What do you think?
Rate this book
Circle of Magic #4
Briar's Book
The stunning conclusion to the Circle of Magic quartet finds the young mages Sandry, Daja, Tris, and Briar facing their greatest challenge yet—a devastating plague that is sweeping Emelan.
Audio CD
First published April 1, 1999
171 people are currently reading
5687 people want to read
About the author
Tamora Pierce
99 books85.2k followersHey, folks! I just discovered that apparently I have given some very popular books single-star ratings--except I haven't. How do I know I haven't? Because I haven't read those books at all. So before you go getting all hacked off at me for trashing your favorites, know that I've written GoodReads to find out what's going on.
I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join groups, I'm going to turn them all down. I just don't have the time to take part, so please don't be offended if I don't join your group or accept an invitation. I'm not snooty--I'm just up to my eyeballs in work and appearances!
Also, don't be alarmed by the number of books I've read. When I get bored, I go through the different lists and rediscover books I've read in the past. It's a very evil way to use up time when I should be doing other things. Obviously, I've read a lot of books in 54 years!
I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.
I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.
Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!
I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join groups, I'm going to turn them all down. I just don't have the time to take part, so please don't be offended if I don't join your group or accept an invitation. I'm not snooty--I'm just up to my eyeballs in work and appearances!
Also, don't be alarmed by the number of books I've read. When I get bored, I go through the different lists and rediscover books I've read in the past. It's a very evil way to use up time when I should be doing other things. Obviously, I've read a lot of books in 54 years!
I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.
I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.
Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 679 reviews
August 17, 2020
A plague hits different in 2020.
I've never felt closer to understanding Briar and Rosethorn's quarantine life than I have in this re-read.
I've never felt closer to understanding Briar and Rosethorn's quarantine life than I have in this re-read.
April 22, 2025
✰ 4 stars ✰
There is a magic to how Tamora Pierce was able to wind Briar's Story full circle in which it has been one year since he and his fellow mates, or rather his sisters, arrived at Winding Circle. It's been a far cry from his days as an urchin, one where it comes as an unwelcome shock at how unrecognizable his past self was, when life on the streets was once all he knew. 'Who am I?' he wondered for a moment, shocked. Who am I really?' 🥺 Since becoming Rosethorn's apprentice, his love for her and the other mages is the very tether that keeps him rooted to a place that has become so very dear to him. It's his resolve and newfound raison d'être; and if any force was to threaten it, he would do whatever it took in his magic and strength to protect it - no matter the cost.
“Denials only told Death here was someone who would be missed, Death’s favorite kind of victim.”
It was eerily disconcerting, if not unnerving to read about the trials and struggles of a pandemic that so accurately captured what life was like during COVID, especially when said book was published in the early 2000s; for how easily it can spread from lack of care and control - 'the death of hundreds from a pursuit of wealth and a reluctance to spend'. 😢 How a mysterious disease like the blue pox doesn't distinguish between street rat or rich souls - it's enough to feel sorry for all those sick and frightened. To the tortured pain and wearied heartache of those in isolated quarantine and losing those they loved, to those on the outside looking in with fresh masks and gloves, struggling to assist the healers and dedicates determined to finding a cure for a disease that spread inexplicably and without ill-intent, simply that it was.... It was jarring, but something so recognizable in portrayal. 💔😷
For Briar to be at the forefront of it all - with he and his teacher's talents for steadiness and understanding of medicinal plants and herbs that tragically also has them susceptible to being infected, as well - it is not enough to see but feel his mounting despair of anguish to putting his heart and life on the line for the ones he cares about.
“Because no one who’s truly your friend would want you to feel bad for knowing them.”
I adore the spirited unity between Briar and the other three - Sandry, Tris, and Daja. Simple, but tender gestures of affection, gratitude and friendship shine at the most impactful and desperate of moments that captures how well and truly they care and understand each other, much like the circle of thread - 'with no way to tell where the thread began or ended' - that bound their magics together to make all of them stronger. 🛞✨ I liked how we still had individual moments that had them nurturing and strengthening their inner talents in the most unimaginable of ways and how they don't shy away from even the most daunting and unthinkable of tasks.
“I need you here.”
He was hearing things, surely. He could have sworn Crane said he needed him.”
The writing evokes heart and humor, but courage and faith in a convincing way. Little moments of amusement spring forth, along with light glimpses of how Briar has grown in other's views, as well. It's like I said, earlier - the author really did wind it back full circle. For the very man Briar scorned when he was simply Roach, became the very one who praised Briar with admiration for who he had become. ❤️🩹 I did not expect to see Crane redeem himself in Briar's eyes - to have a heart and conviction of finding out a cure for the illness that made them a united force. It was a defining moment in which I got to enjoy their individual character development, even moments where I worried that perhaps, the torch was being passed forward... 😟
“He was gone, chasing the person he loved best into the shadows.”
At the heart of it all is Briar's love and devotion and dedication to Rosethorn. 🫂 The bond between the two is more than just student-teacher, a beautiful mentorship of trust and affection, one that he would cross Heaven and Hell to protect her. My heart ached at his helpless frustration and desperate determination - 'this really, really reeks!' 😞 How he fought and struggled, even when all hope seemed lost. His emotions - you could almost reach out and feel the ripple of his despair, one that resonated more so at how it was a reminder of COVID, and how so many loved ones tried in vain to save those they loved. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
“... the truth was, he didn’t want to waste the light either. You never knew when you’d need it and not have it.”
There is a magic to how Tamora Pierce was able to wind Briar's Story full circle in which it has been one year since he and his fellow mates, or rather his sisters, arrived at Winding Circle. It's been a far cry from his days as an urchin, one where it comes as an unwelcome shock at how unrecognizable his past self was, when life on the streets was once all he knew. 'Who am I?' he wondered for a moment, shocked. Who am I really?' 🥺 Since becoming Rosethorn's apprentice, his love for her and the other mages is the very tether that keeps him rooted to a place that has become so very dear to him. It's his resolve and newfound raison d'être; and if any force was to threaten it, he would do whatever it took in his magic and strength to protect it - no matter the cost.
“Denials only told Death here was someone who would be missed, Death’s favorite kind of victim.”
