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adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, this book was so like the first three yet so unlike them at the same time. I wasn’t used to greatly disliking the main character from the start, but then as I got further and further into the book, my dislike began to make sense. Rather than writing a hero’s story, Nix wrote a coming of age Villain’s story. I was never meant to like Clariel, but I was meant to feel some level of sympathy for her. And those complicated feelings were well drawn out by this book. It’s hard to rate a book highly when you don’t like the main character, but the seemingly effortless spinning of the villain’s tale of growth has me rating this higher.
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Clariel was a slow start for me, but eventually I was sucked into the fascinating history of the Old Kingdom.
I was so excited about this book! It was a great surprise to have more of this story after so many years. But sadly I found it to be a bit lackluster. Clariel was such a whiny protagonist - every other paragraph was her complaining about how she wanted to be in the forest. Furthermore, she was weak in comparison to Sabriel and Lirael who were badass Charter Mages. Clariel didn't care about the Charter.. or really anything except the forest. And she kept on making all the wrong choices.
Another downfall was the fact that the story didn't get interesting until at least three fourths of the way through. And even the ending was a bit anti-climatic since all the action happened quickly.
I'm excited to hear that Garth Nix is making another story in this series (as he says in the Author's Note at the end), and that it will be about Lirael and Nicholas. So hopefully that one will be more enjoyable!
Spoiler
I suppose it makes sense that she's not a likable protagonist because she becomes the villain Chlorr of the Mask in Lirael... But still, featuring her in an entire novel.. You should make her at least somewhat likeable, maybe?Another downfall was the fact that the story didn't get interesting until at least three fourths of the way through. And even the ending was a bit anti-climatic since all the action happened quickly.
I'm excited to hear that Garth Nix is making another story in this series (as he says in the Author's Note at the end), and that it will be about Lirael and Nicholas. So hopefully that one will be more enjoyable!
I really wasn't sure how Garth Nix was going to pull this off. Would he be able to create a character in Clariel that I would want to know about? That I would sympathize with? How do you write a history of someone you already know is going to turn evil and kill lots of people!?
I never should have doubted. Clariel has such depth, and there is a high tide of emotion running through this novel. You really, really want things to work out for her. At the same time, it's almost like Clariel lost the genetic lottery due to all the things she's predisposed for. It would be a lot for anyone to deal with.
It's also awesome to get such insight into a fairly unknown period in the Old Kingdom's history. We also learn a lot about the Abhorsens, who weren't always heroes and who often continued on not due to training or loyalty, but due to one person stepping up when no one else would.
*sigh*
I really loved this book.
I never should have doubted. Clariel has such depth, and there is a high tide of emotion running through this novel. You really, really want things to work out for her. At the same time, it's almost like Clariel lost the genetic lottery due to all the things she's predisposed for. It would be a lot for anyone to deal with.
It's also awesome to get such insight into a fairly unknown period in the Old Kingdom's history. We also learn a lot about the Abhorsens, who weren't always heroes and who often continued on not due to training or loyalty, but due to one person stepping up when no one else would.
*sigh*
I really loved this book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't expecting much from a prequel, but this was awesome. Wow.
Clariel definitely travels a sad journey, though. And there's no romance. But the bad guys in this book are excellently done! And there's so much to love about the Old Kingdom as a setting.
Clariel definitely travels a sad journey, though. And there's no romance. But the bad guys in this book are excellently done! And there's so much to love about the Old Kingdom as a setting.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Quick and nostalgic, a good addition to the world
I really enjoyed Clariel. The dawning realization that Clariel is Chlorr of the Mask, the glimpse into a long-ago time in the Old Kingdom, the focus on Free Magic threats and politics rather than the Dead... It all adds up to a gripping novel about Clariel, a girl who serves as a fantastic foil to the heroines of the previous books, Sabriel & Lirael. All three are thrust into new and dangerous environments with tremendous courage but limited knowledge and resources. However, where Sabriel & Lirael are able to find support and use their own talents to come out victorious, Clariel's determination and talent acts as a double-edged sword which eventually ends in her own downfall and failure. This book ultimately lays the foundation for the reader to understand how and why Clariel becomes Chlorr of the Mask and on that level, it is tremendously successful. On the other hand, there are two gripes I have about the novel. Firstly, due to the fact that this novel also acts as a window into the Old Kingdom prior to Touchstone's family, there is a lot of exposition and world-building that clarifies the major differences in the Old Kingdom during this time period. While much of this exposition and world-building is handled with Garth Nix's usual talent and tact, it is still a rather hefty part of the novel and some plot and pacing is sacrificed for a better reader's perspective of the Kingdom. Secondly, I wish that there was a final, more dramatic note in the conclusion that really hammers home the turning point for Clariel to take up her new identity as Chlorr of the Mask. Without it, the novel's conclusion feels less focused and the author's note could be a bit jarring. All that said, I really enjoyed this book and I'm really excited to move on to the next installment (and forward in time back to Nicholas & Lirael)!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes