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I think the best thing about this one is the voice, which was well done. I usually have to take some time to "settle in" to first-person, especially young-person first person, but I was comfortable with this voice from page one. However, I struggled with the characters (beyond Gemma, who was fine...this is one of the potential perils in using first person narrative), and with the believability of it all. I'm not knocking fantasy or occult fiction - I read both quite often. It just didn't quite m
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First in the Gemma Doyle trilogy.
Sixteen year old Gemma must leave her home in India after she sees her mother commit suicide in a mysterious vision. Gemma is sent off to a girls' boarding school in Victorian England, feeling guilty about her mother's death and ashamed of her father's drug addiction. As a proper British girl, she is, of course, not able to tell anyone the truth about her parents.
She eventually makes some friends at school and they explore a cave on the school grounds. They find ...more
Sixteen year old Gemma must leave her home in India after she sees her mother commit suicide in a mysterious vision. Gemma is sent off to a girls' boarding school in Victorian England, feeling guilty about her mother's death and ashamed of her father's drug addiction. As a proper British girl, she is, of course, not able to tell anyone the truth about her parents.
She eventually makes some friends at school and they explore a cave on the school grounds. They find ...more
To put it in movie terms, combine The Craft with Dead Poets Society. Mean Girls, and Mona Lisa Smile, stir, and put in the Delorean to transport the whole thing to 1895 England. This is not to say it was bad, but I was vividly reminded of tropes in each of those films (well, except Back to the Future.) Might give the second one a try because I like to finish what I start, but no guarantees.
I had heard a lot of good things about this book, and it didn't disappoint. Gemma is a heroine that is strong for the Victorian era, yet still trying to find a place for women in the world. Though not so wildly fantastic as the Twilight or the Harry Potter series, the subtly of the magic realms is part of the appeal of this seris, which I will continue on with.
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the jury is still out on this one...there seemed to be a lot of build-up which was boring and just when i would be about to stop listening they would throw something out that would pull me in...going to try and read the second book instead of listen to it and see if that makes a difference
Eh. A bunch of boarding school stereotypes perpetuate further sexist and racist tropes while doing some bits of boring magic. Or something.
I know that the fantasy bits aren't going to be my favorites, but here I could figure out exactly why I should care at all. Is Circe and The Order threatening the world beyond the Spence woods or is this more of a personal grudge match? Either way, it takes itself way too seriously. I am going to hard pass on the rest of the series. ...more
I know that the fantasy bits aren't going to be my favorites, but here I could figure out exactly why I should care at all. Is Circe and The Order threatening the world beyond the Spence woods or is this more of a personal grudge match? Either way, it takes itself way too seriously. I am going to hard pass on the rest of the series. ...more
I wasn't sure what to think of the book, having borrowed the book on a number of occasions and never started it for a variety of reasons, but once I was able to get into the book, it was a very addicting book. While it did creep me out for a little bit near the end, it was a very good read and I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
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Aug 24, 2008
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