A review by anonymous_blobfish
Sabriel by Garth Nix

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 Garth Nix, in my mind, occupies the same space as Isobelle Carmody – books that I saw in my school library that by all measures I should have been into but either never tried or tried once and did not like. I didn’t ever really think I would change my mind regarding these two authors and I confess I only decided to read this book after picking it up at the Rotary Book Fair for $1 because why not.

I’m actually so glad I gave this a shot because this book was equal parts funny, charming and action packed and I had such a good time reading it!

Whilst the audiobook being narrated by Tim Currey was certainly a draw, I was immediately taken in by the necromantic system of magic that underpins this fantasy world. That along with the YA/NA cusp setting, fast pace, well written action sequences, and truly loveable characters made this story super engaging. I loved Sabriel as a main character and found her incredibly refreshing, especially considering she was written by a man in the mid-90’s.

I actually really recommend this book to my fantasy readers out there, I think it works well as some wonderful combo of a well written high fantasy and a funny palette cleanser. I will definitely continue with this series, probably via the audiobook as Tim Currey really did enhance my enjoyment!