Gemma isn’t your typical sixteen year old. Most girls her age have been brought up in London’s society of gossip and lavish balls, but not Gemma. She has had a most unconventional upbringing in India. Yet she yearns to be in London, and the topic is often the start of arguments between her and her mother.Gemma’s wish becomes a reality when she has a vision of her mother’s death which comes true, and she is sent back to London and enrolled at Spence, an academy for girls. Gemma is uncertain of her visions and what they hold, but she will soon find out.Gemma has a hard time making friends at Spence, but an unexpected twist of events land her into good graces with Felicity, the powerful leader of a spiteful clique.Gemma discovers that her visions are more than what they seem they are in fact a doorway to other realms. She is warned to keep her visions at bay, but doesn’t understand why.Gemma becomes friends with members of the clique and they start their own club which they call the Order. The girls from the Order soon find themselves visiting these other realms with Gemma. Only to discover that the innocence of the realm is clouded by an evil that wishes to have Gemma for itself.The first synopsis I read of A Great and Terrible Beauty didn’t interest me at all. After hearing so many good things about the book, I decided to give it a chance. Now that I read it, I’m mad at myself for waiting so long! The storyline kept me hungry for more! The characters were believable, everyone knows someone who is like Felicity, Pippa and Ann. I loved Bray’s take on the 19th century’s society, sexuality and even the teen issues, that aren’t so different from ones we face today. And yet the supernatural element takes it to a whole other level of enjoyment. ( )

Enjoyable fantasy about a girl who's mother dies leaving her with a mystery about visions she sees. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. ( )

A good read with gothic overtones. Not what I would call really scary though (the back of the book said it was scary, under the bedsheets type of thing). Gemma is a very likable character as she's not your dainty feminine drama queen. (Actually she's quite the opposite). It's a really good book leaving you with lots of questions unanswered naturally, as there's two more books to go after this one. It's a good read, and worth the time! ( )

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The author developed the characters well and I was able to understand and get a picture of what they were going through. The plot line moved along pretty well until the middle of the book, where it slowed down. That would be one weakness of the book. This book is definitely part of a series. I would like to read the next books in the series to see how the story ends. It will probably appeal to girls over boys because they main characters are girls. ( )

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray captures all who read it. Beauty is about a young teen, Gemma, who is relentless and curious. This novel started in India, where Gemma was in the market place with her mother, once again arguing over whether or not she should be allowed to go to London for schooling. Her last words to her mother were "I don't care if you come home at all." I, for one, can completely relate to this feeling of resent. Little did Gemma know, though, that her words would be true and her mother would not return home later that day. Since her mother's death, Gemma received her wish and was sent to Spence Academy to become a lady. There the headmistress does little to make her feel welcome, and her only comfort is her roommate, Ann, who is knowledgeable and always absorbed in reading. After proving her worth, she becomes acquaintances with Felicity and Pippa, and eventually they even become friendly. With them, she discovers a great and terrible power that Kartik, the mysterious man she met in the marketplace, tries to warn her to control.

Bray weaves a story of danger, suspense, magic, mystery, and desire. She sets it over 100 years in the past, in India and London. She creates the heroine, Gemma, and truly releases her eccentric and stubborn spirit. Then she adds three friends, one with brains, one with beauty, and one with leadership into this already capturing mix. On top of this all, she puts in a dash of magic and romance for the final blend. All these ingredients together create a most wonderful story to read, impossible to put down once started. Though some parts may be slightly confusing, such as distinguishing Pippa from Felicity, they do not take away from the story at all. I would give A Great and Terrible Beauty 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait until the next book in the trilogy. ( )