto starring William Shatner* Incubus , a horror film starring Tara Reid...
, died during their battle against Lena's evil mother, Sarafine. The two fell in love when Lena came to the small, unchanging town of Gatlin in South Carolina. Lena is a caster
Caster
A caster is an undriven, single, double, or compound wheel that is designed to be mounted to the bottom of a larger object so as to enable that object to be easily moved...
and unlike other caster families, hers shares a curse that was unpurposefully put on them by their descendant, Genevieve Duchannes. So, each of the family members have their fate chosen on their sixteenth birthday, as in if they are going to be Dark or Light. Dark meaning they use their powers for evil and Light meaning they use their powers for good. The night that her uncle had died, Lena's sixteenth birthday, one of Lena's eyes had turned Gold (The eye color of Dark Casters) while the other remained Green (The eye color of Light Casters), therefore leaving her in the middle of Dark and Light.
Sometime after Macon's death, Ethan starts worrying about Lena, who has been acting strange ever since. Lena has stopped writing in the tattered old journal that she used to carry around with her. She has even almost stopped Kelting
Mind reading
Mind reading may refer to:* Telepathy, the transfer of information between individuals by means other than the five senses* The illusion of telepathy in the performing art of mentalism...
with Ethan and rather prefers to block him out. Ethan, on the other hand, is having strange visions that include Macon, Abraham Ravenwood and a girl named Jane, who Macon appears to be madly in love with. On the last day of school, after Lena has told Ethan that she and her family are leaving town, Ethan, Lena and Link (Ethan's best friend) are alone on a lake because of an incident that took place at the high school's parking lot. After kissing Ethan, Lena takes off into the forest and, after chasing her, Ethan witnesses her jump on to the back of a Harley and ride off with a stranger. In hope of finding her, Ethan and Link drive to Dar-ee Keen, Gatlin's greasy version of Dairy King. Instead, they meet up with Ridley, Lena's Dark Caster cousin, who always appeared barely dressed, with the power of persuasion. Ridley is with a guy who introduces
himself as John Breed and claims to know Lena. Ethan realizes that John was the one Lena had run off with.
At his job in the library, Ethan meets Olivia "Liv" Durand, who befriends him quickly. After giving Liv a tour of Gatlin, Ethan and Liv are eating at the Dar-ee Keen when Lena's car races by, obviously stating that she had seen Ethan and Liv together. During the town's annual County Fair, Ethan is shocked to see that Lena is wearing Ridley's type of clothing. Black tank that rode up on her stomach, black skirt about five inches short, streak of blue in her hair and black-rimmed eyes. Throughout Ethan and Lena's conversation, Liv shows up. Jealous and angry, Lena takes off, causing a chain reaction of chaos as she went. Afterwards, during the pie contest sponsored by Southern Crusty, Ridley, John and Lena cause maggots, beetles and grubs to crawl of every pie except one, Amma Treadeau's. Amma is Ethan's grandmother, taking care of him since his mother died. When Ethan and Link follow the three troublemakers, they see them enter the Tunnel of Love and disappear, not leaving a clue to where they went. Desperate to get some help, Ethan and Link go to the Lunae Libri, the Caster library, in hope of finding Marian, the Mortal librarian and Caster library Keeper. Once inside, Ethan hears a laugh, guiding him to a room in which he finds Liv. Liv explains to him that she is a keeper in training and knows quite a lot about the Caster world. Marian, on the other hand, suspects that Ethan may be a Wayward, a Mortal who helps Casters in finding the way to their fates, or the one who knows the way. It is also revealed to Ethan that his mother was a Keeper. Determined to find Lena, the three friends, Ethan, Link and Liv set out through the Caster tunnels underground. Eventually, they find their way into a Caster bar, where they find Ridley, John and Lena. Ethan is shocked to see Lena dancing with John, his hands on her hips. After Lena admits that she does not want to see Ethan there, Link, Liv and him get out of there. Back in the tunnels, Ethan almost kisses Liv. In Gatlin, when Ethan goes to see Lena at her mansion, she reveals to him that she is going to run away before her family leaves and that she has put a Cast on him, one that will make sure he is unable to tell anyone. After, on All Souls Day Ethan realizes that the Jane from his visions was his mother, Lila Jane Evers and that she loved Macon, after Marian gives him the Arclight, a metaphysical prison for Incubuses. Though he is shattered, Marian confirms that Lila also loved Mitchell, Ethan's father.
