ABSTRACT
This chapter will analyse the turbulent journey of a young female protagonist as she is forced to create a new destiny for herself which, in turn, challenges the existence of tradition and ancient customs. Beautiful Creatures is the first novel of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s Caster Chronicles series. The novel is representative of typical YA literature as it details an ongoing love interest between the male and female protagonists, Ethan (a natural) and Lena (a member of the ancient, supernatural Duchannes bloodline). Ethan and Lena must fight Lena’s destiny in order to become united against the supernatural traditions of Lena’s family history. However, their relationship offers something new within the bloodline, upon the revelation that Ethan is able to protect Lena from harm through a telepathic connection.
This chapter will investigate the presence of tropes typically belonging to supernatural YA literature, and elements which represent a new order and new customs for this genre. Through documenting the portrayal of magical light and dark casters in this novel, Garcia and Stohl offer something new for the reader. Lena’s necessity to choose between the light or the darkness during a claiming ceremony on her 16th birthday emphasises the struggles often experienced by female characters in the YA genre. As with all moral pathways, Lena’s necessity to choose between good and evil, becoming a light or dark caster, is reminiscent of moral decisions that young adult readerships are often destined to face. It is through sheer strength and determination of Lena’s character that she challenges this ancient custom of the patriarchal order, in order to choose a new pathway for herself whereby saving the man she loves.
