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tri_sara_topps's review against another edition
4.0
I remember reading this and for the first time being genuinely suprised at what was happening in a novel. A great mix of historical fiction and fantasy.
j_j_ranvier's review against another edition
Oh man, so much of this book has aged really poorly. I'll be honest, I started rereading this (listening to it) because I remembered that this trilogy was my first ever encounter with sapphic representation. But that's not till the third book.
It's got some serious issues with race, in particular lots and lots of use of the word g*psy. And protraying Romani men as predatory and lusty. The depictions of India in the beginning of the book a really rough.
I actually think the relationships and the characters are interesting. They all seem like real high school girls and the ways that high school girls interact.
It's got some serious issues with race, in particular lots and lots of use of the word g*psy. And protraying Romani men as predatory and lusty. The depictions of India in the beginning of the book a really rough.
I actually think the relationships and the characters are interesting. They all seem like real high school girls and the ways that high school girls interact.
fablesandwren's review against another edition
5.0
This series is one of my favorite. Reviewing it will not do it justice.
Bray creates a world of dreams, wonder and magic. With every thing beautiful, something dark, horrible and nightmarish comes forth. Because what is light without the contracting dark?
Not everything that comes from dreams, wonder and magic is good though. And not everything that is dark, horrible and nightmarish is bad. So what can you trust? The feeling in your gut? The pull towards your deepest desire? Is it truly worth it? Are the dark secrets that lay before you worth the power?
Gemma is going crazy. She saw her mother die, yet she wasn't in eye shot of her. She sees things.. sees people.. yet is it really crazy if it is actually happening?
She finally gets to go to London to finishing school where she meets three girls that lives will forever be altered by her own. These girls feel as if finishing school is rubbish and that there is more out there for themselves. Which they do indeed find out just what is out there for them.
She is followed by a man, Kartik, who believes her when she says she saw her mother's death. He tells her not to dig any deeper and to leave things alone.
But how can she when there's even a 01% chance that she will be able to see her mother again? Who is this creepy, gypsy-like guy anyway and why does he even believe her?
This book is full of magic. I am telling you, it is beautiful. It's woven so well that at some points you are like, "wait, why can't this happen to me?"
Bray has a way of getting you to love characters so much that you feel like you actually know the person. Then she may do something horrible to them. That's when you'll throw the book across the room, sit for about five seconds, and then run to pick it up and continue reading.
Or you'll be like me and read the end before you even are past chapter three because you can't handle anything. I advise against doing that. I'm not a good role model.
This series WILL, and I underline that with all my feeling, break your heart. It will break it so much that you can't pick it up again and read it until it's been seven years or more (example: me), but you won't regret a thing.
I love and hate you Libba Bray.
Bray creates a world of dreams, wonder and magic. With every thing beautiful, something dark, horrible and nightmarish comes forth. Because what is light without the contracting dark?
Not everything that comes from dreams, wonder and magic is good though. And not everything that is dark, horrible and nightmarish is bad. So what can you trust? The feeling in your gut? The pull towards your deepest desire? Is it truly worth it? Are the dark secrets that lay before you worth the power?
Gemma is going crazy. She saw her mother die, yet she wasn't in eye shot of her. She sees things.. sees people.. yet is it really crazy if it is actually happening?
She finally gets to go to London to finishing school where she meets three girls that lives will forever be altered by her own. These girls feel as if finishing school is rubbish and that there is more out there for themselves. Which they do indeed find out just what is out there for them.
She is followed by a man, Kartik, who believes her when she says she saw her mother's death. He tells her not to dig any deeper and to leave things alone.
But how can she when there's even a 01% chance that she will be able to see her mother again? Who is this creepy, gypsy-like guy anyway and why does he even believe her?
This book is full of magic. I am telling you, it is beautiful. It's woven so well that at some points you are like, "wait, why can't this happen to me?"
Bray has a way of getting you to love characters so much that you feel like you actually know the person. Then she may do something horrible to them. That's when you'll throw the book across the room, sit for about five seconds, and then run to pick it up and continue reading.
Or you'll be like me and read the end before you even are past chapter three because you can't handle anything. I advise against doing that. I'm not a good role model.
This series WILL, and I underline that with all my feeling, break your heart. It will break it so much that you can't pick it up again and read it until it's been seven years or more (example: me), but you won't regret a thing.
I love and hate you Libba Bray.
kailansunshine's review against another edition
1.0
The girls in this book are all a bunch of dithering idiots who are too stupid to see how stupid they are. Not poorly written on the author's part, but she could have at least given us one non-dumbass character.
Oh, and the "romance" between Gemma and Kartik? Are you kidding me? 'Hmm, this guy stalks and threatens me, breaks into my room to leave threatening messages, threatens me some more, but OMG he's SOOOOO HOTT!!!'
Not impressed.
Oh, and the "romance" between Gemma and Kartik? Are you kidding me? 'Hmm, this guy stalks and threatens me, breaks into my room to leave threatening messages, threatens me some more, but OMG he's SOOOOO HOTT!!!'
Not impressed.
buckeyebreezey's review against another edition
3.0
Recommended to me by a friend, A Great and Terrible Beauty hits so many of the things I like in a novel: a fast read, a supernatural element blended with real life, and a slight basis in actual history.
This was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next one. I liked the historical take and the friendship between the young women.
This was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next one. I liked the historical take and the friendship between the young women.
snideghoul's review against another edition
2.0
The first few chapters of this book were so promising. Our heroine was complex and interesting, the writing was layered and compelling. Her images of India and Victoriana had me excited and interested about exploring the world she was creating... and then we got trapped in a girls' school in a Victorian version of "The Craft" and she lost me. I finished because the action is rousing enough to keep my attention, but after such a promising start, the book was a sore disappointment.
As things develop, her descriptions become a little more like tricks and less like artful writing. The main character, who I felt had so much promise to be independent and compelling, is (somewhat appropriately) beaten down and simply follows. The ending I practically skimmed through because it felt slapped together. Those of you who are good at these things will know what's going to happen early on.
Honestly, this wouldn't be such a bad review if the first quarter of the book hadn't been so promising. I am not sure if I will bother to read the next book; one thing that has my interest piqued is the interview with the author in the back. It helped me appreciate the book in another way.
As things develop, her descriptions become a little more like tricks and less like artful writing. The main character, who I felt had so much promise to be independent and compelling, is (somewhat appropriately) beaten down and simply follows. The ending I practically skimmed through because it felt slapped together. Those of you who are good at these things will know what's going to happen early on.
Honestly, this wouldn't be such a bad review if the first quarter of the book hadn't been so promising. I am not sure if I will bother to read the next book; one thing that has my interest piqued is the interview with the author in the back. It helped me appreciate the book in another way.
alisacal's review against another edition
4.0
Have you ever said something and then immediately wished you hadn't? Have you ever done something you wouldn't normally have done to get someone to like you? Have you ever felt guilt so terrible you thought you might die of it? Set in Victorian England, Gemma Doyle, a girl with a terrible secret, is sent to finishing school, only to discover she has a power she could never have dreamed of.
zajic's review against another edition
4.0
I was intrigued with this book from the beginning. What I really liked about it was that it was original and unique; it wasn't a story where I could easily predict what would happen next, and it took me on a riveting journey through Gemma Doyle's new life. I appreciate Libba Bray's use of words and her writing style, and consider her a great person to look up to if you're an aspiring author, like me.