Rebel Angels

By: Libba Bray

Narrated by: Josephine Bailey

Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma's visions intensify, visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain.

The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls' great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship.

But all is not well in the realms, or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma's willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother's greatest friend, and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

©2005 Libba Bray (P)2005 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Readers will sink into her compelling, well-paced story." (Booklist)

Almost better than the first book!

I really like the first book but the second book had way more adventure in the realms and I felt like I was on a constant adventure! The author uses beautiful descriptive words and the new characters were solid. I cannot wait to read the third book!

Return to the Series Is Like Revisiting The Realms

I loved this series as a teenager and was recently compelled to return to it. I still love it. Josephine Bailey's narration is fantastic. While her voice remains measured and soothing, she still gives an animated performance, that is no less enthralling. Even the mundane world sparks with the magical in this installment.

I will say aspects of the story haven't necessarily aged well. I don't remember cringing quite as much in the mid-aughts, but the depiction of the non-white characters is less considerate than I recall. There's a clumsiness to their description that doesn't feel like Libba Bray lacks sympathy-- in fact, I think she wants Gemma to be quite sympathetic to the plight of others, and even quite open-minded for her time-- but instead perhaps lacks the foresight of a decade and a half's attentiveness in persevering to understand what words are acceptable descriptors. A lot of the characters of color-- Kartik included, and I promise I'm a MASSIVE fan of Kartik-- lack dimensionality, and even care in how they're described. Ms Bray certainly falls into the easy "food" descriptors that are so often an easy way out for writers to avoid coming up with new ways to describe dark features. (I haven't read any of her more recent works, so I don't know how she has grown as a writer since 2005.) I am glad the Romani people show up less in this book, because in my belief, possible (depending on the Romani person you ask) ethnic slurs with a complicated place in history and present should be used lightly.

On a lighter note, I was constantly embarrassed by Gemma. She's sixteen, she's a rebellious teenage girl interested in the occult. She's as emotionally messy as I recall that age being, not even counting the death threats. But this girl jumps to conclusions based on such little information. GREEN CLOAK, MUST BE EVIL!!!!! I promised I would pump the breaks, but "I don't even think of you as Indian"? GEMMA WHAT STOP WHY. I don't blame Kartik for leaving then. She grew up in India, I feel like she should be a little more sensitive to how absolutely inappropriate that was? I digress. Gemma was even more of a mess this book, I think, and with the responsibility on her shoulders, I think I can understand (mostly). I'm pretty here for it, except when I had to pause to compose myself because I was at work, on my break, not in an appropriate place to shout my frustration at fictional characters.

The romance BLOSSOMING this book is my favorite part. I'm a solid Karma shipper, and it's part of why I chose to revisit the series. When they danced in the carriage house and Kartik pulled Gemma closer because the propriety of being that close sounded DUMB? This boy needs more love in his life. His visible jealousy of Simon? Give him a hug, please. And for most of this book I regretted trusting Gemma to give him that love. Kartik and Emily could have been adorable, but Karma is just too sweet, and Gemma's addition at the end of the book of not needing anything aside from loyalty from him... yet, rekindled my adoration for them. (It never went anywhere, I was still searching through fanfiction to read decade-old fix-it fic.)

All this is my very 2021 reaction. Much of the issues may be less a part of ignorance or lack of care, and more an attempt for historical "accuracy" (which should be accompanied by context). I still adore the story, and I think the world Libba Bray created in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy is breath-taking and captivating. There are dark, dangerous, glittering corners and bright, enchanting, dangerous spectacles to enjoy in every chapter. I am thoroughly enjoying my return to the Realms and am sad to be two-thirds of the way through it. I highly recommend you listen.

I

I love this series, I own them in hard copy but it's so nice to be able to listen to someone read it to me on my two hour commutes.

Beautiful Narration!

Magnificent! Josephine Bailey knocked it out of the park yet again with her stunning performance!

Fantastic

So gripping!! Everything about this is wonderful! I would sit in my car, having arrived to my destination, not wanting to leave this rich world!

Perfection!

Josephine Bailey captured each character's voice perfectly. I loved reading these novels, and love Libba Bray, but Audible and Josephine bring each character to life for me! Thank you!

Awesome

Fun and easy listen. The reader is very talented. Her voice fits well well with the story line.

Fantastic!

I've read this book (whole series) before, but it was a whole new experience listening to the many different voices in the telling of this magical tale. Josephine Bailey has remarkable skill in story telling and I can't wait to listen to the final book in the series.

Excellent

Excellent writing and story. Could not ask for a better reader. Very happy with this audiobook. It's like an adventure into fantasy.

Compelling Story of Family Ties & Personal Growth

Loved this story of outgrowing strong-yet-toxic family ties. When parents exercise complete control over a child’s interactions, some will abuse that control. The child is a helpless victim.

This story is inspiring and made all the more so by the author’s honesty in exploring her many stumbles in her journey to explore and engage with the world at large.