Goodreads | The Sweet Far Thing

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What happens to Kartik and Gemma!	116	28 days ago, 07:02PM
Needs a different ending!!	10	19 days ago, 08:19PM

Britt rated it:

05/11/08

bookshelves: fantasy-sci-fi, feminism, fiction, history, relationships, ya

Read in May, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I think I liked this one the best of the three in the trilogy. I can’t be sure because I read the other two about two years ago, and I just have a vague impression of them. The first two were interesting, but I didn’t really connect with the story. Clearly, I liked them enough to read the whole trilogy though. Looking at the size of each book, I am guessing the first two were more tightly plotted, at least.

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The Sweet Far Thing had a lot of good and a lot of bad. First...more

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Stephanie rated it:

02/18/08

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: NO ONE!

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I am utterly distraught by this book. My first hour free of it's torture I was a ball of fury. Nothing made sense, the writing was crappy, and I had so many questions. My poor husband didn't want to come near me and I didn't want to talk to anyone.

I had such high hopes for this book. Kartik and Gemma would finally find a way to be together, the magic of the realms would be figured out and dealt with, and Felicity and Ann would finally become real friends of Gemma's or else be rid of. I ...more I am utterly distraught by this book. My first hour free of it's torture I was a ball of fury. Nothing made sense, the writing was crappy, and I had so many questions. My poor husband didn't want to come near me and I didn't want to talk to anyone.

I had such high hopes for this book. Kartik and Gemma would finally find a way to be together, the magic of the realms would be figured out and dealt with, and Felicity and Ann would finally become real friends of Gemma's or else be rid of. I definitely expected a little bir more maturity to be given out by those girls, at least by Gemma, because generally when a person is given a large amount of responsibility, despite their age, and consciously decides that they need to live up to it, they don't act like retarded and petty 12 year olds.

Here are just a few of my troubles...

Why the crap does Kartik turn into a tree? This doesn't make any sense. I understand the sacrifice that he is making, but there is no sign that the magic can't be dealt with in another way until the very point where Libba Bray turns him into a tree. It is retarded. There is no sense in this, unless her goal was to piss people off.

Why are Pippa and Felicity lesbian lovers? I don't get this at all. Some people have mentioned in their reviews that they saw signs of this coming. Whatever signs they saw seemed like normal female friendship to me, especially for Victorian period writing. Besides the fact I think that it was just silly, the kiss was random and out of some teenage boys lesbian lovers fantasy. DUMB! I however, was satisfied when Felicity chose the good side, despite her love for Pippa, who has always irritated me.

The writing was just bad. For someone who has published 2 books already, the writing should have been much better. The plot should have been thought out. The dialogue should have been less George Lucas inspired (by this I am referring to his ability to make very good actors sound like dunces).

I am very frustrated by how poorly the magic of the realms was understood. Obviously Circe was evil, but how did she turn out to be so much better than the the people who were supposed to be good and why did she make so much more sense? Bray turns the evil person back to good - to a degree - and than she turns Kartik into a tree? Whatever!

My final annoyance for this review is that of Bray's obsession with womens rights. Holy crap, she went a bit overboard don't you think? I thought to myself at one point that maybe it was just me and that I was a little sensitive to people and their soap boxes... until at the very end Gemma's last request for the girls to be taught how to think for themselves and blah-blah-blah. Thinking for yourself is not at all a bad idea, but honestly. Themes like that are supposed to be thought provoking, not obnoxiously present.

There are so many, many things that I find very wrong with this book. It was a very huge disappointment. I expected so much more than what I was given here.

There were enough good things that I finished the book, but I definitely would not recommend it to anyone....less

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Rebecca rated it:

03/14/08

Read in February, 2008

ok. if you can get past the "Realms" and the 800+pages, it's not bad... The ending, while predictable, is a bit better than decent.
it, like great and terrible beauty, hits its mark with the intended audience--well enough that I can acknowledge its accomplishment.

After moaning, audibly, at the kitchen table, a week or so ago, and drawing the attention of my father, I read a passage aloud to him. His response: "...more

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Nian rated it:

03/21/08

Read in March, 2008

recommends it for: fantasty, but also for everyone else

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Now that Gemma Doyle has bound the realms magic to herself, she is the only one in possession of great power. Her promise to share that power with other tribes proves a nagging thought—something that must be done, except Gemma is unwilling to part with it. She needs it more now that Ann and Felicity’s freedom depends on it. With all sides forcing her to make allegiances and Gemma struggling to find the perfect solution, no one can be sure what will happen.

