This trilogy of books by Libba Bray include "A Great And Terrible Beauty","Rebel Angels"and "The Sweet Far Thing."I have a previous post about the first book in this trilogy, which you can be sure to check out.
Gemma Doyle arrives in London to attend the famous Spence Academy for Young Ladies after the tragic death of er mother. Having spent her while life in India, Gemma enters a lonely new world of confusion and grief. She quickly befriends her roommate Ann, a scholarship student destined to be a governess for her cousins. Subsequently she meets Felicity and Pippa, Ann's daring friends. However , new friendships are not all that hahahahaha come to Gemma, as strange visions begin to appear. She finds a mysterious diary, of a girl named Mary who once was a student at spence. The diary tells a thrilling tale of a magical world known as "the realms" which is governed by women soreceres known as The Order. With the help of one of their teachers, te girls begin to search for the difference between fairy tales, and reality. Gemma begins to learn that she is no ordinary girl and that her mother may not have been who she seemed. As they delve deeper into the story of the realms they learn of a rouge member of the Order, a woman named Circe. Much to their surprise and horror, they begin to unravel the mystery of the realms and the deadly fire which destroyed the east wing of the school and killed the founder and two girls . The four girls realize they've been reading a dead girl's diary, or are they? Adding to Gemmas confusion is a gypsie boy named Kartik who warn her of the powers of the realms. Although they are destined to be enemies, Gemma beings to have feelings for the strange secretive boy. The four girls travle into the realms, but return as only three. Gemma and her friends return to the realms often, to find it changing and becoming increasingly inpredictable. Plauged by visions, power, and heartbreak, Gemma MIT figure out what to do. Meanwhile they must continue with their schooling to be proper ladies and deal with gossip and family drama. Everyone is not wjo they seem, and it seems as though everyone is a small pawn in a chess game. The time draws near for Gemma to join the battle for power in the realms, but suddenly it pours into reality. Gemma must return to the realms with her friends, and some former enemies, to restore the peace and power of the realms.
I really enjoyed this trilogy, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. There is enough love, fantasy, and mystery to make you believe it is a fairy tale, but but also be realistic. I read the first book last summer and the second and third this summer, and they are all beautifully written. It's set in England at the turn of the century when times are changing and the place of women is starting to be questioned. These books are very much about how women have the power to do many things, if they try. I hope you pick up these books soon:)
