A review by danibanani
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I read this as a tween and loved it for the drama, the descriptions, the magic. I don't think it quite holds up, and not just for some of the problematic elements. I would love for things to make a bit more sense. Gemma should have put certain things together far earlier than she did given how intelligent we know her to be. What a melancholy ending this had! It really communicated the desperation of young women within the choking confines of patriarchy, thank gods that's not a problem anymore. 🫣😭
Despite its shortcomings, I was compelled to finish the reread, and mostly enjoyed it. Huzzah!
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