I love this series. It’s simp...more Now that Gemma Doyle has bound the realms magic to herself, she is the only one in possession of great power. Her promise to share that power with other tribes proves a nagging thought—something that must be done, except Gemma is unwilling to part with it. She needs it more now that Ann and Felicity’s freedom depends on it. With all sides forcing her to make allegiances and Gemma struggling to find the perfect solution, no one can be sure what will happen.

I love this series. It’s simply amazing. The words, the different characters, the dialogue, the storyline. I have trouble writing reviews for books I simply love, mostly because I don’t know how to word my praises. Everything is just so good that I’m afraid my words don’t do it justice. It’s one of the books that you have to read to find out for yourself just how much you adore it.

This book holds a string of shockers.

First, Felicity. I never expected her to be a lesbian. I can’t believe I never saw Pippa and her relationship as anything deeper than friendship until the moment Gemma realized it. It’s an interesting side-line though, because this is the Victorian times where people don’t think much about sexuality. Or if they do, it’s not such an open issue. I kind of don’t like the way Felicity’s ending isn’t that definite—she might look for love in another girl in France, but you don’t know whether that’s successful or not.

Next, Eugenia Spence. Did not expect her to be behind this at all, or the fact that Circe is actually semi-good. It's a bit confusing, actually. How did Circe become good? Hm. I guess my imagination will have a nice time figuring that out.

Finally, the ending. I’ve been rooting for Gemma and Kartik since the first book. And now that their romance has deepened, why did Kartik have to die? I nearly cried. Anyone else and I wouldn’t have cared (like Felicity; I cannot stand her!) but Kartik? It’s just so sad. He’s the only other character that I loved aside from Gemma, because of how noble and honest he is. He’s a believer in fate, destiny, much like me. But of course, those traits are the very ones that lead him to his death where he sacrifices himself to save Gemma. I like that act, but I still don’t want him dead. Someone else could have done that part, you know.

It’s amazing how much you can learn from this book. It’s not only just a fantasy read with a witty girl heroine and some magic to pass the time. There’s depth: this book explores the idea of possessing power, the consequences, and people feeling as if they don’t belong. It makes you think about what you might do if you’re given that kind of responsibility and magic to use. You can make your life easier with money, beauty, and/or status. Anything and everything within your heart’s desire. It’s a scary thought of what you can accomplish and how that might corrupt your soul in the end. It’s a powerful storyline and message.

Now I’m just hoping Miss Bray will write another book. But let that have a happy ending.
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Angie rated it:

12/30/07

Read in December, 2007

And so ends the trilogy that began with A Great and Terrible Beauty, continued with Rebel Angels, and concludes in this final volume. I liked the first one well enough because of its unique blend of a wild, magical, mythical realm barely constrained behind stiff Victorian curtains. I really got into the second one as the plot became more complex, Gemma came into her own powe...more And so ends the trilogy that began with A Great and Terrible Beauty, continued with Rebel Angels, and concludes in this final volume. I liked the first one well enough because of its unique blend of a wild, magical, mythical realm barely constrained behind stiff Victorian curtains. I really got into the second one as the plot became more complex, Gemma came into her own powers, Felicity and Ann's stories became more layered, and poor beautiful Pippa was relegated to the Realms indefinitely. When I saw how thick the third one was, my eagerness ratcheted up a notch. After all, I have been sitting around lately asking for longer books. Suddenly, here one is.

Unfortunately, 800 pages later, the best thing about it remains the first four words, it's lovely title, taken from a poem by W.B. Yeats. And it does capture the extremely bittersweet feel of the last portion of the book. But somehow this installment failed to capture my imagination. It frustrated me more than anything. Instead of making good use of everything she fought for in Rebel Angels, Gemma spends the entire novel trying to decide whether or not to do what she decided to do at the end of the last book. Not until the final pages does she get a grip on herself and do what needs to be done. I thought we were done with crippling indecision in the previous books. I wanted the Gorgon to just let loose and throttle her! Meanwhile, Felicity and Ann are apparently thirteen again and spend the majority of their time being petty and distrustful, backstabbing Gemma whenever they get the chance. Pippa is the most interesting of the original friends, munching on the berries of the dead in all her Miss Havisham glory. But her path is extremely predictable. And Kartik? Fiery, beautiful Kartik? Sigh. The end to his story had far too much in common with Merlin's fate for my taste. I will say that the scene where Gemma and Kartik place their hands inside the stone was achingly beautiful. But, as with much in this hefty book, it was too little too late and I'm left feeling sad. Wishing, somehow, it could all have gone differently....less

