Rebel Angels, by Libba Bray

• Title: Rebel Angels
• Author: Libba Bray
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
• Date: December 26, 2006
• ISBN-10: 0385733410
• • Reading level: Young Adult
    
  • Paperback: 592 pages
  • Classification: Fiction
  • Genre: Historical Fantasy

Series Title: Gemma Doyle Trilogy

Reader's Annotation: The second book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, the adventure of Miss Doyle continue on. She continues her mission to search for and destroy Circe while at the same time facing more complex barriers and difficulties between both the magical worlds and the high society 19th Century London.

Summary: After initially breaking through to the "realms" and Gemma finds out her connection to magic, she and her friends continue to fight to bind the magic of the realms (as much as the resist). But as they do this they are seduced by London society and the temptation to be proper young ladies and all that entails. Meanwhile, Gemma continues to brake the "rules" of being a proper young lady by being more and more captivated by Kartik who is squatting with gypsies outside her proper boarding shcool and is a messenger of the Rakshana, an questionable organization that may be out to get her. This makes Kartik even more dangerous and alluring.

Evaluation: I found this book the be the best of the three. Beautifully woven pictures of London, the gypsie camp, and the artwork Rebel Angels, at the turn of the Century juxtaposed by the magical world the three girls of The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. Bray creates a world poetic by nature and conflicted by harsh reality.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: The relationship between Kartik and Gemma serves as a go way to look at racial and economic divides and/or when people don't approve of interracial relations. There is magical, anti-religious themes even if the don't tend to be-but if you look closer there are classic battles of good and evil, self-discipline, and friendship. Also, an interesting look at the role of women in the Victorian era which gives a lot of insight into the role women play today and how we got to this point in women's lib.

Reason this Book was Chosen: Again, I wanted some depth in my genre choices, and was impressed by the story telling and the racial undertones. I also wanted to look at the history of women in society in the past. relation

Notes:

WINNER 2006 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults

NOMINEE 2007 - Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

Official Trilogy Website:

http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/gemmadoyle/home.php

Official Trailer Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/gemmadoyle/parlor/bktrailers.html

One of My Favorite Fan Trailers: