n  n

I don't know why for so long I just assumed I wouldn't like historical fiction, it's not as if I don't love history - I picked it for one of my A levels in college. But, I guess it's just one of those genres that sounds tedious and you imagine it to be all oppressed sexuality and prim and properness. Diana Gabaldon forever changed my mind with her oversexed and aggressive depiction of history and it was only a matter of time before I looked towards other works of historical fiction.

This book is both everything I expected and also everything I didn't expect. It's set for the most part in a boarding school for educating girls in the art of being 'ladies', or in other words: wives. The girls were expected to be reserved, polite and, most importantly, beautiful. This I was prepared for. I was also prepared for the customs, superstitions and blatant sexism of the times. However, it never occurred to me that this novel would be simply a 19th century take on a modern school. There's gossiping, bitchiness and bullying of those who are different (in this case, from a lower class).



It's a good dose of chick lit as well as a historical book. And that's before we've even gotten to the whole magic/fantasy aspect. This novel completely transcends genres and does it well. I didn't see the whole other-realm mysticality thing coming but I loved it. The gypsies are awesome as well, we have crazy gypsies, fake fortune-telling I-speak-with-dead-people gypsies, sexy gypsies (don't believe the rumours, 19th century girls didn't just lie back and think of England). And that's another thing I liked: the exploration of the girls' sexualities behind closed doors. It may not be the most reliable source, the book was written in modern times, but it's easy to imagine that beneath the surface of Victorian society's repressed sexuality, girls probably did talk about 'having' thousands of men: Earls, Dukes, Barons, Princes... Anyway, lost myself on a smutty tangent. I was saying that I liked the idea of weaving fantasy into history, I'm all for spicing up times gone by.



I didn't give it 5 stars because it wasn't quite up there with my other 5 star rated books. I liked it, I loved the many different elements that made the novel hard to categorise and I liked the characters. I always like it when things aren't just as simple as "she's a bitch" and "she's a freak" in any kind of genre. I liked how, even though Gemma lost her mother at the beginning, the relationship was still built up throughout. I liked that the protagonist wasn't a pushover, even more so because the novel setting was in a very sexist society. And I love anything with dreams and/or visions.

This definitely wasn't as exciting as I remember... I feel like nothing happened! No idea why I rated it 5 stars the first time. Her 'friends' annoyed me so much, and while I did enjoy the twist of her mother being Mary Dowd, I feel like the story was just lacking. And she hardly practiced the ability to open portals before she could do it easily. I did like her honesty to her friends, it was something rare in a YA book.

5.0 Stars

I forgot just how much I love this novel. This was technically a re-read, since I originally read A Great and Terrible Beauty over ten years ago in high school. However, I'm not sure if my teenage self fully appreciated this masterpiece of storytelling.

I am very impressed by Bray's ability to write such an engrossing and thematic story. The novel delves into feminine issues from power to sexuality through the lens of Victorian era. As a genre crossover between historical fiction and fantasy, this story has a wonderfully ominous and Gothic atmosphere. I particularly loved the characters All four girls were complex, flawed and authentic. I appreciate that Bray was not afraid to show the ugly sides of female friendships, often depicting the Victorian version of mean girls. I would highly recommend this is such a well-written Young Adult novel to teenage and adult readers alike.

I am really looking forward to finish reading the last two books in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. I have no idea why I waited so long!

This book… this book! Let me start by saying that I remember reading it when I was 13 or 14 and I was freaked out by it, so I was really looking forward to picking it up again. And I’m so happy I did! I actually really liked it (definitely more than I expected)!

n  In every end, there is also a beginning.n

Mix of fantasy, historical fiction and paranormal was what I was looking for. And this book delivered exactly what I wanted. The time period and magical elements were my favorite parts! I’m not the biggest fan of just strict historical novel, but I love when it’s a background for a story. The atmosphere of this book was ON POINT! It was really engrossing, at times a little scary and overall really haunting. I would love for this book to become a movie. I think it would be a great one, if done well.

