The Beauties

Reviews

‘Power. Ambition. Passion ... Lauren Chater’s The Beauties explores the many facets of beauty – and those who covet it, curse it, and long to create it – while capturing the grit and vibrancy of seventeenth-century London in rich and sweeping brushstrokes. Delicious and addictive!’ ‘The Beauties is intelligent, beguiling and absorbing ... Chater’s writing is a feast, rich and detailed, drawing us into the world of theatre, art and court in sixteenth-century London and Delft, where women strive against social limitations to create and develop their talents, and to find love and security.’ ‘In The Beauties Lauren Chater has inhaled the spirit of the age and breathed it onto every shimmering page. A beautifully evocative must read.’ ‘The Beauties is simultaneously a beautifully structured portrait of the intrigue and treachery of life in the court of Charles II and a deeply empathetic study of the sacrifices the women at its centre must make to survive.’ ‘A sumptuous and stirring tale of power and privilege, art and aesthetics in the court of King Charles II, The Beauties captivates from the first page to the final. Lauren Chater writes clever and compassionate historical fiction.’ ‘Lauren Chater has established a name for herself as one of Australia’s leading writers of the genre … demonstrating a thrilling talent for excavating women’s stories from history and restoring them to their rightful place at centre stage.’ ‘The success of this novel is in the beautiful language. It is lush and evoked a sense of time and place … Highly recommended.’ Expand reviews