Little time after, Liv and Ethan both come to the conclusion that Sarafine was trying to pull the seventeenth moon out of time to get Lena to claim herself. With the help of Ridley (Who loses her powers after an encounter with Sarafine through the journey), Link and Lucille, Ethan's Great Aunt's cat, the one who keeps disappearing, they find The Great Barrier, the place Sarafine is leading Lena to, after sometime in the Caster Tunnels. Halfway between though, Ethan learned that Lena made a deal with the Book of Moons, a powerful Caster book, for Ethan's life after Sarafine killed him. It was Ethan's life for something, which unexpectedly turns out to be Macon's life. Now, Ethan understood why Lena had been acting strange and blaming herself for killing her uncle. Before the team is about to enter the Sea Cave where Sarafine is hiding, Ethan understands the purpose of the Arclight and, with the help of Liz, is able to bring back Macon from it. Once outside, Macon has Green Caster eyes, which confirms that he has switched from an Incubus to a Caster. He also explains how Lila Jane's ghost helped him once The Book of Moons took his life by capturing him inside the Arclight. In order to help the teenagers fight off the Incubuses and Dark Casters inside the Sea Cave, Leah Ravenwood, Macon's sister and a Succubus, goes with them. Inside the cave, John is holding Lena, who has no idea where she is or what she is doing. There are also a lot of Vexes, powerful demons of the underground, who are sent back once Amma, Arelia (Macon's Mother), Gramma (Lena's Grandmother) and Twyla (Macon's Aunt) arrive. Quickly, while the others are fighting, Ethan helps Lena revive. Lena claims herself to be both Dark and Light, killing off both Twyla, a Light Caster and Larkin, a Dark Caster (Also Lena's Cousin), because on her last birthday, Lena had learned that she were to turn Dark, then all the Light Casters in her family will die and if she turned Light, all the Dark Casters in her family will die.
One night after, Link sneaks through Ethan's window and wakes him up. While the fighting was going on, Link was bitten by John, who is revealed to be a hybrid, half Caster, half Incubus. So now, after Lena confirms it, Link is turning into an Incubus.
After
In the last chapter of the book, the "after" part of it, Ridley, who has completely lost her Siren powers, is shown in her room. Ridley takes the Arclight out of its hiding place and looks at it, then counts down from three and something is "decided"-which is really her decision to lock John Breed into the Arclight.Characters
- Ethan Lawson Wate - The main protagonist, Ethan is the son of two writers, and he has lived in Gatlin his entire life. He is considered somewhat popular, being Emily Asher's ex-boyfriend and a member of the basketball team, but he feels somewhat like an outcast. His one goal in life is to escape Gatlin forever and not become stuck there like many other of the small town's citizens. He enjoys reading everything from classic novels to comic books. Ethan has three great aunts, Prudence Jane Stathan, Grace Ann Statham and Mercy Lynne Statham whom he visits every Saturday. It is revealed in Beautiful Darkness that Ethan is a Wayward. An extremely rare type of mortal who is bounded to a caster in the most powerful of way and is to lead them to their destiny which will lead them to their own but is still yet to find out which caster he is bounded to. (Though it is narrowed down to be either a Ravenwood or a Duchannes caster.) He is the descendant of Ethan Carter Wate and son of Lila Evers and Mitchell Wate.- Lena Duchannes - Another main protagonist, Lena is somewhat of an outcast among Stonewall Jackson High when she first arrives in Gatlin. She is Macon Ravenwood's niece, which causes the other students to tease her. She and Ethan find that they both feel somewhat like outcasts, and they develop a close friendship, eventually falling in love. She enjoys writing poetry in a journal she carries with her. She is the descendant of Genevieve Duchannes and also called "Lena Beana" by her family members and Ethan. Lena is the daughter of John Wyatt Eades and Sarafine Duchannes.
- Amarie "Amma" Treadeau - Amma is the housekeeper for the Wate family. She is truly interested in the dark arts and voodoo, leaving small trinkets around the house to ward away evil spirits. She acts almost like a grandmother to Ethan, and she is very protective of him. She has practically raised him since his mother died. She enjoys doing crossword puzzles and is related to Sulla Treadeau, who was a famous card reader.
