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We Are the Beasts
When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it’s a curse—God’s punishment for their sins.
But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.
For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.
Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first...
Those fake deaths might just become real ones.
But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.
For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.
Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first...
Those fake deaths might just become real ones.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2024
About the author
Gigi Griffis
17 books153 followersGigi Griffis is the author of the The Wicked Unseen, We Are The Beasts (2024), and The Empress (as seen on Netflix), among other things.
She’s a sucker for little-known histories, “unlikable” female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie-mix named Luna and a collection of very nerdy books.
She’s a sucker for little-known histories, “unlikable” female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie-mix named Luna and a collection of very nerdy books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
May 19, 2024
Look at this thrilling cover and intriguing plotline: girls who have suffered abuse, harassment, abandonment, and starvation unite to fight against a beast no more dangerous than the real beasts - the abusive men of the town hiding in human clothing.
The most captivating aspect of this book, among its themes of girl power and feminism, is its basis on true events in Gevaudan, France, where the region was plagued by a wolf-like animal attacking shepherds and villagers. Europe’s first cross-border stories attracted King Louis XV’s attention, prompting him to send his best hunters, like Duhamel and the d’Ennevals in the novel, to lead the search for the beast.
In this feminist retelling, the imprisoned girls of the town, suffering from hunger and mistreatment at the hands of the men, begin to blame their violence on the beast, taking control of their fate to escape. However, their escape leads them into even more danger, not from the beast, but from the men determined to control their lives with harsh punishments. They even kill the only decent man in town, the priest, replacing him with a new predator posing as a righteous figure.
Josephine, who lost her entire family and was saved by her true love Clara and her grandmother Meme, finds herself in a town filled with pain, poverty, loss, anger, and hatred. When a beast begins lurking and a young boy dies, Josephine realizes the town’s men are trying to cover up a murder. She decides to help the boy’s sisters and, with Clara’s help, fakes their deaths to take them out of the town.
But their good intentions are tested when they face both the dangerous beast and the vindictive church leader, who believes the girls’ actions have cursed the town. As long as the girls stay, they face threats from both sides.
Who is the real beast? Is it a shapeshifter, an evil incarnation, a witch, or something else entirely? And are the town’s men or the king’s hunters even scarier? How will the girls survive?
Overall, this book is intriguing, fast-paced, and impactful, with a great conclusion that I highly recommend to YA horror and thriller readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children/ Delacorte Press for providing me this digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.
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The most captivating aspect of this book, among its themes of girl power and feminism, is its basis on true events in Gevaudan, France, where the region was plagued by a wolf-like animal attacking shepherds and villagers. Europe’s first cross-border stories attracted King Louis XV’s attention, prompting him to send his best hunters, like Duhamel and the d’Ennevals in the novel, to lead the search for the beast.
In this feminist retelling, the imprisoned girls of the town, suffering from hunger and mistreatment at the hands of the men, begin to blame their violence on the beast, taking control of their fate to escape. However, their escape leads them into even more danger, not from the beast, but from the men determined to control their lives with harsh punishments. They even kill the only decent man in town, the priest, replacing him with a new predator posing as a righteous figure.
Josephine, who lost her entire family and was saved by her true love Clara and her grandmother Meme, finds herself in a town filled with pain, poverty, loss, anger, and hatred. When a beast begins lurking and a young boy dies, Josephine realizes the town’s men are trying to cover up a murder. She decides to help the boy’s sisters and, with Clara’s help, fakes their deaths to take them out of the town.
But their good intentions are tested when they face both the dangerous beast and the vindictive church leader, who believes the girls’ actions have cursed the town. As long as the girls stay, they face threats from both sides.
Who is the real beast? Is it a shapeshifter, an evil incarnation, a witch, or something else entirely? And are the town’s men or the king’s hunters even scarier? How will the girls survive?
Overall, this book is intriguing, fast-paced, and impactful, with a great conclusion that I highly recommend to YA horror and thriller readers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children/ Delacorte Press for providing me this digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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May 10, 2024i was excited about this and then on page three it says, and this is exact, "Not today, Satan."
this book is set in 1765
this book is set in 1765
December 17, 2024
Author here. Now that there's a draft on the page, let me just say that I have such a soft spot for this book. A book that I wanted to write for some time and couldn't quite figure out how. A book that is a monster story, but not about the monster. A monster story not about killing girls but about saving them.
Or, as one early reader put it, "a gay thriller period drama with lowkey eat the rich vibes."
I look forward to sharing these messy, chaotic, ultimately loving teens trying to turn a scary situation into their salvation. Fall 2024 let's gooooo.
Or, as one early reader put it, "a gay thriller period drama with lowkey eat the rich vibes."
I look forward to sharing these messy, chaotic, ultimately loving teens trying to turn a scary situation into their salvation. Fall 2024 let's gooooo.
December 9, 2024
We Are The Beasts is historical fiction and horror novel inspired by the mystery of the the Beast of Gévaudan. Knowledge of the Beast of Gévaudan initially drew me to this book, but it was the feminist themes and the compelling story that maintained my interest.
Set in eighteenth century France, We Are The Beasts provides a sobering portrayal of the village of Mende and the perilous existences its inhabitants-mostly women-are forced to live. Close to starvation, often-expendable and easily-scapegoated, the unorthadox decision for shepherdesses Joséphine and her best friend Clara to fake the deaths of other village girls who have been victimized by the men around them is an understandable one.
The callous indifference of the village inhabitants, the means by which religion is ultiized to oppress others and the ease by which girls and women are expected to shoulder suffering at the hands of not only other villagers, but also outsiders in the form of hunters and soldiers sent to slay the beast, are all presented in a way that is painfully relatable.
I appreciated the relationship between Joséphine and Clara, which is not free from flaws due to the trauma that Joséphine still struggles with, as well as compassion shown to the other girls in their efforts to aid them. The diverse nature of the characters was a pleasant surprise, as I was unaware of the history involving Ethiopian immigrants in France and it is interesting to see queer relationships presented as well.
Unfortunately, the use of modern colloquialisms, statements and the repetition of French phrases when the characters are meant to always be speaking French did break story immersion repeatedly. I also felt that the novel is more of a mystery than a horror novel, which didn’t take away from my enjoyment, but I was more dreading the consequences of human behavior than fearing the stalking beast. Though the resolution of that particular mystery is satisfying and reasonable.
Thank you to Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Set in eighteenth century France, We Are The Beasts provides a sobering portrayal of the village of Mende and the perilous existences its inhabitants-mostly women-are forced to live. Close to starvation, often-expendable and easily-scapegoated, the unorthadox decision for shepherdesses Joséphine and her best friend Clara to fake the deaths of other village girls who have been victimized by the men around them is an understandable one.
The callous indifference of the village inhabitants, the means by which religion is ultiized to oppress others and the ease by which girls and women are expected to shoulder suffering at the hands of not only other villagers, but also outsiders in the form of hunters and soldiers sent to slay the beast, are all presented in a way that is painfully relatable.
I appreciated the relationship between Joséphine and Clara, which is not free from flaws due to the trauma that Joséphine still struggles with, as well as compassion shown to the other girls in their efforts to aid them. The diverse nature of the characters was a pleasant surprise, as I was unaware of the history involving Ethiopian immigrants in France and it is interesting to see queer relationships presented as well.
Unfortunately, the use of modern colloquialisms, statements and the repetition of French phrases when the characters are meant to always be speaking French did break story immersion repeatedly. I also felt that the novel is more of a mystery than a horror novel, which didn’t take away from my enjoyment, but I was more dreading the consequences of human behavior than fearing the stalking beast. Though the resolution of that particular mystery is satisfying and reasonable.
Thank you to Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2024
CW: violence, blood, injury description, violence against animals, misogyny, classism, homophobia/lesbophobia, religious bigotry, sexual violence, sexual assault, (mentioned) torture and execution of witches
I received an ARC for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not impacted my final rating of the book.
Inspired by the real-life mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan, We Are the Beasts follows a cast of characters disadvantaged - through gender, sexuality, and social class - in their society. Through the backdrop of mysterious deaths and animal attacks, they finally get a glimpse of something only dreamed about - freedom.
A great alternate title for this book would be "How to Fake Your Death in 18th Century France" because I'm pretty sure the entire cast did just that at some point.
