A Great and Terrible Beauty
Book description
It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there…
Why read it?
3 authors picked A Great and Terrible Beauty as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
My best friend hates me for recommending this book, but I won’t stop. It’s 1895, and Gemma Doyle is British but has grown up in India. After seeing her mother killed in a vision (which she didn’t even know she had) and then finding she’s been killed in real life, Gemma is sent to boarding school to learn to become a proper lady. That’s when the real magic begins.
I love the friendships in this story, the real struggles, the grief, the dirt and grime of real life mixed with the mystery and glitter of magic. The story sucks me…
From D.C.'s list on if you’re daydreaming about being a magical teenager…again.
I read this trilogy when I was a teenager and couldn’t put it down. The blend of historical fiction, magic, and forbidden desires was easily devourable, if that’s even a word. Set in 1895 at an English boarding school, it’s incredibly atmospheric and full of secrets you’ll want to unravel faster than you could turn the page.
From K.T.'s list on making magic feel just within reach.
This book is the first in a trilogy by Libba Bray. I read it when I was a teenager and it made me want to write stories that made people feel, that brought their emotions to life! The story follows a girl (Gemma) whose life gets turned upside and she has to figure out what comes next. There’s magic and emotions and otherworldly happenings in this tale. I think many people, teenagers, and adults, can relate to struggling to find their place in the world. I know I do!
From Jennifer's list on with emotions and colliding worlds.
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