It was eerily disconcerting, if not unnerving to read about the trials and struggles of a pandemic that so accurately captured what life was like during COVID, especially when said book was published in the early 2000s; for how easily it can spread from lack of care and control - 'the death of hundreds from a pursuit of wealth and a reluctance to spend'. 😢 How a mysterious disease like the blue pox doesn't distinguish between street rat or rich souls - it's enough to feel sorry for all those sick and frightened. To the tortured pain and wearied heartache of those in isolated quarantine and losing those they loved, to those on the outside looking in with fresh masks and gloves, struggling to assist the healers and dedicates determined to finding a cure for a disease that spread inexplicably and without ill-intent, simply that it was.... It was jarring, but something so recognizable in portrayal. 💔😷
For Briar to be at the forefront of it all - with he and his teacher's talents for steadiness and understanding of medicinal plants and herbs that tragically also has them susceptible to being infected, as well - it is not enough to see but feel his mounting despair of anguish to putting his heart and life on the line for the ones he cares about.
“Because no one who’s truly your friend would want you to feel bad for knowing them.”
I adore the spirited unity between Briar and the other three - Sandry, Tris, and Daja. Simple, but tender gestures of affection, gratitude and friendship shine at the most impactful and desperate of moments that captures how well and truly they care and understand each other, much like the circle of thread - 'with no way to tell where the thread began or ended' - that bound their magics together to make all of them stronger. 🛞✨ I liked how we still had individual moments that had them nurturing and strengthening their inner talents in the most unimaginable of ways and how they don't shy away from even the most daunting and unthinkable of tasks.
“I need you here.”
He was hearing things, surely. He could have sworn Crane said he needed him.”
The writing evokes heart and humor, but courage and faith in a convincing way. Little moments of amusement spring forth, along with light glimpses of how Briar has grown in other's views, as well. It's like I said, earlier - the author really did wind it back full circle. For the very man Briar scorned when he was simply Roach, became the very one who praised Briar with admiration for who he had become. ❤️🩹 I did not expect to see Crane redeem himself in Briar's eyes - to have a heart and conviction of finding out a cure for the illness that made them a united force. It was a defining moment in which I got to enjoy their individual character development, even moments where I worried that perhaps, the torch was being passed forward... 😟
“He was gone, chasing the person he loved best into the shadows.”
At the heart of it all is Briar's love and devotion and dedication to Rosethorn. 🫂 The bond between the two is more than just student-teacher, a beautiful mentorship of trust and affection, one that he would cross Heaven and Hell to protect her. My heart ached at his helpless frustration and desperate determination - 'this really, really reeks!' 😞 How he fought and struggled, even when all hope seemed lost. His emotions - you could almost reach out and feel the ripple of his despair, one that resonated more so at how it was a reminder of COVID, and how so many loved ones tried in vain to save those they loved. 🫶🏻🫶🏻
February 12, 2014
This review is for the first four books, ’Circle of Magic.’
An overall four stars, with the individual ratings as follows:
Sandry’s Book: 4
Tris’s Book: 4
Daja’s Book: 3
Briar’s Book: 4
This is, shortly, an excellent YA/children’s series. The books are short, but never feel rushed. They are simple, but never simplistic. Each book has a strong moral core, and they each contain messages, but this is never pushed (at least not strongly) on the reader. They are essentially very good examples of how to speak to children – honestly, and without condescension.
The books, perhaps especially the fourth one, do not shy away from dealing with unpleasant or serious topics, but rarely linger on them for the sake of drama. Things happen mostly in the open, but there are little hints of things (relationships, events) hovering at the edges.
The primary characters are mostly likeable - or not, when required. There are out-and-out villains, but certain adversaries are shown to be more complex, or at least shown to be human.
The books are, for lack of a better term, predictable – but not in a negative sense. You’ll see where things are going. You are given the information to figure it out, and those things then play out mostly as expected, but the pacing is good and the characters are good company, so rather than a chore it becomes a very pleasant experience to watch events unfold.
I liked the fourth one best, slightly ahead of one and two (the fourth book being basically The Andromeda Strain - with wizards!), mostly because Briar is a somewhat more interesting character, even if he is perhaps also the most familiar character to fantasy readers. I suspect that all readers will have a favourite of their own from the core group, for various reasons. Of course, we all know that overall, Frostpine is totally the best, right?
The ‘Circle of Magic’ proved to be a very charming experience, so here’s hoping that the next four will be equally enjoyable.
An overall four stars, with the individual ratings as follows:
Sandry’s Book: 4
Tris’s Book: 4
Daja’s Book: 3
Briar’s Book: 4
This is, shortly, an excellent YA/children’s series. The books are short, but never feel rushed. They are simple, but never simplistic. Each book has a strong moral core, and they each contain messages, but this is never pushed (at least not strongly) on the reader. They are essentially very good examples of how to speak to children – honestly, and without condescension.
The books, perhaps especially the fourth one, do not shy away from dealing with unpleasant or serious topics, but rarely linger on them for the sake of drama. Things happen mostly in the open, but there are little hints of things (relationships, events) hovering at the edges.
The primary characters are mostly likeable - or not, when required. There are out-and-out villains, but certain adversaries are shown to be more complex, or at least shown to be human.
The books are, for lack of a better term, predictable – but not in a negative sense. You’ll see where things are going. You are given the information to figure it out, and those things then play out mostly as expected, but the pacing is good and the characters are good company, so rather than a chore it becomes a very pleasant experience to watch events unfold.
I liked the fourth one best, slightly ahead of one and two (the fourth book being basically The Andromeda Strain - with wizards!), mostly because Briar is a somewhat more interesting character, even if he is perhaps also the most familiar character to fantasy readers. I suspect that all readers will have a favourite of their own from the core group, for various reasons. Of course, we all know that overall, Frostpine is totally the best, right?
The ‘Circle of Magic’ proved to be a very charming experience, so here’s hoping that the next four will be equally enjoyable.
September 27, 2021
September 2021:
December 2015: I forgot how good this is. It is. Really. Particularly the parts where they're all working in Crane's workroom. The idea that you still need to research magic, and that diseases have to be distilled down to keys which then can be combined multiple ways for a cure - it's interesting and smart and cool to read about.