I found the characters, generally, to be very compelling and enjoyable. Josephine had a very engaging narrative voice, and I found this novel to be quite easy to read - I flew through the majority of it in a day. But I was disappointed in the lack of attention to historical detail.
I would say I'm less bothered by the anachronistic language, especially because it flowed so well, than I was by the immense lack of detail. Nothing about this story felt grounded in the 1700s, other than a handful of mentions of the Seven Years War. Mostly, I was looking for details about clothing or church doctrine that would ground this story more firmly in its setting. Unfortunately, I found mostly un-descriptive references to dresses and undergarments and some very basic religious bigotry. I absolutely love opulent historical descriptions - give me fabrics and food and tallow candlelight and bumping carriages - so I was really very disappointed. This story could just as easily have been set last week and it wouldn't have made much of a difference.
While a fun, feminist power story with some not-very-scary eerie moments, a historical horror novel, this is not. Much to my disappointment.
I received an ARC for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not impacted my final rating of the book.
Inspired by the real-life mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan, We Are the Beasts follows a cast of characters disadvantaged - through gender, sexuality, and social class - in their society. Through the backdrop of mysterious deaths and animal attacks, they finally get a glimpse of something only dreamed about - freedom.
A great alternate title for this book would be "How to Fake Your Death in 18th Century France" because I'm pretty sure the entire cast did just that at some point.
I found the characters, generally, to be very compelling and enjoyable. Josephine had a very engaging narrative voice, and I found this novel to be quite easy to read - I flew through the majority of it in a day. But I was disappointed in the lack of attention to historical detail.
I would say I'm less bothered by the anachronistic language, especially because it flowed so well, than I was by the immense lack of detail. Nothing about this story felt grounded in the 1700s, other than a handful of mentions of the Seven Years War. Mostly, I was looking for details about clothing or church doctrine that would ground this story more firmly in its setting. Unfortunately, I found mostly un-descriptive references to dresses and undergarments and some very basic religious bigotry. I absolutely love opulent historical descriptions - give me fabrics and food and tallow candlelight and bumping carriages - so I was really very disappointed. This story could just as easily have been set last week and it wouldn't have made much of a difference.
While a fun, feminist power story with some not-very-scary eerie moments, a historical horror novel, this is not. Much to my disappointment.
September 12, 2024
just no.
I don't care about anachronistic language usually but the writing really isn't robust enough to buffer it. Flat characters that bordered on caricature and a plot that managed to disappoint me even though I had 95% checked out of the book by the time the big reveal happened. There was a lot of potential for nuanced conversation about the heteropatriarchy but in execution this is the least nuanced thing I've read in at least a year.
Also it does the thing where the token gay friend is used solely to reinforce that the patriarchy hates everything feminine, because all the gays are feminine ig? This is an entirely separate rant but in short, ew.
I legit do not have a single positive thing to say about this book which is extremely impressive because I can usually come up with things even if a book isn't for me.
If you're looking for a "I Support Women's Wrongs" YA read, might I instead recommend Kylie Lee Baker's books? Or Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Or if you want a sapphic version, Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta. Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron. Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. You have so many options!
I don't care about anachronistic language usually but the writing really isn't robust enough to buffer it. Flat characters that bordered on caricature and a plot that managed to disappoint me even though I had 95% checked out of the book by the time the big reveal happened. There was a lot of potential for nuanced conversation about the heteropatriarchy but in execution this is the least nuanced thing I've read in at least a year.
Also it does the thing where the token gay friend is used solely to reinforce that the patriarchy hates everything feminine, because all the gays are feminine ig? This is an entirely separate rant but in short, ew.
I legit do not have a single positive thing to say about this book which is extremely impressive because I can usually come up with things even if a book isn't for me.
If you're looking for a "I Support Women's Wrongs" YA read, might I instead recommend Kylie Lee Baker's books? Or Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Or if you want a sapphic version, Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta. Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron. Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. You have so many options!
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November 1, 2024Thank you Netgalley and PRH/Delacorte Press for the e-arc,
I'm not giving this book a star rating because I dnfed it 12% in,
While the characters are intriguing and I think if I could sit down with this at a later date to try again, would be willing to give this a second read, there were two stand out things that made me go: "Hm, this one isn't for me."
1) On page three it says "Not today, Satan." this immediately threw me out of 1700's France and made me cringe a little. I'm not sure how well this would go over with YA readers. To be honest it made me go: "oh, a millennial wrote this" and that thought chased me until I got 12% into the book and decided to set it down for now.
2) I usually don't mind anachronistic language in historical novels, in fact, I prefer it because it allows historical research and atmosphere to be built in a more genuine way-- therein lies the issue. I would not be able to tell where this book is set if not for the handful of odd French words tossed in or the the brief description of the landscape.
3) Speaking of those odd French words peppered in to remind us this story is set in France and these characters are French, it just didn't land with me. It was another thing that removed me from the story and not to sound harsh, but it felt like a very lazy way of worldbuilding.
Overall, I was not grounded in this book early enough to really understand the stakes beyond "girls being targeted by the patriarchy" I generally like that theme but if a book is going to be a historical horror, I need something to sink my teeth into and We are the Beasts lacks that toothiness after the first chapter. This book feels more like the Beast of Gevaudan as a trojan horse for a screw the patriarchy, girls and their wrongs esque plot.
I'm not giving this book a star rating because I dnfed it 12% in,
While the characters are intriguing and I think if I could sit down with this at a later date to try again, would be willing to give this a second read, there were two stand out things that made me go: "Hm, this one isn't for me."
1) On page three it says "Not today, Satan." this immediately threw me out of 1700's France and made me cringe a little. I'm not sure how well this would go over with YA readers. To be honest it made me go: "oh, a millennial wrote this" and that thought chased me until I got 12% into the book and decided to set it down for now.
2) I usually don't mind anachronistic language in historical novels, in fact, I prefer it because it allows historical research and atmosphere to be built in a more genuine way-- therein lies the issue. I would not be able to tell where this book is set if not for the handful of odd French words tossed in or the the brief description of the landscape.
3) Speaking of those odd French words peppered in to remind us this story is set in France and these characters are French, it just didn't land with me. It was another thing that removed me from the story and not to sound harsh, but it felt like a very lazy way of worldbuilding.
Overall, I was not grounded in this book early enough to really understand the stakes beyond "girls being targeted by the patriarchy" I generally like that theme but if a book is going to be a historical horror, I need something to sink my teeth into and We are the Beasts lacks that toothiness after the first chapter. This book feels more like the Beast of Gevaudan as a trojan horse for a screw the patriarchy, girls and their wrongs esque plot.
October 29, 2024
3.25
Now playing:
FEMININE RAGE - PEGGY
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Characters:
Louis - He is the only character that matters. He is the best.
The lambs - IYKYK THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE BEST
Belle - I liked her complex character and how she didn't exactly fit our rag tag crew but she was complex
Clara - I loved her soft caring nature but also her communication with Jo, especially when she finally allowed herself to express her anger
Jo - I don't have a lot to say on her. She had a lot of feist to her and I loved that. Especially in a world like this with women extremely suppressed her anger was refreashing.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Plot: The plot I wish was a bit more high stakes, it was also at times extremely unbelievable, but still the found family was nice
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Overall thoughts: This book made me angry in all the write ways. It was an easy read with deeper themes the closer you look, It was fun and fresh
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
"I love you."
"Forever."
"And ever."
"Amen."
Now playing:
FEMININE RAGE - PEGGY
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Characters:
Louis - He is the only character that matters. He is the best.
The lambs - IYKYK THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE BEST
Belle - I liked her complex character and how she didn't exactly fit our rag tag crew but she was complex
Clara - I loved her soft caring nature but also her communication with Jo, especially when she finally allowed herself to express her anger
Jo - I don't have a lot to say on her. She had a lot of feist to her and I loved that. Especially in a world like this with women extremely suppressed her anger was refreashing.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Plot: The plot I wish was a bit more high stakes, it was also at times extremely unbelievable, but still the found family was nice
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Overall thoughts: This book made me angry in all the write ways. It was an easy read with deeper themes the closer you look, It was fun and fresh
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
"I love you."
"Forever."
"And ever."
"Amen."
July 19, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I feel so bad because I feel like I keep giving my ARCs bad reviews.
