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ampregnall 's review for:
Sabriel
by Garth Nix
A page turner! Garth Nix created a compelling world that draws its readers in with an intriguing mythology and mysterious characters. The pacing of the book is excellent, and I liked how Nix immediately introduced the concepts of Charter Magic and crossing into Death in the Prologue. It provided something to latch onto while the rest of the story developed.
After the opening scenes, Sabriel grew into her role as Abhorsen well, at first rejecting the idea as she held onto the belief that she can save her father and ultimately embracing it. I would have perhaps liked to see Sabriel learn more Charter Magic on her journey because, at times, she felt too outmatched by Kerrigor and his army of Dead. But, Nix's introduction Mogget and Touchstone at the right moments not only allowed him to weave in more of Old Kingdom's mythology (which got me turning the pages even faster!) but also provided Sabriel with a believable escapes from her most difficult moments. I liked how Mogget's personality matched his incarnation as a cat, but I think Touchstone's characterization fell a little flat at times. His bloodline was predictable (though I will grant I am reading YA as an adult) and dominated his story.
I only had two dislikes about the book. First, the love story between Touchstone and Sabriel felt too rushed, and given the key role it played in the events following the death of Sabriel's father, I wish it had been fleshed out more. Second, I wish there had been more exploration of Charter Magic! I still have so many questions like, "Is Charter Magic a bound form of Free Magic?" I'm sure this and other parts of Old Kingdom mythology will be explored in the future novels, so this is a very minor complaint. Overall, I really liked Sabriel, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fast and enveloping fantasy read.
After the opening scenes, Sabriel grew into her role as Abhorsen well, at first rejecting the idea as she held onto the belief that she can save her father and ultimately embracing it. I would have perhaps liked to see Sabriel learn more Charter Magic on her journey because, at times, she felt too outmatched by Kerrigor and his army of Dead. But, Nix's introduction Mogget and Touchstone at the right moments not only allowed him to weave in more of Old Kingdom's mythology (which got me turning the pages even faster!) but also provided Sabriel with a believable escapes from her most difficult moments. I liked how Mogget's personality matched his incarnation as a cat, but I think Touchstone's characterization fell a little flat at times. His bloodline was predictable (though I will grant I am reading YA as an adult) and dominated his story.
I only had two dislikes about the book. First, the love story between Touchstone and Sabriel felt too rushed, and given the key role it played in the events following the death of Sabriel's father, I wish it had been fleshed out more. Second, I wish there had been more exploration of Charter Magic! I still have so many questions like, "Is Charter Magic a bound form of Free Magic?" I'm sure this and other parts of Old Kingdom mythology will be explored in the future novels, so this is a very minor complaint. Overall, I really liked Sabriel, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fast and enveloping fantasy read.