Customer Reviews

Rebel Angels

5 star:		(130)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A Great and Terrible Beauty was one of the best literary revelations I've had this year. I couldn't wait to pick up the sequel, Rebel Angels. Again, Libba Bray has failed to disappoint me. No sophomore slump here! In this wonderful follow-up to Beauty, Gemma Doyle is getting ready for Christmas and a break from the Spence Academy. This is her first Christmas in London after spending all of her life in India. She looks forward to attending tea parties and balls and traveling around in the city with her friends, Ann and Felicity. Despite her friends' protests, she has left the realms behind and is living a normal life. That is until Kartik, sent by the Rakshana, resurfaces and tells her that the magic of the realms is loose for anyone to grab and this could cause chaos. She had shattered the runes that kept the magic safe and things in order (this happened in Beauty). And now Gemma, with the help of Felicity and Ann, must return to the realms and find the Temple that will put everything in order again. But she will face many obstacles. The Rakshana want the magic for themselves, a mysterious and suspicious new teacher appears at the Spence Academy, and Circe is still on the loose. There are various twists throughout the novel.

This is a wonderful continuation to A Great and Terrible Beauty. It is just as dark, gothic and fanciful as the aforementioned novel. In this offering, the author tightens up the loose ends left in the previous book but leaves new story possibilities for the next installment. The reader gets many answers regarding the realms, that beautiful and wonderful place where all dreams are possible. I was right about the person I had suspected was Circe since the first book. I am pleased with that development. We also get to see Gemma experience Victorian London society in all its glory. She even has a proper suitor, a young, attractive Englishman named Simon Middleton. The characterization is excellent. There are more layers to the characters, especially Felicity and Ann, that add more depth to the story. We see just how much Ann desires to be a proper, upper-crust young lady instead of the scholarship student, governess-to-be nobody that she is in the face of the nobles. We also get to know Felicity in a deeper level. She is sort of a loose canon with shades of gray -- neither good nor bad. I picked up on various foreshadows regarding her desire to obtain her own magical powers. And that is another thing. You are not certain whether she and Ann would be Gemma's friends were it not for the realms. The scenes with Pippa (from AGATB) are quite disturbing. It was nice to see Pippa again, but she is quite changed. There is some development regarding Gemma and Kartik as well. They really are cute when they're together. Despite her special abilities, Gemma is an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl going through the usual teenage angst. She is a three-dimensional heroine through and through. There are great historical references regarding Victorian London. I also like the gothic feel of the novel. And we get timeless, troubling issues like date rape, sexual abuse, and drug and alcohol addiction. The aforementioned issues make the characters all the more real and relatable. All in all, as said earlier, Rebel Angels is an awesome follow-up. There is a lot of symbolism in the language, signs of more wonderful installments to come. I cannot wait for the next book! Hats down to Ms. Bray for creating such a unique world for people of all ages, not just for young adults.

Libba Bray has lived up to my greatest expectations with her sequel to A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY. More precisely, REBEL ANGELS is the second installment of what is proving to be a well-crafted and nicely plotted trilogy. In this second novel, we are allowed to see the lives of Gemma, Ann and Felicity outside of their finishing school (Spence) as well as outside of the realms. It is generally accurate upper-class Victorian world of dinner parties, teas and evenings at the opera spiced with the gothic-fantasy intrigue of magic and mystery. As I had hoped, Bray further develops her characters - and not just the endearing Gemma. We gain insight into Felicity, Ann, Kartik and even Gemma's brother, Tom. These characters become more complex and compelling as the story progresses and I would imagine that many of those who found the characters to be less-than likable in BEAUTY will find them more appealing. The central plot line revolve around Gemma's quest to find The Temple, now abandoned by The Order, and bind the magic that she freed in the first installment, but the subplots, including a budding romance, the health of Gemma's father and a particularly delightful scheme to present Ann as a member of aristocratic society are just as compelling as what goes on in the magic of the realms. Pippa returns as well, although even more mystery surrounds her new spirit-self.

I must commend Ms. Bray on walking a careful and thoughtful like between historical accuracy and pure enjoyment. While she takes a few historical liberties (for example, the freedom with which Gemma moves about in London), she seems to do so in order to maintain a sense of adventure that modern readers would be able to relate to. And, while still centering her novel firmly in the Victorian mindset (for example, Ann's distress over her future), she introduces some timeless and complex issues (trust, power struggles, racism, poverty, child abuse, self-mutilation) that modern readers face as well.

Above all, this is a novel to be enjoyed by teens and adults alike and I highly recommend it to all. My only negative comment (if you could even call it that) is that I strongly suggest that one read A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY first and then move on to REBEL ANGELS. The plot is so intricate that it would be difficult to simply jump into the middle. Thanks, Libba, for another wonderful story!

Victorian Era? Snore. A magical world? Been there, done that. Exclusive girls' school? Do we really need more insight into the lives of the rich and fabulous a la Trading Up?