I actually really loved the heart of this book, but it was just such a slog to get through. It's marketed as historical horror, and neither of those genres ring true. The book is based on real historical events, but is only loosely tied to the time it takes place in with occasional French phrases thrown in and bland descriptions of life in the time period. It is not at all a horror book, with very few even tense moments, and a lot of build up to an ultimately dissatisfying ending.
I think this book would've worked beautifully as a short story, and in fact, I wonder if it was adapted from one. As it stands, it's a long slog that doesn't pay off in the end.
I feel so bad because I feel like I keep giving my ARCs bad reviews.
I actually really loved the heart of this book, but it was just such a slog to get through. It's marketed as historical horror, and neither of those genres ring true. The book is based on real historical events, but is only loosely tied to the time it takes place in with occasional French phrases thrown in and bland descriptions of life in the time period. It is not at all a horror book, with very few even tense moments, and a lot of build up to an ultimately dissatisfying ending.
I think this book would've worked beautifully as a short story, and in fact, I wonder if it was adapted from one. As it stands, it's a long slog that doesn't pay off in the end.
November 16, 2024
scrivo questo giudizio di getto, appena finito il libro, e sono sinceramente perplessa. La lettura è stata anche piacevole nella prima metà, e si era già chiaramente capito il messaggio generale del libro (tipo “scegli l’uomo o l’orso”? ma nella Francia del 1800) però di per sé l’esecuzione mi ha lasciato molto a desiderare: sempre tutto troppo facile, le ragazze riescono a scappare dal villaggio senza davvero preoccuparsi di cosa le attende e in generale è più un libro incentrato sul messaggio (concentrato in pochi capitoli un po’ meta fisici alla fine, dove la protagonista e la bestia si “sovrappongono” in una dualità che avevamo intuito anche 150 pagine prima) ma che alla fine non mi lascia niente. La rappresentazione della female rage è importante e tiene in piedi il romanzo, le protagoniste sono coerenti con sé stesse e hanno un ruolo ben preciso, mentre i personaggi secondari li ho trovati abbastanza deboli e non mi hanno suscitato un particolare interesse. Il setting della Francia del 1700 è interessante perchè la vicenda si ispira a una storia reale (l’ho scoperto a metà lettura perchè mi sembrava di aver riconosciuto un nome) ma viene un po’ disturbato da un linguaggio moderno e imprecazioni in francese (tipo “mon dieu” e “oh la vache”) che mi sono parse molto superficiali anche perchè usate abbastanza spesso, come per ricordarci che eravamo in Francia, quando forse avrebbe avuto più forza non localizzare un tempo e un luogo ma lasciar tutto nebuloso e più d’atmosfera. Non mi ha affatto convinto, è un messaggio che si è già visto e aggiunge davvero poco alla narrativa “femminista” (non mi piace chiamarla così perchè è un femminismo fine a sé stesso e commerciale).
grazie al Publisher per l'arc
grazie al Publisher per l'arc
July 5, 2024
This book was everything I expected it to be. We have strong female friendships and feminism set up against Gevaudan, France, a region famous for its wolf-like beast that ravaged the area for nearly four years. In this version we follow Josephine, who has lost her family and lives with her best friend Clara and her grandmother. The town they live in is plagued by poverty and starvation and they do their best to get by. When they find the body of a boy in the woods, the people of Gevaudan blame the mysterious beast that has been killing their people, but Josephine and Clara know the truth. Armed with this information, they discover a way to hide the boy's little sister and protect her and themselves from the town's men who want nothing more than to control women and girls.
The subject of the Beast of Gevaudan has always capitavated me, but what really kept me reading was the author's gorgeous writing. She tackles the heavy topics when it calls for gentleness and when it calls form brutalness. I loved seeing Jo and Clara's relationship as well as the relationships they form with other girls in the town. I also loved he author's idea of what the beast was (it kind of made sense)
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and hope to see more from this author.
Bookstagram
The subject of the Beast of Gevaudan has always capitavated me, but what really kept me reading was the author's gorgeous writing. She tackles the heavy topics when it calls for gentleness and when it calls form brutalness. I loved seeing Jo and Clara's relationship as well as the relationships they form with other girls in the town. I also loved he author's idea of what the beast was (it kind of made sense)
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and hope to see more from this author.
Bookstagram
December 16, 2024
3/5
This book.. where do I start exactly? Loved the historical thriller fantasy based off french history. The characters, romance, and overuse of certain phrases are what made me not rate this book higher. I just wise there was more world building because I personally didn’t get a very 1700s vibe from the story.
This book.. where do I start exactly? Loved the historical thriller fantasy based off french history. The characters, romance, and overuse of certain phrases are what made me not rate this book higher. I just wise there was more world building because I personally didn’t get a very 1700s vibe from the story.
December 17, 2024
DNFed book, just could not get into this book. I was just bored, sorry. I chose a one star rating bc I just planet didn’t like it. It just plain and boring. I thought it was going to be better.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Want to read
March 10, 2024Cannot WAIT. And what a cover omg
Want to read
March 10, 2024Cannot wait to read this one!! So enjoyed Griffis's previous book and undoubtedly this one will be just as good, if not better :)
November 13, 2024
Review to come! 🦋
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an interesting historical horror YA take on the Beast of Gévaudan. I really liked the historical research that Griffis did for the book, but I felt like the horror could’ve been vamped up to really make this feel creepy, but I also thought the narration style of the book made this feel younger than its target audience. 😕
The book follows Joséphine, a 17-year-old shepherdess who finds that her town is now center stage for a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances by the creature that the area has come to call the Beast. I had my issues with her as she’s incredibly reckless for someone who experienced traumatic abandonment in her childhood. On top of this, she makes rash decisions, jumps to conclusions, and is incredibly quick to anger so this made for a very interesting and rather annoying character for me. Not only was this a bit of a hurdle to get through, but also the way in which she talks and narrates the book at times felt like she was younger than her 17 years. 🙁
I also felt like the book was written with a stark black and white kind of filter when it came to men in general. The male characters were either incredibly self absorbed, violent, or unable to take anything seriously. There’s one character that was able to avoid this kind of characterization, but on the flip side, he was so loyal and father-like that it felt weird to not get a middle ground between the two. 😐
The Beast itself felt less like horror and mystery, and more of a guessing game. Because of this, while I liked the historical take on how the Beast could have come about, I still thought the way in which this revelation comes about could have been a bit more suspenseful and creepy since this was pitched as a YA historical horror. 🫤
All in all, it was fine, but I just feel like some things could have been done better. Big thank you goes out to Delacrote Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. ❤️
Publication date: December 3!
Overall: 3/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an interesting historical horror YA take on the Beast of Gévaudan. I really liked the historical research that Griffis did for the book, but I felt like the horror could’ve been vamped up to really make this feel creepy, but I also thought the narration style of the book made this feel younger than its target audience. 😕
The book follows Joséphine, a 17-year-old shepherdess who finds that her town is now center stage for a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances by the creature that the area has come to call the Beast. I had my issues with her as she’s incredibly reckless for someone who experienced traumatic abandonment in her childhood. On top of this, she makes rash decisions, jumps to conclusions, and is incredibly quick to anger so this made for a very interesting and rather annoying character for me. Not only was this a bit of a hurdle to get through, but also the way in which she talks and narrates the book at times felt like she was younger than her 17 years. 🙁
I also felt like the book was written with a stark black and white kind of filter when it came to men in general. The male characters were either incredibly self absorbed, violent, or unable to take anything seriously. There’s one character that was able to avoid this kind of characterization, but on the flip side, he was so loyal and father-like that it felt weird to not get a middle ground between the two. 😐
The Beast itself felt less like horror and mystery, and more of a guessing game. Because of this, while I liked the historical take on how the Beast could have come about, I still thought the way in which this revelation comes about could have been a bit more suspenseful and creepy since this was pitched as a YA historical horror. 🫤
All in all, it was fine, but I just feel like some things could have been done better. Big thank you goes out to Delacrote Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. ❤️
Publication date: December 3!
Overall: 3/5 ⭐️
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 24, 2024DNF
It’s probably a good thing I don’t work the slush piles in publishing, cause I DNFed this after chapter one. I lied. I wanted to after chapter one but forced myself to read another to confirm my feelings are still true.