“…You know why I hate plagues?”This entire book is a more difficult reread than I expected… but this part really hit hard.
The girl hesitated, confused by the abrupt change of subject. That was the fever, she realized. It made Rosethorn’s mind skip about. “Why?” Daja asked.
“Most disasters are fast, and big. You can see everyone else’s life got overturned when yours did. Houses are smashed, livestock’s dead. But plagues isolate people. They shut themselves inside while disease takes a life at a time, day after day. It adds up. Whole cities break under the load of what was lost. People stop trusting each other, because you don’t know who’s sick.”
December 2015: I forgot how good this is. It is. Really. Particularly the parts where they're all working in Crane's workroom. The idea that you still need to research magic, and that diseases have to be distilled down to keys which then can be combined multiple ways for a cure - it's interesting and smart and cool to read about.
July 31, 2023
Panel Discussion: https://youtube.com/live/GzwPuDKs1tA
This one definitely hits different after COVID. I had forgotten that this book centers on a magical epidemic. It's handled incredibly well and the level of detailed accuracy (albeit with magic) is impressive. These books don't miss and we see a lot of great character growth as well.
This one definitely hits different after COVID. I had forgotten that this book centers on a magical epidemic. It's handled incredibly well and the level of detailed accuracy (albeit with magic) is impressive. These books don't miss and we see a lot of great character growth as well.
October 4, 2025
I'm going to be honest! I've read so many pandemic books this was a little lack luster. but the real story here is the ultimate loner briar moss aka street theft only out for himself saves his teacher Rosethorn.
May 28, 2020
Briar's Book was great for helping my kids process what's going on because of the corona virus. It's set in a magical fantasy world during an epidemic. After an hour or two of listening, my eight-year-old and my ten-year-old both independently remarked about how similar the story in the book was to what was happening right now, since we've been in quarantine for a few months. I asked them if they wanted to keep listening, or if it was too much. Both were enthusiastic about continuing. One kid said: "Briar is brave, and that helps me to be brave too."
Tamora Pierce did her research for this book, and it shows particularly well now that we've got modern experience to compare it to. Things in this book that really resonate: shortage of masks and gowns, the necessity of high quality masks for people on the front line, shortage of test kit supplies, poverty and preexisting conditions being risk factors, quarantine being boring, the hard and exhausting work being done by nurses and doctors, burnout, the careful and complicated work required to find a cure, it's okay that scientists argue with each other, some people being overworked while others don't have much to do, the fear of losing loved ones. There was a line in the book about being grateful the fictional disease wasn't transmitted by air. That hit home.
I loved that this story was simple enough for my kids to understand, but still engaging. It tackled some big concepts. While this book was helpful for my kids, I think the ending could be pretty intense for kids who have lost someone close to them because of the corona virus.
This is book four of a series (which is how we stumbled upon it), but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Tamora Pierce did her research for this book, and it shows particularly well now that we've got modern experience to compare it to. Things in this book that really resonate: shortage of masks and gowns, the necessity of high quality masks for people on the front line, shortage of test kit supplies, poverty and preexisting conditions being risk factors, quarantine being boring, the hard and exhausting work being done by nurses and doctors, burnout, the careful and complicated work required to find a cure, it's okay that scientists argue with each other, some people being overworked while others don't have much to do, the fear of losing loved ones. There was a line in the book about being grateful the fictional disease wasn't transmitted by air. That hit home.
I loved that this story was simple enough for my kids to understand, but still engaging. It tackled some big concepts. While this book was helpful for my kids, I think the ending could be pretty intense for kids who have lost someone close to them because of the corona virus.
This is book four of a series (which is how we stumbled upon it), but it can be read as a stand-alone book.
April 30, 2012
Briar escaped life as a homeless young thief when his magic was discovered. Since then, he has renamed himself and, to a certain extent, reinvented himself. He realizes how much he's changed in skills, outlook and assumptions (like trusting authorities, or actually *wanting* to be clean) when one of his street-rat friends falls ill. And as the illness spreads, and plague envelops the city, Briar is forced to come to terms with his new destiny.
This book is basically everything I have ever wanted in fiction. Outbreak investigation AND structural inequalities of health AND magic? It is like Tamora Pierce wrote this book just for me. So I can't pretend to be even partially objective or trustworthy about this novel, except to say that I am so, so thankful that someone is actually writing this kind of story in a fantasy setting. The plot involves garbage collection, waste disposal, differential health care access, medical resources rationing--all the dirty, earthy, banal things that get ignored in traditional sf/f (and, to be fair, most fiction regardless of genre). But it's not without wonder, either; Pierce describes magic in a way that thrills me to my core. You might not assume that plant magic could be written in a way that makes your heart beat faster, but Pierce can do it. The characters in this series have grown far richer since their unsubtle introductions. (And astonishingly, Pierce accomplishes this without making them all assholes, or giving them increasingly unlikely traumatic pasts. Take note, modern grimdark fantasy novelists--it can be done!)
I love that Pierce chose to step outside the easy plots of human antagonists. It opened her plots up to include all sorts of events most authors never get to grapple with, like natural disasters and resource admininstration. In this world, even magic isn't limitless, and magicians need to be wise in their use of it. And they can't do everything--the best way to weave is still to do it by hand, and not all fires can be stopped. That was another aspect of this series that I loved: the acknowledgment that not everything can be fully understood or controlled. Even the most powerful wizard in Pierce's world can't stop the tides, and even if she could, it would lead to even greater disasters. Trying to control too much is actually a serious flaw, which is a fantastically novel viewpoint to find in a sf/f story. I think I'm starting to babble here, but I really just loved everything about this series. It's written for a younger audience, so the writing isn't that sophisticated (except for the descriptions of magic use, which are seriously the most enthralling things ever), but the ideas are. I can't think of another fantasy series that looks at classism, the limitations of a humanist worldview, and the necessity of hard work--all in the midst of a truly entertaining adventure.
Apparently the next series, The Circle Opens, is even better. omg how can this beeee?
