emwashere's review against another edition
2.0
Not at all what I was anticipating from Libba Bray. I think reading Beauty Queens first was a mistake.
nataliegriffin's review against another edition
5.0
I apologize, dear book for taking so long to read you.
This book was quite a nice surprise! It's been in my TBR list for years. Each time I go to pick it up, I'd end up with an idea of rich spoiled characters and put it back down.
That is NOT what I got.
This book was exactly what I wanted, and I am upset it took me so long to give it a shot. The characters were so real, pulling you into their lives in an instant. Each character has flaws that are so very real for 16 year Olds. The MC has wants and needs and desires that match up so perfectly with what I wanted when I was her age.
I loved this and am already reading the second one.
Also, as a writer myself, the author's journal of writing the book at the end warmed my heart. Officially finding her on all the social media possible.
This book was quite a nice surprise! It's been in my TBR list for years. Each time I go to pick it up, I'd end up with an idea of rich spoiled characters and put it back down.
That is NOT what I got.
This book was exactly what I wanted, and I am upset it took me so long to give it a shot. The characters were so real, pulling you into their lives in an instant. Each character has flaws that are so very real for 16 year Olds. The MC has wants and needs and desires that match up so perfectly with what I wanted when I was her age.
I loved this and am already reading the second one.
Also, as a writer myself, the author's journal of writing the book at the end warmed my heart. Officially finding her on all the social media possible.
kikiwi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
annoellyn's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed this book. i thought the pacing, story, and characters were all great and well developed. the book is funny and serious and sad.
few things that prevented me from giving it five stars:
-sometimes the friendship between the characters was bothersome. they treated her like crap a lot but yet she still 'trusted' them with her secret ...
-the books seemed a bit long sometimes and took me longer then normal to finish.
few things that prevented me from giving it five stars:
-sometimes the friendship between the characters was bothersome. they treated her like crap a lot but yet she still 'trusted' them with her secret ...
-the books seemed a bit long sometimes and took me longer then normal to finish.
kcoccia's review against another edition
3.0
At first I was a little bored with this book but it definitely became more interesting towards the half way point.
The girls are slightly annoying. They're very selfish and tend to only think about things that will make them happy right this second instead of what might benefit them most in the future but what can you really expect from rich boarding school girls?
Curious to see what happens in the next book though :)
The girls are slightly annoying. They're very selfish and tend to only think about things that will make them happy right this second instead of what might benefit them most in the future but what can you really expect from rich boarding school girls?
Curious to see what happens in the next book though :)
alexabookish's review against another edition
2.0
the diviners by libba bray is like my favorite YA series, so i was excited to read more libba bray. honestly though, it was the characters that got me in this book. i thought gemma was kinda annoying? and all the others kinda sucked too. it just wasn’t for me
theatomicpirategirl's review against another edition
2.0
***this review can also be found on my blog, Atomic Pirate Girl's Book Worm Booty***
I read Libba Bray’s “Beauty Queens” before reading this, and at first, I was totally excited. I loved Beauty Queens. But as I started reading, the more bored and frustrated I became. We meet Gemma Doyle, and at sixteen years old, she is introduced as a brat. Not the best way to introduce our hero. She is arguing with her mother, begging and wishing to be sent to England. But then, a mysterious force appears and her mother is murdered. Then, in a strange turn of events, Gemma gets her way. Sent to England and to Spence Boarding School for girls, where she is bombarded with mean girls. Then, things take a turn for the gothic when it is revealed that she is has a special power that lets her access a different plan of existence called The Realms and magic. But, there is also a mystery revolving around two girls from many years ago who died in a fire in the east wing of the building. By the end of the book, one of the girls has chosen to stay behind the Realms of magic, her body dying, while the other girls are tasked to rebuild The Order, to bring back balance to the Realm of magic and the mortal world.
How Bray created a mystical Victorian Gothic novel is amazing. The mannerisms of the characters, the historical imagery of an older Imperial England, and the air of creepiness, emerged me into a potentially exciting world. Potentially: key word. I couldn’t fully emerse myself into Bray’s Victorian England because the main characters, Gemma, Anne, Felicity and Pippa are well, not nice girls. They are suppose to develop this friendship between each other but they all hide secrets and are back stabbing each other. I have a hard time believing these girls are remotely nice, even Gemma.
Despite the downfall of the characters, I am interested in seeing what happen to Gemma and her crew in the next two books. Do they rebuild the Order? Does anyone else die? How about do any of the girls go bad?
I’m hoping that the next two books, Rebel Angles and The Sweet Far Thing, will be a little better in that I don’t despise our hero, Gemma.
I read Libba Bray’s “Beauty Queens” before reading this, and at first, I was totally excited. I loved Beauty Queens. But as I started reading, the more bored and frustrated I became. We meet Gemma Doyle, and at sixteen years old, she is introduced as a brat. Not the best way to introduce our hero. She is arguing with her mother, begging and wishing to be sent to England. But then, a mysterious force appears and her mother is murdered. Then, in a strange turn of events, Gemma gets her way. Sent to England and to Spence Boarding School for girls, where she is bombarded with mean girls. Then, things take a turn for the gothic when it is revealed that she is has a special power that lets her access a different plan of existence called The Realms and magic. But, there is also a mystery revolving around two girls from many years ago who died in a fire in the east wing of the building. By the end of the book, one of the girls has chosen to stay behind the Realms of magic, her body dying, while the other girls are tasked to rebuild The Order, to bring back balance to the Realm of magic and the mortal world.
How Bray created a mystical Victorian Gothic novel is amazing. The mannerisms of the characters, the historical imagery of an older Imperial England, and the air of creepiness, emerged me into a potentially exciting world. Potentially: key word. I couldn’t fully emerse myself into Bray’s Victorian England because the main characters, Gemma, Anne, Felicity and Pippa are well, not nice girls. They are suppose to develop this friendship between each other but they all hide secrets and are back stabbing each other. I have a hard time believing these girls are remotely nice, even Gemma.
Despite the downfall of the characters, I am interested in seeing what happen to Gemma and her crew in the next two books. Do they rebuild the Order? Does anyone else die? How about do any of the girls go bad?
I’m hoping that the next two books, Rebel Angles and The Sweet Far Thing, will be a little better in that I don’t despise our hero, Gemma.
weaverh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5