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What Members Thought
I'm late coming to this but I'd loved Libba Bray's other books and figured I should check these out. (Also I read all 3 together in a week of quarantine without pausing to review between them, so they've blurred together in my mind.) Basically there is a lot to like but also...well...Libba Bray has deffo grown as an author. These are messy and draggy books, and the ~mystery~ is unnecessarily prolonged and I kind of just wanted to keep shaking Gemma to be like NO, ASK A FUCKING QUESTION AND GET A
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I'd been hearing so many rave reviews about this book, a Victorian tale about girls at a boarding school who discover a kind of magic that they use without understanding its origin or implications. The main characer, Gemma, is immediately likeable, although her circle of friends isn't - they fall together almost by accident but become the closest of friends after realizing that they can step from their world into some kind of beautiful alternate realm. Only Gemma understands that something sinis
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Apr 05, 2012
Andronike
added it
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, as it was Bray's first venture into Victorian lit, but I wasn't disappointed. It definitely is a young adult book, but also contains the social commentary and criticism I love from Bray's work. It's the first of a trilogy (Rebel Angels and Sweet Far Thing, respectively) and didn't leave me with the urge to continue on and read the next. There is a movie in development for the trilogy slated to come out in 2015.
If you're looking for a Victorian style ...more
If you're looking for a Victorian style ...more
This excellent YA novel was a clever blend of the historical, supernatural, and boarding-school-drama; on the whole a page-turner to the end. I liked it!
Engrossing! I'm in the middle of too many great books right now.
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I read this in college (I think?) and thought it was okay (in its defense, I was, for some reason, under the impression that it was not a YA novel, so I probably judged it a little harshly) - the other day I got the urge to read the sequels, so I re-read this to refresh my memory. I think if I'd read it in middle school I would have really liked it. As it is, it's fine. Certainly not one of those YA novels that transcends categorization and appeals to all ages, etc., but fun enough.
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I got through about half of this and then I realized I just didnt' care.
Sorry...not my thing. ...more
Sorry...not my thing. ...more
So. I've decided that I like Libba Bray, but I just can't get into the whole petticoats and corsets deal. Steampunk or fantasy or magical realism... regardless. It's just not my bag. And yet I keep trying to read it. I'm glad to tick an item off my "books which have been on my Currently Reading list for months, half-finished" list though.
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Pretty good teen fantasy about girls who discover their link to a magical realm. Nothing terribly innovative but a solid read for those who like the genre.
Boring, didn't hold my interest. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't.
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Great book for setting. It has a truly Gothic feel to it.
so good. trying to hunt down the second one now.
Aug 18, 2010
Lisa
marked it as to-read
Mar 22, 2017
Felicia
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2018
Samira
marked it as to-read