I will admit the opening paragraph was great. It hooked me. It then threw itself off a cliff immediately after. And I had been excited to read this having heard different tellings of the Beast of Gevaudan and to then have mixed in some feminism and sapphic. However, by page two I had the unfortunate experience of reading, and I quote, “Not today Satan.” Cue my very dramatic eye. There’s a way to make a historical story relatable with out sounding like that Steve Buscemi with a skateboard meme. And as this is in first person, the inner thoughts are too modern that it felt so out of place for 1765, throwing me out of the story. Like if I hadn’t read the description and instead just read the opening pages, I would’ve assumed this was contemporary. Then mix in the random, almost flippant scattering of French terms that would probably would offend a native. All this was an immediate red flag that I wouldn’t be able to read 350 pages of this. But also the fact the opening chapter was a bag of nothing. It didn’t show me anything of the characters or the world or its problems. At least until the end of the chapter, and then it was told to me in info dump instead of shown. Literally I found myself skimming.
I loved the idea of this story, I just think this author is better suited for more contemporary stories. Unless you are someone who likes stories where the historical aspect is more like it came from SHEIN and it’s trying to be “cool with the kids,” I would recommend passing on this book. If you’re cool with this camp kind of style, then maybe check it out for yourself?
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
It’s probably a good thing I don’t work the slush piles in publishing, cause I DNFed this after chapter one. I lied. I wanted to after chapter one but forced myself to read another to confirm my feelings are still true.
I will admit the opening paragraph was great. It hooked me. It then threw itself off a cliff immediately after. And I had been excited to read this having heard different tellings of the Beast of Gevaudan and to then have mixed in some feminism and sapphic. However, by page two I had the unfortunate experience of reading, and I quote, “Not today Satan.” Cue my very dramatic eye. There’s a way to make a historical story relatable with out sounding like that Steve Buscemi with a skateboard meme. And as this is in first person, the inner thoughts are too modern that it felt so out of place for 1765, throwing me out of the story. Like if I hadn’t read the description and instead just read the opening pages, I would’ve assumed this was contemporary. Then mix in the random, almost flippant scattering of French terms that would probably would offend a native. All this was an immediate red flag that I wouldn’t be able to read 350 pages of this. But also the fact the opening chapter was a bag of nothing. It didn’t show me anything of the characters or the world or its problems. At least until the end of the chapter, and then it was told to me in info dump instead of shown. Literally I found myself skimming.
I loved the idea of this story, I just think this author is better suited for more contemporary stories. Unless you are someone who likes stories where the historical aspect is more like it came from SHEIN and it’s trying to be “cool with the kids,” I would recommend passing on this book. If you’re cool with this camp kind of style, then maybe check it out for yourself?
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
December 11, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book!
Synopsis:
A beast terrorizes a small village, snatching shepherdesses and ripping them to shreds. But what exactly is the beast? Supposedly, no bullet can harm it. It’s too big to be a man and looks like no creature anyone has ever seen. Some think the creature is a curse sent to punish them for their sins. Others think a witch must be responsible. The only thing that is certain is that the beast has developed a taste for young girls.
My Thoughts:
What drew me to this story is that it is inspired by the real life brutal attacks attributed to the Beast of Gevaudan in the 1700s. What kept me reading was the characters and the bonds that formed between them. The story is a bit of a slow burn, in my opinion. The beast is more of a background fixture than anything—always lurking, rarely attacking. The soldiers that come to “save” the villagers are despicable, making you question who’s more monstrous, the beast or them? The men of the village are just as bad, neglecting and abusing the women in their lives. That is, until those women decide to grow claws.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. I was satisfied with the explanation of the beast, but mostly, I just enjoyed reading a story about young women supporting, believing, trusting other women.
Read if you like stories with:
Small isolated villages
Mysterious murders
Lots of sheep
A cheeky parrot
Women standing up for other women
Friendship / Love story
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
Synopsis:
A beast terrorizes a small village, snatching shepherdesses and ripping them to shreds. But what exactly is the beast? Supposedly, no bullet can harm it. It’s too big to be a man and looks like no creature anyone has ever seen. Some think the creature is a curse sent to punish them for their sins. Others think a witch must be responsible. The only thing that is certain is that the beast has developed a taste for young girls.
My Thoughts:
What drew me to this story is that it is inspired by the real life brutal attacks attributed to the Beast of Gevaudan in the 1700s. What kept me reading was the characters and the bonds that formed between them. The story is a bit of a slow burn, in my opinion. The beast is more of a background fixture than anything—always lurking, rarely attacking. The soldiers that come to “save” the villagers are despicable, making you question who’s more monstrous, the beast or them? The men of the village are just as bad, neglecting and abusing the women in their lives. That is, until those women decide to grow claws.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. I was satisfied with the explanation of the beast, but mostly, I just enjoyed reading a story about young women supporting, believing, trusting other women.
Read if you like stories with:
Small isolated villages
Mysterious murders
Lots of sheep
A cheeky parrot
Women standing up for other women
Friendship / Love story
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
December 10, 2024
Oh my gosh! I did not quite know what to expect with this book but I was absolutely blown away. This is a story of feminine rage, found family, fear, and love. The storytelling was incredible and I was sucked in right away. Also the way I am obsessed with sheep now? I love them! Best part of the book. This book also made me angry and sad and frustrated with what we as women have had to suffer through the ages. It made me connect to the book in a way I wish I didn’t, but also in a way that made me appreciate the feminine rage even more. The fact that it is based on true events is so fascinating to me as well and a piece of history I did not know anything about but am now obsessed with. Overall, I’d highly recommend this book!
4 stars instead of 5 because for being set in the French countryside in 1765, there were some too modern phrases like “not today, satan” that should have been edited out.
4 stars instead of 5 because for being set in the French countryside in 1765, there were some too modern phrases like “not today, satan” that should have been edited out.
December 7, 2024
I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. The themes and the plot were great. If you told me about this book, I’d want to read it. Unfortunately the execution wasn’t there for me. The characters were just okay and the writing didn’t work. There were too many phrases that broke the immersion. Too many one off lines in French (if I read “Mon dieu” one more time…) and things that felt too modern. Such a shame because the bones are great!
December 10, 2024
WE ARE THE BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASTS! WE ARE THE CHILDREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN! WE ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE A BRIGHTERRRR DAY, SO LET'S START GIVINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
May 17, 2024
4/5 stars
Recommended if you like: historical fiction, feminist stories, girls saving girls, real life mysteries
Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book is about the harm that befalls women at the hands of their so-called protectors, but it's also about women standing up for each other and it's about community. Joséphine and Clara immediately spring to the aid of a battered six-year-old girl, and the number of people they protect only grows from there. But as the number of people they protect grows, so does the number of people stepping up to protect others, and Joséphine and Clara themselves. That being said, there's definitely a lot of telling going on re: the theme of the book. Particularly at the beginning I felt I was being hit over the head with the moral point of the story, though later on it feels developed in a more natural way. I definitely think my rating would've been stronger if it was all showing, but that first 20% or so really isn't strong in that department and brought me out of the story a little.
I enjoyed seeing the relationships develop in this book. Joséphine and Clara are already best friends teetering on the brink of something more, but their circle grows with the more people they help. Some of the friendships they develop are surprising, some are not quite friendships but alliances with surprising strength to them. The connections felt different and I liked seeing the ways they came together and grew.
This is a historical fiction book and so it has some real people mixed in with the fictional ones. That being said, I enjoyed the way certain things are set up to give nods to other 'beast' stories. For instance, one of the characters is named Belle and one of the (very obnoxious) hunters makes his entrance with a loud gunshot à la Gaston. Likewise, I also got some Little Red Riding Hood vibes at times with Joséphine especially, but I also kind of think Charlotte fits that vibe as well.
The Beast of Gévaudan was a real series of events that took place in France at the time and to this day there's speculation about what the beast roaming the French countryside actually was. National Geographic actually did an article on it in one of their recent History magazines. I wasn't sure what direction Griffis was going to go in for the beast, or if the beast was even going to be fully shown at all or just the aftermath. I was actually kind of wary to see what would happen with the beast, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the direction Griffis took. Historically it makes a lot of sense, but it also serves very well with the theme of the novel (there's that nice showing) and I really enjoyed seeing how she connected this very real series of events to the fictional story she told in the book.
