Visions and Terrifying Imagination: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

-Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty
- Series: The Gemma Doyle trilogy (Book 1)
-Author: Libba Bray
-Release Date: March 22, 2005
-Age Group: Yong Adults
-Publisher: Random House
-Source: I've bought it *Paperback Copy*
-Rating:  5 /5 

-About the book *Good Reads*:

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel. Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

How do I see the Book; It’s great and terrible, it’s the magic that is forbidden to be used but not for the 16 years old Gamma Doyle; her mum dies after a vision of Gamma. now mysteries and everything does not as it seems, the order is bad at the hands of Gamma; even if the Rakashan does not approve of the magic of the realm being used again.

Gamma is going to change her world and our world with her amazing adventure of breaking away from rules and letting magic enter our world. Everything has consciousnesses, even the magic of the runs. A Great and Terrible Beauty is not a fantasy Victorian novel, it is a guide to show us that you can break away from your life and what all pull us away from achieving our dreams. We are no longer going with the flow; we are going to find our own destiny, find it, but not like Pipa did.

I have cherished this series since I first viewed the book covers on Amazon; I said “one day I will read them” sure I said that and the next day I found my lovely father taking me to the bookshop and buying them. I swear that he did not know that I wanted them until now. When I held the books, they took my breath; I knew that my magic had begun. Libba Bray created amazing characters that have touched my heart, and I admit that I love Kritik.

I love this book. I cannot believe that every word, scene and chapter has been written for a reason. The story flows so smoothly, not so fast or slow, but with the perfect emotion. Because it’s a novel by Libba Bray… The book is more than perfect, and I can write pages on why you should read it.