The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (ISBN:0385730306)

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		The Sweet Far Thing
	
				(615 reviews)			
(8698 Readers)

			Libba Bray		
	
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...more
 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.   less

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Showing 10 of 615 reviews

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Although this concluding book in the series was LONG, the second half was pretty exciting.  There's no shortage of drama, thrills, and suspense, and a dash of bittersweet romance, as Gemma Doyle FINALLY is forced to deciding what to do with the magic of the Realms.  Everyone and every thing wants it, and they are willing to lie, threaten, maim, and kill in order to get the magic and the power...more
 Although this concluding book in the series was LONG, the second half was pretty exciting.  There's no shortage of drama, thrills, and suspense, and a dash of bittersweet romance, as Gemma Doyle FINALLY is forced to deciding what to do with the magic of the Realms.  Everyone and every thing wants it, and they are willing to lie, threaten, maim, and kill in order to get the magic and the power that comes with it.  Gemma and her friends are still trying to figure out what will happen to the three of them when their Spence Academy days are over, but will they have much of a choice?  Probably unrealistic ending for the Victorian time period, but satisfying none-the-less.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
this book is taking me forever!!! The first 2 books wer AMAZING, but this one...not so much.
I loved the 1st 2 books, but this one dragged on way too much. It was too repetitive with the same kinds of conversations over and over again. It also had a lot of drama that didn't fit in that setting. If the first 400 pages were shortened to 200 I think this book would have been very good. I still did...more
 this book is taking me forever!!! The first 2 books wer AMAZING, but this one...not so much.
I loved the 1st 2 books, but this one dragged on way too much. It was too repetitive with the same kinds of conversations over and over again. It also had a lot of drama that didn't fit in that setting. If the first 400 pages were shortened to 200 I think this book would have been very good. I still did like the ending though.
it's sad that this is the last one in the series. I wish she could keep writing forever!!!
I'm at page 260 and the book is still really slow, but I hope it gets better.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Sweeeet trilogy, loved it. I see a lot my myself in Gemma, mostly in the confused wanderings. But some of the bravery too, she's so dynamic. I love that the story is free of tropes and overly romanticized descriptions. I love Bray's writing style, brilliant. I fell in love with Kartik and was completely swept away. I thought it was cool that pippa and felicity were in love, because it brought a...more
 Sweeeet trilogy, loved it. I see a lot my myself in Gemma, mostly in the confused wanderings. But some of the bravery too, she's so dynamic. I love that the story is free of tropes and overly romanticized descriptions. I love Bray's writing style, brilliant. I fell in love with Kartik and was completely swept away. I thought it was cool that pippa and felicity were in love, because it brought a sense of modernity to it all. Well, in a way- more a universality and humanity, saying that people have always been people. She makes even the wicked beautiful in away. Really really good. sad. but good.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Most excellent. A highly satisfying end to an amazing series. Several times I wondered "Okay, Libba, please tell me how you're getting them out of this one!" and you did.One of the very, very few things I did not like about the book was the revelation about Pippa and Felicity. It seemed almost as an afterthought and just because you have a close girl friend and abusive father...but whatever. If...more
 Most excellent. A highly satisfying end to an amazing series. Several times I wondered "Okay, Libba, please tell me how you're getting them out of this one!" and you did.One of the very, very few things I did not like about the book was the revelation about Pippa and Felicity. It seemed almost as an afterthought and just because you have a close girl friend and abusive father...but whatever. If that's my ONLY complaint, then she did pretty well, I must say.   hide

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							Kelsey
						
							few weeks ago						
A bit of a disappointing wrap-up to the series.  The first two hundred pages mainly focus on the Victorian culture and not much else.  Although I highly enjoyed reading about this period, at one point I went, "Where's the real story here?"  Finally, once you've trudged through about six hundred pages, the action starts up and delivers the most action-packed scene the series has ever had. It was a...more
 A bit of a disappointing wrap-up to the series.  The first two hundred pages mainly focus on the Victorian culture and not much else.  Although I highly enjoyed reading about this period, at one point I went, "Where's the real story here?"  Finally, once you've trudged through about six hundred pages, the action starts up and delivers the most action-packed scene the series has ever had. It was a little confusing, a little long but overall I liked it.  I do hope Mrs. Bray's next work is in a more modern setting, as I think her writing style, sharp and sarcastic, is better suited to the present than having to be watered down to work in 19th century England.   hide