Joséphine is more than a little reckless when it comes to saving people or things she cares about. Our intro to her in the book is essentially her throwing herself over a cliffside to save one of her baby lambs that wandered off the side. While reckless, it's clear she has a big heart and is more than willing to stick her neck on the line for what she believes in and those she loves. That being said, Joséphine also carries trauma from her childhood and some of that reckless-savior-behavior comes from feeling like she needs to be more than enough to keep her loved ones around. Overcoming that and realizing that other people want to help if she'll open up and let them is one of her biggest struggles in this book. She can also be a bit blind to others at times.
Clara is a good balancing influence to Joséphine's recklessness and provides a more level head for planning. She's a healer and secret-keeper for those of the village, and knows enough of it's goings-on that she's immediately on board with Joséphine, but wants to be more strategic about things. I liked Clara's steadfastness and calmer brand of doing things.
One minor pet peeve: Joséphine says "Not today Satan" within the first two minutes of the book. Please, I am begging authors not to use modern slang and meme culture in historical fiction books, particularly not ones set in the 1760s. In France. Frankly, I don't want modern slang or meme culture in any of my fiction, even fiction set in modern day, because it 1) dates the book and 2) always feels forced to me. But especially don't include it in historical fiction.
Overall this is an entertaining book with a feminist storyline. The characters develop strong relationships with one another, sometimes in surprising places, and that is the core of the story. The 'telling' of the theme is a bit much in the beginning of the story, but it does even out later on.
Recommended if you like: historical fiction, feminist stories, girls saving girls, real life mysteries
Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book is about the harm that befalls women at the hands of their so-called protectors, but it's also about women standing up for each other and it's about community. Joséphine and Clara immediately spring to the aid of a battered six-year-old girl, and the number of people they protect only grows from there. But as the number of people they protect grows, so does the number of people stepping up to protect others, and Joséphine and Clara themselves. That being said, there's definitely a lot of telling going on re: the theme of the book. Particularly at the beginning I felt I was being hit over the head with the moral point of the story, though later on it feels developed in a more natural way. I definitely think my rating would've been stronger if it was all showing, but that first 20% or so really isn't strong in that department and brought me out of the story a little.
I enjoyed seeing the relationships develop in this book. Joséphine and Clara are already best friends teetering on the brink of something more, but their circle grows with the more people they help. Some of the friendships they develop are surprising, some are not quite friendships but alliances with surprising strength to them. The connections felt different and I liked seeing the ways they came together and grew.
This is a historical fiction book and so it has some real people mixed in with the fictional ones. That being said, I enjoyed the way certain things are set up to give nods to other 'beast' stories. For instance, one of the characters is named Belle and one of the (very obnoxious) hunters makes his entrance with a loud gunshot à la Gaston. Likewise, I also got some Little Red Riding Hood vibes at times with Joséphine especially, but I also kind of think Charlotte fits that vibe as well.
The Beast of Gévaudan was a real series of events that took place in France at the time and to this day there's speculation about what the beast roaming the French countryside actually was. National Geographic actually did an article on it in one of their recent History magazines. I wasn't sure what direction Griffis was going to go in for the beast, or if the beast was even going to be fully shown at all or just the aftermath. I was actually kind of wary to see what would happen with the beast, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the direction Griffis took. Historically it makes a lot of sense, but it also serves very well with the theme of the novel (there's that nice showing) and I really enjoyed seeing how she connected this very real series of events to the fictional story she told in the book.
Joséphine is more than a little reckless when it comes to saving people or things she cares about. Our intro to her in the book is essentially her throwing herself over a cliffside to save one of her baby lambs that wandered off the side. While reckless, it's clear she has a big heart and is more than willing to stick her neck on the line for what she believes in and those she loves. That being said, Joséphine also carries trauma from her childhood and some of that reckless-savior-behavior comes from feeling like she needs to be more than enough to keep her loved ones around. Overcoming that and realizing that other people want to help if she'll open up and let them is one of her biggest struggles in this book. She can also be a bit blind to others at times.
Clara is a good balancing influence to Joséphine's recklessness and provides a more level head for planning. She's a healer and secret-keeper for those of the village, and knows enough of it's goings-on that she's immediately on board with Joséphine, but wants to be more strategic about things. I liked Clara's steadfastness and calmer brand of doing things.
One minor pet peeve: Joséphine says "Not today Satan" within the first two minutes of the book. Please, I am begging authors not to use modern slang and meme culture in historical fiction books, particularly not ones set in the 1760s. In France. Frankly, I don't want modern slang or meme culture in any of my fiction, even fiction set in modern day, because it 1) dates the book and 2) always feels forced to me. But especially don't include it in historical fiction.
Overall this is an entertaining book with a feminist storyline. The characters develop strong relationships with one another, sometimes in surprising places, and that is the core of the story. The 'telling' of the theme is a bit much in the beginning of the story, but it does even out later on.
December 10, 2024
I’ve always been intrigued by the Beast of Gévaudan and stories that blur the line between history and legend. So I was very excited when I heard about We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis. This book turned out to be different from what I anticipated (I won’t lie, I was half-expecting a werewolf tale–this is not that), but I loved how it reimagines the history and weaves in important themes.
Set in 1765 France in the small rural village of Mende, the story follows Joséphine, a young shepherdess that lives with her best friend, Clara, after her family died when she was a child. The plot kicks off when Joséphine and Clara are grazing their flock and find the body of a young villager, who appears to be killed by the as-of-yet unseen Beast of Gévaudan. But as the story unfolds, the danger proves to be much closer to home. While the elusive beast still lurks on the town’s periphery, it’s the men in the village—fueled by superstition, religion, cruelty, and control over women—that pose a more immediate threat. In response, Joséphine and Clara use the cover of the beast’s legend to fake deaths, helping young women escape dangerous families and oppressive societal structures.
This novel is a powerful exploration of important and relevant themes: the control and abuse of women by men and societal structures; the inequality between rich and poor, and the inherent danger of being poor; the double standard between men and women; and the corruption of the church/religion and the patriarchy. At the same time, it celebrates female friendship, the power of solidarity and love, the freedom of allowing oneself to be loved, and the strength women gain by fighting back against oppression and taking back their power.
The novel’s themes are tackled head-on rather than subtly, but I found myself not minding that so much. It was the substance that really mattered, and I found that the characters and events of the story were compelling and interesting enough that I found myself enjoying (for a change) topics being explored so blatantly by the story (and Joséphine, our narrator). This is not, on the whole, an action-packed story, but a slower, quieter one, focusing on the small acts of rebellion women must make to survive in a harsh world. The pacing picks up after the first half, and some scenes are genuinely tense and action-packed towards the end, but overall, it’s a thoughtful and compelling narrative.
That said, there are a few minor drawbacks: some modern phrases felt out of place for 18th-century France, and the overuse of French phrases in the prose (especially at the beginning) became distracting at times. However, these are small issues that didn’t detract from the book’s powerful messages or the enjoyment I found in reading it.
I especially appreciated the representation of queerness throughout the novel and found myself falling in love with the core group of characters. I also found myself moved to tears at one point… Maybe it’s where we are at this moment in time, but women fighting back against the patriarchy and finding their strength is something that I’m always going to cheer on and support and, yes, cry over.
If you’re looking for a story about women’s empowerment, breaking cycles of abuse, and small (yet important) revolutions, We Are the Beasts is a must read. While it’s particularly suited for teens and young adults, adults can enjoy this as well, especially if they enjoy stories with deep yet non-subtle themes. And if you like the idea of badass young shepherdesses rising up against the patriarchy with their sheep by their side, this one is definitely for you.
Read if you like:
- Women supporting women
- Female empowerment
- Quiet(er) revolutions
- Women (and allies) against the patriarchy
- Queer characters
- A band of endearing characters/found family
- Exploring social issues
Content Warnings:
- Sexual and physical abuse
- Blood
- Death/murder of children
- Religion as a weapon/religious fervor
- Starvation
- Animal death (non-graphic) and harm
Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy! All opinions are my own.
