Sleeping Beauty II: Grief, Bereavement in Memorial Photography American and European Traditions

Customer Reviews:

A Morbid Beauty.......2006-12-03

An absolutely brilliant collection of mortuary photography compiled by the one and only Stanley Burns. The collection is wide-ranging and the photographs range from bland to poignant to artistic to anthropological to fascinating to creepy with stops at all points in between. This collection compiles the original set of images originally released in the hard-to-find and long out-of-print first edition (Sleeping Beauty), and the images are well-known from their inclusion as part of the "Book of the Dead" in the brilliant movie The Others. Burns documents as much as is known about each photograph, littering his commentary with insightful anthropological details that explain the motivation behind the images, and their supreme importance to the people who had them taken. An extraordinary work.

Breathtaking images!.......2005-04-15

Having grown up with postmortem photography in my family albums, and raised by two Victorian German-Polish Americans, this subject did not seem taboo to me. Both Stanley Burns and Jay Ruby(Secure the Shadow) recognize that these photos are shocking to some, however once over any shock you might feel, the images tell so much more than that of living images..just like any archeological,anthroplogical study..we always learn more from the dead than the living. If you already collect postmortem items, this book will save a lot of money as he has collected the images for you! I only wish the first Sleeping Beauty would go to reprint, heck you have to take out a bank loan to get one! Another good one I mentioned earlier is Jay Ruby's "Secure the Shadow". I am currently buying Michael Lesy's "Wiconsin Death Trip" and would need another bank loan to grab James Van Der Zee's "Harlem Book Of the Dead"..If anyone has a copy of Sleeping Beauty, the first one..and just doesn't want it around the house 'cause it is morbid and they want to sell it fast and ..well..cheaper..LET ME KNOW!!! Dawn.

Sleeping Beauty II ~~ Post Mortem at its Finest~~~.......2004-08-20

If you are interested in historical Post Mortem, then this book is for you.

High quality hard cover book with a black dust jacket.

I have it and i love it~~ I purchased it in late summer early fall of 2002 when it first came out.

The first book is valuable, i wish i could acquire it or afford to someday~~

meanwhile i am happy with the second version.

hope that they put out a third version someday~~

Some people might think that this is eerie, to say the least.

But folks back in the 1800's had little or no money for photos of the living~~

And many people died young back then~~ medicine was still in its infancy so there was not much for cures...

Taking a photo of the deceased was the last earthly time that one would see that person...

So I do understand the need....

Photos of Parents or Parent with Child seem most revered by collectors...

any way, it's a beautiful book, worthy of its subject~~

Dying to Be Young: From Botox to Botulism

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Dying to be Young
Everyone needs to read this book for your own information
Dying To Be Young
Never give up that what is all about!
This Story Must Be Told!

Dying to Be Young: From Botox to Botulism
Eric Kaplan
Manufacturer: Nightengale Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Mental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1933449403

Book Description

"The Kaplan's story is an inspiring read and a clarion call to America about the dangers of Botox / Botulism and the horrible consequences if ever used as a weapon of terrorism" -Thomas McMillen, Rhode Scholar, former Chairmen of the President's Council on Sports and Physical Fitness, former Congressman, 11 year NBA Veteran "As a cosmetic dentist and Mrs. United States 2005, I have seen first hand the measures some take in trying to achieve what they consider beauty. In this amazing true life story, the Kaplan's message helps exemplify true beauty, inner beauty. Their courage should never be forgotten." -Dr. Chiann Fan Gibson DMD "This book inspires you to confront your problems and draw on your inner resources to overcome even the greatest of life's obstacles." -Brian Tracy, Best-selling author of more than 40 books, including Crunch Point "Two is better then one if two can act as one. Obviously, the Kaplans acted as one in their courageous fight to overcome obstacles which seemed impossible. I am so excited that they are sharing this story with us. It is inspiring." -Mike Krzyzewski, Head Basketball Coach, Duke University, Author "...I have always been against cosmetic procedures and have considered them malpractice since I became an MD. Good luck on your crusade to change the way the world thinks about cosmetic procedures especially Botox. Please give your life to peace, justice and care." -Patch Adams M.D., Author "Being in the NFL as a defensive end for ten years, I understand a good fight. The Kaplan's story is an amazing story of amazing people. Their ability to overcome adversity makes them champions in my book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be the best they can be." -Duane Clemens,Cincinnati Bengals Defensive End

Customer Reviews:

Dying to be Young.......2007-09-18

I'd recommend this book as I learned a lot. It is a warning of botox which is supposed to be safe. A doctor told me there were never any adverse affects and the near death experience and spiritual experiences are wonderful.