I loved not only the nineteenth century in England as a background, but also the fact that it’s set in boarding school for young girls. Friends, enemies, set up marriages and classism with paranormal elements? YES, PLEASE! It was soo addictive! Plus, the mystery aspect was keeping my interest throughout the whole book- author paced it very well! I also really liked Libba Bray’s writing!

The big part of this book is the friendship between four girls. It wasn’t nice and sweet. It was weird, and toxic, and often very unhealthy, but that’s what I loved about it! It made the story so much more interesting. All of them were so different from each other, they wanted different things, and that’s what made them stick together. That want for either beauty, power or love firstly joined them, but at the end divided them and showed their true intentions. Such a great idea for a story!

Romance is a very minor part of this book, but I really enjoyed it! It’s nicely paced, not to quick. There is an aspect of sexual fantasies- teenagers and hormones- it’s pretty realistic and I actually liked that author went that way. I’m really hoping the relationship is going to develop in the next two books.

n  There are no safe choices. Only other choices.n

One think that bothered me about this book were choices the characters (especially the main character) made. They were so OBVIOUSLY wrong that I was just screaming ‘don’t do that’, but OBVIOUSLY Gemma did pretty much all of them. Saying that, I think it was realistic behavior for a teen, so I can understand it– under one condition- if she won’t make them again. I can see this series going two way- one I will love, the other I’ll hate. I’m really hoping Gemma (after what happened) will grow up and not make the same mistakes again.

I really enjoyed this book! The story and the atmosphere were absolutely amazing! Characters need some work, but I’m hoping the development in this one will make them more enjoyable in the next two books. Can’t wait to pick them up! This was such a good read!

Why did I wait so long to read this? Such a great adventure! Strong, smart heroine with untapped magical potential. Loved the historical setting, too. Sign me up for the series! <3

Aviso: tiene spoilers pero los oculté, por supuesto.

Hace mucho que estaba buscando esta trilogía y me causó felicidad encontrarla en papel. Compré los tres libros, a ciegas, cosa que nunca hago porque suelo abandonar la saga si no me gusta el primero. Con La orden de la Academia Spence tuve sentimientos encontrados porque por un lado no pude parar de contar clichés que ya crucé en otros juveniles (y eso que leo pocos) pero, por el otro, las últimas veinte páginas (cosa injusta si las hay) revelan ese “gancho” que no encontré en las anteriores. Evidentemente hay un afán de rellenar un libro con escenas sosas que no conducen a ninguna parte y de esgrimir lo mejor de la imaginación de la escritora cuando ya el libro está agonizando. No queda bien, es un recurso pobre, pero funciona.

Gemma Doyle es una chica de 16 años que vive en India con sus padres y que desea fervientemente ir a Londres, en donde pueda tener actividad social. Al principio del libro una “cosa” misteriosa provoca la muerte de su madre, Virginia, y ella carga con la culpa porque se había peleado previamente con ella y la había dejado sola. Descubre que tiene visiones y que a veces se traslada a un lugar que desconoce. Se muda a Londres pero su abuela la interna en la Academia Spence, una escuela de señoritas (están en la época victoriana) en donde básicamente les enseñan a ser las futuras madres y esposas de Inglaterra. Suena divertido, ¿no? No.