Set in 1765 France in the small rural village of Mende, the story follows Joséphine, a young shepherdess that lives with her best friend, Clara, after her family died when she was a child. The plot kicks off when Joséphine and Clara are grazing their flock and find the body of a young villager, who appears to be killed by the as-of-yet unseen Beast of Gévaudan. But as the story unfolds, the danger proves to be much closer to home. While the elusive beast still lurks on the town’s periphery, it’s the men in the village—fueled by superstition, religion, cruelty, and control over women—that pose a more immediate threat. In response, Joséphine and Clara use the cover of the beast’s legend to fake deaths, helping young women escape dangerous families and oppressive societal structures.
This novel is a powerful exploration of important and relevant themes: the control and abuse of women by men and societal structures; the inequality between rich and poor, and the inherent danger of being poor; the double standard between men and women; and the corruption of the church/religion and the patriarchy. At the same time, it celebrates female friendship, the power of solidarity and love, the freedom of allowing oneself to be loved, and the strength women gain by fighting back against oppression and taking back their power.
The novel’s themes are tackled head-on rather than subtly, but I found myself not minding that so much. It was the substance that really mattered, and I found that the characters and events of the story were compelling and interesting enough that I found myself enjoying (for a change) topics being explored so blatantly by the story (and Joséphine, our narrator). This is not, on the whole, an action-packed story, but a slower, quieter one, focusing on the small acts of rebellion women must make to survive in a harsh world. The pacing picks up after the first half, and some scenes are genuinely tense and action-packed towards the end, but overall, it’s a thoughtful and compelling narrative.
That said, there are a few minor drawbacks: some modern phrases felt out of place for 18th-century France, and the overuse of French phrases in the prose (especially at the beginning) became distracting at times. However, these are small issues that didn’t detract from the book’s powerful messages or the enjoyment I found in reading it.
I especially appreciated the representation of queerness throughout the novel and found myself falling in love with the core group of characters. I also found myself moved to tears at one point… Maybe it’s where we are at this moment in time, but women fighting back against the patriarchy and finding their strength is something that I’m always going to cheer on and support and, yes, cry over.
If you’re looking for a story about women’s empowerment, breaking cycles of abuse, and small (yet important) revolutions, We Are the Beasts is a must read. While it’s particularly suited for teens and young adults, adults can enjoy this as well, especially if they enjoy stories with deep yet non-subtle themes. And if you like the idea of badass young shepherdesses rising up against the patriarchy with their sheep by their side, this one is definitely for you.
Read if you like:
- Women supporting women
- Female empowerment
- Quiet(er) revolutions
- Women (and allies) against the patriarchy
- Queer characters
- A band of endearing characters/found family
- Exploring social issues
Content Warnings:
- Sexual and physical abuse
- Blood
- Death/murder of children
- Religion as a weapon/religious fervor
- Starvation
- Animal death (non-graphic) and harm
Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy! All opinions are my own.
October 26, 2024
Note: Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of We Are The Beasts!
Rating: 4.75/5 Stars! Rounded up to 5.
Summary: Josephine has lived as a shepherdess in Mende, France, alongside Meme and Clara ever since her mother and brother died in a bout of plague and her father disappeared into the woods. Now there are rumors and tales of sightings of a beast, one that hunts humans in the rural countryside of France. When Josephine and Clara find the body of a local boy, torn to shreds and bloodied, they initially think it was the beast; until they find his little sister, who tells them it was their father. Determined to save the little girl, Josephine fakes her death at the hands of the beast. And then, the beast actually appears in Mende. Racing against the clock, the men who’ve arrived to hunt the beast, the priest, and the men of the village, Josephine realizes there are more girls to save from the men. She wonders: Who is the real beast; the animal, the men, or her?
Review: First off, I want to say the crafting in this story is immaculate. There were tidbits that I wrote off as unimportant that ended up becoming integral to the plot later and it was so satisfying seeing it all come together. Josephine is such a relatable main character and I was cheering her on the entire way. I feel like more of Clara’s personality and character could have been shown to us rather than told by Josephine, but I really liked all the rest of the main cast, as well as the main peripheral cast. Louis’ character arc in particular was, I thought, incredibly well done, and I’m so happy he turned out the way he did– again, more pieces of the puzzle that just fit together so nicely.
The worldbuilding here starts right from the get-go, as in, right from the very first scene, and Griffis paints such a lush landscape rife with intrigue and the beauty inherent in nature. Griffis also does a fantastic job of making us, the audience, second guess if the beast is actually some mythical monster or an ordinary animal, leaving the details vague enough until the end for us to be left in the same sort of fear and suspense that the characters are in over the beast.
This book is excellence, and I would particularly recommend it to people with a fascination for history– not the war kind, but rather the kind that delves into the everyday life of common people, rather than the opulence of turbulence of the highest classes of people, particularly as this book breaks down the harms nobility and upper class people did to the already-struggling lower class, often without even realizing the full scope of their harm.
Thank you again to Delacorte Press and NetGalley, and I am wishing Grffis much success with this magnificent book!
Rating: 4.75/5 Stars! Rounded up to 5.
Summary: Josephine has lived as a shepherdess in Mende, France, alongside Meme and Clara ever since her mother and brother died in a bout of plague and her father disappeared into the woods. Now there are rumors and tales of sightings of a beast, one that hunts humans in the rural countryside of France. When Josephine and Clara find the body of a local boy, torn to shreds and bloodied, they initially think it was the beast; until they find his little sister, who tells them it was their father. Determined to save the little girl, Josephine fakes her death at the hands of the beast. And then, the beast actually appears in Mende. Racing against the clock, the men who’ve arrived to hunt the beast, the priest, and the men of the village, Josephine realizes there are more girls to save from the men. She wonders: Who is the real beast; the animal, the men, or her?
Review: First off, I want to say the crafting in this story is immaculate. There were tidbits that I wrote off as unimportant that ended up becoming integral to the plot later and it was so satisfying seeing it all come together. Josephine is such a relatable main character and I was cheering her on the entire way. I feel like more of Clara’s personality and character could have been shown to us rather than told by Josephine, but I really liked all the rest of the main cast, as well as the main peripheral cast. Louis’ character arc in particular was, I thought, incredibly well done, and I’m so happy he turned out the way he did– again, more pieces of the puzzle that just fit together so nicely.
The worldbuilding here starts right from the get-go, as in, right from the very first scene, and Griffis paints such a lush landscape rife with intrigue and the beauty inherent in nature. Griffis also does a fantastic job of making us, the audience, second guess if the beast is actually some mythical monster or an ordinary animal, leaving the details vague enough until the end for us to be left in the same sort of fear and suspense that the characters are in over the beast.
This book is excellence, and I would particularly recommend it to people with a fascination for history– not the war kind, but rather the kind that delves into the everyday life of common people, rather than the opulence of turbulence of the highest classes of people, particularly as this book breaks down the harms nobility and upper class people did to the already-struggling lower class, often without even realizing the full scope of their harm.
Thank you again to Delacorte Press and NetGalley, and I am wishing Grffis much success with this magnificent book!
December 8, 2024
We Are the Beasts takes place in 1765 in the French countryside. The town of Gévaudan is plagued by brutal animal attacks, and the townspeople believe it to be some sort of curse. Amidst this turmoil, the tragic death of a young man sparks an unexpected opportunity for the women and girls of Gévaudan to reclaim their power.
Based on real-life events, We Are the Beasts explores the historical mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan, a creature that terrorized the region. I hadn’t heard of this event before reading the book, but I found it fascinating. Even today, the true identity of the beast remains uncertain. It was described as wolf-like but not quite a wolf. The novel begins with a violent killing, but as the story unfolds, it becomes a narrative of women’s empowerment and rage, breaking societal rules, sisterhood, and finding family in unexpected places. The themes and messages are something I'm sure resonate deeply with many women and girls' experiences.
What I loved most was how Griffis wove an important message into a well-known historical event. She captured the essence of what it means to be a woman or girl in a patriarchal world. Whether it’s hundreds of years ago or today in 2024, the feelings and experiences remain strikingly similar. At its core, We Are the Beasts delves into those shared experiences: being surrounded by men—fathers, brothers, uncles, priests, friends, or authority figures—who are meant to protect, but instead often inflict harm. These men, through toxic dominance, verbal abuse, and physical violence, devalue the feminine. It’s a literal perversion of the masculine archetypes.
