A stunning Gothic fantasy that I first read only out of curiosity, and ended up loving.

Gemma Doyle is a strong, real heroine, most likely beyond her time period in her thinking and attitude. Her friends Felicity, Pippa, and Anne represent various facets of personality, and they too are real; sometimes irritating and sometimes breathtakingly bold. The mysterious Indian teenager Kartik is a constant, alluring shadow, passing dire warnings on to Gemma.

And readers won't hesitate to step into this multi-layered world; from vivid India, to Spence Academy in gloomy London, to the magical realms that Gemma and her friends learn to open. But the chilling creatures that also lurk in the realms are not just fairy-tale villians; they are genuinely frightning horrors, and the suspense will make you hold your breath and jump at sudden noises.

An incredible mix of dreamlike fantasy, lyrical sensuality, down-to-earth Victorian English boarding school, and dark myth. You'll definitely want to read the other two.