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Alyssa rated it:

01/13/08

bookshelves: favorites, young-adult

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys wearing pants.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

WOW.

Spoilers ahead.

The Rose of Battle: By William Butler Yeats

ROSE of all Roses, Rose of all the World!
The tall thought-woven sails, that flap unfurled
Above the tide of hours, trouble the air,
And God’s bell buoyed to be the water’s care;
While hushed from fear, or loud with hope, a band 5

With blown, spray-dabbled hair gather at hand.
Turn if you may from battles never done,
I call, as they go by me one by one,
Danger no refuge holds, and war no peace,...more

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Erin rated it:

02/10/08

Read in February, 2008

Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

*contains spoilers*

I finished the final installment of the Gemma Doyle trilogy last night. It took me over two weeks to finish and I came very close to throwing the damn book across the room with only 70 pages to go. I have to say that I am very upset that Kartik died. VERY. The tension, and affection between Kartik and Gemma was what kept me reading. I was constantly waiting for her to see his red bandanna or meet him in the boathouse. I will admit that the ...more Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

*contains spoilers*

I finished the final installment of the Gemma Doyle trilogy last night. It took me over two weeks to finish and I came very close to throwing the damn book across the room with only 70 pages to go. I have to say that I am very upset that Kartik died. VERY. The tension, and affection between Kartik and Gemma was what kept me reading. I was constantly waiting for her to see his red bandanna or meet him in the boathouse. I will admit that the book ended very well but I was still very angry.

I have never cried while reading before, and I have told my friends that I don't understand why people do. I cry in all movies but with a book, you control the tempo. You can stop whenever you please. Simply close the book and try again later, that is how I roll. However, I shed a few tears at the end of Sweet Far Thing. When Kartik died and in the end when Ann and Felicity got what they really wanted, I was very emotional. I am so very glad Libba decided to make both of their characters good in the end. Ann irritated me so much in the first two books, but really held her own in this one, especially towards the end, when she had to stand up to Pippa. I felt like she was always ready to abandon Gemma for the others but in the end that proved false. Felicity could have gone either way right up to the very end because of her love for Pippa, but I was happy to see that she got her inheritance and intends to live as she has always wanted, free and daring, and out from under th hold of her father. I also appreciated how she wrote Circe's character. At work I always tell people that this trilogy is a mix between Harry Potter and the Twilight series, and Circe was Snapelike in my opinion.

I am sad that these books are over. I look forward to reading whatever Libba Bray writes next, but can't imagine a character being a strong, confused, and brave as Gemma. Love her. Definitely one of my favorite characters of all time. I think it is important to remember that a young woman can be powerful and challenge authority, but still long for love and romance.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

I think this book could have easily been written into two installments. Not only because it was 800 pages but because SO much happened. I can't really remember what happened at the beginning of the book.

...less

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Emily rated it:

02/14/08

Read in February, 2008

The gothic-Victorian-fantasy concludes, at last, with an 800-page behemoth of a book that is more of the same; it’s the kind of thing you’ll like if you like that kind of thing. Boarding-school student Gemma Doyle has the power to enter a magical world known as the realms; she also has just bound the magic of the realms to herself, promising to make an alliance with the other creatures of the realms and share her magic. However, everybody is targeting her for her power now, both inside and o...more The gothic-Victorian-fantasy concludes, at last, with an 800-page behemoth of a book that is more of the same; it’s the kind of thing you’ll like if you like that kind of thing. Boarding-school student Gemma Doyle has the power to enter a magical world known as the realms; she also has just bound the magic of the realms to herself, promising to make an alliance with the other creatures of the realms and share her magic. However, everybody is targeting her for her power now, both inside and outside the realms, and with all the complications in her life and her friends’ lives, she’s tempted to keep the power for herself for just a little longer.