Everyone needs to read this book for your own information.......2007-08-15

The story is so sad, but true and one everyone should be made aware of. The things we don't know can hurt us therefore, it never hurts to be informed. I had no idea what BOTOX stood for UNTIL I read this and now that I know, you better believe I will never let that stuff near me! My health is much more important that anyone's opinion of my looks!

Dying To Be Young.......2007-06-11

Incredible book!!!Great lessons of life, gratititude , appreciation, and most of all LOVE. The power of belief, perserverence, and the will to live will over come anything.

Never give up that what is all about!.......2007-05-24

My friend Eric and his wife just wrote one of the best seller book ever!
It is all about life and faith and a very nice lesson for those who want to give up!
I'm glad to see Eric and his wife smiling and enjoying life again.

Christian G

This Story Must Be Told!.......2007-05-10

This is a story of hope, determination, and of a drug that many tout as the second coming! Millions have used BOTOX without knowing any of the potential ramifications...this book will truly open your eyes! It is truly a must read for anyone considering this procedure.

Dying to Look Good : The Disturbing Truth About What's Really in Your Cosmetics, Toiletries and Personal Care Products

Average customer rating:

Dr. Christine Farlow's books are the TICKET TO SAFETY in living!
overpriced, lacked substances, inconsistent recommendation
A Real Eye-Opener!
A Life Saver!!
If you have sensitive skin you must read this book

Dying to Look Good : The Disturbing Truth About What's Really in Your Cosmetics, Toiletries and Personal Care Products
Christine Hoza Farlow
Manufacturer: Kiss for Health Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cosmetics | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Consumer Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 096356353X

Book Description

Who would expect that making a profit would be more important than people's health and their lives? Yet, this is exactly the case in the cosmetics industry. Cosmetics and toiletries are laden with toxic chemicals, many carcinogenic. Makeup, hair coloring products, baby powder, shaving cream, mouthwash and toothpaste are just a few of the products that contain cancer-causing ingredients. Even products that are supposed to be gentle and mild for babies often contain toxic, irritating chemicals.

Dying to Look Good tells you if the cosmetic and personal care products you're buying contain dangerous ingredients. It reveals what manufacturers don't want you to know about their products and shows you how to find the truth behind deceptive product packaging. You will learn how to confidently read labels so you know how safe your cosmetics and toiletries are.

This book classifies over 1200 cosmetic ingredients according to safety, whether they may cause allergic reactions, whether they have been reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel and if they are approved or recognized as safe by the FDA. It also lists over 750 cosmetic and personal care products that have been evaluated as "safe." In just seconds, you can find out if an ingredient in the product you're buying is harmful and you can identify safer products for yourself and your family.

Customer Reviews:

Dr. Christine Farlow's books are the TICKET TO SAFETY in living!.......2005-11-08

In order for people today to protect themselves from harmful ingredients, even walking through a so-called "Natural Foods" or health foods store is not enough.

"Mrs. Gooch's," in Los Angeles, was created by a woman who nearly died. Yes, Sandy Gooch, was fortunate to have a chemist-father, as the story goes, who discovered she was literally dying from the chemicals in a popular soda that many people drink. Often this soda is even recommended to assist with "upset stomach!" Such products are so commonplace and present similar dangers to ANYONE who, unthinkingly, just drinks/eats/wears what is out there because it is convenient, handy or close by.

After Mrs. Sandy Gooch's nearly lethal health challenge was reversed, she decided to create "Mrs. Gooch's" as a way to protect the consumer. It was possible to walk through the store and NOT read the ingredients, because so much care had gone in to protecting consumers. But when "Mrs. Gooch's" Stores were acquired, products began appearing on the shelves with ingredients that indicated it was NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO FEEL SAFE. Yes, products appeared that contained ingredients known to be harmful. Some naturopathic doctors even recommend that all so-called "healthy" oils, for example, are not so healthy and that it may be preferred to concentrate on specific oils that are better or healthier for us.

