About this book
It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's being followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?
Censorship history
In 2025, "A Great and Terrible Beauty" by Libba Bray was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States due to its sexual content, violence, and themes of race and colonialism. Notably, the book faced challenges during a series of PTA meetings in Texas, where parents raised concerns about its appropriateness for students. The ban was upheld in multiple school districts, leading to ongoing debates about its inclusion in school curricula.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | SexualViolenceRacial |
