This book takes place in the early 1900's in India then England. Gemma Doyle is thrown into an unknown world of magic and chaos when her mother is killed by a strange thing she sees in a vision. After her mothers death Gemma is sent to a finishing school so she can be married and have kids. But once there Gemma's magic becomes stronger and harder to control. Gemma begins to ask an art teacher who is willing to disobey the schools rules just so the students can get some fresh air, about mysterious paintings on the wall of a cave she takes the class to. Then people begin to think she is strange. But a couple of days later Gemma ends up taking three of her friends to the magic world with her. But then her friends dont want to stop going to the magic world. Gemma begins to worry if her friends are being corupted by the magic they are able to do in the magic world. Gemma also ends up seeing her mother again in the magic world. Her mother is there to try and protect Gemma from the shadow creatures that lurk beond the mountain.