The point is that NO ONE IS SAFE, even in health food stores. It does not matter, it seems, where you shop. Even ingredients/products promoted as "healthy" or "safe" may not be so, may even contain allergens for some, and that is where your hard, dedicated work to protect consumers comes in:

· FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not

· HEALTHY EATING: For Extremely Busy People Who Don't Have Time For It

· DYING TO LOOK GOOD: The Disturbing Truth About What's Really in Your Cosmetics, Toiletries and Personal Care Products

The three books you offer have become ESSENTIAL companions to shoppers everywhere. If people want to make informed decisions, they have to rely on experts like yourself who are trustworthy and who do enough investigating to produce recommendations that will, in fact, protect us from all the many dangers that lurk out there.

As we go about our daily lives, oftentimes NOT thinking about what's good to eat, what's good to clean with, what's good to use as cosmetics, toiletries and personal care products, we may even be using so-called "healthy" products with ingredients touted to be safe and found in health food stores that may, in fact, NOT be so healthy after all. So often, for example, it is possible to come across products that contain ingredients like chemical preservatives with the justification for their inclusion: "They protect against the buildup of harmful yeast" or "They are in very small quantities, so are not harmful," etc. What such products/ingredients contain are POTENTIALLY LETHAL INGREDIENTS TO WHICH ANYONE CAN HAVE AN ACUTE ALLERGIC REACTION OR DEVELOP A LONG-TERM SUBTLE DISEASE WHICH CAN, EVENTUALLY, BECOME LETHAL.

Do consumers want to protect themselves and those they care about? What information is it possible to rely upon? Do we want to walk through product aisles and "hope for the best?" Or, to we want to read books you offer that are so easy, simple and well-researched that, finally, we have a way to protect our best interests?

Yes, your books offer us the safety and reassurance that it is possible to walk through the aisles as protected consumers!

If we care enough about our families and friends and business associates - anyone with whom we may share foods/products with, then it becomes our responsibility to walk through the aisles of any store armed with the protection offered from the many, many hours and years of research to which you have dedicated your career.

Yes it may take some effort and education to protect us, but your books make it so much easier. What is needed now is a way to walk into ANY supermarket, even "natural" foods/products and "health" stores, so that informed decisions can be made. With your books, is possible to choose products that - despite some information being shared to suggest that the products/foods are okay - will protect us in the long run.

It is so true that "You are what you eat."

It is also true that the skin is the largest organ of the body and literally absorbs whatever is placed onto the surface.

Thus the stomach (eat) and the skin (body surface) both are conveyors of whatever ingredients placed onto or inside of our bodies. Even the water we wash with is not something we think about, but it is possible to install filters/showers that will protect our bodies totally immersed by water every time we bathe!

Your books will protect any consumer who does not want to risk the ill health challenges and the eventual dangers that can lead to grave disease(s) and even death!

It is hard to think of anything more important! Do we want to live symptom-free? Do we want to avoid illness? Do we want to "Improve Health Maintenance?"

Everyone touts education as a "ticket to success." Dr. Christine Farlow's books are the TICKET TO SAFETY in living!

Respectfully,

[...]

overpriced, lacked substances, inconsistent recommendation.......2004-03-15

I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about the good, bad and ugly sides of cosmetic ingredients.

Here are the reasons why I like this book:
-A list of cosmetic ingredients
-A good product classification ranking

Here are the reasons why I don't like this book:
-Overpriced; it actual value should be no more than $3.95
-Lacked serious substance
-Inaccurate recommendation

I found the Ecco Bella and Logona mascaras that she highly recommended turned out to be just as dangerous as I cross-referenced the ingredients using her book; if the iron oxide in the Ecco Bella & Logona mascara can cause skin and eye irritant, lung irritant if inhaled, I would not recommend if I were her.

There are two much better written books out there that I strongly recommend: the Safe Shopper's Bible by Steinman & Epstein and the Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd. Don't waste your money purchasing Ms. Farlow's book, it is almost a duplicate version of the Safe Shopper's Bible.

A Real Eye-Opener!.......2001-06-22

After a cancer scare, I purchased Dr. Farlow's Book, "Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide to What's Safe & What's Not". While striving to adopt a healthier lifestyle through proper nutrition, this proved an invaluable pocket reference. When her recent book came out, I purchased it looking once again to receive additional guidance from a trusted friend. I was NOT disappointed. Although I am now very aware of the harmful effects of food additives, I never thought that everyday items such as soap, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste could be adversely affecting my body as well. As with Dr. Farlow's first book, I really appreciate how easy this book is to carry with me and use as I shop. Now I can be sure the products I buy are safe products for me to use. Thank you Dr. Farlow. Keep up the great work!

