Many authors have their own way of writing, creating suspense, describing different types of moods or just know how to keep you reading. Libba Bray did all of these while writing her book. I liked how in the beginning of the book there was a mystery that would eventually unravel itself. It made you question what was going to happen next. While reading the book she was descriptive and detailed. She would focus on what she was writing about, and wouldn’t ramble. I really liked how she kept you wanted to read more, even if it’s hard to get into the book until later on. She would throw in deaths, mysteries, conflicts, or unusual events just keep the book from not leaving your hands. I found it the most interesting when she started putting in hints that one of the four girls, was a betrayer. This just made the need to finish even greater. Libba knew where her readers were most interested in reading about i.e. men, adventures. In the end I enjoyed how she brought it all together and made it fit. She did a good job of concluding the trilogy and ended on a hopeful note instead of just everyone dieing.
While Libba Bray was very good at creating and expressing this story, not every writers perfect (or at least everyone is a critic). I found that when it came to the minor characters, she was a little to brief. She would tell a little about them, but would not explain any background very well. It got a little confusing in the middle because there were almost too many minor characters to keep up with. Another thing I disliked about the book was how the chapters were a little choppy. There could have been better transitions through the chapters. At some parts in the book Libba would start to get into a series topic or subject, but she would keep it brief. I think it was maybe to keep your attention but I would have liked her to elaborate a bit more. During the final battle the only thing I didn’t like was how quickly it was described. I think it could have had a little more detail, which would have made it more believable. There wasn’t too many things I wasn’t happy with in this book but the main reason I disliked it was the there were no more awesome books in the series to read!
Unfortunately I have not read any of Libba Bray’s other books besides the Gemma Doyle trilogy. I’m sure that they would be just as good if I had. Libba Bray reminds me of the author Cassandra Clare. She wrote books like City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass. They are both alike because they each have a good way of dealing with romance/crush scenes. Libba and Cassandra can create really good mystery themed books. The Sweet Far Thing had much less violence and action than Cassandra’s books but they both deal with similar situations. Another novel that reminds me of my book is the Narnia series. The Narnia series deals with demons and unusual fantasy worlds like The Sweet Far Thing. This book was similar and different to many books, but it had its own unique essence.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reactions
I thought The Sweet Far Thing was an amazing book. It may have been a little over explained in the middle. The beginning was a little confusing but when I read it over it made more sense. I was surprised at the ending and how good it was. It was maybe drowned out but I thought it was very touching. Now that I look back, Libba Bray packed a lot of information and action into the book. After I read it, the novel didn’t seem 800+ pages. I could tell at different parts the more enthusiasm and longing to write the scene more than other parts of the story. When I read the first two books I was waiting for a fantastic third book finish in the trilogy. I think Libba Bray did a pretty close job. This is the kind of book where you could read it again and find something you didn’t notice before. Its one of those in depth books that you have to be in a quiet place and have time. You can’t just read it in, say a train station for five minutes and then put it away. Overall it’s a awesome and profound young adult novel. In general I think I paid my moneys worth for the book.
When I was reading this novel all I was thinking was were was Kartik! You know how an author can make you fall in love or hate a certain character? Well Libba Bray made me long to read the parts about Kartik. I would even laugh at some witty things he would say in the book. I felt like he was an actual human being that I knew a lot about. I really don’t like Felicity. She is like the girl in the class who can be your friend one moment and then a back stabber the next. That’s why I was shocked when she didn’t betray Gemma but had a pretty good ending. I was not surprised that Libba Bray created one last immense battle scene. It felt like everything was being put out in the open and the book was coming to an end. The only thing that kind of bothered me was that there were a lot of minor characters to keep up with. It became a little confusing to keep track. I actually felt really good after I read the book, like when you’ve completed your
homework, a sense of ease. I was very happy and sad to finish The Sweet Far Thing.
I would recommend anyone who likes to read, to take a look at this book. It really is a series that you can’t put down. However, it is more of a female novel and may appeal to women way more than men. I was recommended by one of my friends to read the first book and now I have the whole collection. This is just an amazing book that open a whole new light. It was a twist and very interesting to read. The reason I wouldn’t recommend it for men to read is because it contains so much emotion of a teenage girl that I think a normal guy would explode. If a guy wants to read it I would say go for it, but I know few guys who like to read in general, let alone a young female adult novel. For me this series was very profound, changed some views and got me hooked on some gypsy boys!