On the other hand, the novel celebrates women’s empowerment and sisterhood. I loved seeing the girls' band together to help each other escape the "beasts" in their lives, whether those beasts took the form of unsolicited advances, abusive family members, or the oppressive forces stifling their dreams. The journey evolves from saving one girl to saving a group, culminating in Josephine’s powerful realization that she, too, needed to save herself. One of the most poignant lessons I took away from this story is that power; real or perceived, is only what we allow others to have. Without our consent or acknowledgment, they are powerless.
We Are the Beasts is a powerful and thought-provoking YA novel that fills a much-needed space in the genre. It’s a book every young woman should read. I enjoyed it far more than I expected and highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fantasy with a meaningful message.
Based on real-life events, We Are the Beasts explores the historical mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan, a creature that terrorized the region. I hadn’t heard of this event before reading the book, but I found it fascinating. Even today, the true identity of the beast remains uncertain. It was described as wolf-like but not quite a wolf. The novel begins with a violent killing, but as the story unfolds, it becomes a narrative of women’s empowerment and rage, breaking societal rules, sisterhood, and finding family in unexpected places. The themes and messages are something I'm sure resonate deeply with many women and girls' experiences.
What I loved most was how Griffis wove an important message into a well-known historical event. She captured the essence of what it means to be a woman or girl in a patriarchal world. Whether it’s hundreds of years ago or today in 2024, the feelings and experiences remain strikingly similar. At its core, We Are the Beasts delves into those shared experiences: being surrounded by men—fathers, brothers, uncles, priests, friends, or authority figures—who are meant to protect, but instead often inflict harm. These men, through toxic dominance, verbal abuse, and physical violence, devalue the feminine. It’s a literal perversion of the masculine archetypes.
On the other hand, the novel celebrates women’s empowerment and sisterhood. I loved seeing the girls' band together to help each other escape the "beasts" in their lives, whether those beasts took the form of unsolicited advances, abusive family members, or the oppressive forces stifling their dreams. The journey evolves from saving one girl to saving a group, culminating in Josephine’s powerful realization that she, too, needed to save herself. One of the most poignant lessons I took away from this story is that power; real or perceived, is only what we allow others to have. Without our consent or acknowledgment, they are powerless.
We Are the Beasts is a powerful and thought-provoking YA novel that fills a much-needed space in the genre. It’s a book every young woman should read. I enjoyed it far more than I expected and highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fantasy with a meaningful message.
December 10, 2024
We Are the Beasts follows Joséphine, a teenage girl in eighteen century France whose village is being terrorized by the Beast of Gévaudan. An unexpected discovery inspires Jo and her best friend and fellow shepherdess Clara to take advantage of the chaos. They’ve been living in fear of the men in their village their whole lives,
This book is full of very strong characters, and Jo and Clara are absolutely the right choices to be at the center. Almost every character we spend time with is a teenager, and they’re really well written and feel like people on that frantic edge of adulthood. They’re all aware that the wider world is an unfair one and that a man-eating monster might actually be the most manageable of their problems. I enjoyed watching Jo interact and bounce off with the rest of the cast, her arcs with Louis and Belle were quite good.
The amount repetition and some bizarre writing choices inhibited me from enjoying this any further. Characters regularly swear in french, which is so strange to read when you know they’d actually be speaking in french to one another. I started pretending in universe they were swearing in english because it happened so frequently. There’s also a lot of anachronisms that make this book feel like it exists in a nothing time period. Ostensibly, I felt like the only reason this book is set in the time period it is is so we can have the actual Beast of Gévaudan be featured, none of the other commentary about religion on patriarchy really felt like it gained anything from a historical setting.
Ultimately, I think this book is a little too ambitious for its own good. The horror, when we get to see it, is great, but the patriarchy is such an oppressive force in Jo’s town there’s no time for the reader to relax or spend down time with characters not in a fight-or-flight mode. I also had the frustration of really liking the main romance, but finding the stage of the relationship we saw the characters in a frustrating one that was ultimately a bit of a time suck that didn’t pace particularly well with the rest of the plot.
If you’re looking for a ragtag group of gay teenagers teaming up to take on literal and metaphorical monsters, We Are the Beasts is the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC.
This book is full of very strong characters, and Jo and Clara are absolutely the right choices to be at the center. Almost every character we spend time with is a teenager, and they’re really well written and feel like people on that frantic edge of adulthood. They’re all aware that the wider world is an unfair one and that a man-eating monster might actually be the most manageable of their problems. I enjoyed watching Jo interact and bounce off with the rest of the cast, her arcs with Louis and Belle were quite good.
The amount repetition and some bizarre writing choices inhibited me from enjoying this any further. Characters regularly swear in french, which is so strange to read when you know they’d actually be speaking in french to one another. I started pretending in universe they were swearing in english because it happened so frequently. There’s also a lot of anachronisms that make this book feel like it exists in a nothing time period. Ostensibly, I felt like the only reason this book is set in the time period it is is so we can have the actual Beast of Gévaudan be featured, none of the other commentary about religion on patriarchy really felt like it gained anything from a historical setting.
Ultimately, I think this book is a little too ambitious for its own good. The horror, when we get to see it, is great, but the patriarchy is such an oppressive force in Jo’s town there’s no time for the reader to relax or spend down time with characters not in a fight-or-flight mode. I also had the frustration of really liking the main romance, but finding the stage of the relationship we saw the characters in a frustrating one that was ultimately a bit of a time suck that didn’t pace particularly well with the rest of the plot.
If you’re looking for a ragtag group of gay teenagers teaming up to take on literal and metaphorical monsters, We Are the Beasts is the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC.
October 29, 2024
My 5 star streak is slowly getting broken up by low reviews…
Unfortunate, but let’s just get to the review.
Plot Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Josephine and her best friend Clara are shepherdess living in France when deadly attacks begin wreaking havoc in her small town. Instead of cowering at the threat of this beast, Josephine and Clara take it as an opportunity to save the girls suffering at the hands of men in their community.
But as their number of rescued girls grows, escape seems more and more impossible. Will the men of the village find them out? Or will the beast get to them first?
Plot Review:
I don’t really know what to say about this book.
At the heart of it, there were some important lessons and meanings. I love a book with a deeper message.
But, well, this was not at all like the book I was promised.
It’s marked as horror, but I was never genuinely scared throughout this story. In fact, I felt very little of anything. There was no connection to these characters. No gentle introduction to them or the situation they are in.
Instead, we are thrust into the story and into Josephine’s life.
And the “beast” in question never felt like a real threat. The men in this story were the true terror, I know, but I was also told I would get a beast and it was simply not delivered to me.
Well, it was, but it also wasn’t, and I was left very disappointed.
Again, I loved the overall message, but this plot was not it. You can have important lessons and also have a decent storyline at the same time.
No need to sacrifice one for the other.
But I don’t think Griffis got that memo…
Characters:
Josephine was… Fine.
Clara was… Fine.
Everyone else was…. Fine.
Honestly, I don’t really know them or understand them. I felt like we spent so long together, yet I just never felt anything about them.
I loved the strong emotions they felt and their sense of justice was very satisfying, but they didn’t make me feel what I wanted to feel.
I guess that’s kind of all I have to say.
Overall Thoughts:
I love books with powerful messages, but this was not it.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Unfortunate, but let’s just get to the review.
Plot Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Josephine and her best friend Clara are shepherdess living in France when deadly attacks begin wreaking havoc in her small town. Instead of cowering at the threat of this beast, Josephine and Clara take it as an opportunity to save the girls suffering at the hands of men in their community.
But as their number of rescued girls grows, escape seems more and more impossible. Will the men of the village find them out? Or will the beast get to them first?
Plot Review:
I don’t really know what to say about this book.
At the heart of it, there were some important lessons and meanings. I love a book with a deeper message.
But, well, this was not at all like the book I was promised.
It’s marked as horror, but I was never genuinely scared throughout this story. In fact, I felt very little of anything. There was no connection to these characters. No gentle introduction to them or the situation they are in.
Instead, we are thrust into the story and into Josephine’s life.
And the “beast” in question never felt like a real threat. The men in this story were the true terror, I know, but I was also told I would get a beast and it was simply not delivered to me.
Well, it was, but it also wasn’t, and I was left very disappointed.
Again, I loved the overall message, but this plot was not it. You can have important lessons and also have a decent storyline at the same time.
No need to sacrifice one for the other.