Alas, I didn’t like it quite as much as the first two books. Maybe it’s the sheer length that makes its flaws stand out more. It’s one thing that the voice sounds a lot less authentic when I read it on the heels of a genuinely Victorian novel; it’s another when I find myself getting thrown out of the story by the anachronisms and moralizing and Social Problems. I don’t really want to be confronted with cutting and child abuse when I’m reading a girly-Victorian-gothic, and I’m irritated that Gemma is a 21st century liberal atheist feminist. I’m not saying there weren’t liberal atheist feminists in the 19th century, but their attitudes weren’t 21st century ones!

It wouldn’t be a historical YA novel without unnecessary cameos, but Oscar Wilde pops up just so the author can put lines in a character’s mouth: “True affection and love have a purity which shall always prevail over bigotry.” Admirable sentiment, but it doesn’t have a real motivation in the context of the story. That, and the speeches about war and peace, don’t belong to the time and place of the book. They seem too modern, too political, too Relevant.

Are all upper-class Victorian girls fated to be shallow twits with narrow corsets and narrow minds, or miserable and resigned, or miserable and rebellious? Somehow I can only think it has to be more complicated than that, and in this book it isn’t.

Still, there’s a lot of thrilling scenes, a lot of drama, a lot of adventure, and as a squealy-girly-book it’s a lot more satisfying than that other wildly popular squealy-girly-dark-romantic-paranomal trilogy (you know the one).

...less

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Rebecca rated it:

01/13/08

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in January, 2008

recommends it for: someone who wants an easy, escapist reading experience

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Can I just start by saying that the 2nd book in this trilogy is the best of all. After reading the third book, I find myself still FULL OF QUESTIONS AND DISAPPOINTED with the ending. Seeing that this book is the last one, I expected to have a lot more resolution to the story of Gemma Doyle. I feel that the book was not edited well enough as well. The plot was all over the place, which means you had no idea where the story could go, and there were no rules to follow. I usually expect that fa...more Can I just start by saying that the 2nd book in this trilogy is the best of all. After reading the third book, I find myself still FULL OF QUESTIONS AND DISAPPOINTED with the ending. Seeing that this book is the last one, I expected to have a lot more resolution to the story of Gemma Doyle. I feel that the book was not edited well enough as well. The plot was all over the place, which means you had no idea where the story could go, and there were no rules to follow. I usually expect that fantasy or science fiction novels will have a universe full of rules that are followed and explained fairly well! This is not the case! I really the author would've set up better "rules" for the realms and the use of its magic. I kept thinking about what Gemma could do and "why doesn't she do this" with her magic. I really think what Gemma chose to use her magic for was odd. She was so strong at the end of the second book. The third book begins and you discover that she has taken a u-turn and is whiny and uses her magic strangely. I kept thinking, "she is still a teenager, so maybe that is how a teenager would act?" I found myself exhausted at the end of this book. The one true source of light in this book was Kartik! Thank goodness for his character or I would've gave up on the book entirely. I really wish for a fourth book "Kartik's Return: Love Conquers All!" That last sentence is my hopelessly romantic side busting out. Can I also say that some of the writing was a bit lame. I laughed inside when I read that someone was "as pale as cheese." That just doesn't speak to me, for I have never considered cheese to be pale. It's just cheese, you know. There were beautiful parts as well and they all involved Gemma and Kartik's romance! I will remember the tiny bits of romance I was given and center my thoughts there. I will try not to remember the rest. And someone please tell me: Why can't Kartik appear to Gemma from the tree just as Eugenia Spence did?" It's driving me nuts! ...less

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Jennifer rated it:

05/12/08

bookshelves: trt-reviews

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

The third and final book in Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy, THE SWEET FAR THING picks up a few months after REBEL ANGELS ended.

It's now spring, and Gemma has been unable to reenter the realms with or without her friends since the Christmas holidays, when she sealed all the magic inside herself. She has grown uneasy with dreams of the supposedly dead Circe and the absence of Kartrik, despite his pledge to support her. As Mrs. Nightwing oversees...more Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

The third and final book in Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy, THE SWEET FAR THING picks up a few months after REBEL ANGELS ended.

