Reviewed by Lianne on
About two chapters in, I knew this to be an infinitely better outing than Clariel. The book picks up some six months after the events of Abhorsen and there’s weird movement lurking in the west and in the north, which this book begins to address. It’s cool to see a lot more world-expanding in this book, fleshing out the reality outside of the capital and the situation in those regions of the Old Kingdom and the way in which these various clans operate and interact with each other. It feels like a totally different realm out there, really, and I look forward to reading more about them in the future.
I haven’t read anything as to how many books are coming up next from Garth Nix set in this world, but this book felt more like a set piece than anything else, setting up events that will unfold in subsequent installments. The book blurb covers pretty much the course of the journey in this book: Lirael and Nick reunite as something odd is happening with Nick and the mesh between Free Magic and Charter magic in this body, and something ominous lurks beyond Death. Ferin, a new character who ties in the story of the tribes of the North, is also faced with great dangers trying to reach the Clayr to deliver a message from a witch living in the north about the Witch with No Face. The strange happenings with Nick was quite chilling and I’m curious to know exactly what is going on with the two opposing magics and what it means for Nick in the future. And of course the pressing danger coming from the north.
It was nice to reconnect with old characters, with Lirael is growing into her role of Abhorsen-in-Waiting. There’s a lot she’s still getting used to, and like Sabriel in her first book I tended to forget that she’s still in her late teens/going into her early twenties so there’s still that youth to her. But I had to chuckle over Nick and Lirael’s interactions; they’re obviously bound together by early events in the other two novels, but there’s also something between them that they can’t quite figure out, which is cute and awkward all the same. In tandem with their story is that of Ferin, who had quite a bleak backstory but who’s strong in her own right in going through whatever it takes to deliver her message.
Like Clariel, I found it odd that there’s still a bit of strange repetitiveness going on in the narrative: I don’t need to be reminded every so often how much Lirael hates the soft gold glow of the hand Sam made her. Mentioning it once was enough. I can see why the Disreputable Dog’s loss is repeated time and again as it informs very much what Lirael’s personal situation is at the moment, but the repetitiveness is quite noticeable.
Otherwise Goldenhand is the start of an exciting new story arc set after the events of the first Abhorsen trilogy. A little chuffed perhaps that by the end of the book we’re nowhere closer to knowing exactly what the new enemy has planned or what exactly is going on that posing such a great danger to the Old Kingdom, but there was enough action and mystery to keep me interested throughout. I’m sure this book won’t disappoint readers who enjoyed the previous books in this series. I know I can’t wait to read whatever comes next for Lirael and Nick and the other characters :)
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 12 July, 2016: Finished reading
- 12 July, 2016: Reviewed