La Academia la describen con las mismas características que todas las academias: un edificio que da miedo y que en alguna parte tiene gárgolas. Ah, y una habitación a la cual está prohibido entrar por razones misteriosas que la directora Nightwing y empleados de la escuela no quieren comentar con las alumnas. Lo importante es que Gemma va a conocer a tres chicas: Ann Bradshaw (la chica débil y huérfana), Felicity Worthington (una de las mean girls que van a torturar a Gemma en un principio) y Pippa Cross (amiga de Felicity, romántica empedernida). A raíz de secretos que hay que callar, estas cuatro chicas se harán amigas. Y no tendrán esa clase de amistad ideal que una imagina, sino que será una amistad llena de problemas, de discusiones, de actitudes realmente reprochables (quiero expresarme: la más horrible es Felicity, esa chica necesita calmarse en algunas ocasiones). Este grupo va a estar constantemente afectado por la magia de Gemma, que debe descubrir quién es y qué es capaz de hacer con sus poderes. Por cierto: hay un chico llamado Kartik, una especie de guardián, que pulula alrededor de Gemma diciéndole que no use magia y que controle las visiones mientras le aprieta las muñecas o la zarandea por lo hombros. Otro que necesita calmarse, al igual que el hermano de Gemma, Thomas. Todo lo que estoy diciendo suena mal y pinta a los personajes como una porquería caminante, pero en realidad son lo que son. Esta historia no es un dechado de luces de colores, es una historia sobre gente herida, mujeres que viven a merced de lo que deciden los demás sobre sus vidas, amores perdidos, gente ambiciosa. Hay de todo un poco.

Lo novedoso es que, a pesar de que la explicación que está detrás de la magia y de los Reinos (un lugar en donde las mujeres con poderes podían usarlos con tranquilidad) sea sencilla, el hecho de que Gemma tenga visiones y logre ausentarse de un mundo para ir a otro es suficientemente bueno como para fundar su propia historia. El problema es que las explicaciones que ella logra conseguir  (incluso las del diario de Mary Dowd)  están a medias. No son sólidos ni el origen ni el modo en que funciona la magia, a tal punto que me dio la sensación de que la autora se lo quiso sacar de encima para seguir escribiendo sobre chicas que toman whisky en una cueva. Lo único que rescato de las páginas que sobran es la ambientación de la época victoriana (ya en sus últimos años, por suerte) en donde las escuelas no servían para hacerte más inteligente o cualquiera sea la función de ésta. Simplemente era una educación vacía para pescar un buen marido después de ofrecerse en un mercado (la ciudad) y encajar en una sociedad putrefacta aunque con una familia. Eso lo reflejan muy bien a través de Pippa y la señora Nightwing, muy parecida a la directora del colegio de monjas de El misterio de Edwin Drood, de Charles Dickens. Perdón por el comentario random. Por eso me gusta que estas chicas con poderes puedan encontrar una puerta de salida en ese contexto que tanto las ahoga.

Quiero hablar sobre el final, así que voy a ocultarlo en spoiler. Me gustó muchísimo y sentí que las últimas páginas le daban la solemnidad que estaba buscando. Ojalá el libro hubiera sido así de sorpresivo en la mayoría de sus hojas.  Me dio muchísima pena Pippa, muchísima. La estuve juzgando como una tonta romántica durante toda la lectura porque no había entendido que el mensaje subrepticio era la libertad de amar. Y esa decisión que toma, la de quedarse en donde está, podría haber sido la metáfora de otras mujeres que tuvieron que pedir permiso hasta para respirar y no lograron escaparse.  

Espero que en el próximo libro las cosas se dificulten, porque si quedan los Reinos pendientes de un hilo sólo porque habrá más bailes y romances, la verdad es que no tendré otra alternativa que pensar que invertí mi tiempo (y dinero) en nada. No es un libro malo, pero evidentemente necesita correcciones hasta para mantener un equilibrio en la forma de escribir, que no es ninguna maravilla. Le perdono los clichés y las escenas sobrantes y quiero una mejoría.

Reseña en Clásico Desorden

First off, I want to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!



