A Great and Terrible Beauty (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy) | Libba Bray | Very good
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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 288 reviews
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highly recommended
It?s 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old
Gemma
Doyle
is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma?s reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she?s been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence?s most powerful girls?and their foray into the spiritual world?lead to?
From the Hardcover edition.
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Wonderful!
This book is one of the best fantasy books wriiten.
Gemma
Doyle
moves to London to stay at a boarding school after her mother dies, but she has more to worry about then how to become a proper lady. She recently discovered that she has the power to enter the relms, a beautiful world like no other. With the help of her friends Felicity, Ann, Pippa, and Kartik she must protects the magic from those who would like to take it away and keep it for themselves. Doing this puts all of them in
great
danger. This books keeps you reading until the last page and you will want to pick up the next one directly after.
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Very good
I enjoyed reading this book very much. I am already on the 3rd one. The series is exiting and packed with adventure and mystery. I would most definitely suggest this series.
Captivating
This was a
great
and addicting novel. I love the Victorian type fictional novels with a little bit of fantasy thrown in. I loved it so much I read the other two and loved them. I highly recommend this book. It's a breath of fresh air!
Pretty good book
(daughter of user)
Well, after finishing the Twilight series, I was at a loss for what to read next. One of my best friends suggested the
Gemma
Doyle
Trilogy
. Now, after reading Twilight, nothing I used to think was
great
even compares, but this book comes close. However, I don't see the whole reader's attraction to Kartik thing. I didn't like him much, he didn't stand out for me, but maybe he wasn't supposed to. I guess I'll have to read the next book to decide on my opinion of him. I also found Gemma to be a good character. She started out really immature and bratty, but grew up a bit over time, as she gained responsibility for the realms. All in all, a pretty good book.
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A Great Beauty
I was very reluctant to pick up this book. I don't usually like parnormal, mildly scary stuff, but this summer has been a milestone in my reading life. Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. It was inspiring, addictiong, and got me (finally!) to pick up Twilight. I loved this book. I spent all day reading it, I wouldn't leave if I could. Just a few qualms....
Qualm Number 1: The lack of romance. Kartik is a nice guy
Gemma
, why can't you see that? Even though he is a little odd at times and keeps changing his opinions of her, he is engrossing to read about. Gemma dreams of him, but secretly is a coward. Sigh. Oh, Kartik.
Qualm Number 2: I comment about this more in my review of Rebel Angels, but it is apparant to me that everyone is using Gemma. They all hug her when she gives them access to the realms, and shun her when she doesn't. I find Felicity, Ann, and Pippa annoying and mean. YOu can't become friends overnight. There is a little work there.
Qualmm Number 3: I don't like how they blamed the diary on Miss Moore, and no one but Gemma really cared that much. She was a nice lady, although I kinda think she's Circe. I really have no clue though.
Qualm Number 4: How violent they are. At the end they mutilate the deer with no reward, and I felt sick. How horrible. That was not needed, as there was no outcome. And there is a lot of blood through the book if you didn't notice.
I liked how Virginia
Doyle
was Mary Dowd. Intresting twist. I actually didn't see that coming.
I disagree with those people who say some of the references were not needed. I am sure later in the
trilogy
they will play a part.
I wish I could make this longer, but I can't. So please read it, ok? oyu won't regret it, and for all it's bad moments, it has twice as many beautiful, shining moments. Thanks Libba Bray for a
great
summer read!
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