When I picked up Bray's first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty, I was unsure of how good the book would turn out to be. I'm glad that I bought it though because these books are anything but unoriginal or boring. Libba Bray sets up a startling but realistic picture of the Victorian era from the perspective of one of the least powerful people of the time -- a teenage girl. Through her eyes, we're able to get to know the ins and outs of two worlds, the conflicted "real world" we all live in and the seemingly serene "realms" where women can have power and dewdrops turn to butterflies. The main character, Gemma, isn't some overly heroic contrived character either. Bray sets her up to be defiant enough, yet Gemma also has the same concerns and needs as any other normal girl, which is to fit in and be accepted.

I loved these books not only for the intricately weaved plot and the bodice-ripping, fast pace that kept me reading more. I also felt like the books addressed other concerns of teenagers and problems that anyone, from any era, can relate to.

Let's go back, few years, summer 2003. I received gift cards to my favorite book store, and they were just BURNING a hole in my pocket. I toddle my way over to the Young Adult section, popping between rows and rows of everyday, seen that 10 times, novels. There was a neat stack in the corner, a pile of books that seemed odd to me. The cover was of a girl in a corset, red hair in a loose knot on the back of her head. Corsets are always amusing. I pick up the book, read the little expert. Ponder. Think. To get it, not to get it. Spend $17.95, not to spend $17.95. Finally, with a slightly off tempo mother huffing for me to "Hurry up and just buy a book!", I snatched the book and bought it.

Oh. My. God.

I cannot even describe the adventures that Libba Bray has not only accomplished to tell, but made believable. The heroin is not your average, "perfect hair, perfect skin, everyone loves her, people adore her, she has power and wealth"....hoity toity snooby rich girl finishing school product. She is a rebel, with the right amount of ingredients to make her less than perfect. She's not super pretty, in a world ruled by the fair and the dark haired, Gemma is a red-head with a mass of freckles. In a world with outgoing feminist, and stay-at-home wifes, Gemma strives to find a perfect balance where she can speak her mind, and not have the world on her shoulder.


But she does. In a perfect blend of fantasy, Gemma finds a world with everything you can imagine. Grass turns into butterflies, rocks are diamonds. The Relams, a secret garden version of a magical world, only opened to the women of the "Order", a old cultish like group with special powers. Gemma takes her friends to this relam, where they must learn that nothing is perfect, and to forgive is not to forget.

Book two takes off from book 1, perfectly starting with a diary type of the mysterious Katrik, the super sexy, mysterious Indian, who belongs to a cult of his own. The book is written if 1st person, with present tense perspective. (ie, I walk to the door, vs. I walked to the door). Gemma's mind will have you cackling insanely, her sarcasm and wit making you race through the pages. There is mystery, there is romance. Sigh. EVERYTHING! I couldn't go to bed without the LIGHTS on one night, the mystery of the relams scaring me so much. Centaurs and gorgons, everything is a perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy.

I almost cried when I finished. WHY MUST IT COME TO AN END!? Dare I say it? Better than Harry Potter, better than any series! Rebel Angels and A Great and Terrible Beauty offer retro-spect to Victoria England, where corsets and petticoats shine through the outside, but drugs, alchohal, addictions, loyalties, secrets, murder, and love are hidden beneath the surface.

A must read. A must read. Must I repeat myself? A MUST READ.

Firstly, when I picked up A Great and Terrible beauty on a book display it did not occur to me that this was a young adult book. I took it home, began to read it and could not put it down. Only after I read it, did I find out what type of book it was. So what did I do....I went out and bought the sequel, Rebel Angels. These books are fantastic, well written and exceptionally detailed, especially in relation to the authenticity of 19th century behaviours and customs. Gemma is an amazing protagonist, and covets many of the feelings and desires of young girls in the 21st century, clearly showing that the mindset of teenage girls has not drastically changed. However, while the first book caught me off guard with certain events, i did find that Rebel Angels was a bit more predictable at certain parts. Both books i would recommend to not only young adults but older readers, like myself. Even though the characters and romances between them are geared toward teens there are older story lines which are of some interest to older readers. For example the girls' relationships with Mademoiselle LeFarge, Mrs. Nightwing and Miss Moore. As well as certain themes which have meaning to all ages. The hunger for power, the desire to feel beautiful, the agony over losing a loved one, and whether or not to follow what is expected of you or follow your own heart. So to finish, it does not matter if you're 14, 16, 18, or 20, it would do everyone good to step into the world of Spence Acadamy and spend a day or two living like Gemma Doyle.

this book was simply exhilarating, i was caught up in the drama and romance and adventure of it all that i stayed up the entire night reading it. i was completely oblivious to any world besides the book, and am still feeling the affects of teh book even though i have long since finished it. A Great and Terrible Beauty was fantastic, i really liked it and was quite saddened to hear i would have to wait so long to read the next one. it was definantly worth the wait. i advice everyone one to read both books. Rebel Angels was simply..... there are no words to describe it. i cant wait for the next one, this one was so good, and even though it was quite long, i wish it could have kept on going forever. i love bot theses books dearly and thank libba bray for writing them.

Libba bray's novel had me hooked from beginning to end. I was excited to get the second book to A Great and Terrible Beauty, hoping that it would have me spellbound like the first. I loved it and I can not wait until the third book arrives!

