Discussions
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Hiba_786
Too long...I think it need's a little editing, but astonishing nonetheless... Throughout the whole book, I just never knew who to trust.
posted 5 years ago.
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Joscelyn P
Me either-I think Libba Bray changed everyones character too much-first you can trust someone and then you can't and then their the good guy and then their not-it felt like everyone is on the verge of betraying her at every turn-I finally got to the point of feeling I couldn't trust anyone and stop trying to figure out who to trust and not because I figure Bray was going to surprise me anyway-so why try to figure it out.
posted 4 years ago.
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lilivw
This book is marketed to 12-17 year olds. I feel it is a bit more mature for the lower age range and should be read by an older audience. I enjoyed the trilogy and thought Libba Bray developed her characters very well. Gemma, Ann & Felicity were "real" characters and it was enjoyable watching each of them evolve and become empowered. My favorite part of this book was the struggle to determine reality vs illusion. What a powerful topic and reminder to pursue reality rather than the perfect illusion.
posted 5 years ago.
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Joscelyn P
I agree-there were some great lessons in the series-that to get everything you want if not real will not make you happy-it is fleeting (like how the magic would disappear) and not satisfying in the end.
posted 4 years ago.
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Holley W
I agree that older readers can get a lot of out of it, and when I first read your comment I did think maybe 12 is a little young, but considering 12 year olds today, not really. I like what the book says to girls about how they can "evolve and become empowered," and I think it is never too early to illustrate that lesson to our daughters, nieces, young friends, students...it's the 21st century, and I am appalled at the girls I see who don't seem to have heard that message or understood that it applies to them.
posted 5 years ago.
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Cave Canem
The third in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. I have to admit, these YA fantasies are a lot of fun to read - quick, easy, and enough twists to keep you guessing. Even though I thought this one was a bit overplayed (I enjoyed Rebel Angels the most), I liked this book a lot. As it progressed, though, I was more interested in Gemma's life at Spence and in London than in the realms.
posted 5 years ago.
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Elphaba22
I thought the ending was missing someting it just did not feel right it felt kinda rushed a bit. one minute she is in london than the next she is in america.
posted 5 years ago.
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RamSam
*spolier*
one moment she is haveing visions of a life with Kartik , the next he is gone to the Tree of SOuls.... one minute she was pining over her father, the next she lets him leave and takes off to another country.... these go on and on. This was the worst end of a series I have ever read! (and a reminder of why I hate series)posted 4 years ago.
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christye
well to me it seemed to end open like there is going to be another one, which is fine with me
posted 5 years ago.
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Robert of Ravenclaw
there are two more books
Rebel Angels and
The Sweet Far Thing (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy)
I like The Sweet Far Thing the bestposted 5 years ago.
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bella twilight
I cannot believe that was the last one in the series. best of the three, but feel there are a lot of loose ends. hoping we get some stories about gemma's adventures in america
posted 5 years ago.
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Justinne G
That is the same thing that I was thinking! You'd think she would right about what happens to her when she goes to America but we don't. Still it was the best book just wished it wasn't the last!
posted 5 years ago.
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max09
A Great and Terrible Beauty is about to become a movie. But anyways I was really dissapointed in the ending. I really hope she changes her mind and writes a fourth book,especially since they are going to make movies out of the books.
posted 5 years ago.
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RamSam
I hope there is another one... this book was such a disappointment, and the fore-shadowing eluded to things that never came to pass. The ending was a complete wash out.
A fourth book would make a lot of sense- but if it isn't part of this series, I doubt I will ever read Bray again. What was she thinking?posted 4 years ago.
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Horselov738
*spoiler*
I can not believe the ending, it was infuriating! I finished it last night and I was so upset (yes, I get that much into books) that it ruined my whole day today! It was still the best book in the series in my opinion, but I don't think the ending worked at all. At least not for my taste, but Libba Bray has said in an interview(quote, unquote) to "put blood on your pages. Writing should cost you something." I just wish it could have been ANYONE else! I was really looking forward to her turning her back on the whole caste thing and getting married to Kartik. Grr!posted 4 years ago.
