Book Review #1 - A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

A Great And Terrible Beauty is the first of the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray. The series is about Gemma Doyle, an English girl growing up in India with her family. Gemma is prone to visions, often bad ones, that typically come true. After what seems to be a random act of violence, Gemma and her family move back to England where Gemma is sent to the finishing school Spence academy. Here she meets Ann, her roommate, a plain orphan girl with talent in singing, Felicity, a powerful and rebellious daughter of the admiral, and Pippa, Felicity's beautiful best friend. Eventually, Gemma discovers the supernatural power she holds and her mother's connection to a shadowy group called the Order.
I loved this book. All the characters are very three-dimensional. It's awesome to read a book centered around women/feminism and not have "perfect Mary-Sue" characters. Gemma is easy to relate to while still maintaining the heroine aspect of her character. Ann is by far the most balanced character; not beautiful, but talented. Selfless though self-pitying. Kartik is an interesting enigma, and I look forward to learning more about him in the upcoming books. Pippa was annoying, but lovable enough to make you care. Felicity has yet to truly impress me. I hope this can change in the next book.
The plot itself is unique. The setting of late-1800's Victorian backdrop suites the book perfectly. It kept me firmly wrapped up in both the supernatural main plot and the character's general life problems. Occasionally, however, I found myself caring more about the characters than the main story itself, though it is up to the reader to decide whether this is a bad thing or not.
All in all, definitely worth reading.