A Great and Terrible Beauty is a wonderful book. It takes place in England during the Victorian era.



After witnessing her mother's death, Gemma Doyle is shipped off to Spence Academy for Girls in England. There Gemma finds friends in three unlikely girls. They proceed to uncover the secrets of Spence as well as the circumstances of Mrs. Doyle's death. The quickly learn of the Order, a group of powerful women sworn to protect the realms from those who would abuse the magic. The girls also learn of Circe, a women who used to be in the Order but made a pact with the creatures from the Winterlands and so became corrupt. Circe attempted to gain more and more power, through whatever means necessary. Gemma and her friends must find a way to stop Circe and regain control of the magic.

Libba Bray has conjured a gripping tale of four girls who wanted freedom. Beautifully written, the books offer everyone a chance to see what life might be like if we had control.