By Cheshire
So I know it’s been quite a while since our last review but we’ve been so busy, the both of us, and I’ve just binge-read a ton of books so get ready for a Book Bonanza! Seriously. There’s going to be so many reviews on the way. And I have an ARC review coming up, and I’m currently working on two more of them, so… Yup. Here goes.
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not adjusting well to her new life in the city of Belisaere, the capital of the Old Kingdom. She misses roaming freely within the forests of Estwael, and she feels trapped within the stone city walls. And in Belisaere she is forced to follow the plans, plots and demands of everyone, from her parents to her maid, to the sinister Guildmaster Kilp. Clariel can see her freedom slipping away. It seems too that the city itself is descending into chaos, as the ancient rules binding Abhorsen, King and Clayr appear to be disintegrating.
With the discovery of a dangerous Free Magic creature loose in the city, Clariel is given the chance both to prove her worth and make her escape. But events spin rapidly out of control. Clariel finds herself more trapped than ever, until help comes from an unlikely source. But the help comes at a terrible cost. Clariel must question the motivations and secret hearts of everyone around her – and it is herself she must question most of all.
My Rating: 3 AND A HALF STARS
My Review: I wanted to love this book. I really did. It’s the prequel to Sabriel! And I loved the world, and I love Garth Nix’s writing style but there was less kick-butt bell-ringing and stuff like that and more… well, more conspiracies that aren’t really built up and girls whining about their life. (If you couldn’t tell, I’m not the biggest fan of the character of Clariel.) Also, the cover shows a dragon, so Gabriel the dragon will be making a brief appearance, but the dragon doesn’t really come in until the end so that was a little disappointing.
Characters
Clariel: Ugh. Whiny. So whiny. She has a lot of introvert probs, which I totally get. Sometimes, being forced to associate with annoying people 24-7 sucks. I get that. But whining about it nonstop and thinking about all the ways to get out of your situation instead of sucking up and dealing with it—INCLUDING USING FREE MAGIC TO TURN INTO THIS FREAKING SCARY LADY—seems a little much.
Mogget: Guess what, guys, MOGGET’S BACK! Pretty sure that accounted for two of the three and a half stars of my rating. I love Mogget. So much. He saved this book. Well, that and the Old Kingdom setting. I still have a special place in my heart for that.
Clariel’s parents: Imagine the stereotypical rich parents who spend no time with their kids and then times that by ten. Ouch.
Setting
Old Kingdom. Squeal! And it’s Old Kingdom WITH DRAGONS.
Gabriel would just like to add that it’s not quite his type of dragon. It’s more… weird. Still a dragon, so still cool but… just for the technicalities.
Plot
Clariel’s parents made her move to the city. Big whoop. Unfortunately, Clariel is the most antisocial person ever. More antisocial than Lirael. More antisocial than… anyone. She hates people, she refuses to make friends, and she is overall pretty pugnacious. So when she is offered the chance to get out of the cutthroat world of the city and return to her precious forest, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Including using her berserker abilities and yielding the power of a formidable free magic creature. Needless to say, things are about to get interesting for her.
Writing
It’s Garth Nix. What else is there to say?
“A passion thwarted will often go astray…”
That is all.
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