A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) | Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) | Libba Bray | I liked this book

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A Great and Terrib...

	A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) Libba Bray Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2005 - 432 pages average customer review:based on 298 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A Real Gem!

I'll get strait to the point - I loved this book!
I found that it was beautifully written and that the characters were extremely real; imperfect, each with an individual and complex personality.
I found the overall effect of the book was stunning and left me longing for more. Perhaps part of the attraction for me was how easilly i could relate to Gemma and her way of thinking, for me, it was almost like reading a book about myself!
But if you are a fan of historical novels with corsets set in English girls boarding schools; dark fantasy; exotic and handsome young men; very real main characters and a writing style that is both witty and beautiful then give this book a go!
I'm serious! It's one of my favourite teen books and it has messages(carried throughout the trilogy)that i think all young women should read.
I highly reccomend it!
An excellent first novel Libba Bray!

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I liked this book

This book was interesting from the start. The way Libba Bray writes is easy to understand and her descriptiveness is excellent. And the teen romance in the book keeps you wanting more and more.

A Great and Not-So-Terrible Teen Novel

After reading the Stephenie Meyer's 90% trite Twilight, it was nice to pick up a teen novel with some actual substance!

Yes, A Great and Terrible Beauty definitely has that distinct "teen" feel; therefore I can't say it has pulled off the coveted "For All Ages" quality of, say, the Harry Potter series. And yet, Beauty is a WELL-WRITTEN teen book (now THERE'S a concept!) It's sophisticated without ever approaching dull. The story clicks along at a nice pace throughout and the various twists and turns are pleasantly shocking.

And yet, the most commendable aspect of this book is the wonderfully relatable characters. An unfortunate number of books in the teen genre feature self-absorbed, flat, vapid heroines who are both entirely unbelievable and very irritating. Libba Bray, however, creates four main characters with multiple layers and human weaknesses. The dialogue between them stays true to both the novel's Victorian England setting and the way contemporary teenage girls might relate to each other. The narrator is likable but not above flaw. Each of her friends has a specific "problem"--and a specific facade put up in an attempt to cope. When the four main characters are put together, readers may well see a reflection of themselves and of every young woman they've ever known.

The characters of Beauty flit between "this" world (or rather, the unforgiving world of a Victorian-era boarding school) and a magical otherworld called the Realms. Therefore, A Great and Terrible Beauty is both a period piece and a completely made-up fantasy. Personally, I enjoyed the "real-world" parts of the story more than the entirely fantastical parts. Victorian England itself is fascinating enough and, in the novel, is given a wonderfully gothic appeal. The Realms occasionally approached cliche and slightly cheesy (don't get me wrong--I enjoyed their part in the story. Not to find the descriptions of the Realms appealing is not to find the novel appealing.)

Overall, an excellent teen book--alone, or as part of the series. (I'm currently about 3/4 of the way through Rebel Angels, the sequel, and it is even better.) A Great and Terrible Beauty is certainly a must for any teen reader who is looking for something a step up.

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A Great and Terrible Beauty

Libba Bray's "A Great and Terrible Beauty" is a fantastic novel centering on the story of Gemma Doyle. Gemma is a student at Spence Academy struggling with her mother's recent death and having visions that are initially disturbing. While at Spence, Gemma meets Ann, Felicity, and Pippa. Together, the four girls learn about each other and themselves when they enter the realms. Gemma also has to be on guard for the powerful Circe, who wants Gemma dead. The novel is driven by amazing characterization, a variety of conflict, and a fast-moving plot. Bray uses her characterization to keep the story moving by using a mixture of round, flat, static, and dynamic characters. There are also multiple conflicts involving all four of the main characters. The plot is kept moving with the characterization, conflicts, and wonderful pacing. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a page-turning book.

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