Like almost every other reviewer, I was delirious with excitement for the publication of Rebel Angels, despite several qualms I had with A Great and Terrible Beauty. On many levels I was not disappointed, as the story picks up with equal intensity several months after the close of the first book. Gemma and her friends are swept into the London Christmas season as Spence closes for the holidays. The excitement of shopping, going to the opera, and flirting with a titled, eligible bachelor named Simon is enough for anyone, but Gemma cannot escape the power of the Realms. Troubling dreams convince her that Circe is still on her tracks, and she delves into the seamy underbelly of London to discover the truth behind her dreams, visiting the local insane asylum and following the ever-mysterious Kartik into the heart of London.

Bray does many things well in this compelling and fast-moving sequel. She deals skillfully with her characters, developing them even further: Gemma cannot decipher her complicated feelings for either Simon or Kartik; Felicity grows hungrier for the power Gemma wields in the Realms and must deal with the enigma of her father; Ann struggles with self-doubt and her intense desire to be on the level of her peers at Spence; and Pippa, though disturbingly changed, still feels hurt at being stuck in the Realms. Bray's description and sense of 1895 London is superb, as well, and she conveys both the atmosphere of the surroundings as well as Gemma's reaction to them. I am in awe of her ability to transform historical fact into wondrous detail. The novel was chilling, disturbing, and so involving.

Yet other aspects of the novel were annoying or simply tiresome. While Gemma's visits to the insane asylum increase the creepiness to a delicious degree, they reminded me intensely of scenes from the film The Ring and seemed placed in the novel simply to move the plot along. The inhabitants of the asylum seem to be this installment's token fringe group, set there expressly for Gemma's benefit as the gypsies were in the previous novel. Bray does develop this aspect more than she did with the gypsies; Gemma acerbically notes that London's upper crust supports the asylum simply to have a chance to gawk at the abnormal parts of society.

Other heavy-handed plot inserts include the usage of a rare book to discover more about the Order, as well as complications in the relationships of the other girls, specifically with Felicity and her father. While this may be an important point, it feels like too much. I wish Bray had chosen a few key issues to address in her novels instead of overloading her characters with practically every taboo subject in the books. I realize Victorian society was intensely repressive, a factor which may have caused many of the problems featured in the novels, but Bray stretches belief by giving each main character a serious problem.

She deals with the magic a bit more skillfully in this installment, but the way the Realms work is still unclear. More history on the subject would perhaps help to clear up questions as to their abilities and purpose.

Overall, however, Rebel Angels was an absorbing, beautifully-wrought sequel, and I was left begging for more at the end. While Bray could have done with more editing and less ambition, her ability as a writer to pull the reader into a great book is amazing.

My name is Heather. I am 34 years old, and yes, I do still read YA novels. In fact, I live for YA, fantasy/sci-fi, and horror novels, and have read many of all these categories. I did not peruse any of the Amazon customer reviews before buying `A Great and Terrible Beauty' or `Rebel Angels'; I went by the Editorial Reviews. Seeing that they both had 5 out of 5 stars from previous readers when I purchased them, only made it that much harder waiting for the books to arrive in the mail. I was not disappointed in the least, and it took me less than 3 days to read both of them back to back. These are not your ordinary everyday, extremely predictable girly romance novels. They are both exemplary, and I am on my toes waiting for the third in the set to come out. Gemma and her crew, including the enigmatic and alluring Kartik are portrayed so well that I almost expect to find out somewhere that they are in fact living human beings. Kartik and Gemma's connection is something most girls (including myself) only dream about, and I dearly hope that it continues on into the third book as well. Although I know Mrs. Bray doesn't like cookie cutter romances where the guy always gets the girl, this is one series where I will be seriously disappointed if that isn't the case. I understand that a relationship of this magnitude would have been frowned upon during the period it takes place in, and Kartik would more than likely be considered below Gemma's station, being a different nationality than she is. But anything can happen in the realms, and if he were to save her from a great and terrible demise, maybe her family would be swayed by his chivalry and make an exception....

Although this is only supposed to be a three part series, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see another set of books just as good as these are, continuing on with the exciting tales of the immortal Gemma and her friends, spring from the author's mind at a later date. They would be greatly anticipated by many people.

Ok. So Rebel Angels pretty much took up where Beauty left off. There is a whole recount which is kind of boring but it is still necessary. like the way the first chapter is told from Kartiks point of view. Throughout the novel, Gemma, Ann, and Felicity spend their Christmas holiday in London. While there, Gemma becomes acquainted to Simon Middleton, a handsome son liked by nearly everyone; secrets are revealed, lies are told, alliances are made, while some are broken; and when things seem as though they cannot get any worse, they do. This book is HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes to be mildly frightened, yet intrigued at the same time. The only thing that I found disappointing was where the relationship between Gemma and Kartik left off. I also think that he should have been mentioned in the book more. Nevertheless, I higly recommend this book 100% as well as Faerie Wars, Inkheart, Eragon, The Abhorsen trilogy, the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and tithe.