A Life Saver!!.......2001-06-19

This book, DYING TO LOOK GOOD, is truly a life saver. It gets right to the point, without a lot of unnecessary verbiage. The title tells it all. Our cosmetics (like a lot of other modern day products) are killing us--slowly, but surely. Unless we individually take responsibility and clean up our own corner of Mother Earth, we will need to pay the consequences of our own poor choices. Those consequences can only be a decrease in our quality of life.

I was quite surprised by the review written by "A reader from Colorado." She said "The biggest misleading part is that there is no word about the CIR being an industry agent of the CTFA, . . . This is clearly not true, as on page 14 of DYING TO LOOK GOOD, it very plainly states that The Cosmetic Ingredients Review (CIR) was established in 1976 by the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA). I felt that the reader's other issues were equally ill founded.

I personally like this book a lot. Five stars worth! This book fills a need in my life. I now have a compact reference to take with me when I shop for cosmetics which gives objective information about numerous ingredients. It not only tells me what the FDA and CIR say about their safety, but more importantly, gives an independent evaluation of safety, revealing that many ingredients which the FDA and CIR say are safe are in fact really harmful--or at least questionable.

This book is not something you pick up to while away an afternoon. It is a useful reference to be carried with you to help you make wise choices.

If you have sensitive skin you must read this book.......2001-06-15

I found this book to be very useful. I've always wondered about the ingredients on the labels of cosmetics and personal care products, but I never knew where to look to find out what they meant and if they were safe. It's really helped me to shop for safer products for my family and myself. I've had sensitive skin all my life, but it's especially important for me to know what's in the products I buy now because I have two small children who inherited my sensitive skin. I want to be sure that what I'm putting on them is safe and not harming them. This book helps me do that!

Dying to Be Beautiful: The Fight for Safe Cosmetics (Women, Gender, and Health)

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Dying to Be Beautiful: The Fight for Safe Cosmetics (Women, Gender, and Health)
Gwen Kay
Manufacturer: Ohio State Univ Pr (Txt)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Commercial | Business | Law | Subjects | Books

Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0814290663

Beauty and the Boy - An Old Man's Story for a Dying Boy

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Beauty and the Boy - An Old Man's Story for a Dying Boy
Steve Hays
Manufacturer: Before Christmas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0975990217

Beauty and the Boy: a tale for dying boys

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Beauty and the Boy: a tale for dying boys
Steve Hays
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0975990209

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Compassion

The Chase for Beauty
Robert Mendelson
Manufacturer: Morgan James Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1600372783

Customer Reviews:

Compassion .......2007-09-26

I have had 20 years of contact with Dr. Hurwitz, as a grandparent of a child with a cleft lip and palate and also as a patient who had a tumor removed from my nasal cavity. Dennis has always given his all to treating my granddaughter. She had many surgeries in her 18 years as his patient and his innovative work made her look wonderful. The book reflects all of the long hours he put in caring for these children as well as his dedication to his family. He has been knocked down many, many times and gets back up and that to me is amazing. I would have had a hard time dealing with the murder of my child, and he and Linda did, but to go each day and take care of others children so they can live a normal life is truly giving. God, did give this man a special gift, he has always and I mean always, used that to benefit others. He would never knowingly hurt a child, and that is why the portion of the book that deals with his malpractice suit is so upsetting to read. He never experiemented, he did what he felt would be the best for the child, period.

Average customer rating:

Breathtaking!
Dyong for Beauty

Dying for Beauty
Gail Wronsky
Manufacturer: Copper Canyon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1556591357

Book Description

Whether paying tribute to literary icons such as Walt Whitman and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, or examining global and cultural degradation, Wronsky proves to be a poet of sharp wit and endearing wonder. The crowning jewel of Dying for Beauty is "Desdemona," a nearly book-length lyric that alternates between meditation and dramatization, between discourse and incantation. "I started out thinking I was writing an elegy for the earth - from my own self, in my own neighborhood, with its crack addicts and war-like helicopters, its poverty and Ã‹ÂlthinessÃ¢Â€Â¦And yet also, here I was with a new daughter and this love in me, equal to nothing else."

