Review: The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Title: The Sweet Far Thing

Series: The Gemma Doyle Trilogy

Book #: 3rd

Author: Libba Bray

Pages: 819

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Tags: Fantasy, mystery

Recommended to: Historical Fiction Fans

Rating:

"The past is behind us, we must accept it, and face the future."

It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father alaudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds.

The Order—the mysterious group her mother was once part of—is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for.

Taschima's POV:

I read 'A Great and Terrible Beauty' and thought of it as an ok read. Then I read 'Rebel Angels' and thought it was great. But I have read 'The Sweet Far Thing', and I got to say, this is my favorite out of the three.

Wow... wow... Omg.

This book had the same mystery base. But there was also much more romance, which is a big woot in my opinion.

The characters! uh! They grew so much! Starting with Gemma and ending with ANN! yes ANN! The girl I rather dreaded grew out of her seed, and became a flower. Gemma surprised me at various corners of the story, there's a particular part of the book that left me open mouthed, and I loved it. Not to give it away, but its a part involving her brother, Tom. Gemma also gets to explore her dark corners, face her fears, and get to know herself deeply. She is a flawed character, and i love her for it.

Felicity in this book is full of surprises, but she still is the independent, hating-corsages-and-rules girl that I adore. And Kartik, omg Kartik. There is something I would love to quote here, it says:

"I press our palms together. Our fingers tingle where they touch. His eyelids flicker and then they open wide in understanding of the magical gift I've given him.

Reluctantly, I take my hand away. "You can do anything."

"Anything," he repeats. "Well, then."

He closes the small distance between us and puts his lips against mine...

"But...you could have whatever you wished."

"Exactly"

That right there captured my heart. He is simple and loving, yet mysterious and determined.

Now, the ending. I, as many people, do not love the ending. I feel like they should have named the book 'The Sad Near Thing' instead. It is heart-breaking. I almost cried! Why? haha I won't tell you. I wish it would have ended another way, but that is what we get, and I guess we'll have to deal. Another thing is, it's a very open ending. It leaves possibility for a fourth book. May Libba surprise us with another amazing book? I surely hope so!

I do not want to give too much away, so I'll stop here...

3 books full of charm, mystery, magic, and awful corsets, Libba Bray managed to create a balance between fantasy and life in the 19th century that I would love to be part of. So stop wondering, and create a portal of your own into the world of Gemma Doyle.