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Joscelyn P
I agree-I loved the series but am a little heartbroken. I am glad that Gemma can still see Kartik in her dreams-and I guess were supposed to be happy with that but I just feel horrible for Kartik and Gemma-they could have gone to America together and got and escaped the caste system and made change together. I want my happy ending I guess and I miss Kartik.
posted 4 years ago.
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Mary/Lulubelle
I liked the ending and everything, except for the part with kartik!!! I REALLLY wanted them to get married!!!
posted 4 years ago.
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RamSam
grrrr
just let my sister finallay read the third book, and she hated it. Both her and I felt there were too many inconsistencies in the plot, the characters, and the ending. Bray said she left blood on the pages? I doubt it! More like she was bored and needed another pay check so she let someone else finish the series....
*ugh*posted 4 years ago.
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All you need is love
I wanted to throw this book out the window but I couldn't because it was my friends. I thought the ending was AWFUL! The rest of it was really good but I hate how she made you hope that maybe Kartik and Gemma would actually get together.
posted 4 years ago.
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RamSam
*spoiler*
Avalon- she wrote plot about Gemma and all the girls wanting men, Gemma had visions of Kartik and her together, but the author just killed all the foundations she left for that. I don't get that! Plus, the way the girls became all homosexual and Gemma decided she wanted to leave 'proper' way of life was so women's lib to me- it just didn't fit the other books (and the first 3oo pages of the third)posted 4 years ago.
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AsvoriaBlade
I was so mad when Kartik was pulled into the tree of souls i thought that him and gemma would be together. I never expected that Pippa and Isabelle would become lesbian t was different, i saw the signs but thought it was close friendship.
posted 4 years ago.
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Stacy C
I was so agravated when kartirk and gemma didn't end up together! I really was hoping they would be together! But I felt that gemma was always taking him for granted!
posted 4 years ago.
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All you need is love
I know how you feel I was crying so much at the end I really thought that they would get together. I thought they would somehow find a way to make it all work.
posted 4 years ago.
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Hannah K
i LOVE this trilolgy, my head is always in this book reading
and a good friend of mine was reading the trilogy and she is now way over edward and in love with Kartik
hahahahahaha
i am in love with this book
[3[3[3posted 4 years ago.
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Dazzling Mage
It did feel a bit stretched or rushed in some places, but I was happy with it in the end. Yes, the Kartik/Gemma ending was not there, but at least they each knew that they loved the other.
posted 4 years ago.
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Jill
Just finished this series and loved it, does anyone know of some books similar??
posted 4 years ago.
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Snoopy
Try reading the book Wildwood Dancing by Juilliet Marillier (not sure if I spelt that right). It has a similar theme of young girls and magic but I thought it was even better written. There is a follow up to this book, I just can't think of the name right now (Cybele's something)
posted 4 years ago.
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Joscelyn P
I loved the series-it is so deep and disturbing and also very satisfying-except for the Kartik thing-I still cannot accept it-too bittersweet
Spoiler:That Kartik became the land and the magic is wonderful, but also so sad-I want him and Gemma to be together so bad, it's heartbreaking. I am glad that they can still be together in their dreams but it doesn't seem enough-when they could be together in realty-in America when you can marry whoever you want. I loved how when Kartik got the magic all he wanted to do was kiss Gemma and he could have had anything. It makes me sad just thing about him and Gemma-I guess because it was tragic and sad it stays with me more, which I guess is what Bray wants, because of the blood on the pages, but I can't seem to be satisfied with his end. Realistically I see why it had to be and how it made it true to the book that not everything is going to be perfect but you deal with it anyway-by my heart is still hurting.
I think this book would make girls in America appreciate all the freedoms and choices they probably take for granted.posted 4 years ago.
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Nichole B
I definitely agree that the ending was satisfying from a feminist perspective - Gemma was able to get an education. But, I really don't think tht Gemma and Kartik could have been together in America at that time any easier than they could have been in England. Interracial marriage was not accepted in either country at that time. I think that India would have been a slightly better bet, although they probably would have had problems there as well.