This book is basically everything I have ever wanted in fiction. Outbreak investigation AND structural inequalities of health AND magic? It is like Tamora Pierce wrote this book just for me. So I can't pretend to be even partially objective or trustworthy about this novel, except to say that I am so, so thankful that someone is actually writing this kind of story in a fantasy setting. The plot involves garbage collection, waste disposal, differential health care access, medical resources rationing--all the dirty, earthy, banal things that get ignored in traditional sf/f (and, to be fair, most fiction regardless of genre). But it's not without wonder, either; Pierce describes magic in a way that thrills me to my core. You might not assume that plant magic could be written in a way that makes your heart beat faster, but Pierce can do it. The characters in this series have grown far richer since their unsubtle introductions. (And astonishingly, Pierce accomplishes this without making them all assholes, or giving them increasingly unlikely traumatic pasts. Take note, modern grimdark fantasy novelists--it can be done!)
I love that Pierce chose to step outside the easy plots of human antagonists. It opened her plots up to include all sorts of events most authors never get to grapple with, like natural disasters and resource admininstration. In this world, even magic isn't limitless, and magicians need to be wise in their use of it. And they can't do everything--the best way to weave is still to do it by hand, and not all fires can be stopped. That was another aspect of this series that I loved: the acknowledgment that not everything can be fully understood or controlled. Even the most powerful wizard in Pierce's world can't stop the tides, and even if she could, it would lead to even greater disasters. Trying to control too much is actually a serious flaw, which is a fantastically novel viewpoint to find in a sf/f story. I think I'm starting to babble here, but I really just loved everything about this series. It's written for a younger audience, so the writing isn't that sophisticated (except for the descriptions of magic use, which are seriously the most enthralling things ever), but the ideas are. I can't think of another fantasy series that looks at classism, the limitations of a humanist worldview, and the necessity of hard work--all in the midst of a truly entertaining adventure.
Apparently the next series, The Circle Opens, is even better. omg how can this beeee?
July 30, 2015
Briar's Book is the final book in Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic quartet, which of course is ending just as I'm getting used to the format Pierce wrote them in. Naturally, it focuses on Briar, the former thief and street rat, now plant-mage of Winding Circle Temple. He and the three girls are now a year older than they were in the first book, but still quite young. They've adjusted to their new lives and are learning in heaps and loads. For Briar, a large part of this book involves him interacting with bits and pieces of his old life and coming to terms with what it means for him now that heidentifies so strongly with groups of people he used to feel so far above him when he was living on the streets.
That's the underlying stuff, though. The main plot involves an outbreak of a mysterious new disease that has turned into an epidemic in the Summersea area. The first victim is Briar's street friend Flick, which is how he and Rosethorn end up in quarantine when they should be helping to find a cure.
As always, Pierce stealthily uses her plots to examine not only characters and the ways they see the world, but to lay out a world where people interact in complex ways and power dynamics. This wasn't as big of a focus as in previous books, though, because it's Briar's book (doi) and the main thing he has grown to care about, even over his three magically entwined friends, is his relationship with his teacher, Rosethorn, whom he sees as a surrogate mother. Their interactions and his feelings about her are the heart of this book.
Overall, I've really enjoyed this series, but I will be excited to move on in the Emelan world to a time when these characters are a bit older and their stories will be suitably more complex.
That's the underlying stuff, though. The main plot involves an outbreak of a mysterious new disease that has turned into an epidemic in the Summersea area. The first victim is Briar's street friend Flick, which is how he and Rosethorn end up in quarantine when they should be helping to find a cure.
As always, Pierce stealthily uses her plots to examine not only characters and the ways they see the world, but to lay out a world where people interact in complex ways and power dynamics. This wasn't as big of a focus as in previous books, though, because it's Briar's book (doi) and the main thing he has grown to care about, even over his three magically entwined friends, is his relationship with his teacher, Rosethorn, whom he sees as a surrogate mother. Their interactions and his feelings about her are the heart of this book.
Overall, I've really enjoyed this series, but I will be excited to move on in the Emelan world to a time when these characters are a bit older and their stories will be suitably more complex.
December 22, 2019
Again, the Full Cast Audio team have made an outstanding production. This was never my favourite of the first four stories - the focus on illness as a story-telling device is commendable, but always made me just that little bit too sad, and I prefer these stories when the relationship between the four young mages is explored. This barely happened here - the three girls feel like background characters the entire time, and I wish that wasn't so.
Still - Rosethorn! Lark!
Still - Rosethorn! Lark!
June 23, 2020
I will always have mad love for Pierces work👏
July 9, 2008
This is probably my favourite of all of Pierce's fine books for young adults. It's touching, heart-wrenching (yes, Rosethorn is my favourite character) and pretty darn meaningful. I've always loved the books that take place in this world more than those from Tortall because this world had (has) so much more room for innovations beyond the safe formula of your standard fantasy novel. And the series does live up to expectations - it develops and fleshes out these four young people in four eventful novels, and portrays their ever changing and growing relationships in a realistic and pretty heart-warming way. But it doesn't end there. Pierce strays from the traditional safe approach, as I mentioned earlier, by exploring themes not normally seen in YA fantasy novels. Racism (Daja). Classism (Briar, Tris). Ageism. And the most shocking and endeared? Homophobia. I won't spoil The Will of the Empress for anyone who hasn't read it, but it's been implied and confirmed that Rosethorn and Lark, bless their fictional hearts, are lovers. And there is absolutely no drama concerning them. And I love that. The end.
In other words? Pick up this book, the rest of the series, the sequel quartet and then the rest of Pierce's books.
...I'm just waiting for her to realize than transphobia is as real an issue as any of the others she's explored. (But for that, check of Lynn Flewelling's books.)
In other words? Pick up this book, the rest of the series, the sequel quartet and then the rest of Pierce's books.
...I'm just waiting for her to realize than transphobia is as real an issue as any of the others she's explored. (But for that, check of Lynn Flewelling's books.)
April 23, 2012
What a great finish to this series! Instead of having a human enemy to fight against, our young mages have to deal with a plague that's spreading rapidly through Summersea. For most of the book, Briar and Rosethorn are separated from the rest of their housemates, nursing the sick in quarantine because they were exposed to the disease. It's a huge change from the previous books, where the four young mages and their teachers were always together. I love how they work together, but separating them was a surprisingly refreshing change. Due to quarantine, we see much different aspects of Rosethorn and Briar's characters than we're used to. As the book [and the disease] progresses, we see more and more of Rosethorn's layered personality, and I love it.
