The Apprentice (Libby novel)

The Apprentice is a young adult novel by Libby Bray, published in 2003. It is the second book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, following A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) and preceding The Sweet Far Thing (2007).

The novel continues the story of Gemma Doyle, a sixteen-year-old girl attending Spence Academy, an exclusive boarding school in Victorian England. Gemma, along with her friends Felicity Worthington, Ann Bradshaw, and Pippa Cross, are deeply involved with the realms beyond the school, specifically the magical Order.

In The Apprentice, Gemma struggles with the increasing responsibility that comes with her power and role within the Order. The story explores themes of friendship, betrayal, destiny, and the dangers of unchecked power. Gemma and her friends face new challenges and enemies as they learn more about the Order's history and the nature of the Realms. The narrative delves deeper into the intricate web of magic and politics that surrounds Gemma and her companions, forcing them to make difficult choices that have significant consequences. The novel expands upon the lore established in the first book and sets the stage for the trilogy's conclusion.