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Editorial Review:
Middle books in fantasy trilogies are sometimes disappointing, but Garth Nix has created in Lirael a fine successor to Sabriel that both complements its precursor and sets up a mouth-watering dénouement for the final instalment in Abhorsen. Nix continues by setting this new story in the neighbouring worlds of Ancelstierre (no magic) and The Old Kingdom (lots of magic) but introduces several new and substantial characters that are as strong and fascinating as those in the first book.
In the Old Kingdom, while the Abhorsen Sabriel is off fighting the undead, who are waking in worryingly ever-increasing numbers, Lirael is alone in the glacial mountain kingdom of the Clayr dreaming of when she will receive the gift of "the sight"--which all true daughters of Clayr possess. She fills the long wait with years of self-taught charter magic and investigations into what lies in the depths of the Clayr library--a truly vast and ancient place.
In Ancelstierre, Prince Sameth, son of Sabriel and designated Abhorsen-in-waiting, is battling with his own inner demons. His own familiarity with charter magic is limited and it even sometimes scares him. This weight of expectation is crystallised when he is attacked by an evil necromancer intent on killing him. Sameth barely escapes with his life.
In these times of increased undead activity, Sabriel suspects a greater force at work. Sameth must return to the Old Kingdom and learn fast to help counter this enormous threat while Lirael too must play her part. She is a girl with an important destiny and is sent out towards the area of darkness and mystery that holds the key to what has been happening. Nix's imagination continues to impress all and his Sabriel trilogy is so far proving to be the award-winning spectacle that it has promised to be. The book is recommended for ages 10 and above. --John McLay
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Daughter of magic Garth Nix changed the face of dark fantasy (usually just horror with a prettier cover) with his instant hit "Sabriel." It spun up an alternate world full of un-cute talking animals, deadly and dark magic, and a likably strong heroine. And he doesn't disappoint in "Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr," a strong sequel that reenters the world of the Old Kingdom, and brings out a new threat and new heroes to combat it. Without missing a step, "Lirael" follows in "Sabriel"'s footsteps, with the same dark blend... more info
Slightly Disappointed
After reading Sabriel which i loved, i was slightly disappointed with Lirael, i felt it dragged on an little, i really liked the character of Lirael and the Disrteputable Dog and loved the part of the story about them and it was great to welcome back Mogget, but i felt Sameth was a bit dull, his charachter started off very well when they were attacked coming from the Cricket, he was in the thick of it sorting out everything but i felt it kinda went on a little too much about the fact that he didnt... more info
Courtesy of Teens Read Too The second book in Garth Nix's ABHORSEN trilogy picks up fourteen years after Sabriel leaves off, and begins to focus on a new generation of characters; for this reason, it's definitely best to read the trilogy in order. Part One is centered on Lirael, a member of a race known as the Clayr, renowned for their ability to See into the future. Unfortunately, Lirael at the age of fourteen still has not received the Sight, something nearly unheard-of in Clayr society. To make matters worse, her dark hair and... more info
An excellent follow up.... I bought Lirael and Abhorsen before I'd even finished Sabriel, and I'm glad I did! This is a fantastic follow up to Sabriel and a perfect bridging book to take you to the final installment of the trilogy. Still completely gripped by Sabriel, I read this book in about 3 days, I just couldn't put it down. Another amazing book!