Having a disease just be a disease, not something that was created by a malicious mage trying to wipe out a certain population for nefarious gains, is something that is rarely done in fantasy novels. It's not just a matter of tracking down the mage and stopping the spell. This was a true disease that needed a medical cure. It required long, hard hours of studying the disease and a scientific approach towards finding a cure. It was a joy to read something so true to life in a fantasy novel while still, of course, retaining its fantasy aspects.
Having a disease just be a disease, not something that was created by a malicious mage trying to wipe out a certain population for nefarious gains, is something that is rarely done in fantasy novels. It's not just a matter of tracking down the mage and stopping the spell. This was a true disease that needed a medical cure. It required long, hard hours of studying the disease and a scientific approach towards finding a cure. It was a joy to read something so true to life in a fantasy novel while still, of course, retaining its fantasy aspects.
September 8, 2025
This one was always my favourite 🍃🌿
August 22, 2020
2020 Review: You'd think reading this book during a pandemic would strike too close to home, but honestly... what struck me about the book is how much faster theirs is. They find one case of the disease and immediately begin isolating and preparing (a huge burn on the American government, btw). Briar and Rosethorn are in quarantine for 2 weeks, at the end of which time a test to see if someone has the disease has been devised. They return home and start helping with the experiments to find a cure. That takes... a few weeks? And then they have the cure and it begins to be mass-produced. You know it's fantasy and that it's paced this way to make for a good story, not to be realistic, but damn if it isn't depressing.
Anyway. Now that I've read the Circle Opens series, I find it interesting how this book sort of leads up to the kids separating and having individual adventures next time, even though it has this nice ending that emphasizes their bond. We started Circle of Magic with Sandry's Book, which is very much about all four of them. Tris's Book and Daja's book each have a focus on their title character, but have big roles for all the kids. And then Briar's Book is almost entirely Briar. Scenes with just the other kids are pretty brief. It makes sense that from here, we move on to books that are just about one of them.
Finally, Briar's love and admiration for Rosethorn is still my entire world.
2018 Review: So, a quick applause for me finally reading this whole series? Thanks I'm proud too.
Anyway as you can see from the rating, I think this book was my favorite of the series (although that may just come from the sappiness of that ending. I definitely got emotional over them looking back of their year together of becoming mages and a family. But the whole book was very good!)
First of all, Briar's love and admiration for Rosethorn, come on. It's the cutest thing, he has so much respect for her and underneath all her prickliness she loves him too and no offense but I'm crying about it.
There was less of all the kids together since Briar was the very clear focus of the book (I know each kid has their own book, but not all of them have so tight a focus on that one kid as this one does), which was a shame, but we still got some good high quality Circle Time at the end so I was satisfied.
Also, the development of Crane from "that grumpy mean old man we don't like" to "the same grumpy mean old man but we sort of like him now" was truly great. It was reminiscent of what Tamora Pierce did with Yarrun in Daja's Book, which was taking what might be a very cliché minor enemy character in any other book and making him a little more sympathetic and understandable. Also I'm all about the way Crane was forced to acknowledge how smart Tris is because that's my girl!!
But back to Briar I guess because it's his book? Says so in the title? I love how even though so much plot has passed between this book and the beginning, Tamora Pierce wasn't afraid of tacking all of Briar's development throughout the series in this one book. We see how his childhood on the streets affected him and how he has been struggling with whether he is Briar or Roach this entire time. Tris is still My Girl but Briar's great too.
Soooooo... I guess now I go figure out the spin off series?
(My reviews of Sandry's Book, Tris's Book, and Daja's Book.)
Anyway. Now that I've read the Circle Opens series, I find it interesting how this book sort of leads up to the kids separating and having individual adventures next time, even though it has this nice ending that emphasizes their bond. We started Circle of Magic with Sandry's Book, which is very much about all four of them. Tris's Book and Daja's book each have a focus on their title character, but have big roles for all the kids. And then Briar's Book is almost entirely Briar. Scenes with just the other kids are pretty brief. It makes sense that from here, we move on to books that are just about one of them.
Finally, Briar's love and admiration for Rosethorn is still my entire world.
2018 Review: So, a quick applause for me finally reading this whole series? Thanks I'm proud too.
Anyway as you can see from the rating, I think this book was my favorite of the series (although that may just come from the sappiness of that ending. I definitely got emotional over them looking back of their year together of becoming mages and a family. But the whole book was very good!)
First of all, Briar's love and admiration for Rosethorn, come on. It's the cutest thing, he has so much respect for her and underneath all her prickliness she loves him too and no offense but I'm crying about it.
There was less of all the kids together since Briar was the very clear focus of the book (I know each kid has their own book, but not all of them have so tight a focus on that one kid as this one does), which was a shame, but we still got some good high quality Circle Time at the end so I was satisfied.
Also, the development of Crane from "that grumpy mean old man we don't like" to "the same grumpy mean old man but we sort of like him now" was truly great. It was reminiscent of what Tamora Pierce did with Yarrun in Daja's Book, which was taking what might be a very cliché minor enemy character in any other book and making him a little more sympathetic and understandable. Also I'm all about the way Crane was forced to acknowledge how smart Tris is because that's my girl!!
But back to Briar I guess because it's his book? Says so in the title? I love how even though so much plot has passed between this book and the beginning, Tamora Pierce wasn't afraid of tacking all of Briar's development throughout the series in this one book. We see how his childhood on the streets affected him and how he has been struggling with whether he is Briar or Roach this entire time. Tris is still My Girl but Briar's great too.
Soooooo... I guess now I go figure out the spin off series?
(My reviews of Sandry's Book, Tris's Book, and Daja's Book.)
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 6, 2018
3.5 stars
I think the key to reading the Circle of Magic and Circle Opens books has got to be audiobooks.
I slogged through the first three in Circle of Magic. They are good, but just missing some of the magic in Pierce's Tortall series (minus Tempests and Slaughter, which was detail-filled but um, lacking in plot or point).
But the audiobooks are done in with a full cast and music, which I normally don't like but this was very well done.
