character blurbs
Gemma Doyle
What is my heart's desire? They want the truth, but the most truthful answer I can give is that I don't know my own heart any better than I know theirs.
"To understand myself."
Strong-willed, driven, and witty, Gemma Doyle is the type of heroine who would fight for what she believes in - the type who would swim against the current. But first, she must learn how to understand herself and what she wants. Although she has a fierce, independent streak, she will definitely stand for a friend in need.
Felicity Worthington
‘Felicity's grip on the candle is strong, her voice determined. “I wish to be too powerful to ignore.”’
Brave, determined, and free-spirited, Felicity Worthington craves power and the ability to have an effect on others. This is due greatly to her dark past, but despite the hurt she has experienced, she remains strong and never backs down from a challenge. Those around her sense her power and are naturally drawn to her by her charm and leadership skills. Although she may have a difficult time displaying it, those she truly cares about will always have her loyalty and protection.
Pippa Cross
Pippa takes the candle and says solemnly, "To find true love."
Pippa Cross is a romantic at heart. Her greatest desire is to love and be loved. She may come across as self-centered and vain at times, but she can be a generous and devoted friend. However, she tends to swim with the current rather than against it, and lets fate make decisions for her.
Ann Bradshaw
Ann won't look at any of us when she says, "To be beautiful."
Ann Bradshaw is quiet, studious, and timid.. but with a secret determination to follow her dreams and a true appreciation for her friends. She struggles between accepting what life throws at her and defying it, but with some encouragement from her friends and a growing sense of self, she can withstand whatever life throws at her.
Kartik
"And allegiance to the Order...is that the only fealty you require of me?"
Kartik is brave, loyal, and thinks quickly on his feet. Though at times he can be naive and stubborn in his beliefs, his heart is always in the right place, and he would do anything in his power to keep those he is loyal to safe from harm.
Circe
“Every leader has blood on her hands.”
Circe, once Sarah Rees-Toome and disguised as Hester Asa Moore, is power-hungry and most concerned with binding the magic in the realms to her so that she can use it to control anything she pleases. She has sacrificed a lot and went against her friends to achieve her ends, yet still suffers pain and remorse for all that she has done. All the same, she prefers power over friendship.
Virginia Doyle
"Oh, Gemma, how could I tell you what I'd done? That's the curse of mothers, you know. We're never prepared for how much we love our children, for how much we wish we could protect them by being perfect."
Virginia Doyle is a protective and loving mother. She may have committed huge mistakes in the past, but she has done all that she could to move on for her family. She is very powerful, but she also understands the importance of caution.
Hester Asa Moore
"We are all unkind from time to time. We all do things we desperately wish we could undo. Those regrets just become part of who we are, along with everything else. To spend time trying to change that, well, it's like chasing clouds."
Hester Asa Moore is cultured, artistic and independent. She has traveled extensively, and has learned a great deal about the world. She encourages her students to think outside the box, instead of just deferring to their parents and future husbands.
Claire McCleethy
“Ladies, you cannot waver in your dedication to anything. What you want can be yours. But you must first know what it is you want.”
Claire McCleethy is ambitious, strict, strong, and cultured. At Spence, Ms. McCleethy teaches drawing, painting, Latin, Greek, badminton, and archery. Her way of teaching is demanding yet fair, as long as her students put in a lot of effort. She is determined to help those she teaches to become both mentally and physically stronger. She admires the strong and takes no pity on the weak.
Thomas Doyle
‘“I can't cure him,” Tom says so softly I have to strain to hear. “A medical student is a man of science. He is supposed to have the answers. I cannot even help my own father conquer his demons.”’
Tom is the older brother of Gemma. He is indeed arrogant and prideful, but also caring and loyal. He tends to patronize and criticize Gemma for being unlike how a typical Victorian teenage girl should be, yet loves her and the rest of his family all the same. As a medical student, he is determined to help cure his father of his alcoholism and opium addiction, and takes his inability to do so out on himself. While Tom can be vain and superficial at times, he clearly loves his family and makes them his greatest responsibility.
Simon Middleton
‘Simon laughs at this. “Miss Doyle, London is a far more interesting place with you in it.”’
Simon Middleton is charming, handsome, and a typical ladies' man. Though he tends to be quite the superficial gossip and enjoys taking advantage of women, there is a hint of a more courteous side to him. At times he can come across as clever and witty, while at other times comes across as cut and dry.
Mrs. Nightwing
"While you're here, I can be a solid ally, if you follow the rules. Or the sword that cuts you into shape if you do not."
As the Headmistress of Spence Academy, Mrs. Nightwing gives justice to her position by being a firm and principled guardian. It might not be easy to earn her respect, but if you succeed, you know you deserve it. She is extremely protective of her students and takes her duties very seriously.
Mademoiselle LeFarge
‘Mademoiselle LeFarge never does reprimand us. She sits silently the whole ride back, her eyes closed, a sad smile on her face. But in her fingers is the inspector's calling card.’
Mademoiselle LeFarge is hardworking, dutiful, romantic, and demanding, yet a gentle and forgiving being. She expects her students to work hard but takes a more helpful and gentle approach to teaching than several of the other teachers at Spence. Until Gemma visited the realms and relayed a message between Mademoiselle Lefarge's deceased husband and her, she held onto the belief that her fiance was still alive when she knew that he had died from influenza, which displays that Mlle. Lefarge is fiercely loyal and loving.