It's crazy because I started the New Year with a new book. :) Anyway, I learned so much in my year of 2015 and can't wait to learn more. I read so many beautiful books that I may reread because MOST OF THEM WERE AWESOME! 2016 is going to be an interesting year and I just want to thank all of my Goodreads friends who are all awesome and make my day. Whenever something horrible happens, I know that all of my Goodreads friends will cheer me up! Thank you to Aj and Rachel for your awesome support, recommendations and commenting on my reviews. You guys are awesome. Thank you to Hayat and many others for commenting on my reviews. Although it may seem like a small deed, it really means a lot to me. NOW ON WITH THE REVIEW! :)

n  “There are no safe choices. Only other choices.” n

After a horrible incident that takes place in India, Gemma Doyle is sent to Spence, an academy for girls. After attending the school, Gemma feels alone and there is already a mean girl out to get her. She notices the East Wing, which was burnt in a mysterious accident and realizes the school has so many secrets. She is being followed by a man from India and she doesn't know why. But Gemma wants to find out the reasons of why this is all happening to her. Through out the book, Gemma finds herself and her friends, she finds love and finds answers.

n  “In every end, there is also a beginning.”n

When I started reading this book, I was really interested in where the story was going. But I felt like it was a bit cliche and I kept rolling my eyes because of something that happens. It was like one of movies where there is a popular girl and an invisible girl.


Later on, I realized that this book isn't cliche at all, it was so different, although parts of it was, most of it was different. It took place in a different time period, it had characters who were different and huge plot twists. Some of the things that I guessed were true while others were completely wrong. It was interesting and I couldn't stop reading until I found out the ending of the book.



n  “There's a lot about discovering who you are and how difficult that is. And it never stops.” n

The characters were awesome, some were crazy, some were innocent. Gemma was really strong but most of her decisions were horrible in this book. Ann is the character who is almost like me, but the only difference we have is the fact that I don't care about my appearance. Felicity is one of the characters that I cringe about because she always wants to be in charge and scares me at what she will suggest next. I wish people will stand up to her instead of listening to every word that she says. In my opinion, I feel like Pippa was a follower, but grew a little bit independent after. Kartik was one of those mysterious characters and I wished that he explained more instead of leaving us on a cliff hanger. UGH.

n   “If you tell them what they want to hear, they don't bother to try to see.” n

The pace was at a medium level, it wasn't too fast but it wasn't too slow. It was balanced in a way that you want to keep reading but at the same time, you want to put the book down and take a break. I felt like it was perfect because I always want to snack whenever I am reading because I feel super weak if I read for long periods of time. I finished this book in one sitting so I snacked a lot. :)

n  “It's possible to pretend I'm someone other than who I am, and if I pretend long enough, I can believe it.” n

There were a lot of stereotypes in this book about women being beautiful like goddesses while men were violent. They have things about gypsies who were seen as disgusting people in this book. So if you are one of those people who might be offended or not interested about reading these things, I don't recommend this book to you.

n  “I refuse to let the past find me here.”n

The writing was beautiful and I can't wait to read more from Libba Bray. This series is so different and the world is really interesting. I want to see more growth in the characters although they grew a lot in this book. I can't wait to see the different adventures they go on.

n  “Women who have power are always feared.” n

I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to read a new series and is confused on where to start. This is really interesting and you will love it.

This is what I do when I'm stressed: find something that I would have read as a tween, devour, feel better, shop for more books. It's held me in good stead since, well, I was a tween.

Picture a Victorian finishing school . . . like out of Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess. Imagine that the school has forbidden areas closed off after a tragedy like in The Secret Garden. (I'm completely blanking on the plot for Little Lord Fauntleroy and never read Burnett's adult fiction, so her other work might be referenced as well).

Now add our heroine, Gemma, raised in colonial India (like a Burnett heroine!) with penchant for sardonic commentary on the hypocrisies of her world (like a Jane Austen narrator).

Mix in some Dead Poet's Society and The Craft, as well as a nice dash of the spiritualism of Burnett.

Now, you have this book.

If the above description put you off, maybe it isn't for you. But for me, it was a nice, quick read and the quality surprised me. Granted, it falls into the category of the out-of-place protagonist being "special." But as much as I might mock it, I drawn just as much as anyone else by that "it's okay that I'm not popular because I'm just special and one day somebody will recognize this" cliche. I think my doctorate is in large degree due to that self-indulgent delusion.