I was hoping that when she died they could be together in the Realms - if we was able to not be a tree anymore!! So tragic...posted 3 years ago.
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i agree with you 100% i couldn't stop crying with what happed to kartik. :( I read it almost a week ago, and thats all im still thinking about. and hoping Bray will write again for the gemma doyle series, just so i know kartik doesn't change with him being in winterlands, and etc
posted 3 years ago.
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Amy H
I admit I was sad about Kartik and Gemma. I wish that they could have been together, but I loved how Bray ended it for them. It was out of love what he did for her, and she knows and accepts that.
I also like how this book ended on women's rights. It is something that we don't always think about...we are so used to having our freedom, and I can't imagine it any different...posted 4 years ago.
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LindseyTheElfMage ~so many books to read~so little time~
Curse the ending!!!! awww!! Why?!? Why did that have to happen!!!?!!???
posted 4 years ago.
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Chelsie Kelley
That book had the worst ending imaginable!! Why couldn't Gemma and Oh So Sexy Kartik have ended up together????
posted 4 years ago.
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~Twizzler~ Excited for Great Gatsby removed this reply 3 years ago
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Amber A
wat r the first two books, and there r only 3 books in this series, rite? the sweet and far thing being the 3rd book
posted 3 years ago.
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Milli Force-Mellark-McCorkingdale-Keller-Montague-Temple-Reid-Hudson-Hummel-Evans Mmm...Cheese Buns :)
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOBSOBSOB! WHY????!!!!!!!!! WHY COULDNT FOWLSTON DECIDE HE COULDNT LIVE WITHOUT MCCLEETHY AND TAKE KARTIK'S PLACE??????????????????????????????????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! SOB. *Gemma's Song: My Heart Will Go On and There You'll Be*
posted 3 years ago.
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Rebecca P
Can't BELIEVE the HORRIBLE SAD ENDING!!!! Here is how I think it should have ended: the magic spills from the tree and goes into the land (or ya, I like that suggestion about Fowlson taking Kartiks place) and Kartik and Gemma go live oh so happily ever after in India
posted 3 years ago.
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Madddie M
We should start a group about this ending! Or protest it. Mabey, Libba Bray will write an alternitive ending. Who's with me?
posted 3 years ago.
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Clairedy Cat
I'm with you all the way!!!! I was crying during the end of the book :(
posted 3 years ago.
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Rachael C
i sobbed at the end. terrible. she should make another book in this series so that people like me can keep our sanity.
posted 3 years ago.
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Rachael C
does anyone know of any books that are like this that i can read? (please don't say Twilight or Harry Potter. please.)
posted 3 years ago.
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Andy W
Try Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. These are all a series by Holly Black. Also the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassanda Clare. And Wicked Lovely or Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr.
posted 2 years ago.
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Nat S
"the secret adventures of charlotte bronte"
"my name is memory " by ann brashares
"The distant hours" by kate morton (not teen fiction, but intriguing none the less)posted 2 years ago.
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Clairedy Cat
I think in the end, Gemma should have found out she was pregnant or something and they could start a new series about their daughter.
posted 3 years ago.
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sweetpieflora h
I've not read the book yet, how is it ??
I assume that it is great]!!posted 3 years ago.
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~Cindy~
It's a great book, but I was wondering what u thought happened in the end...
posted 3 years ago.
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elizabeth c
it was SOOOOOOO sad1 i cried because of what happened to kartic! i LOVED HIM SO MUCH!!!!! :(
posted 3 years ago.
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randi A
I love this trilogy, i wish there was going to be another one but she says she's that the end of the story. Poor Kartik. I recomened these books to anyone who's not yet read them but keep in mind, Libba Bray is an English writer and they dont really care about making the reader happy... so sad endings...
posted 3 years ago.
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haybailz98
I was given The Sweet Far Thing for Christmas and I was told it was the first one, but it says its the third one. Is that true? Thanks!
posted 1 year ago.
