A Great and Terrible Beauty was one of the best books I've ever read!! Something that I really loved about it was how it started in with the action right from the beginning and didn't stop until the end. I like books that are fast paced, can surprise you, and are well written. This book had all three. It only took me a few days to read because it was so good. I ended up reading it under my bed covers with a clip on light because I just couldn't put it down. The characters were well developed, and I particularly like the way the story is told. All the verbs are present tense, so it seems that the story is happening as you read it. I thought that was very effective. I was hooked on this book and now I can't wait for the sequel. Read it, you'll get hooked too!