Book Review: The Sweet Far Thing - Libba Bray

It has been a year since Gemma Doyle first arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy and much has changed. Having bound the wild, dark magic of the Realms to her, Gemma has forged unlikely friendships with Ann and Felicity, and Kartik, the exotic young man whose companionship is forbidden. She has also come to an uneasy, tenuous truce with the fearsome creatures of the Realms. 
But now the time has come to test the strength of those bonds. As her friendship with Ann and Felicity faces its gravest trial and with the Order grappling for control of the Realms, Gemma is compelled to decide once and for all which path she is meant to take. Her destiny threatens to set chaos loose, not only in the Realms, but also upon the rigid Victorian society whose rules Gemma has both defied and followed. Where does Gemma really belong? And will she, can she, survive? - From the back of the book.

This is the last instalment in the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and I'm disappointed to see it end. I wish there could be another book or two, but there's not going to be. And if there was, I think it might have ruined it. But still. Another year in the world of Gemma Doyle does sound good...

This book is very long. At 819 pages, there is a lot of story. The first few hundred pages were quite slow moving, but after that, it's very hard to put down.

The thing about these books is that they started my love of historical fiction. I found I preferred the parts of the book that were in the real world, outside of the Realms, than the bits that Gemma and her friends were in the Realms. I don't know why this is, but I'm pretty sure it's just me, not the way it's written. There were lots of twists are turns, some that were obviously going to happen, and others that I wouldn't have guessed were going to happen at all. Although, looking back, it wouldn't be as good if they weren't there.

After finishing the book, I was sad. I wouldn't be able to look forward to another book in the series. I'd become very attached to the books, and I didn't realise. But, then again, I always feel that way after finishing a series... I also found it hard to get into another book, because I kept comparing it to the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and in comparison, they were not good.

The series came to an amazing end, and I am very pleased with the way it ended. Sometimes, you get books and they're really good, and they build up to an impressive end, but the writer just can't deliver. And The Sweet Far Thing is NOT one of those. I would quite happily read the books again, and I'm sure I will, in the next few years.  I'd recommend it to everyone, for everyone will love it!

I give it 5 Feet!