A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

If only I had read this book before I took Victorian Lit in college! Libba Bray has done a splendid job of writing a great story, set against the backdrop of the Victorian period, where women generally ran around either giggling, crying, or fainting. Not one to easily follow along, the book's main character, Gemma Doyle, finds herself dropped off at Spence Academy, a finishing school for the daughters of high society, where the students learn the fine arts of needlepoint, dance, music, conversation, and deportment - generally the tools they will need to find a proper husband. However, for Gemma, much more awaits, as she discovers her "gift" of entering the Realms - the place where dreamers and those who have died go to, where to simply think something causes it to be - and must find a way to survive what this gift holds for her. Readers will be treated to not only a wonderful taste of what life was like in England during the Victorian period, with occasional allusions to the monarchy and their role in the upper crust's life, but also are treated to a great story. And, there's a sequel - Rebel Angels! Look for an upcoming post! PG