Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Have you been searching for a feminist fantasy set in Victorian England that includes parrot-murdering witches, late night rescue missions into opium dens, and ghostly warriors made of poppy flowers? If you answered yes to this question, your search is over. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray(2005), author of Beauty Queens, is the second book in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. The first book in the series, A Great and Terrible Beauty, introduces Gemma, her friends, and their new powers as members of the Order, an ancient sect of witches who once controlled the space between life and death, also known as “the realms”(Bray, 2003). Rebel Angels finds the girls struggling to bind the power within the realms, which now runs free and could be controlled by the evil witch Circe if Gemma and her friends do not act swiftly. Between traveling from the realms to the real world, Gemma, Ann, and Felicity also face the intimidating nature of society in Victorian England. Class matters most to the families in this story and the slightest indiscretion could bring shame upon them all. Gemma catches the eye of Simon Middleton, a wealthy suitor who is at first intrigued by Gemma’s mysterious secrets. However, Gemma comes to realize that Simon would be happiest if she were not so independent, but rather an obedient, society-minded lady(Bray, 2005, p. 538-539). Bray’s feminist voice shines through the text as Gemma contemplates her role in society as well as her position of power in the realms.
Spoiler alert for those who have not yet read this novel: Readers find out the strong, brave Felicity grew up as a victim molested by her father (Bray, 2005, p. 418), beautiful Pippa becomes a savage animal (Bray, 2005, p. 530), and Ann gets kidnapped by sirens who want to harvest her skin (Bray, 2005, p. 467). Each character develops and changes as more about their pasts is revealed. Finally, Gemma is able to bind the power in the realms and send Circe away. She declares she will form new alliances rather than team up with the Order once again. In this way, Gemma forges her own path as she becomes the most powerful sorceress in the realms. Her relationship with Kartik, a member of the Rakshana guards of the Order, is challenged when Kartik receives directions to kill Gemma. However, he betrays the Rakshana and helps Gemma escape. The romantic tension between them results in a kiss; but Gemma decides she cannot be anything more with Kartik besides an ally in the realms because he lied to her about his mission(Bray, 2005, p. 535).
Having greatly enjoyed A Great and Terrible Beauty, I was worried Rebel Angels would fail to intrigue me in the same way as the first novel. However, I remained interested in the story, even during some of the slower parts. Libba Bray’s discussion of gender politics is inspiring to me and I love the strength of her female characters. Anyone who needs to be reminded of their own strength should read this book. While Gemma gains magic from the realms, she must also look inside herself to make the right decisions in how to use that magic. This is something I believe we can all relate to today. How do we use our voices? Are we using our gifts and talents to better society? Or are we using them solely for personal gain? It is hard to fully cover this entire book in a blog
post considering the intricate nature of the story. I would absolutely recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a commentary on sexism, history, and class systems. I would also recommend this novel to anyone who simply wants to be entertained for hours on end by the expressive writing of Libba Bray.
References
Bray, L.(2003). A Great and Terrible Beauty. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Bray, L. (2005). Rebel Angels. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.