"Formally, the poem ['Desdemona'] brings into its amplitude and openness material that could be inert, but is lifted always by rhythmic urgency and a faultless, inventive music.Ã¢Â€Â¦Wronsky is also trying to think through the poem, reason passionately through its issues of language, gender, fear and loss."-The Boston Review

Gail Wronsky received a BA and an MFA from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. from the University of Utah. She is the author of two books of poetry and teaches at Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking!.......2000-03-25

The poems in Gail Wronsky's collection are inhabited by the ghosts of the forgotten. Desdemona, Walt Whitman, and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz haunt the pages of the book, challenging silence and silencers. In those moments the sublime rises from the ordinary in sequences like "The Earth as Desdemona." The book is filled with surprise: a lawn chair becomes a cubist chicken, hieroglyphs appear in the sky. Wronsky's "Dying for Beauty" mixes elegance with outrageousness. The language that bridges these two sensibilities reveal the blessings of music.

Dyong for Beauty.......2000-03-19

Seeing this book on your list is a special treat for me because I happen to be one of Professor Wronsky's students at Loyala Marymount University in Los Angeles. She desrves all of the credit towards her book because she is a brilliant English professor who has a love and deep appreciation for what she teaches.

Foundations of Violence (Death and the Displacement of Beauty)

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Foundations of Violence (Death and the Displacement of Beauty)
Grace M Jantzen
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Aesthetics | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0415290325

Book Description

The pursuit and love of death has characterized Western culture since Homeric times. Foundations of Violence enters the ancient world of Homer, Plato and Aristotle to explore the genealogy of violence in Western thought. It covers the origins of ideas of death--the "beautiful death" of Homeric heroes-through to the gendered misery of war. Jantzen examines the tensions between those who tried to eliminate fear of death by denying its significance, and those like Plotinus who looked to another world for life and beauty.

Average customer rating:

Very intriguing
a great & terrible beauty
Great promise; but will it last?
Quite good but does it diserve 5 stars?
Libba Bray is a genius!

A Great and Terrible Beauty
Libba Bray
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0807220663
Release Date: 2004-01-28

Amazon.com

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Gemma, 16, has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left wi! th the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy. (Ages 12 up) -Patty Campbell

Book Description

It’s 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma’s reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she’s been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence’s most powerful girls—and their foray into the spiritual world—lead to?

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

It's 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one.

To make things worse, she's been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls -- and their foray into the spiritual world -- lead to?

Customer Reviews:

Very intriguing.......2007-09-24

Ok...so I just finished the "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer not too long ago. And I have been going through withdrawls---(her books are amazing if you haven't read them yet) And this book was reccommended to me by my dear sister who reads everything! I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. It has such wonderful characters that you really feel like you get to know, and a very interesting story line. I can't wait to start the sequel Rebel Angels now! Highly recommended--especially if you loved the Twilight books :)

a great & terrible beauty.......2007-09-03

It took me awhile to pick up this book, but, after I started, I couldn't put it down. The story is a real page turner & a quick read. Bray sets this tale at a Victorian boarding school, which was a big plus for me because I love anything to to with the time period. The plot centers on a ghost story or sorts, but I greatly enjoyed the social commentary about the place of women during Victorian times. There is also commentary on class & race, which takes the book to another level. Bray could have easily glossed over these important topics of women, class, & race, but her choice to bring them to center stage makes all the difference.

The weakest part of the story was the ghost story. It's not very original & actually quite silly when it comes down to it. I found the supernatural elements to function in the larger picture of the social commentary, so the novel ends up working as a whole. Another problem is that there are precious few surprises in the book, & surprises are usually what readers of ghost stories want. We have the typical mistaken identities, mysterious amulets, & the forbidden diary, all cliche elements, that never offer any surprises to the storyline. It was just way too easy to figure out where everything fit into place. However, there were frightening parts of the story, & that emotion is usually hard to evoke so effectively in my experience with these type novels.

All in all, I'd say this is a great book, & I've already started the second one, "Rebel Angels."

Great promise; but will it last?.......2007-08-13

When I bought "A Great and Terrible Beauty" I didn't know it was just the first book in a series. Gemma Doyle's story ended with so many loose ends in this book that I felt a little cheated. Taken in the context that there are at least three books in the series it all makes sense now; but I prefer to read an entire series at once rather than wait for the next installment each time a new book comes out - otherwise it's hard to judge the overall plot.