The relationships between Gemma and her companions fits the ambiguous, dysfunctional, and volatile power struggles I remember from my teenage "friendships" with other girls. This is a book that embraces the flaws of its characters and let's them emerge as fully-realized women instead of stock characters.

I was looking for something to get a young cousin of mine that had strong female leads who did something other than obsess over boys (there's a little of that, but it's tied closely to ideas of sexual awakening and female power), and this fits the bill. The last few young adult books I read embraced the idea that if a twenty-something guy is interested in a sixteen (or younger)year-old girl, it shows how mature she is and how trustworthy he is (go ahead, spend the night, in his bed, twenty-something guys who hang out with high-school girls will never ever pressure them to have sex).

Um . . . that type of guy is a creepy loser who hangs out at Goth coffee houses looking for someone who will be flattered enough by any attention that they won't notice that said guy is a creepy loser. I don't want that type of guy in my Goth coffee house, and I don't want a young relatives bringing him over for dinner. It's not that books need to teach morality or that sex is immoral (because neither is the case), but it's the type of crap I would have believed at that age, and I don't feel comfortable buying books for a fourteen year-old that seem to promote self-delusion and stupidity. Instead, I read those books and then send them to my college-aged sister. She's almost a twenty-something anyway.

Series review video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2qPN...

Update 3 months after reading: I'm lowering my rating from 3.5 to 2.5 stars. I've finished the series and in books 2 and 3 I saw a few things to be problematic. I don't know why I suddenly picked up on them, but in hindsight I realize that at least 2 things were present in the first book also: the constant fat shaming of Ann, and the element of self harm that is not approached in any significant or respectful way. As they were never fixed or redeemed in the series, I cannot respect that they were included in the first place.

Overall, I would give this series a 1 star rating. The plot was unenjoyable, and the characters ended up being extremely problematic.

Original review: Great girl power and unusual magic. Loved the characters, loved the lack of actual romance (some vivid kissy dreams though!). Although the plot meandered at times, this is only the start of a trilogy and I felt it was just laying the groundwork for bigger things to come. Gemma's discovery of this world had to start somewhere.

Whoa, I read this in one sitting. There was just something about the mystery behind Mary and Sarah that had me flipping the pages. I love the boarding school setting and the realms and the magic that was involved. But most of it didn't keep to the plot, and even though it was mostly build-up to the end, I found it to be rather enjoyable.

Libby's writing is very descriptive and tedious, and if you don't like that, then you'll have problems reading this.

The characters are all so on point, they're just simply teenagers living in Victorian England and I love seeing how their futures were already mapped out for them. Finding a husband is the ultimate goal and it astounds me that a family will give away their daughter just to pay off their own debts. It's terrible! But that was the way of the world back then and it was refreshing to read. I loved the friendships that were formed and how there was hardly no romance. A girl doesn't need a man to be happy, after all.

Шестнадцатилетние девочки открывают для себя древнюю могущественную магию, чтобы, в целом, вывести прыщи и подружиться. Именно таким и должно быть идеальное чтение для жары.

So I've had this theory for a while now that I am much less forgiving of a book that is written in a style that I hate (convoluted metaphors, pot pourri prose, you get the gist- some people love it, I don't) than a book with problematic characters/plot. This is probably because I'm so overwhelmed/angry at the style I can't actually get passed it so I don't know if the characters/plot are annoying.

However, this is me officially eating my reviewing bonnet because unfortunately Ms Bray's writing style was really great which meant I got close enough to the characters to see how unlikeable, anachronistic, "perfect" and clichéd they all were.

On the second page, Gemma describes her misery at "reaching epidemic proportions", and so did my lack of patience with this book 60 or so pages in.

I know a lot of people like this book and this entire series, but it's just really not my kind of thing.