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							A reader
						
							few weeks ago						
A beautiful end to a remarkable trilogy. Full of joy, laughter, the taste of freedom, and many many tears, Libba Bray accurately depicted the sacrifices one must make toward freedom and self discovery. Although she made me cry many times and destroyed the one character I truly loved, the hope she gives Gemma at the end, the peace that comes after the storm, was worth the read. The ending--so...more
 A beautiful end to a remarkable trilogy. Full of joy, laughter, the taste of freedom, and many many tears, Libba Bray accurately depicted the sacrifices one must make toward freedom and self discovery. Although she made me cry many times and destroyed the one character I truly loved, the hope she gives Gemma at the end, the peace that comes after the storm, was worth the read. The ending--so poignant, so profound--was the perfect conclusion to this thrilling adventure, and I'm sad to say my goodbyes to a book and trilogy I have come to love. This is a book I absolutely recommend!   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
This book is a heartbreaking ending to my favorate fantasy series since Tamora Pierce's 'Song of the Lioness' quartet. Well written, sweet, emotional enough to make you cry like you did at the end of 'Order of the Phoenix' (And you all would be lying if you said you didn't cry atlest a tear.) Genma has a lot to deal with this time around, and it amazes me how she...more
 This book is a heartbreaking ending to my favorate fantasy series since Tamora Pierce's 'Song of the Lioness' quartet. Well written, sweet, emotional enough to make you cry like you did at the end of 'Order of the Phoenix' (And you all would be lying if you said you didn't cry atlest a tear.) Genma has a lot to deal with this time around, and it amazes me how she manages to survive without completely falling apart. It's been awhile since I've read this, but I'd love to reread it again and again, and I'd cry everytime.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I've finished it! But I dare not say anything lest I accidentally reveal things I shouldn't. All I can do is promise that it is surely as exciting and captivating as the first two, and the ending will be satisfying to some but tantalizing to others.
And I just have to say: Felicity...I love you.
Curses to Libba Bray and her LiveJournal tauntings of "bacon-drippings of prose"! *snorts in...more
 I've finished it! But I dare not say anything lest I accidentally reveal things I shouldn't. All I can do is promise that it is surely as exciting and captivating as the first two, and the ending will be satisfying to some but tantalizing to others.
And I just have to say: Felicity...I love you.
Curses to Libba Bray and her LiveJournal tauntings of "bacon-drippings of prose"! *snorts in laughter* I want the book NOW! Please?
Ahhhh! I got it for Christmas! I'm thrilled! Now, after about three hours, I'm on page 744 out of 819, if I remember correctly. It's marvelous so far!   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
This whole series was great! Very easy to get sucked into, plus the Gothic like undertones added a bit darkness to them, which i found exciting.

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Probably my favorite series ever.  Well, it's a close tie with Harry Potter.  This is also my favorite book in the series because it was the one I was addicted to the most. :)
This series is so unique, which is why I love it so much.  It combines the strict London Victorian society with magic, mystery, and the lives of a group of teenage girls of the era.  Libba Bray's writing style...more
 Probably my favorite series ever.  Well, it's a close tie with Harry Potter.  This is also my favorite book in the series because it was the one I was addicted to the most. :)
This series is so unique, which is why I love it so much.  It combines the strict London Victorian society with magic, mystery, and the lives of a group of teenage girls of the era.  Libba Bray's writing style not only employs amazingly intelligent and genuinely entertaining sarcasm, but has a way of writing that will have you staying up until 4 am reading because it is THAT GOOD!
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! :D   hide

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