I found the book itself extremely gripping in the beginning. Gemma came across as a spoilt young miss in India who didn't want to cooperate with her mother on her 16th birthday. She argues with her mother, runs off, experiences a vision in which she sees her mother's death under bizarre circumstances, and then finds that it has come true.

From then on, her life is never the same. She gets shipped to Spence Academy in England, where she is a student by day, but spends her nights trying to make sense of more visions which lead her first to a diary written by one Mary Dowd, and then to a mysterious new world ("the realms") where she can communicate with her mother.

Intertwined with Gemma's story are those of her friends' - plain Ann, her room-mate; beautiful Pippa, and famous Felicity, as well as mysterious Mary's story, which chronicles her discovery of the realms and how her closest friend Sarah seems to have found a way to gain more power.

Influenced by Mary's diary, the girls form a club called the Order, after a group of women said to have intimate knowledge of the realms, find out that Gemma holds the key to bringing them all into that magical world, and become increasingly enamoured of it. All four have their wishes granted while they are in the realms: Gemma has her mother again, Pippa someone who loves her, Felicity is empowered, while Ann becomes beautiful.

Things come to a head when Pippa's parents broker an engagement to someone she finds repugnant. Gemma decides to go ahead to do what her mother has expressly forbidden her to do in the realms as a result, and also finds out what happened to Mary and Sarah after diary ends. The plot is deliciously twisty, but in some ways leaves questions that are likely answered in subsequent books.

What, for example, are the true motivations of Kartik, the young Indian man who keeps shadowing Gemma and warning her to stay away from dabbling in the realms? Why does Miss Moore know so much about the realms? Where is Circe hiding? And what really happened to the so-called Order, who had gone to the realms first?

The story is written in the first person, which somehow makes everything seem more raw. I felt that Gemma was both real and flawed, though not very likeable, being headstrong, naive, and stubborn. I also had the feeling that Gemma was being misled in the realms, with a lot of the 'goodies' eventually turning out to be 'baddies', but there wasn't any proof of this - at least in book one.

I'm not sure if I'll read the sequels, though I feel the plot has a great deal of promise and the writing is really good. My problem is that I can't really identify with Gemma, and I don't like the magic universe that Bray has created.

I would prefer to think that 16 year olds have more sense than Gemma, and that magic is meant to exist within a proper framework, rather than messed about for frivolous purposes or just to progress the plot. I found it rather far-fetched that Gemma's mother can exist in the realms and communicate with Gemma "after death" as it were, for example.

Teenage girls who like Harry Potter will probably fall in love with the story, and the parallels are there - it's set in a school, the heroine has magical powers, romance is in the air, and there is a huge mystery with danger and death involved. The mix is a potent one. I just hope the ending is as good as the beginning.

Quite good but does it diserve 5 stars?.......2007-06-30

Indeed it Does!
A friend of mine reccommended this to me years ago and I ended up buying it, but it took me a year(or was it years?) to start reading it. I was amazed at how fresh it was! I had expected it to be slightly dull like some other Victorian era books, but I think the fantasy bits and the age of the girls keeps it from being so.
The contents of this book are comfortably intresting with its mystery and Gemma's sarcasm as well as other humorous characters. However, in my opinon, it shouldn't be over analyzed with the gypsy bits as I see someone has already had a fit.
Great read!

Libba Bray is a genius!.......2007-06-25

A Great and Terrible Beauty is another one of my favorite books! It details the story of a young British girl who grew up in India and after her mother's death was sent off to a British boarding school in nothern England. However, despite her normal appearance, Gemma is anything but and can open realms to a different world. A touch of historical fiction (the book is set during the Age of Imperialism in the Victorian Era)and dash of fantasy, A Great and Terrible Beauty is the perfect combination of genres to compose a truly fantastic novel! I would recommend this book to anyone, but the story is probably more appealing to females.
This book is also part of a trilogy (the apparently new hip-thing in writing!) and I would strongly recommend the sequel, Rebel Angels, to anyone who was intrigued by A Great and Terrible Beauty and wants to follow Gemma on a continuation of her journey. The third book is not currently out, but I'm hoping it's just as great as the other two books!

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