- Macon Melchizedek Ravenwood - Lena's uncle, he has always tried to protect her. He was a Dream Incubus, which means he could only come out at night (sleeps during the day) and consumes dreams. Now he is a Light Caster. Macon is Silas Ravenwood's and Arelia Valentin's son.
- Wesley "Link" Lincoln - Link is Ethan's best friend. He is an amateur musician, and he plays in a band that he is very proud of, although they aren't very good. He is the only other student, besides Ethan, to accept Lena as a friend. He is very supportive of both Ethan and Lena, and he stands beside Ethan no matter what happens. Link is now an Incubus.
- Ridley Duchannes - Lena's cousin, also a dark Caster. She is a Siren and has the power of persuasion. Ridley's usual get up is private school girl outfits with boots and a red lollipop. She works for Lena's mother, Sarafine. She is the daughter of Delphine Duchannes, Lena's aunt, and Barclay Kent, Lena's uncle, and sister of Reece Duchannes, Ryan Duchannes and Larkin Kent. Ridley has a certain liking for Link.
- John Breed - He's first seen on the funeral of Macon. Ethan thinks first that John is an incubus but he soon changes his mind when he sees that John stands in the sunlight. On the end of the story it's revaled that John is a hybride. His dad was a incubus and his mom an evo, a creauture that can change in human, caster or suscubus. John only has the advantages of a incubus and none of the disadvantages.
- Reece Duchannes - Lena's cousin, and daughter of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Reece is a Sybil and can read faces. She is a Light Caster.
- Larkin Kent - Lena's cousin, and son of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Larkin is an Illusionist. He can spellcast and make anything look like something else. Larkin is known as a Light Caster but later on reveals himself as a Dark one.
- Ryan Duchannes - Lena's youngest cousin, and daughter of Delphine Duchannes and Barclay Kent. Ryan is discovered to be a Thaumaturge, considerably known as a healer or a performer of miracles.
- Delphine "Del" Duchannes - Lena's aunt, Barclay's wife and mother of Ridley, Reece and Ryan. She is a Palimpsest and can read time. Delphine is a Light Caster.
- Barclay Kent - Lena's Uncle, Delphine's husband and father of Ridley, Reece, Larkin and Ryan. He is a Shifter and can morph things into other things for as longs as he likes. Barclay is a Light Caster and not really mentioned in the book.
- Emily Asher - Ethan's ex-girlfriend and daughter of Mrs. Asher. She is best friends with Savannah Snow.
- Savannah Snow - Emily's best friend, considered one of the popular girls and the captain of Stonewall Jackson High's cheerleading squad.
- Mrs. Lincoln - Link's mother, friends with Mrs. Asher and Mrs. Snow and member of the DAR.
- Mrs. Snow - Savannah's mother and member of the DAR.
- Prudence Jane Statham - Ethan's eldest great aunt and sister of Grace Ann and Mercy Lynne Statham.
- Grace Ann Statham - Ethan' second eldest great aunt and sister of Prudence Jane and Mercy Lynne Statham.
- Mercy Lynne Statham - Ethan's youngest great aunt and sister of Prudence Jane and Grace Ann Statham.
- Sarafine Duchannes - Lena's mother, also a dark Caster, considered the darkest caster alive. She sided with Abraham Ravenwood to try to get Lena to turn Dark. It is revealed in Beautiful Darkness that Sarafine is the one who murdered Ethan's mother Lila Evers. A fact she does not deny and almost brags about.
- Genevieve Katherine Duchannes - Lena's Ancestor. She was a Dark Caster and mistakingly put a curse on Lena's family.
- Ethan Carter Wate - Ethan's Ancestor, the one Ethan was named after.
- Abraham Ravenwood - A Dark Caster, the one believed to "start" it all, meaning the "darkness". He is Macon's Grandfather and was believed to be dead but is most considerably alive.
- Olivia "Liv" Durand - Used to be a Keeper in Training but because of the constant rule breaking, she is unqualified. Liv constantly makes Lena jealous since Ethan finds himself attracted to her as well as the fact that she herself is attracted to him. She also invented a selonometer, used to measure the pull of the moon.