Lirael (Old Kingdom, #2)

by Garth Nix

Sequel to the spellbinding, award-winning fantasy adventure, SABRIEL. Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother and ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large, extended family living in the Clayr's Glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight - the ability to See into the present and possible futures - that is the very birthright of the Clayr. Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies. She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil - one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny. Garth Nix draws readers deeper into the magical landscape of the Old Kingdom and weaves a spellbinding tale of discovery, destiny and danger.

• ISBN10: 000713732X
• ISBN13: 9780007137329
• Publish Date: 1 September 2003 (first published 10 April 2001)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 27 February 2008
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 528
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollinschildrensbooks.co.uk

Reviews

[ladygrey]

I liked this book. The writing wasn't as beautiful as I hope for in fantasy novels. But his world building was thorough and very interesting. I went back and forth between liking the characters and not, which I think reveals how fully formed they are.

I really liked the whole Charter marks and Free Magic stuff. I think it made a fascinating world and sense of magic. I liked that, just because Lirael was good with Charter marks, didn't make her all powerful; that there were weaknesses to how it can be used.

I mostly liked the pace. In the beginning it took a bit to get going, especially once I could see where the story was going. But once the plot became focused for the characters it moved along very well.

As far as the characters went, I didn't like Lirael in the beginning. I felt she was a very bland rather petulant character, but then she was obviously surrounded by a great deal of power so I was kind of fascinated. As the story continued, however, I liked her. In the reverse, I liked Sam pretty much right away then he devolved a little for me in the middle and was a little bit pathetic in moments. But then he got stronger and a little bit smarter and braver and I liked him again. In some ways - and this doesn't happen often - I was ok with the moments when I didn't like the characters because a) they were still surrounded by a great deal of power and b) it made them more human. I accepted their flaws as very real and not as constructs or as the author just writing bad characters.

fyi - [b:Abhorsen|334643|Abhorsen (Abhorsen, #3)|Garth Nix|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266527332s/334643.jpg|2339177] is more the completion of this book, rather than a sequel.