A Great and Terrible Beauty Review

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty

 

Author: Libba Bray

 

Book: (Gemma Doyle, #1)

 

Pages: 403

 

Rating: 4/5

 

I loved the book so much! I mean the girls (rich brats) were annoying most of the time but if you make it through them you won't regret it. I don't like cliques in which everyone makes fun of those not in them. It doesn't seem right and luckily I've never been in or seen one. Yay me! Great book though the romance between the two characters were lacking.

Gemma lived in India and dreamed of visiting London until the day she had her first vision. A vision of her mother committing suicide while another man was killed in front of her. Her visions proved true (not that she could do anything to stop it) and her father (not knowing about the vision) sent her to Spence Academy in London. She hopes she's left the mysterious boy behind too as she tries to blend in. It doesn't take long for the girls to torment her, the boy to appear, and her visions to lead her to a diary.

When she enters the realm with her friends Ann, Felicity, and Pippa she discovers her mother. Her mother teaches her things about the Order and about the power of the realm. The main concern of her mother is that Gemma will bring the power back with her when she leaves which she ends up doing to make her friends life enjoyable. After all Pippa is being married off to a snob, Ann feels like she isn't good enough (being beautiful or at singing), and Felicity has an absentee mother (who's in Paris as an escort of types) and father (who's an officer? or something like that).

Their life is good for a while till Gemma learns what her mother has done and who is really after the power. Felicity becomes entranced by the evil forces and makes everyone go back to the realm despite Gemma's protests. What they find there shakes them to the very core and they are forced to flee without Pippa. When Gemma goes back to save her she is forced to face the monster alone.
Will she fail and bring the evil into her world? Will she defeat it and save Pippa? Or will Pippa remain where she truly belongs instead of marring Mr. Bumble?
Great ending though I would've preferred more romance instead of arguing. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and can't help but wonder if it will be even more exciting. I had my doubts about this book but I must say I was completely wrong. This is a must read book!

About The Author

Libba Bray is the author of the New York Times bestselling Gemma Doyle trilogy, comprised of A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing. She is also the author of Beauty Queens and Going Bovine, which won the Michael L. Printz Award. Libba lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, son, and two cats. Visit her at libbabray.com