When I was reading this novel all I was thinking was were was Kartik! You know how an author can make you fall in love or hate a certain character? Well Libba Bray made me long to read the parts about Kartik. I would even laugh at some witty things he would say in the book. I felt like he was an actual human being that I knew a lot about. I really don’t like Felicity. She is like the girl in the class who can be your friend one moment and then a back stabber the next. That’s why I was shocked when she didn’t betray Gemma but had a pretty good ending. I was not surprised that Libba Bray created one last immense battle scene. It felt like everything was being put out in the open and the book was coming to an end. The only thing that kind of bothered me was that there were a lot of minor characters to keep up with. It became a little confusing to keep track. I actually felt really good after I read the book, like when you’ve completed your
homework, a sense of ease. I was very happy and sad to finish The Sweet Far Thing.
I would recommend anyone who likes to read, to take a look at this book. It really is a series that you can’t put down. However, it is more of a female novel and may appeal to women way more than men. I was recommended by one of my friends to read the first book and now I have the whole collection. This is just an amazing book that open a whole new light. It was a twist and very interesting to read. The reason I wouldn’t recommend it for men to read is because it contains so much emotion of a teenage girl that I think a normal guy would explode. If a guy wants to read it I would say go for it, but I know few guys who like to read in general, let alone a young female adult novel. For me this series was very profound, changed some views and got me hooked on some gypsy boys!
Experiences
While I was reading this book, a lot of my past experiences came into my head.The Gorgon came up in the book and it reminded me in English class when we were reading a story and talking about her. It was a shock that that happen to come up. There was this one scene in the book where it describes Gemma being in a blissful meadow. It was about in grade 6 where I was with one of my friends and we were rolling down my hill in my backyard. It was summertime, the wind was blowing and you could hear every sound it was so quite. We ended up just lying on my grass and it was the most peaceful moment ever for me.
Some books that I have read remind me of The Sweet Far Thing. One of the books was Charlie Bone. It had the essence of magic and abnormality. In Charlie bone they had the sort of groups like the Spence girls had. The Sweet Far Thing reminds of all the books I have read that deal with balls, big dresses, not a high respect for women, unusual magic, and academies. Among the Impostors really reminded me about this book because it dealt with a boy being sent to an academy he didn’t know anything about or what he would encounter there. Reading the Royal Diaries novels also dealt with a lot of olden day living and customs, like the big dresses and having a man escort you everywhere. These are some similar things that these books are related to The Sweet Far Thing.
Books that were alike in the novel I read were also different. In Charlie Bone, it was focussed on a teenage boy and him having magic powers that his whole family knew of and tried to educate. Charlie’s Dad was also missing for a great deal of the series unlike Gemma’s dad who was there, but an alcoholic. The difference between Among the Impostors was that again, the novel was about a boy. His name was Luke and hid his real identity with a fear of the outside world. Gemma never had to hide at Spence in fact she was never really afraid of it. She liked living there but Luke just couldn’t get the idea out of his head the he could be caught as a fraud any moment. These books automatically came to my head when I thought of The Sweet Far Thing because they are so similar but have their differences from each other.
Some books that I have read remind me of The Sweet Far Thing. One of the books was Charlie Bone. It had the essence of magic and abnormality. In Charlie bone they had the sort of groups like the Spence girls had. The Sweet Far Thing reminds of all the books I have read that deal with balls, big dresses, not a high respect for women, unusual magic, and academies. Among the Impostors really reminded me about this book because it dealt with a boy being sent to an academy he didn’t know anything about or what he would encounter there. Reading the Royal Diaries novels also dealt with a lot of olden day living and customs, like the big dresses and having a man escort you everywhere. These are some similar things that these books are related to The Sweet Far Thing.