I was swept into all of the emotions of the epidemic, the panic and fear and boredom and pain of waiting and watching your friends get sick and powerless to stop it, and I enjoyed Briar's continuing understanding of his magical gift. And his relationship with his prickly mentor, Rosethorn.
Plus, I love Lark and Rosethorn's relationship. They are 100%, totally gay (although it is never explicitly remarked upon, there are so many very heavy hints) and I love it.
I think the key to reading the Circle of Magic and Circle Opens books has got to be audiobooks.
I slogged through the first three in Circle of Magic. They are good, but just missing some of the magic in Pierce's Tortall series (minus Tempests and Slaughter, which was detail-filled but um, lacking in plot or point).
But the audiobooks are done in with a full cast and music, which I normally don't like but this was very well done.
I was swept into all of the emotions of the epidemic, the panic and fear and boredom and pain of waiting and watching your friends get sick and powerless to stop it, and I enjoyed Briar's continuing understanding of his magical gift. And his relationship with his prickly mentor, Rosethorn.
Plus, I love Lark and Rosethorn's relationship. They are 100%, totally gay (although it is never explicitly remarked upon, there are so many very heavy hints) and I love it.
September 1, 2018
I feel like I really got to know Rosethorn in this book. I've been her fan since 75% through book 1, but I loved the interactions she had with the kids and seeing more of her magic in a real life situation so to speak. The funniest part of this book was when Crane tells the kids their masters are great mages and their reaction is
I think the kids have definitely grown a lot since book 1, even if they are still immature at times. I mean they're like 14 max at this point. I liked that Briar picked his birthday by the end of this. Definitely will check out the continuation series of this at some point.
ALSO THESE AUDIOBOOKS HAVE BEEN NARRATED BY TAMORA PIERCE THE WHOLE TIME AND I WAS NOT AWARE!!!!
I think the kids have definitely grown a lot since book 1, even if they are still immature at times. I mean they're like 14 max at this point. I liked that Briar picked his birthday by the end of this. Definitely will check out the continuation series of this at some point.
ALSO THESE AUDIOBOOKS HAVE BEEN NARRATED BY TAMORA PIERCE THE WHOLE TIME AND I WAS NOT AWARE!!!!
January 26, 2023
I'm not crying, you are.
(We are all crying)
(We are all crying)
July 3, 2016
review to come :)
May 27, 2021
I had to listen to this veeeeeeryyyy sloooooowly because the plot is about an epidemic of a new disease that hits Summersea, and boy if that doesn't hit different in 2020/21... but this book has it all: plague! The importance of hygiene! Contract tracing! PPE shortages! Caretaker burnout and survivor's guilt! Discussions about infrastructure, how economic differences contribute to health, class consciousness, (magical...) laboratory safety and biohazard disposal, oh, and this is a fantasy series, so you know, just a good ol' fashioned jaunt into the afterlife, nbd. These four books sort of meander but this last entry in the quartet takes everything that came before and dials it up to eleven, and I love it. It's so good. I dunno, man, how many fantasy books are there where the plot hinges around "welp, if we only followed magical OSHA guidelines I guess this shit wouldn't have happened"? Glorious.
(Okay, probably a lot. What is the Lord of the Rings trilogy except a failure to properly dispose of hazardous waste and then dealing with the fallout....)
Audiobook: Except for Daja, all the other kids were recast (due to aging out/moving away, I gather). After spending 3 books with the same voice actors, I thought listening to a new cast would be more of an adjustment, but they did a great job matching the previous voices. Briar was a little bit hard to listen to because he spoke at 0.5x speed and over-enunciated, which didn't fit the character, but I eventually adjusted and didn't hate it overall.
Ranking: From favorite to least favorite, I'd rank the books as #1, #4, and then #2 and #3 are tied. But it's like picking a favorite child, don't make me do it really.
They ran out of money after recording the second book in the Circle Opens quartet and I don't have the same nostalgic fondness for any of the sequels, so I think this is where my reread/audiobook journey ends. OTOH I've never read Battle Magic in print form, and that is available on audiobook, albeit with a single narrator, so... idk, watch this space.
(Okay, probably a lot. What is the Lord of the Rings trilogy except a failure to properly dispose of hazardous waste and then dealing with the fallout....)
Audiobook: Except for Daja, all the other kids were recast (due to aging out/moving away, I gather). After spending 3 books with the same voice actors, I thought listening to a new cast would be more of an adjustment, but they did a great job matching the previous voices. Briar was a little bit hard to listen to because he spoke at 0.5x speed and over-enunciated, which didn't fit the character, but I eventually adjusted and didn't hate it overall.
Ranking: From favorite to least favorite, I'd rank the books as #1, #4, and then #2 and #3 are tied. But it's like picking a favorite child, don't make me do it really.
They ran out of money after recording the second book in the Circle Opens quartet and I don't have the same nostalgic fondness for any of the sequels, so I think this is where my reread/audiobook journey ends. OTOH I've never read Battle Magic in print form, and that is available on audiobook, albeit with a single narrator, so... idk, watch this space.
July 1, 2020
A fitting end to the first quartet. I cried like a little baby.
January 19, 2022
My favourite character and favourite book in the Circle of Magic series,
Briar's Book
is definitely a standout. It seems as if the four young protagonists have settled into life in Winding Circle. They each study their own disciplines, have their own interests and hobbies, and are still connected through their magic and shared experience. Less than one year since they all moved into Discipline, they've come to see it as home and are ready to protect it from anyone or anything that may try to take their new sense of family and safety away.
Briar's Book almost feels like an instalment from a different series, it's so different from the first three books. It feels more mature and serious. I know we've been working towards this the whole series but after Daja's Book , this was a flying leap forward. It's also been the most interesting premise so far and I couldn't put it down. It was like a roller coaster of fear, worry, and relief. For less than 300 pages, it covered a lot of ground without feeling shallow or rushed.
I really don't want to give anything away, because the story is too good to spoil any of it, but the ending is heartbreaking and sweet and perfect. Briar will always be my favourite because of his loyalty and his sense of right and wrong. He drives this story with his persistence to do the right thing and take care of the people he loves. I'm so used to the Tortall universe and how magic and healing works there, and even their mythology and gods. I really appreciated this entirely different approach in the Emelan universe, especially towards disease and healing and cures.
