Read Aloud Virginia - Book Store - The Sweet Far Thing

	List Price: $50.00 Our Price: $36.50 Your Save: $ 13.50 ( 27% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 9780739356296 Format: Audiobook ISBN: 0739356291 Label: Listening Library (Audio) Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio) Number Of Items: 16 Publication Date: 2008-01-08 Publisher: Listening Library (Audio) Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: 2008-01-08 Studio: Listening Library (Audio)
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Editorial Reviews: IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father a laudanum 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. From the Hardcover edition.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: The End to one of the best written YA Trilogy Comment: For the past two days I have locked myself up and away from any form of life (it surprised me that I didn't even show any concern for Americas next top model primer that I was anticipating for months! Not to mention that I have a lot of House M.D to catch up on!) and I trapped myself inside the lives of Gemma Doyle and her friends and I must say I already miss them all. The Sweet Far Thing is Bray's last and concluding book of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, where Gemma has to make a lot of big decisions that will alter the faith of her friends, the order, the Rakshanas and of course the realms. Set where we have left of in Rebel Angels, Gemma has the powers of the realms in the tip of her fingers and everyone wants it for their different purposes, Gemma's choice of giving it equally to everyone living in a realms dosent come without a price, As Gemma ventures into the world of the realms while still trying to be a normal girl in Spence academy she finds herself questioning her own motives and at times resisting temptation which is quite interesting because after all she is only human. As for the ending, I would not know how to describe it because I am still unsure what I think, I could say its bittersweet or perhaps unexpected for me. This action packed book certainly is a page turner and with 800 pages of the story I still wished for more! When I remember the main reason why I picked up these books in the first place was because I was told it was similar to reading Twilight, how wrong I was because I find these book far more interesting in terms of its writing style and descriptions and lastly the main difference is that brays conclusion of the story was not as bad as the twilight saga! I hope and I know this hope is a lost cause but perhaps hope to have atleast one more story! -spoilers- Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book there were significant parts that quite annoyed me! First and it mainly had to do with Gemma's friends and perhaps how they shouldn't even be called her friends! I was frustrated ever since the book started by their actions but expected them to evolve but that never happened, they were still annoying and childish as ever including the whole pip thing! Second, the whole plot at parts seemed predictable and left me saying and I should be surprised because? And finally I was devastated with Kirtiks choice! I really would have wanted to see Gemma and Kirtik happy together to perhaps prove that they can defy what society thinks of such a match but that wasn't the case! *sighs* Customer Rating: Summary: Not really what I was hoping for Comment: I enjoyed it more so than the first 3 but still did not think it was a great series. It has been awhile since I read the first two so there were a few things I was still fuzzy about. I couldn't really remember how Gemma trapped Circe. Even though I wasn't in love with the first two books I had to read this one because I wanted to find out if Felicity and Pippa would prove to be good friends or turn on Gemma. I also wanted to know if Gemma ended up with Kartik. Gemma's brother was such a jerk and idiot I found his character really irritating. I suppose you could say that was good character development since I'm assuming that was how he was supposed to come off. I read this one pretty fast as I had to get back to work today but there were a few things I did not understand or like about the characters. I think one of the main reasons I did not care for this series is I did not really like Gemma. She seems so self-centered and spoiled. She is always moping about how alone she is and she is tired of people using her and telling her what to do. Yet over the three books I don't see her maturing at all and making any decisions that show she is growing up and deserves to choose her own fate. Even Felicity seemed to grow up more than Gemma in the end despite Gemma's constant thoughts of how thoughtless Felicity is to the real world and other people's feelings. I felt sorry for the way Ann was treated but this is one instance I agreed with Gemma. If Ann was not going to make any effort to try and change her lot in life then she might just deserve what she gets. Stop here if you do not want any spoilers. It was nice to see that Mrs. Nightwing was on the good side. I was surprised in the end Ms. McCleethy was basically a good character and just misguided in trusting Eugenia Spence. I did not care for the way she was killed off though. At first when she tells Pippa to sacrifice her instead of Gemma she appears noble and self-sacrificing but then when she sees Pippa is going through with it and then she protests. So instead of looking self-sacrificing it looks more like she thought she was bluffing Pippa. Since she was going to die I would have rather her gone out as the brave heroine. I was happy to see that even though she was not able to cross over Wendy wasn't really "sacrificed" like Pippa claimed. I actually don't understand what happened there. When Pippa sacrificed Mr. Darcy and Wendy did she just hand them over to the creatures of the Winterland and not actually kill them? It was a little confusing since for Ms. McCleethy and Gemma she was going to sacrifice them in her castle. I was shocked to find out that Eugenia Spence was really the ultimate villainess in the book. That was one outcome I did not expect. Not to mention the fact that Circe helped Gemma and even seemed to sort of care for her. I was sad that Gemma did not end up Kartik. Customer Rating: Summary: Not just for young adults... Comment: I just read this book (after reading A Great and Terrible Beauty & Rebel Angels) and have to say how much I loved it. They should be read in order to best understand everything that is happening. I was sad at the end but understand that not everything can have a happy/perfect ending. I would love to see another book where she returns from University in America and goes back to Spence and the realms. I would definitely recommend these books to anyone of any age! Customer Rating: Summary: A repetitive dissapointment Comment: I felt those 800 pages. Like others, around pg 600 I began to skim to move things a long. Gemma was just to stupid. Giving Circe magic, and Pippa for that matter. Her friends had almost no redeem qualities to them. I began to like Felicity in book 2, but in this book she had no personality other than selfish and spoiled. The friendship of the four girls just became unbelievable because they were all so unlikeable. It was a disappointing end, mostly because nothing happened. Customer Rating: Summary: The Perfect Ending Comment: This is a perfect fast paced and gripping finale to the Gemma Doyle trilogy. Readers will love to follow Gemma as she grapples with personal, social and magical dilemma's. In this final installment of the trilogy friendships are tested, new worlds explored and romance discovered. I was hooked from the very beginning of this book, and found my heart racing along with the plot line. My biggest problem with this book is that it was the last one. I was completely drawn into the Victorian and magical worlds created by Libba Bray. When it was over I felt like I had lost my friends. I highly reccomend this and the other Gemma Doyle books. More Reviews