Books that were alike in the novel I read were also different. In Charlie Bone, it was focussed on a teenage boy and him having magic powers that his whole family knew of and tried to educate. Charlie’s Dad was also missing for a great deal of the series unlike Gemma’s dad who was there, but an alcoholic. The difference between Among the Impostors was that again, the novel was about a boy. His name was Luke and hid his real identity with a fear of the outside world. Gemma never had to hide at Spence in fact she was never really afraid of it. She liked living there but Luke just couldn’t get the idea out of his head the he could be caught as a fraud any moment. These books automatically came to my head when I thought of The Sweet Far Thing because they are so similar but have their differences from each other.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Predictions
When I was reading this book, I had no idea what was going to happen. There were so many unpredictable parts that anything could have happened. I predicted that Gemma and Kartik would triumph over the demons and rule in the realms together. Ann would become a confident, actor performing in the theatre. Felicity would fall in love with a handsome General of some kind and travel the world with Pippa. I thought Spence would close down because it seemed like the whole book was held at that academy. I hoped the four girls would stay together through everything, but it seemed like to much hope. When I was reading I think I knew that something drastic was going to happen. I predicted that if any of the girls were going to betray them, it would have been Felicity. She seemed the most strong headed and suspicious. My predictions for all these characters changed so much while I read the novel, and I think the author did that purposely.
My predictions were way more off than I thought after I read the book. First of all, to my dismay Gemma and Kartik did not end up together. Ann considered being an actrice but she was discouraged by all the lovely looking women and instead thought of maybe being a teacher. Felicity was a shock to me, in the end she wasn’t the one who betrayed Gemma. It unfolded why Felicity and Pippa had such a strong connection in the novel, it was because they loved each other. Durring that time it was thought to be evil and so unrespectable to be attracted to the opposite sex. Pippa was the deceiver as unlikely as it sounds. Her desperation and unbelievable rage to stay and rule the realms over came her until she was nothing better than one of the demons which became her road to destruction. Spence indeed remained open and survived a full on attack from monsters not of this world. I was very surprised at how different my predictions were.
Not everything about my predictions were wrong. I knew one of the girls would die or disappear in some way. I just didn’t expect it to be the lovely Pippa. I knew from the very beginning the Gemma would in more ways than one triumph. The whole series was about her so that gave me the hunch she would survive. During the middle of the book, Felicity did go into a dark place for awhile. It was described that she had loathing eyes when Gemma’s back was turned while opening the realms or using its power when she couldn’t. The book was very unpredictable and that is why it was hard to predict what would happen to all the characters, there was just too much stuff that could happen to them!
My predictions were way more off than I thought after I read the book. First of all, to my dismay Gemma and Kartik did not end up together. Ann considered being an actrice but she was discouraged by all the lovely looking women and instead thought of maybe being a teacher. Felicity was a shock to me, in the end she wasn’t the one who betrayed Gemma. It unfolded why Felicity and Pippa had such a strong connection in the novel, it was because they loved each other. Durring that time it was thought to be evil and so unrespectable to be attracted to the opposite sex. Pippa was the deceiver as unlikely as it sounds. Her desperation and unbelievable rage to stay and rule the realms over came her until she was nothing better than one of the demons which became her road to destruction. Spence indeed remained open and survived a full on attack from monsters not of this world. I was very surprised at how different my predictions were.
Not everything about my predictions were wrong. I knew one of the girls would die or disappear in some way. I just didn’t expect it to be the lovely Pippa. I knew from the very beginning the Gemma would in more ways than one triumph. The whole series was about her so that gave me the hunch she would survive. During the middle of the book, Felicity did go into a dark place for awhile. It was described that she had loathing eyes when Gemma’s back was turned while opening the realms or using its power when she couldn’t. The book was very unpredictable and that is why it was hard to predict what would happen to all the characters, there was just too much stuff that could happen to them!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Author
Libba Bray is the author of The Sweet Far Thing. I think she is a fantastic young adult fiction author. She really seems to be able to relate to some of her characters (or tries) in her books. I think she wrote the Gemma Doyle Trilogy because it is a great young female novel to read while your growing up. It talks about love, betrayals, consequences, accidents, finding identity and overcoming your fears. All of what teenagers are going through right now. I think Libba Bray either wanted to share some ideas on how to get through the tough years, or she wanted to make it more hopeful and uplifting. She seems like she went through some tough times herself and therefore can describe the feelings really well.