Other books in the Circle of Magic series:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
Other books in the Emelan Universe:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#5: Magic Steps ⭐⭐
#6: Street Magic ⭐⭐⭐
#7 Cold Fire ⭐⭐
#8: Shatterglass ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#9: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#10: Melting Stones ⭐⭐
#11: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
Briar's Book almost feels like an instalment from a different series, it's so different from the first three books. It feels more mature and serious. I know we've been working towards this the whole series but after Daja's Book , this was a flying leap forward. It's also been the most interesting premise so far and I couldn't put it down. It was like a roller coaster of fear, worry, and relief. For less than 300 pages, it covered a lot of ground without feeling shallow or rushed.
I really don't want to give anything away, because the story is too good to spoil any of it, but the ending is heartbreaking and sweet and perfect. Briar will always be my favourite because of his loyalty and his sense of right and wrong. He drives this story with his persistence to do the right thing and take care of the people he loves. I'm so used to the Tortall universe and how magic and healing works there, and even their mythology and gods. I really appreciated this entirely different approach in the Emelan universe, especially towards disease and healing and cures.
Other books in the Circle of Magic series:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
Other books in the Emelan Universe:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#5: Magic Steps ⭐⭐
#6: Street Magic ⭐⭐⭐
#7 Cold Fire ⭐⭐
#8: Shatterglass ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#9: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#10: Melting Stones ⭐⭐
#11: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit | Twitter
October 29, 2024
When I was reading these books for the first time, this was my least favorite of the quartet. As I'm revisiting them I was actually a lot more invested than I remember. Briar's story is definitely very emotional. It focuses on the strength of the relationships that he's built, and the risks that he's willing to take in order to protect them.
September 4, 2018
I think of the four in the Circle of Magic quartet, this novel definitely hit me the hardest of the lot - but in the best way.
In this novel, a sudden epidemic of the "blue pox" is discovered when Briar and Rosethorn go to assist with what is essentially a "free health clinic" in the Mire (slums), and Briar finds that one of his friends has come down with a mysterious illness. After informing Rosethorn of this, they do their best to keep the illness contained before it can turn into an epidemic but unfortunately have zero luck and soon the entire city is under threat from the plague.
I felt for Briar SO MUCH in this book and I was pretty close to actual tears a few time, both when and when . I absolutely loved every moment of this (despite MY HEART, DAMMIT) and thought it was a brilliant ending to the Circle of Magic quartet.
...but I need more :|
Good thing there's a sequel quartet to this one ;D
In this novel, a sudden epidemic of the "blue pox" is discovered when Briar and Rosethorn go to assist with what is essentially a "free health clinic" in the Mire (slums), and Briar finds that one of his friends has come down with a mysterious illness. After informing Rosethorn of this, they do their best to keep the illness contained before it can turn into an epidemic but unfortunately have zero luck and soon the entire city is under threat from the plague.
I felt for Briar SO MUCH in this book and I was pretty close to actual tears a few time, both when and when . I absolutely loved every moment of this (despite MY HEART, DAMMIT) and thought it was a brilliant ending to the Circle of Magic quartet.
...but I need more :|
Good thing there's a sequel quartet to this one ;D
March 3, 2015
Fourth in the Circle of Magic fantasy series for young middle-grade readers and revolving around four very supportive friends. It's also fourth in the overall Emelan series.
Visit KD Did It Takes on Books for a chronological listing of the books in the Circle of Magic series.
My Take
It's a fun combination of magic, science, and medicine. Pierce has blended this so well, that it feels perfectly normal.
I like how Pierce uses the concept of birthdays to provide this back history about Briar, the former Roach, a street rat who got lucky.
Pierce dribbles out more back history. It comes out that Lark knows what it's like to be so poor you can't afford food and shelter at the same time. There's a brief description of the struggle involved in finding a way to more safely test possible cures, and the names of the dedicates who gave up their lives in this battle.
Aww, poor Tris is having to give up being mean to people. Niko says she's making enemies. It's probably her biggest challenge, lol. Nor do the challenges stop with Tris as Briar has to examine his own dichotomy, his life before and the one he has now. To learn who he is. And he has to work with Crane in his private workshop! The man hates Briar for stealing his shakkan.
It is a good opportunity for Briar and Tris to learn more about Crane as a scientist and as a man.
One lesson for the kids is learned when they track the source of the plague, and the spell shows them how careless the mage was. Another is why people need to rest even when the need to work is so great.
This installment, Pierce specifically states that Rosethorn, Lark, Frostpine, and Crane are great mages. We also learn more about the start of Rosethorn and Crane's self-involved game of competition that began their enmity. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum!
The Story
Briar has been helping Rosethorn deliver medications to Urda's House, a place of healing, and with the free time Rosethorn leaves him, he's made a friend. One who's in trouble and presages a disaster in the making.
It'll take the talents of all four to help all of Emelan get through this.
The Characters
Emelan
Winding Circle temple is…
…renowned for its learning and magic.
The magic of these four became entwined in Sandry's Circle , 1, and it's been a very useful — and lifesaving — sharing of abilities.
Briar Moss is passionate about his ability with plants, and he's about to learn how much more is involved with them. Lady Sandrilene "Sandry" fa Toren is the young mage who wove the four of them together. It makes sense since she does have an affinity for weaving and spinning. Trisana "Tris" Chandler is a mage with an ability for weather. Daja Kisubo has a gift for fire and has apprenticed with a fire mage, Frostpine. Little Bear is their dog.
Rosethorn (her pre-Temple name was Niva) is a plant-mage while Lark is a thread-mage, and both live together in Discipline Cottage where our four young mages live. Rosethorn is instructing Briar in gardening and herbal remedies. Niklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a famous and important mage who is instructing the four. Dedicate Frostpine of the Fire Temple is a master smith-mage and Daja is his apprentice. Dedicate Gorse is the chief cook. Superior Dedicate Moonstream is their leader. Dedicate Sealwort is in a great deal of trouble.
