A Great and Terrible Beauty

Rating:
Summary: Deliciously dark
Review: No matter how well I think I know this book, I keep coming back to it--I just read it for the third time, which was almost as wonderful as the first time I breathlessly tore through it. Gemma Doyle, brought up under the British occupation of India in 1895, must suddenly move to an English boarding school after her mother dies under mysterious circumstances. Though she receives a less-than-cheerful welcome at Spence, she manipulates her way into a circle of powerful girls and with them explores her mysterious past and her growing powers as a member of the ancient Order.

I was originally intrigued by A Great and Terrible Beauty as the quintessential Gothic Victorian novel, the kind I've been dying to find and read. Bray delivers in this aspect; her atmosphere is wonderfully dark and haunting, and she evokes a clear, saddening sense of the Victorian obsession with beauty, perfection, and doll-like women who do as they're told. Though she sometimes beats the reader over the head with her emphasis on the powerlessness of Victorian women, she nevertheless makes the reader feel a great sympathy with these girls who long for independence. On an unrelated note, Bray's word choice is exquisite--I love the way she puts her sentences together, in an elegant manner that adds to the atmosphere.

Yet Bray adds the dimension of a powerful beast trying to stop Gemma's exploration of her supernatural abilities, and though the majority of the book keeps the reader frightened and aware of this looming darkness, the ending fails to maintain this terrifying feel. The book culminates in a stereotypical fantasy battle that threw me off the first time I read it and almost made me want to laugh this last time.

I guess I might be a purist, wishing that Bray could have stayed with a straightforward, realistic Gothic novel, but she handles the fantastical element well, only slipping near the end. Overall she creates a world I'm always reluctant to leave, despite my qualms with the magic. A Great and Terrible Beauty is just that, a book beautiful in its atmosphere and surroundings, great in its perspective, and terrible in the way Victorians idolized their women.

Rating:
Summary: My Review on " A Great and Terrible Beauty"...
Review: When I first got this book, I didnt think that it was going to be as good as it really is. The minute you sit down and read this book you are almost "pulled into" the book. The descriptions are so vivid that it makes you feel like you are a character in the book. This book is so captivating it leaves you happy and satisfied at the end, but at the same time it really makes you want to read a sequel.

At first I never really understood why the author would choose the title as "A Great and Terrible Beauty" but as you begin to read more and more you begin to understand. The author is great at combining historical fiction, romance, adventure, danger, secrets, friendships, and enchanted worlds but most of all about the power of the main character, a mysterious girl.

Rating:
Summary: A remarkable book
Review: One of my biggest complaints about YA books is they tend to be predictable. A Great and Terrible Beauty is not one of those books. With it's historical setting, unique plot twists, a touch of romance, and a little fantasy, this is a great choice for an adolescent girl. Moms and dads won't find anthing objectional in this book, and any daugther that enjoys reading will enjoy this book. A small warning, this is not a light read. If you spend most of your time reading Lemney Snickett or Traveling Pants books, this may be a jump for you!

Rating:
Summary: Pretty decent
Review: The book starts out beautifully. Everything flows well, and it is very well written, until about 3/4ths the way threw the book. After that it starts to get a bit crazy. I dunno, I think the end of the book was just a little to out there for me. I was expecting this book to be light hearted and fun. But its all very dark. I suppose if you like that kind of thing go for it. It is a very quick read and I say if you have the time read it.

Rating:
Summary: A good book....but not the best.
Review: "A great and terrible beauty" was a very good read, and it pleases the reader well with a good fantasy and adventure. however, as i opine, the novel could have been revised into even better. many things had been left unaswered by the end of the book, such as what the Rakshana really is in which Kartik is involved, was Gemma's mother really an illusion or was she actually there in the other world (I'm still not sure), why Circe needed to kill Gemma's mother, what Amar's, Kartik's brother, rols was as guardian to the mother, etc. From my reading, I'm deeming there would be a sequal to the novel since nothing much is resolved between Gemma and Circe...All in all, if the book was revised some what, it could have been better. :)

Rating:
Summary: A Great Keep
Review: From the first time I saw this book I was hooked. When I finally got around to reading it, I coudn't put it down. I read it in two days! Between school and chores. I absolutely loved it. It was very intriguing and dark, but the nice, suspensful kind. It has a little of everything, magic, friendship, romance... anyone who's fascinated by magic and things like that would love it. I don't mean to build it up, saying it's the best and the greatest, it depends on tates. I will say though, that once you read it, you won't be sorry.
Another thing about this is... I don't think the story ends here. At least I hope not. I think there may be a another installement. And I'm definetely looking forward to it.