I liked this book less than book 1, A Great and Terrible Beauty, probably because it felt as though the author decided to add a few heaping spoonfuls of More Social Issues to a book that didn't need them. Book 1's take on feminism and ways that teenage girls suck toward each other and themselves was a bit heavy-handed and artless, but certainly in line with general expectations of the genre. And therein, perhaps, lies the problem. I think we may have a case of an author who decided she wanted to make absolutely certain that her books had a broader social conscience and weren't "just fluffy teen fiction," so she threw in every issue she could think of that might affect Victorian society and/or modern teen girls. Sort of like later seasons of Ryan Murphy's Glee that mostly make you laugh or roll your eyes when they take on issue after issue in short attention span bites.I'm also increasingly bothered by Gemma's thoughts and decisions in this book. Her loyalty toward her friends is supposed to be commendable, an example of sisterhood in Bray's feminist framework. I find this meaningless, bordering on stupid, however, when both Ann and Felicity offer Gemma so little in return -- and Felicity has proven to be dangerously ambitious, much like Gemma's mother's friend-turned-nemesis, Circe. Felicity sacrificed the stag and was really close to performing a human sacrifice in book 1!! I would be pretty wary of this girl, and certainly not constantly bending over backward to excuse and forgive her bitchy, selfish, cold, or thoughtless behavior. And Ann.... what a tiresome, bland, depressing lump. She is not a friend to Gemma. She's just a plot device that exists to give Gemma situation after situation in which to prove her caring and loyalty to someone who doesn't reciprocate. You see both Felicity's and Ann's true colors any time Gemma doesn't take them to the realms. They just mope, bitch, guilt trip Gemma, or ignore her. This might be realistic for most teenage girls who are only fair-weather "friends," but if Gemma is supposed to be such a truth seeker, it's undermining her significantly that she doesn't process these girls' lack of loyalty or integrity and adjust her own loyalty toward them.Overall, I found this book to be a quick but frustrating read. I really wanted to know what was going to happen with the main plot, but skimmed more and more of the scenes that didn't take place in the realms or relate directly to the magic.I'm trying to be fair and say whether I think the book is objectively flawed or just happened to go in a direction I personally didn't care for, and I think it's a bit of both.
I enjoyed "Rebel Angels" just as much as I did its predecessor - "A Great and Terrible Beauty." In this book Bray continues exploring constraints of Victorian society, and their suffocating effects on young women's lives. This time we go beyond the borders of the finishing school - Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are in London for their Christmas holidays. We accompany them to opera, ball, and various social events. To add to already dark Gothic atmosphere of the story, we visit an insane asylum and an opium den - both creepy and exciting adventures. There is also a greater emphasis on romance element - Gemma has a new suitor of high stature and wealth, but, of course, things are complicated by Kartik's presence. Another great quality of Bray's storytelling is her ability to introduce modern dark themes into the old-fashioned setting. I am not sure if Victorian girls were really that well aware of matters of drugs, sex, and child molesting, but these elements are weaved into the story very skillfully.In spite of the many enjoyable elements of book, there were some that are quite bothersome. For one, the friendship between the girls seems not to be a friendship at all. Rather, it's a sick, very often destructive relationship, in which Felicity always gets what she wants, Ann sides with the strongest in any argument, and Gemma acts against her better judgment under pressure from her so-called friends. Another thing, while the world of Realms is very imaginative, it's getting more and more complex, with numerous new supernatural players, whose motivations are very often hard to follow. And finally, I am yet to understand the appeal of both Realms and magic. Gemma powers don't really help her in any way in real life, as for magic in the Realms, girls still do not go beyond making themselves pretty and conjuring gems out of leaves. Hopefully, these aspects of the story will be explored better in the final chapter of this quite enchanting trilogy. Reading challenge: #14 - 2 of 4
What do You think about Rebel Angels (2006)?
Why do I like Rebel Angels so much more than A Great And Terrible Beauty? That's easy: Balls.Not THOSE kinds of balls. These kinds:Maybe because all those par-tays made the pace of the novel seem faster and the story more compelling. But, also, we get to see Gemma interact with her family and the snooty-high-society all around her. This makes for some excellent characterization of both the major and secondary characters.Would this series have been able to sustain itself without a love-triangle? Someone should have researched that... Hellooooo, Simon Middleton! I guess you're here to try to coax our Gemma out of The Realms. By getting her drunk and unlacing her corset... (Victorian date rape?) I think we'll take Kartik any day, thanks.Meanwhile, is Felicity Worthington the best character in this series, or is it just me?
—Rhiannon
In this is sequel to Libba Bray's excellent YA fantasy novel, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma, Felicity and Anne venture to London over the Christmas holidays. Gemma finds a new love interest among the peerage and Felicity and Anne undertake a daring deception about Anne's social status. Amid the social whirl they continue to venture into the magical land of the realms, seeking to escape the strictures of their lives. But Circe's agents are closing in, hunting Gemma and a way to claim the magic of the realms for the dark spirits. The Rakshana are desperate to claim the same power and equally as ruthless. Hunted and harried on all sides, Gemma must discover Circe's true identity, find her own path and bind the magic of the realms before all is lost.As with the first book in this series, Rebel Angels is characterized by vivid descriptions, a rousing cast of characters and a plot that twists tighter and tighter with plenty of action. I was hooked from the first word and rushed through the story, anxious as each new scene unfolded. Bray has a knack for creating strong, believable characters that fit well within the confines of their world and time. It is easy to sympathize with a character on one page and want to yell at them on the next. The descriptions are full and beautiful, bringing Gemma's world and the realms to life. This was such a satisfying book with lots of nice twists and suprises. I relished every word and was sad when the story was over. I was left craving more. Luckily I've got the third book qued up and ready to go :D I listened to the audio version of this book and it was wonderfully narrated by Josephine Bailey. There was only one small issue: in one of the later chapters Josephine breaks character and corrects her reading on a bit of dialogue - making a note to herself. Somehow the audio editors missed that. The copy I listened to was from my local library and likely and early edition. It's possible that fault was edited out in later audio editions.
—Tapestrymlp
