The Gemma Doyle Series

I have read two out of the three books in this series. A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels are about a sixteen year old girl,(Gemma Doyle), who discovers her late mother was a part of a group of sorceresses called the Order and Gemma has inherited much power. I like this series because it has an intriguing plot. It is mainly about 4 girls who become friends at a London boarding school. It is historcal ficion set in the late 1800's. Not only is it about learning how to fit into society and make way in life, but how the girls discover a world where they are free to want and dream and feel power through magic.
One of the characters, Ann Bradshaw, is a scholarship student at Spence School. Her cousins are helping her become well educated because they want her to be a qualified governess for their two young daughters. When no one is looking she puts artificial cuts in her wrists and arms with her sewing scissors. I have had a friend who cuts herself. It is hard to help someone when they feel like they arent adequate enough. I can relate to Gemma for feeling annoyed with Ann for never standing up for herself and also wanting to help her. She is still your friend and it makes you feel helpless also when someone is hurting themself because they want to feel something. It doesnt matter what other people think about you but what you think of yourself. Nothing can change if you accept that it won't. I just think that if you are more confident about yourself then other people won't have a valid excuse to make fun of you. The magic in this book is a way for the girls to change their fates, considering none are that promising of bringing happiness.