In the opening of this YA novel set in 1895, Gemma Doyle is arguing with her mother about going to England. She wants to be like any other 16-year-old and enjoy her Season and finds their life in India akin to punishment. The argument between daughter and mother gets heated and Gemma storms off leaving her mother only to suffer a horrifying vision and then have it come true.
Now left without her mother and a father who prefers to retreat into a world of opium dreams, Gemma is going to get her chance to go to England to Spence Academy where hopefully she will learn the finer points of being a lady.
Gemma is guilt-ridden and despondent but nevertheless when she arrives at Spence she is intrigued by the secrets of the school building, the other young girls and the teachers. If only the the visions would stop coming to her.
Like any good novel with an academic setting, there is a clique of bright and beautiful girls who every loves and hates at the same time and Gemma is a just the girl to face them. She isn't going to cower or let them get to her and slowly she forms an alliance with three girls.
I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the visions and finding out what they meant. I could understand why Gemma was lured into a dangerous game and didn't see what was coming to one of the characters.
I do have to nitpick though and say that I wasn't quite convinced of the friendship Gemma formed with the girls. It always seemed to be full of distrust and manipulation. Still, I found this book to be filled with wonderful gothic touches of secrets and the supernatural. I'm sure I will read the second book in the series.
Added 09/07