What is my heart's desire? They want the truth, but the most truthful answer I can give is that I don't know my own heart any better than I know theirs.
"To understand myself."
Strong-willed, driven, and witty, Gemma Doyle is the type of heroine who would fight for what she believes in - the type who would swim against the current. But first, she must learn how to understand herself and what she wants. Although she has a fierce, independent streak, she will definitely stand for a friend in need.
Felicity Worthington
‘Felicity's grip on the candle is strong, her voice determined. “I wish to be too powerful to ignore.”’
Brave, determined, and free-spirited, Felicity Worthington craves power and the ability to have an effect on others. This is due greatly to her dark past, but despite the hurt she has experienced, she remains strong and never backs down from a challenge. Those around her sense her power and are naturally drawn to her by her charm and leadership skills. Although she may have a difficult time displaying it, those she truly cares about will always have her loyalty and protection.
Pippa Cross
Pippa takes the candle and says solemnly, "To find true love."
Pippa Cross is a romantic at heart. Her greatest desire is to love and be loved. She may come across as self-centered and vain at times, but she can be a generous and devoted friend. However, she tends to swim with the current rather than against it, and lets fate make decisions for her.
Ann Bradshaw
Ann won't look at any of us when she says, "To be beautiful."
Ann Bradshaw is quiet, studious, and timid.. but with a secret determination to follow her dreams and a true appreciation for her friends. She struggles between accepting what life throws at her and defying it, but with some encouragement from her friends and a growing sense of self, she can withstand whatever life throws at her.
Kartik
"And allegiance to the Order...is that the only fealty you require of me?"
Kartik is brave, loyal, and thinks quickly on his feet. Though at times he can be naive and stubborn in his beliefs, his heart is always in the right place, and he would do anything in his power to keep those he is loyal to safe from harm.
Circe
“Every leader has blood on her hands.”
Circe, once Sarah Rees-Toome and disguised as Hester Asa Moore, is power-hungry and most concerned with binding the magic in the realms to her so that she can use it to control anything she pleases. She has sacrificed a lot and went against her friends to achieve her ends, yet still suffers pain and remorse for all that she has done. All the same, she prefers power over friendship.
Virginia Doyle
"Oh, Gemma, how could I tell you what I'd done? That's the curse of mothers, you know. We're never prepared for how much we love our children, for how much we wish we could protect them by being perfect."
Virginia Doyle is a protective and loving mother. She may have committed huge mistakes in the past, but she has done all that she could to move on for her family. She is very powerful, but she also understands the importance of caution.
Hester Asa Moore
"We are all unkind from time to time. We all do things we desperately wish we could undo. Those regrets just become part of who we are, along with everything else. To spend time trying to change that, well, it's like chasing clouds."
Hester Asa Moore is cultured, artistic and independent. She has traveled extensively, and has learned a great deal about the world. She encourages her students to think outside the box, instead of just deferring to their parents and future husbands.
Claire McCleethy
“Ladies, you cannot waver in your dedication to anything. What you want can be yours. But you must first know what it is you want.”
Claire McCleethy is ambitious, strict, strong, and cultured. At Spence, Ms. McCleethy teaches drawing, painting, Latin, Greek, badminton, and archery. Her way of teaching is demanding yet fair, as long as her students put in a lot of effort. She is determined to help those she teaches to become both mentally and physically stronger. She admires the strong and takes no pity on the weak.
Thomas Doyle
‘“I can't cure him,” Tom says so softly I have to strain to hear. “A medical student is a man of science. He is supposed to have the answers. I cannot even help my own father conquer his demons.”’
Tom is the older brother of Gemma. He is indeed arrogant and prideful, but also caring and loyal. He tends to patronize and criticize Gemma for being unlike how a typical Victorian teenage girl should be, yet loves her and the rest of his family all the same. As a medical student, he is determined to help cure his father of his alcoholism and opium addiction, and takes his inability to do so out on himself. While Tom can be vain and superficial at times, he clearly loves his family and makes them his greatest responsibility.
Simon Middleton
‘Simon laughs at this. “Miss Doyle, London is a far more interesting place with you in it.”’
Simon Middleton is charming, handsome, and a typical ladies' man. Though he tends to be quite the superficial gossip and enjoys taking advantage of women, there is a hint of a more courteous side to him. At times he can come across as clever and witty, while at other times comes across as cut and dry.
Mrs. Nightwing
"While you're here, I can be a solid ally, if you follow the rules. Or the sword that cuts you into shape if you do not."
As the Headmistress of Spence Academy, Mrs. Nightwing gives justice to her position by being a firm and principled guardian. It might not be easy to earn her respect, but if you succeed, you know you deserve it. She is extremely protective of her students and takes her duties very seriously.
Mademoiselle LeFarge
‘Mademoiselle LeFarge never does reprimand us. She sits silently the whole ride back, her eyes closed, a sad smile on her face. But in her fingers is the inspector's calling card.’
Mademoiselle LeFarge is hardworking, dutiful, romantic, and demanding, yet a gentle and forgiving being. She expects her students to work hard but takes a more helpful and gentle approach to teaching than several of the other teachers at Spence. Until Gemma visited the realms and relayed a message between Mademoiselle Lefarge's deceased husband and her, she held onto the belief that her fiance was still alive when she knew that he had died from influenza, which displays that Mlle. Lefarge is fiercely loyal and loving.