Durring the book, I think Libba Bray was trying to get across that life isn’t always great. With Felicity it was being sexually abused, with Ann it was being bullied and with Pippa it was not having control of her life. All sound like possible teenage problems. The whole adventure was about four lovely girls going through and getting past their problems. Each showing they are strong enough, also with some help from each other to get through the hard times. I think Libba Bray was also a religious person. There were a lot of metaphors and explanations to do with God. One of the ends scenes were when all the girls trapped themselves in the church to hide from the demons. Libba Bray adds some profoundness and thought to her story.
Libba Bray has also written Vacations From Hell, Going Bovine, The Restless Dead, 21 Proms, Up All Night, and the Gemma Doyal Trilogy which includes A Great And Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing. I have only read the trilogy. It is by far my favourite novel series. I think I’ll read her other books because I think she is a really good author. She can really relate to the feelings when you’re a young adult. I don’t know if I will read her horror books because I think she does a good job of describing scary events, which is why I’ll stick to her romantic, dramatic novels.
Durring the book, I think Libba Bray was trying to get across that life isn’t always great. With Felicity it was being sexually abused, with Ann it was being bullied and with Pippa it was not having control of her life. All sound like possible teenage problems. The whole adventure was about four lovely girls going through and getting past their problems. Each showing they are strong enough, also with some help from each other to get through the hard times. I think Libba Bray was also a religious person. There were a lot of metaphors and explanations to do with God. One of the ends scenes were when all the girls trapped themselves in the church to hide from the demons. Libba Bray adds some profoundness and thought to her story.
Libba Bray has also written Vacations From Hell, Going Bovine, The Restless Dead, 21 Proms, Up All Night, and the Gemma Doyal Trilogy which includes A Great And Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing. I have only read the trilogy. It is by far my favourite novel series. I think I’ll read her other books because I think she is a really good author. She can really relate to the feelings when you’re a young adult. I don’t know if I will read her horror books because I think she does a good job of describing scary events, which is why I’ll stick to her romantic, dramatic novels.
Mood
This book made me crazy! I could not put it down. At the starting of the book it was so mysterious and a little hard to follow. It started off very disturbing and different. It was a lot darker than I expected but this book is where all the action happened. Although in the middle of the book, it was so unpredictable. I felt more and more attached to the book as I read, I think I even dreamed about it. There was a lot of romance and suspicion in the middle of the book. I was shocked at how much drama and betrayal came out of it. Near the end there was a lot of jealousy, anger, revenge and attraction. Even though it was a little darker it didn’t bother me, it actually put a twist to it.
By far the saddest part of the book was when Kartik sacrificed himself. I was so shocked that I got mad at the author. He was the piece of the book that when I read it, it put a smile on my face. He made everything less complicated and confusing. He also spiced up the story. He was suppose to triumph with Gemma and then live happily ever after but he proved that he would die for Gemma, and so he did. The funniest part of the book was when Gemma had to dress up like a guy and pretend to be Kartiks brother. It failed miserably, but it was pretty funny.
The most mysterious incident that happened was when Felicity started acting all weird and keeping to herself. I later found out that Felicity was going behind Gemma’s back trying to find a way to take her magic. Felicity gets out of control and try’s to turn Pippa and Ann against Gemma which results in sides being taken in the middle of the book. Another mysterious part were the scenes which Felicity is talking about guys or her dad. She seemed hidden and revolted when it came to those subjects. You sort of know that she was molested by the way she acted and how the story revealed that part of Felicity. It was very shocking to think that a woman so strong and loyal had that happen to her.
The author made the book full of various moods. I think at the end it got harder for her to transition them, than at the started of the novel. She did a very good job with making the moods have the full effect on you with different scenes. If there was death, she would make you cold and actually feel lonely, when there was bliss she would describe every happy thought. I think she could have been a little better getting the mood of spite and destruction. Overall it was very well described and mentally pictured.