It's now spring, and Gemma has been unable to reenter the realms with or without her friends since the Christmas holidays, when she sealed all the magic inside herself. She has grown uneasy with dreams of the supposedly dead Circe and the absence of Kartrik, despite his pledge to support her. As Mrs. Nightwing oversees the rebuilding of Spence Academy's long destroyed East Wing, Gemma discovers a door that leads into the realms. Soon she, Felicity, and Ann have rejoined Pippa in the realms.

All is far from well, however. Within the realms, the various tribes strive to convince Gemma to share her magic, and she finds herself unable to trust any of them. Circe is not dead after all, and her warnings frighten Gemma. And what of the new visions, in which Gemma sees a former student of Spence Academy, who writes of the Tree of All Souls?

Outside the realms, there is just as much uncertainty. Gemma prepares for her debut and tries to make her peace with her father and brother. Felicity's headstrong behavior has put her on the verge of losing her inheritance and freedom. Ann must decide whether to risk everything on the chance of a career in the theatre.

As dark forces spread through the realms and the girls' debuts approach, Gemma must find more strength in herself than she ever thought possible, and decide just what kind of woman she wants to be -- for herself, not anyone else.

Fans of the trilogy will tear through this book, eager to reach its conclusion and learn the fates of all its characters. Bray's descriptions of Victorian life and the mysterious realms are as colorful as ever. Gemma makes a sympathetic if sometimes frustrating narrator, believable in her struggle to make the right decision. At over 800 pages, THE SWEET FAR THING is far longer than either of the books before it, and there is some repetition to the earlier scenes, but those who love the world will be happy to spend as much time there as they can. Toward the end, the plot picks up to a heart-pounding pace. Between cheering the happier parts of the ending, and grieving over its inevitable sadness, readers will be glad to have lived through this tale with Gemma and her friends. ...less

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Caroline rated it:

01/05/08

bookshelves: fantasy, read-in-2008, young-adult

Read in January, 2008

recommended to Caroline by: Karina

This was by far my favorite in the series, and I think a lot of it had to do with what Libba Bray was willing to have happen to her characters. The others have had their dark moments, but this was definitely the darkest of the lot. Makes sense, since it is the conclusion of a trilogy, and so there's got to be pretty big events to keep the story going.

It does take a while for the story to pick up, like in the others. Oh, and there's a veritable ton of Victorian society happenings that ...more This was by far my favorite in the series, and I think a lot of it had to do with what Libba Bray was willing to have happen to her characters. The others have had their dark moments, but this was definitely the darkest of the lot. Makes sense, since it is the conclusion of a trilogy, and so there's got to be pretty big events to keep the story going.

It does take a while for the story to pick up, like in the others. Oh, and there's a veritable ton of Victorian society happenings that some readers might get a little tired of. Gemma also spends a lot of time debating about the decision of what to do with the magic, which might also bore a lot of readers. I actually really loved how much effort Bray put into fleshing out the Victorian culture for her readers, and didn't mind Gemma's brooding. Hey, if I were in her position, I'd totally be brooding, too!

So, while the first half of the book is good but not great, the second half completely makes up for it. This book is packed full of more action and intrigue than the first two, and some really excellent twists.

I just loved how she tied all the characters' individual stories up. Mrs. Nightwing and Mrs. McCleethy both get a lot more interesting in this one, and even Fowlson finally gets some believable characterization rather than coming off as a 1-dimensional jerk. And Pippa. I wasn't sure what would happen with her, but I have to say I loved it.

For the romantics, there are some really beautiful scenes between Gemma and Kartik. I was really glad she resolved things between the two and at least gave them some really great interactions. I can't say much more without spoiling it, though.

The ending was definitely not a perfect, happy conclusion, but it felt fitting for the series. Some readers are actually probably going to be quite disappointed by how some of it ties up, just with how gruesome it could get. Personally, I found the conclusion beautiful and touching, and it really made the series better as a whole than if she had done a cookie-cutter "look, it's a happy ending!" for us. The whole series is bittersweet, and I love it all the more for that very reason....less

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Myra rated it:

05/29/08

bookshelves: ya-lit-read

Read in March, 2008

This book was wonderful! I'm very sad to see the Gemma Doyle trilogy come to an end, but Bray sure took it out with a bang in The Sweet Far Thing.