But I don’t think Griffis got that memo…
Characters:
Josephine was… Fine.
Clara was… Fine.
Everyone else was…. Fine.
Honestly, I don’t really know them or understand them. I felt like we spent so long together, yet I just never felt anything about them.
I loved the strong emotions they felt and their sense of justice was very satisfying, but they didn’t make me feel what I wanted to feel.
I guess that’s kind of all I have to say.
Overall Thoughts:
I love books with powerful messages, but this was not it.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.
December 5, 2024
In We Are the Beasts, two young shepherdesses in the 18th-century French countryside use the chaos and confusion of the Beast of Gévaudan's siege on their village to plot the escape of several abused local girls, blaming their absence on grisly deaths at the mysterious creature's talons while concocting a plan to usher them to safety. The arrival of the King's army, intent on finding and banishing the creature - demon? spirit? witch? wolf? madman? - once and for all throws more than one wrench into their plan, requiring Clara and Josephine to get sly and creative in their continued efforts to get their neighbors (and more than one foolhardy lamb) to safety.
If I had to boil it down, I think what this book struggles with the most is not quite knowing what it wants to be. It's marketed as historical horror, but reads more contemporary mystery or thriller. The prose feels incredibly modern, and yes, the French does feel a bit pop-culture-y rather than historical(ly accurate) at times. I really had to step back from my own adult viewpoint to review this one, because that in combination with our protagonists' ideas surrounding gender and society are more foundational to feminism as a whole and less earth-shattering, groundbreakingly revolutionary.
For a YA novel, I think that's okay! I can definitely reach back in time and see 14-year-old Me thinking that this book was pretty badass. It's got blood, it's got monsters, it focuses on subversive girls and a nontraditional family; overall, I think it's a pretty solid young adult title with a bit more weight and heft behind it than the stereotypical teen story, and that if the young person in your life enjoys We Are the Beasts, they may grow up to be an adultier adult who would enjoy Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.
Butterflies being carrion scavengers and blood drinkers is also one of my favorite nature facts that nobody ever really seems to enjoy, so I'm feeling pretty seen by Griffis with that one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the chance to share my thoughts on this eARC!
If I had to boil it down, I think what this book struggles with the most is not quite knowing what it wants to be. It's marketed as historical horror, but reads more contemporary mystery or thriller. The prose feels incredibly modern, and yes, the French does feel a bit pop-culture-y rather than historical(ly accurate) at times. I really had to step back from my own adult viewpoint to review this one, because that in combination with our protagonists' ideas surrounding gender and society are more foundational to feminism as a whole and less earth-shattering, groundbreakingly revolutionary.
For a YA novel, I think that's okay! I can definitely reach back in time and see 14-year-old Me thinking that this book was pretty badass. It's got blood, it's got monsters, it focuses on subversive girls and a nontraditional family; overall, I think it's a pretty solid young adult title with a bit more weight and heft behind it than the stereotypical teen story, and that if the young person in your life enjoys We Are the Beasts, they may grow up to be an adultier adult who would enjoy Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.
Butterflies being carrion scavengers and blood drinkers is also one of my favorite nature facts that nobody ever really seems to enjoy, so I'm feeling pretty seen by Griffis with that one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the chance to share my thoughts on this eARC!
November 2, 2024
3.5
We are the Beasts follows Joséphine and her best friend Clara in a small town 1765, France under attack by a beast that resides in the nearby forest. The villagers believe it’s a curse from God to punish them for their sins. But Joséphine believes it can be an opportunity. With the help of Clara, the two girls begin to use the beast’s murders to fake the deaths of their friends with cruel fathers and brothers. But the threat of being caught lingers and as the beast seems to be closing in on them, the deaths they’re faking might become real.
This was an enjoyable read! The concept was really interesting and so fascinating that it was inspired by real events. The overall vibe of the book was well done and I liked that it was set in a small French town. I generally enjoy historical fictions books like this one where the women are accused to be witches and the men are generally awful. It was a little slow and I would’ve preferred a bit more horror, but I also liked that the story was centered on women helping other women. It was also so refreshing that Joséphine and Clara were shepherdesses—I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main characters are before and it was a detail I thought was fun.
Joséphine and Clara are good main characters, and I like the cast of women they saved and surrounded themselves in. There’s a lot of queer representation which I really liked and Louis’s story was so sad. I liked that Joséphine and Clara’s relationship wasn’t perfect and that it had a lot of growth by the end. It was really nice to see that relationship progress. Charlotte’s story was so sad but heartwarming. I’m really happy with the ending and liked the direction the character’s lives are going in as they felt fitting and believable. The last 50 or so pages gets super intense and is really nicely fast-paced.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read if you love historical fiction, beasts terrorizing small towns, and women supporting other women.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We are the Beasts follows Joséphine and her best friend Clara in a small town 1765, France under attack by a beast that resides in the nearby forest. The villagers believe it’s a curse from God to punish them for their sins. But Joséphine believes it can be an opportunity. With the help of Clara, the two girls begin to use the beast’s murders to fake the deaths of their friends with cruel fathers and brothers. But the threat of being caught lingers and as the beast seems to be closing in on them, the deaths they’re faking might become real.
This was an enjoyable read! The concept was really interesting and so fascinating that it was inspired by real events. The overall vibe of the book was well done and I liked that it was set in a small French town. I generally enjoy historical fictions books like this one where the women are accused to be witches and the men are generally awful. It was a little slow and I would’ve preferred a bit more horror, but I also liked that the story was centered on women helping other women. It was also so refreshing that Joséphine and Clara were shepherdesses—I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main characters are before and it was a detail I thought was fun.
Joséphine and Clara are good main characters, and I like the cast of women they saved and surrounded themselves in. There’s a lot of queer representation which I really liked and Louis’s story was so sad. I liked that Joséphine and Clara’s relationship wasn’t perfect and that it had a lot of growth by the end. It was really nice to see that relationship progress. Charlotte’s story was so sad but heartwarming. I’m really happy with the ending and liked the direction the character’s lives are going in as they felt fitting and believable. The last 50 or so pages gets super intense and is really nicely fast-paced.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read if you love historical fiction, beasts terrorizing small towns, and women supporting other women.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2024
In a small rural town in the French countryside, a series of killings is plaguing the townspeople. Some believe it is a beast, punishing everyone for their sins against God. For sixteen year old Josephine and her best friend Clara, it's the perfect opportunity to save a young girl from the village from her violent father. After staging the little girls death at the hands of the beast, they hide her away to keep her safe from the abuse. The women and girls of their village are no strangers to this type of violence from the men of their town that are supposed to protect them. To make matters worse, the king has gotten word of their beast and has sent his soldiers to their town to try and kill it. Now overrun with soldiers that are eating them out of house and home, Josephine, Clara and a handful of other girls take matters into their own hands. There is only so much that a woman can take before survival instincts kick in and she's forced to defend herself from her abusers.
I absolutely loved this book. It's a feminist story not only about the helplessness women feel on a daily basis, but the strength they possess when threatened. In this book you mainly follow Josephine as our narrator, but you get glimpses of how women of all class levels are treated, from the poorer community to the upper class. No woman is immune to the abuses in one form or another. While the threat of the beast is very real, it takes a back seat to the men in their lives. The pacing was pretty fast and engaging. You get a real sense of what life was like back then and how families survived the plague. The reveal of the beast at the end was satisfying. I found myself trying to figure out what it was the whole time. Was it a monster, or was it a known animal that nobody could get a good glimpse of? Overall I loved the characters and the story and was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was based on a true story about a series of 4 years of killings in a small French town that went unsolved.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ebook.
I absolutely loved this book. It's a feminist story not only about the helplessness women feel on a daily basis, but the strength they possess when threatened. In this book you mainly follow Josephine as our narrator, but you get glimpses of how women of all class levels are treated, from the poorer community to the upper class. No woman is immune to the abuses in one form or another. While the threat of the beast is very real, it takes a back seat to the men in their lives. The pacing was pretty fast and engaging. You get a real sense of what life was like back then and how families survived the plague. The reveal of the beast at the end was satisfying. I found myself trying to figure out what it was the whole time. Was it a monster, or was it a known animal that nobody could get a good glimpse of? Overall I loved the characters and the story and was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was based on a true story about a series of 4 years of killings in a small French town that went unsolved.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ebook.
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