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Powell's Q&A | January 17, 2012

Ryan Boudinot: IMG Powell’s Q&A: Ryan Boudinot

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Describe your latest work. Blueprints of the Afterlife is a novel about the following things: giant heads that appear in the sky, a mystical... Continue »
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    Blueprints of the Afterlife

    Ryan Boudinot 9780802170910
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6 Local Warehouse Science Fiction and Fantasy- A to Z

Other titles in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy series:

A Great and Terrible Beauty

by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty Cover

ISBN13: 9780385730280
ISBN10: 0385730284
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
All Product Details

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal is a typical teen with a comfortable life. She lives in a cozy apartment above her family's bookstore in Seattle with her dad, her little brother, and her best friend, Whaley, who was kicked out of his own home after getting in trouble at school. Her biggest worry is overcoming the humiliation of not getting a part in the school play. But then a war is declared in the Middle East, and Whaley gets it into his head that the only way to stay out of trouble and make something of himself is to join the military.
 
An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt Addie back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. While at first she struggles to accept that she has somehow traveled through time, Addie soon finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, and eventually even learns how to control her leaps across the decades. In both times, she is drawn to the grand Jewel Theater, where she discovers that the lives of the people she meets are connected across the span of years. In both times, the existence of the Jewel is threatened. And, perhaps most importantly, in both times, there is a war going on . . . and someone she cares about is determined to get caught up in the fighting.
 
Eventually, Addie understands that the Jewel holds the answers to questions she has about her own future, and only she holds the key to saving the Jewel--and the lives of her friends--in both the past and the present. But will she figure out how to manipulate the intricately woven threads of time and truly set things right?

Review:

"A Gothic touched by modern conceptions of adolescence, shivery with both passion and terror." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"Bray's gripping and suspenseful debut novel provides the perfect canvas for Wyatt....Colorful details of Indian bazaars and the Spence School in London make this outing all the more compelling." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"A well written page turner, with strong characterization and dialogue, this Victorian-era gothic novel will find many readers unable to put it down until the very last page." Children's Literature

Review:

"Soundly researched and credible....[An] exhilarating and thought-provoking read." VOYA

Review:

"An interesting combination of fantasy, light horror, and historical fiction, with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure." Library Journal

Synopsis:

An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. Addie finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, drawn in both times to the grand Jewel Theater. In both decades the existence of the Jewel is threatened and war is looming . . . and someone she cares about is determined to fight. Eventually, Addie realizes that only she has the key to saving the Jeweland the lives of her friends. But will she figure out how to manipulate the intricately woven threads of time and truly set things right?

 

Synopsis:

Its 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, Gemmas reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, shes 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 Spences most powerful girls—and their foray into the spiritual world—lead to?
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About the Author

Libba Bray has worked as a waitress, a nanny, a burrito roller, and an advertising copywriter. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and son.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
fieldhockeyluver25, May 18, 2008 (view all comments by fieldhockeyluver25)
I loved this book so much! Reading about Gemma and her friends brightened up my days so much! I can''t wait to read the next one
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chelee33, May 1, 2008 (view all comments by chelee33)
This story takes place in the early 1900's. Basically, a girl finds out she has magic powers and she explores it with her friends during boarding school. They start sneaking out at night and having secret meetings.
I liked this story and I am looking forward to reading the next book. I was a little bored at some points, but mostly I was scared, excited and teary eyed!

Others I recommend: Uglies series, Blue Bloods, Twilight series
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momostar13, December 20, 2007 (view all comments by momostar13)
Ever since a Great and Terrible Beauty made its way into stores, it has held its number one spot on my list of favorites. The main character, Gemma Doyle, is a very accurate portrayal of a woman. She is stubborn, willful, and at times indecisive. There is nothing perfect about her, which makes it very easy for readers to relate to her.

The story takes place in the year 1895. Circumstances force Gemma to move from her homeland of India, to a finishing school in London. This had actually been her dream for many years. So great was her wanting to leave India that it had become a constant battle with her mother. When she had finally achieved her wish, it came at a great cost.

Once at Spence finishing school,Gemma finds herself rooming with the gloomy Ann, the pariah of the school. She soon meets Felicity and Pippa, the most popular girls; Ann's complete opposites. While Gemma's relationship with these girls is quite rocky...it progresses.

It isn't long before she notices that there is something odd happening in the school and also she begins to question her own sanity as she is constantly barraged by strange visions. Adding to her confusion and fear is the constant appearance of Kartik, an Indian boy she had met right before the events of her leaving India came into play.

What she cannot explain, are the strange feelings she has whenever he is around...

I would recommend this book mostly to a female audience, and I assure you it is absolutely fabulous!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780385730280
Subtitle:
A Nightshade Novel
Author:
Bray, Libba
Author:
Cremer, Andrea
Author:
Spiegler, Louise
Author:
Saundra Mitchell
Publisher:
Philomel
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General
Subject:
Schools
Subject:
Historical - General
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - History - General
Subject:
Boarding schools
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Magic
Subject:
Children s-Science Fiction and Fantasy
Copyright:
2003
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Series:
Nightshade
Publication Date:
20120807
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
from 7
Language:
English
Pages:
448
Dimensions:
8.25 x 5.5 in 9.99 lb
Age Level:
14-17
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Related Aisles

A Great and Terrible Beauty Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$4.50 In Stock
Product details 448 pages Delacorte Press - English 9780385730280 Reviews:
"Review" by , "A Gothic touched by modern conceptions of adolescence, shivery with both passion and terror."
"Review" by , "Bray's gripping and suspenseful debut novel provides the perfect canvas for Wyatt....Colorful details of Indian bazaars and the Spence School in London make this outing all the more compelling."
"Review" by , "A well written page turner, with strong characterization and dialogue, this Victorian-era gothic novel will find many readers unable to put it down until the very last page."
"Review" by , "Soundly researched and credible....[An] exhilarating and thought-provoking read."
"Review" by , "An interesting combination of fantasy, light horror, and historical fiction, with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure."
"Synopsis" by , An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. Addie finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, drawn in both times to the grand Jewel Theater. In both decades the existence of the Jewel is threatened and war is looming . . . and someone she cares about is determined to fight. Eventually, Addie realizes that only she has the key to saving the Jeweland the lives of her friends. But will she figure out how to manipulate the intricately woven threads of time and truly set things right?

 

"Synopsis" by , Its 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, Gemmas reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, shes 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 Spences most powerful girls—and their foray into the spiritual world—lead to?
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