Rather than talk about what happens in the novel, I want to touch upon one thing that really held my interest throughout all three novels: the discontent that Gemma feels over the restraints and limitations placed upon girls and women. Bray takes the opportunity through Gemma, Felicity, and Ann to make her female readers aware of the expe...more This book was wonderful! I'm very sad to see the Gemma Doyle trilogy come to an end, but Bray sure took it out with a bang in The Sweet Far Thing.

Rather than talk about what happens in the novel, I want to touch upon one thing that really held my interest throughout all three novels: the discontent that Gemma feels over the restraints and limitations placed upon girls and women. Bray takes the opportunity through Gemma, Felicity, and Ann to make her female readers aware of the expectations placed upon women during that era. Gemma and Felicity, most markedly, do not want to fall victim to the rank and classification system in regards to being female. Ann tries her best to not fall into the social class of servitude, although she doesn't have nearly quite as much spunk as Gemma and Felicity. These girls see no reason why they shouldn't be able to be who they want to be, dress the way they want to, live they way they want to, etc. There's a good little history lesson here for young girls about the fight that in which women have had to engage in order to gain respect and equality in this world. Bray doesn't go overboard with the idea, but she does drive the point home.

One of my favorite passages from this book is below:

Felicity takes both my hands in hers. My bones ache from her grip. "Gemma, you see how it is. They've planned our entire lives, from what we shall wear to whom we shall marry and where we shall live. It's one lump of sugar in your tea whether you like it or not and you'd best smile even if you're dying deep inside. We're like pretty horses, and just as on horses, they mean to put blinders on us so we can't look left or right but only straight ahead where they would lead." Felicity puts her forehead to mine, holds my hands between hers in a prayer. "Please, please, please, Gemma, let's not die inside before we have to." (page 601)

To me, it seems as if Bray might have left this series open-ended enough for another novel. A reader can always hope, right?...less

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Jess rated it:

03/25/08

bookshelves: fantasy, young-adult

Read in March, 2008

Here's what I expected from this book: that it would maintain the part snarky, part serious, part romantic tone of the first two books; that the characters would grow a bit and the relationships would be as fraught as ever; that there would be some good old fashioned suspense leading up to the conclusion of the trilogy.

If any of those elements were present in this book, they got lost under pages and pages of sub-par writing; I don't come to books like this for Great Literature, but the oth...more

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Sunny Rae rated it:

02/19/08

Read in February, 2008

I cannot even describe my love for this trilogy. It is simply amazing.
Girls finding their wings, and finding their light and dark corners. You will have to read to find out what that means.
lol, it is beautifully written, this author does not twist the truth, which i love. She tells the story as if it might happen to everyone, like the characters own personal plots. There are many unexpected twists(huge crying moments)
I really did find out more about myself. The person i want to become, an...more

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Elizabeth rated it:

03/26/08

bookshelves: 2008, fantasy, in-england, nineteenth-century

Read in March, 2008

In true Victorian novel fashion, The Sweet Far Thing is too long.

*yawn*

*yawn*

Sorry, even the last 100 pages required skimming to get through them. There was so much self sacrifice, so much coming to understand ones own character, so much facing ones fears, and so much -- writing. This is a long book.

Anyone who has seen my reading lists knows that I'm not afraid of the Victorians and their complex, often moralizing tales of life, love, loss, and the triumph of right over t...more

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Jenn rated it:

02/06/08

bookshelves: fantasy, read-in-2008, young-adult

Read in February, 2008

In the final book of the Gemma Doyle trilogy, the Order, the Rakshana and the creatures of the realms all want one thing - the magic. Gemma is caught between as everyone around her tumbles into chaos and the fight for the magic begins in earnest. While the creatures of the winterlands make a bid for control and Circe stirs, Gemma struggles to come to terms with the magic she holds and her place in this world and in the realms. As the story unfolds, Gemma discovers that nothing, and noone, is as ...more

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JoLee rated it:

02/14/08

bookshelves: 2008, childrens--young-adult

Read in February, 2008

This book is long and the first half takes some slogging through because that is where we see Gemma make so, so many mistakes. It gets rather tiresome to see how she continually doubts what she sees, wallows in indecision, trusts the wrong people, and has run-ins with her friends. Can't Gemma have just one confidant? Just one person who will actually understand that there is sometime serious going on in the Realms? Just one person who doesn't want the magic for her or his own gain? Ok. I gues...more

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