The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, Book 3)
by Libba Bray
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Book Summary Information
Author: Libba BrayBrand: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-04-28
ISBN: 0440237777
Number of pages: 848
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Book Reviews of The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, Book 3)
Book Review: One of the best series I have ever read!
Summary: 5 Stars
I feel a bit sad reviewing this because this was the final book in the series. I hate endings..they make me sad!Infact I tried to read this book as slowly as possible ... However I was glad that The Sweet Far thing was a long book because I could savor it longer. I wish the series would have been unending though! Gemma doyle trilogy has to be one of my very favorite series. It is much more than a young adult book or just one more fantasy series. Tht's what i love about these series-it's beauty and the fact it is so much deeper than it appears to be. I fell in love with the first book,with its message to women ,about independence ,about chosing one's own identity and the fact that a woman is so much more than a wife, sister , daughter etc.It was about daring to choose a path less taken. I was a tiny bit disappointed with the second book, because at times it seemed to drag and I felt like skipping some parts . But what remained constant in both books was Libba Bray's beautiful lyrical prose that made me want to read some lines over and over again. No, this series is not yet another fantasy adventure, for me , it has been a beautiful ride which has made me think and contemplate. I live in a country where so many many women are still struggling to break free of all that binds them..all that stops them from living a life of teir own choosing.That is why this book is so important to me.I , as a woman, am still searching and trying to make a mark of my own, in a society that is dominated by men.
Wow! I could go on and on. But let me come to the book itself now-The Sweet far thing , Part 3 of the Gemma Doyle trilogy.
In this final part , Gemma has more powers than she could ever have imagined ..at times she is unable to control it and at the same time she feels more powerful and reluctant to part with it. However , the Order is no more her friend because they are seking to have all the power .Gemma is compelled to forge an allegiance with the creatures of the realms but is confused . She is afraid of what all the creatures are capable of , once they have magic of their own. Further, she is reluctant to let go of her powers or share it with anyone else. Felicity and Ann expect her to share the magic with them and Gemma is not entirely sure whether she wants them to, but is compelled by their friendship.
I felt Gemma was more mature in this book. She has to grapple with so many things-whom to trust, wherer to part with her magic, her feelings for Kartik and her friendship with Felicity , Ann and Pippa.At times , she feels qute alone because she doesn't know where to turn and feels Kartik slipping away from her.She has to deal with family tensions, with confusion about her real place in the world and so on. She even grapples with whether the magic is boon or bane - it creates a world of lies, an illusion which is only temporary.
Felicity is still not likeable to me. I feel she is selfish and cruel at times. As for Ann, I felt she has grown a bit stronger and more confident , with the magic of the realms. She is able to talk back and take a stand.
I felt so happy because there is more of Kartik in this book. There are some beautiful moments with Gemma and Kartik. I found myself waiting for more Gemma-Kartik moments! Who can resist this guy?? Moreover Kartik is from my own country..that makes him even more swoonworthy I guess..I keep on looking for guys who look like Kartik..but Alas! noone comes close!!*sigh*
Anyways, on a serious note, I love how we get to know Kartik more in this book.Here , Kartik is no his arrogant and "oh-so-confident" self .
In fact we are shown his fears and his doubts. He is somehow more human in this book.
Gemma feels herself desiring Kartik even more. She knows it is dangerous even imagining something between them ,but is drawn towards him and is torn between her feelings and doing "what is correct". What I liked was Gemma was not afraid of her sexuality,her feelings,her desires..she didn't feel ashamed of them , the way women were made to feel at that time and still are , in so many societies. There are some beautiful and passionate Kartik-Gemma moments.
This novel raises many questions , which is relevant even in today's world. Haven't we all wondered where is it that we truly belong?
Haven't we all struggled to be more than just ordinary? Haven't we all , sometime or the other, felt so alone and misunderstood, even when we are surrounded by people? So many of us , atleast once in our lifetime, have wanted more from our life, more than what is "destined" for us..we have wondered whether there is more to life than being just "someone's something." I admit this series further reinforces my feminist views. Further this novel explores the subjects of homosexuality and child abuse.
I understand people were very disappoined with the ending. I myself was on the verge of tears. But reasonably speaking that was the only way to end.
Overall
Amazing series! This trilogy is about a girl, who lived in times when women were "corsetted", when it was "scandalous" for a girl to have a
mind of her own, when getting a rich husband was a woman's only aim in life - this novel is about a girl who questioned ,a girl who dared to follow a different path.It evoked so many emotions in me.The beautiful passages from this novel themselves bring a lump to my throat.I recommend this book to all you women out there , whether you are adults/young adults or whether you like fantasy or not!All I can say is "WOW!".How I wish Libba Bray had written more books in the series . This novel is for every adult/young adult who wants to read a well- written intelligent fantasy.
Recommended: Hell YES! To every woman! And to everyone who has ever questioned life or struggled with identity issues.
Summary of The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, Book 3)
* ?A huge work of massive ambition.??Publishers Weekly, StarredIt 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.
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A #1 Book Sense Bestseller
A New York Times Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
A 2008 New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
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