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adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Prequel to the other three Old Kingdom novels, set some 600 years before in a Belisaere ruled by the High Guilds, where Charter Magic is seen as something for the servants. This is a great story, with some unexpected twists and turns, though the main plot line is rather obvious if one has read the Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen trilogy. It is still interesting to see how this plot line unfolds, and I found myself caring for Clariel far more than I expected to.
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fantastic! This took the bad taste of that Terry Goodkind book right out of my mouth.
I've read and loved all the other Abhorsen books and this made me want to reread them. Something I almost never do.
Clariel is a sympathetic character who happens to be a bezerker, capable of intense rage and strength. Her happiest memories are being out in the woods and learning woodcraft from the Borderers. She is a solitary soul and not at all power hungry.
She is swept into political intrique by her family ties to both the king and the Abhorsen family (who are responsible for guarding the world from the dead and free magic). Just like Dorothy, she keeps repeating "I just want to go home", but that is not her fate.
Garth Nix has written several other series and stand-alones and is a gifted author. His characters and worlds work!
I've read and loved all the other Abhorsen books and this made me want to reread them. Something I almost never do.
Clariel is a sympathetic character who happens to be a bezerker, capable of intense rage and strength. Her happiest memories are being out in the woods and learning woodcraft from the Borderers. She is a solitary soul and not at all power hungry.
She is swept into political intrique by her family ties to both the king and the Abhorsen family (who are responsible for guarding the world from the dead and free magic). Just like Dorothy, she keeps repeating "I just want to go home", but that is not her fate.
Garth Nix has written several other series and stand-alones and is a gifted author. His characters and worlds work!
A reluctant 4 stars. My memory of this series outstrips the reality of this book. The danger of revisiting old worlds.
I expected more maturation of Nix's writing than I found here. The last quarter or so was compelling and more interesting than the first bit, most of which I spent feeling frustrated with every character. Much development of relationships was left unexplored. Enjoyed the backstory of Clariel (though there was no mystery as to who she becomes) and the politics of the Kingdom (but again, could have gone deeper there). Clariel's exploration of her asexuality was one of the most interesting aspects.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I flipped from thinking that book was 5⭐️ with minor reductions in beginning, to fully needing to drop rating for the ending.
I love the main Abhorsen trilogy. I love Tim Curries narration and the magic of the story, but this feels like a non-story with how it ended.
At the very end i ended up wishing it was never written.
Firstly the plot holes:
Sabriel chapter 11: Mogget about Abhorsen who made paperwings: great-great-great-great-grandmother’s cousin of Sabriel
Sabriel chapter 23: Terciel about the same Abhorsen: 46th Abhorsen, While Sabriel is 53rd Abhorsen
In the beginning of Clariel it’s stated that the events of the books occur 600 years before Sabriel’s birth
It’s mentioned Abhorsen can abdicate and the woman here in Clariel lived for more than 100 years, it’s not the norm, therefore 85+ years reigning as Abhorsen is unlikely on average for that to make sense (considering paperwings are prominent in Clariel’s book, and there’s essentially 3 generations of ineffectual Abhorsen’s + the one abdicated young, meaning even if it was a generation before, it would be 5 Abhorsen’s so Bel should have lived as an Abhorsen for 500 years?)
And then Mogget’s role in creating the main catalyst for this story really doesn’t pair well with his role in Sabriel’s age, even though he had been abandoned to the house. (Or telling Clariel of the rift)
Secondly for the good: the antagonists for this book are not of the caliber of Kerrigor and Orranis, and it very well suits the mood of the book when the Old Kingdom has been lulled in false sense of security, the calm before the storm.
The overall plot of the book, the protagonists, writing is executed really well.
But the main reason for the rating: I wanted the origin story were the beginning is this book, but I didn’t want to see the authors note with the comment: “As to what she did in the intervening years between the events of this book and those in Lirael, who can say?” That non-ending made me mad. Tiny bit. I still loved the beginning. But I need to find out the story of Clariel’s journey to Chlorr of the Mask.
I love the main Abhorsen trilogy. I love Tim Curries narration and the magic of the story, but this feels like a non-story with how it ended.
At the very end i ended up wishing it was never written.
Firstly the plot holes:
Sabriel chapter 11: Mogget about Abhorsen who made paperwings: great-great-great-great-grandmother’s cousin of Sabriel
Sabriel chapter 23: Terciel about the same Abhorsen: 46th Abhorsen, While Sabriel is 53rd Abhorsen
In the beginning of Clariel it’s stated that the events of the books occur 600 years before Sabriel’s birth
It’s mentioned Abhorsen can abdicate and the woman here in Clariel lived for more than 100 years, it’s not the norm, therefore 85+ years reigning as Abhorsen is unlikely on average for that to make sense (considering paperwings are prominent in Clariel’s book, and there’s essentially 3 generations of ineffectual Abhorsen’s + the one abdicated young, meaning even if it was a generation before, it would be 5 Abhorsen’s so Bel should have lived as an Abhorsen for 500 years?)
And then Mogget’s role in creating the main catalyst for this story really doesn’t pair well with his role in Sabriel’s age, even though he had been abandoned to the house. (Or telling Clariel of the rift)
Secondly for the good: the antagonists for this book are not of the caliber of Kerrigor and Orranis, and it very well suits the mood of the book when the Old Kingdom has been lulled in false sense of security, the calm before the storm.
The overall plot of the book, the protagonists, writing is executed really well.
But the main reason for the rating: I wanted the origin story were the beginning is this book, but I didn’t want to see the authors note with the comment: “As to what she did in the intervening years between the events of this book and those in Lirael, who can say?” That non-ending made me mad. Tiny bit. I still loved the beginning. But I need to find out the story of Clariel’s journey to Chlorr of the Mask.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent! But sad, very sad, once you realize who Clariel will become, especially if you like her, which I do. I will not spoil it, but really, the tag line on the front cover tells you everything.