By far the saddest part of the book was when Kartik sacrificed himself. I was so shocked that I got mad at the author. He was the piece of the book that when I read it, it put a smile on my face. He made everything less complicated and confusing. He also spiced up the story. He was suppose to triumph with Gemma and then live happily ever after but he proved that he would die for Gemma, and so he did. The funniest part of the book was when Gemma had to dress up like a guy and pretend to be Kartiks brother. It failed miserably, but it was pretty funny.
The most mysterious incident that happened was when Felicity started acting all weird and keeping to herself. I later found out that Felicity was going behind Gemma’s back trying to find a way to take her magic. Felicity gets out of control and try’s to turn Pippa and Ann against Gemma which results in sides being taken in the middle of the book. Another mysterious part were the scenes which Felicity is talking about guys or her dad. She seemed hidden and revolted when it came to those subjects. You sort of know that she was molested by the way she acted and how the story revealed that part of Felicity. It was very shocking to think that a woman so strong and loyal had that happen to her.
The author made the book full of various moods. I think at the end it got harder for her to transition them, than at the started of the novel. She did a very good job with making the moods have the full effect on you with different scenes. If there was death, she would make you cold and actually feel lonely, when there was bliss she would describe every happy thought. I think she could have been a little better getting the mood of spite and destruction. Overall it was very well described and mentally pictured.
Characters
Gemma Doyle was the ‘main character’ in The Sweet Far Thing. She reminds me of a sweat and innocent looking girl on the outside but a fierce, brave misunderstood woman on the inside. I think she would make a great friend because she is a good listener and she sticks up for her friends. She doesn’t always like to hear the truth but she always ends up accepting it. In the beginning of the book Gemma was dead set on stating that everything was going so badly for her but through the book she comes to the conclusion that the world isn’t always flowers and candy. Through the book Gemma was a popular lady that all the others girls were jealous of. She was however humble and honest even with all the power she inherited.
Felicity Worthington was another main female character. She is considered sensuous, self-loathing at times, loyal and envious. Felicity will not take any crap from anyone, she is a natural born leader and a quick thinker. She is quick to stand up for her friends verbally and physically. Felicity is one of those girls that doesn’t like other people having more power than she does, that’s why at times she envies Gemma. The shocking event that occurred in the book was when I learned Felicity was molested by her father as a child. It explained her behaviour to men, longing for power and persuasion for attention. In the end Felicity was able to follow orders instead of giving them, and trust in her friends better.
Pippa Cross was best friends with Felicity and Gemma. Pippa was the most beautiful woman and most elegant of the Spence girls. She described in her own words that “beauty creates problems. Its misery”. Pippa always followed Felicity around like a lost puppy. I found her to be greatly annoying at first, and undoubtedly stupid. Going through the book you learn more about why she is sometimes like a sheep, it is because everyone around her wants to ‘own’ her.
The last of the main Spence girls is Ann Bradshaw. Ann is the ‘ugly duckling’ of the four girls. All Ann wishes is to be beautiful like her friends. She is very shy and insecure. Ann has the voice of an angel however. She lives for the theatre, but that is a place for beautiful people she explains. All Ann has is her friends and her dreams. She is considered poor which further condemns her to the lower class. Ann is the one character that seems the most real. She has the problems that more kids can relate too. I get angry at her character because she gets stepped on all through the book, and it pains me that she doesn’t stand up for herself. Overall Ann is a kind character that was very well put together.
Felicity Worthington was another main female character. She is considered sensuous, self-loathing at times, loyal and envious. Felicity will not take any crap from anyone, she is a natural born leader and a quick thinker. She is quick to stand up for her friends verbally and physically. Felicity is one of those girls that doesn’t like other people having more power than she does, that’s why at times she envies Gemma. The shocking event that occurred in the book was when I learned Felicity was molested by her father as a child. It explained her behaviour to men, longing for power and persuasion for attention. In the end Felicity was able to follow orders instead of giving them, and trust in her friends better.
Pippa Cross was best friends with Felicity and Gemma. Pippa was the most beautiful woman and most elegant of the Spence girls. She described in her own words that “beauty creates problems. Its misery”. Pippa always followed Felicity around like a lost puppy. I found her to be greatly annoying at first, and undoubtedly stupid. Going through the book you learn more about why she is sometimes like a sheep, it is because everyone around her wants to ‘own’ her.
The last of the main Spence girls is Ann Bradshaw. Ann is the ‘ugly duckling’ of the four girls. All Ann wishes is to be beautiful like her friends. She is very shy and insecure. Ann has the voice of an angel however. She lives for the theatre, but that is a place for beautiful people she explains. All Ann has is her friends and her dreams. She is considered poor which further condemns her to the lower class. Ann is the one character that seems the most real. She has the problems that more kids can relate too. I get angry at her character because she gets stepped on all through the book, and it pains me that she doesn’t stand up for herself. Overall Ann is a kind character that was very well put together.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Questions
In my book I didn’t understand why Kartik (one of the male characters) had to die. He died while saving the main character, Gemma. They were a young couple with a forbidden love. A sensible, rich brought up girl was she and a dirty, hardworking gypsy boy was he. I did not understand why the author would have them broken up, but when I think that Kartik died for her, it makes him a hero. If he hadn’t the book revolving around Woman’s independence and power would have been a little off. The author showed that Gemma could continue living without Kartik always being there for her. She defeated her fears and overcame obstacles with her own power. I think she was trying to do the whole ‘women don’t need men to protect them’ objective, and it worked!
I found that just everything that came up in the book kept me willing to read more. The right amount of love attraction, nail biting suspense and weird mystery. She evened it out there the book very well. She spun some fantasy and dream world imagination into the book. Gemma’s character was always being told what to do and how to act properly in company, so near the end of the book there was little respect for the people who were suppose to be ‘respected’. I liked it even more because Gemma was more like a rebellious teenager trying to find herself. I don’t really have any problems with how the book ended or was written.
My favourite character in this book would have to be Kartik. He is like the hunky, deep, stable boy that all the girls like. He gives his life for his love, Gemma. Kartik is a gypsy and at first he thinks Gemma is just another flimsy Spence girl, but near the end he believes he doesn’t deserve her. He is protective and really strong. At the beginning of the book you find him boastful and cocky but Gemma changes that side of him. Kartik has a brother that was killed and he doesn’t have any family. He doesn’t want to admit that he needs someone because he thinks it will make him weak. Kartik is just funny and makes the book so much better to read.
My favourite scene in this book was the final battle. It was when all the demons from Gemma’s Realm were transversing into reality. It held so much suspense and action that I couldn’t put the book down, even if it was late at night. The author would write it so the evil characters were almost victorious, but then the real triumph came. In the scene both sides were slowly losing numbers and you knew it was getting close to the end. There was magic, weapons, revengeful demons and brave humans all mixed into one finally ending. The good characters triumphed obviously and kicked some monster butt. I had to read a little shower than usual to make sure I didn’t miss anything because so much happened.
I found that just everything that came up in the book kept me willing to read more. The right amount of love attraction, nail biting suspense and weird mystery. She evened it out there the book very well. She spun some fantasy and dream world imagination into the book. Gemma’s character was always being told what to do and how to act properly in company, so near the end of the book there was little respect for the people who were suppose to be ‘respected’. I liked it even more because Gemma was more like a rebellious teenager trying to find herself. I don’t really have any problems with how the book ended or was written.
My favourite character in this book would have to be Kartik. He is like the hunky, deep, stable boy that all the girls like. He gives his life for his love, Gemma. Kartik is a gypsy and at first he thinks Gemma is just another flimsy Spence girl, but near the end he believes he doesn’t deserve her. He is protective and really strong. At the beginning of the book you find him boastful and cocky but Gemma changes that side of him. Kartik has a brother that was killed and he doesn’t have any family. He doesn’t want to admit that he needs someone because he thinks it will make him weak. Kartik is just funny and makes the book so much better to read.
My favourite scene in this book was the final battle. It was when all the demons from Gemma’s Realm were transversing into reality. It held so much suspense and action that I couldn’t put the book down, even if it was late at night. The author would write it so the evil characters were almost victorious, but then the real triumph came. In the scene both sides were slowly losing numbers and you knew it was getting close to the end. There was magic, weapons, revengeful demons and brave humans all mixed into one finally ending. The good characters triumphed obviously and kicked some monster butt. I had to read a little shower than usual to make sure I didn’t miss anything because so much happened.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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