Dedicate Crane (his pre-Temple name was Isis) is Rosethorn's rival and the head of the Air Temple. Osprey is Crane's apprentice. Peachleaf, the best midwife in Winding Circle, is the quaking dedicate who takes notes as Crane works. Dedicate Acacia. Dedicate Cloudgold is a librarian coopted into helping in the lab.
Summersea
Duke Vedris IV is the ruler of Emelan and Sandry's great-uncle. Flick is a street rat and a thief here in Summersea. Alleypup is part of her gang. North Mire, a slum area, is where the first victims are found. Eilisa Pearldrop was an irresponsible mage seeking a quick cure.
Urda's House
Jokubas Atwater runs the House. Dedicate Henna is from the Water Temple and well-known for her nursing skills.
New patients are Yuvosh and the uncooperative Orji.
The Cover and Title
The cover is blocks of color surrounding a round inset with a delicate scalloped border of interlocking green half circle outlines and a rosette where every other hoop intersects. The central image is of Briar stepping up from the sewer with a light in his hand, finding Flick lying ill in the cavern the street rats created as a haven.
The title is where the focus is and Briar's Book is his story.
Visit KD Did It Takes on Books for a chronological listing of the books in the Circle of Magic series.
My Take
It's a fun combination of magic, science, and medicine. Pierce has blended this so well, that it feels perfectly normal.
I like how Pierce uses the concept of birthdays to provide this back history about Briar, the former Roach, a street rat who got lucky.
Pierce dribbles out more back history. It comes out that Lark knows what it's like to be so poor you can't afford food and shelter at the same time. There's a brief description of the struggle involved in finding a way to more safely test possible cures, and the names of the dedicates who gave up their lives in this battle.
Aww, poor Tris is having to give up being mean to people. Niko says she's making enemies. It's probably her biggest challenge, lol. Nor do the challenges stop with Tris as Briar has to examine his own dichotomy, his life before and the one he has now. To learn who he is. And he has to work with Crane in his private workshop! The man hates Briar for stealing his shakkan.
It is a good opportunity for Briar and Tris to learn more about Crane as a scientist and as a man.
One lesson for the kids is learned when they track the source of the plague, and the spell shows them how careless the mage was. Another is why people need to rest even when the need to work is so great.
This installment, Pierce specifically states that Rosethorn, Lark, Frostpine, and Crane are great mages. We also learn more about the start of Rosethorn and Crane's self-involved game of competition that began their enmity. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum!
The Story
Briar has been helping Rosethorn deliver medications to Urda's House, a place of healing, and with the free time Rosethorn leaves him, he's made a friend. One who's in trouble and presages a disaster in the making.
It'll take the talents of all four to help all of Emelan get through this.
The Characters
Emelan
Winding Circle temple is…
…renowned for its learning and magic.
The magic of these four became entwined in Sandry's Circle , 1, and it's been a very useful — and lifesaving — sharing of abilities.
Briar Moss is passionate about his ability with plants, and he's about to learn how much more is involved with them. Lady Sandrilene "Sandry" fa Toren is the young mage who wove the four of them together. It makes sense since she does have an affinity for weaving and spinning. Trisana "Tris" Chandler is a mage with an ability for weather. Daja Kisubo has a gift for fire and has apprenticed with a fire mage, Frostpine. Little Bear is their dog.
Rosethorn (her pre-Temple name was Niva) is a plant-mage while Lark is a thread-mage, and both live together in Discipline Cottage where our four young mages live. Rosethorn is instructing Briar in gardening and herbal remedies. Niklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a famous and important mage who is instructing the four. Dedicate Frostpine of the Fire Temple is a master smith-mage and Daja is his apprentice. Dedicate Gorse is the chief cook. Superior Dedicate Moonstream is their leader. Dedicate Sealwort is in a great deal of trouble.
Dedicate Crane (his pre-Temple name was Isis) is Rosethorn's rival and the head of the Air Temple. Osprey is Crane's apprentice. Peachleaf, the best midwife in Winding Circle, is the quaking dedicate who takes notes as Crane works. Dedicate Acacia. Dedicate Cloudgold is a librarian coopted into helping in the lab.
Summersea
Duke Vedris IV is the ruler of Emelan and Sandry's great-uncle. Flick is a street rat and a thief here in Summersea. Alleypup is part of her gang. North Mire, a slum area, is where the first victims are found. Eilisa Pearldrop was an irresponsible mage seeking a quick cure.
Urda's House
Jokubas Atwater runs the House. Dedicate Henna is from the Water Temple and well-known for her nursing skills.
New patients are Yuvosh and the uncooperative Orji.
The Cover and Title
The cover is blocks of color surrounding a round inset with a delicate scalloped border of interlocking green half circle outlines and a rosette where every other hoop intersects. The central image is of Briar stepping up from the sewer with a light in his hand, finding Flick lying ill in the cavern the street rats created as a haven.
The title is where the focus is and Briar's Book is his story.
March 20, 2021
Really surreal experience reading about the breakout of an epidemic this deep into Covid. I loved that this kids book really explicitly addressed poverty in a nuanced way, though it was heartbreaking when Flick died and I wish some of those characters from the Mire could have been included in the main story/group rather than just being a part of Briar's past. I also thought it was neat as an SLP that Rosethorn had aphasia in the end. Sweet how this series has always been about a group of people caring for each other and the magic that results from that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2017
Now that's what I'm talking about. This is the best of the first four Circle books, I think. Briar is the best, and the plot is juicy and suspenseful, and it's all held up by the strong emotional core of Briar's relationships with those around him. I love that these books are all about friendship.
December 9, 2015
This is the last book in this quartet and it's suppoded to feel like the end (although she did end up writing more about them later). This last book deals with Briar and a magical plaugue. I think one of the main themes in this is finaly opening up to people after being hurt for so long, and how to someone jaded that might seem like a stupid thing to do but it's actually nessecary. So I guess this book is about growing up (of course) and about choosing who you want to be as an adult.
I'm not as certain what Briar brings to the quartet as I am for the others. He's certainly got street smarts, but I'm not sure what he has that they need. I think Briar might be stability, because he changes but always stays himself. He's also a boy when the others aren't but I know there's more to it then that so I'll have to think on it.
So this book brings the danger right home to roost for the four protagonists. In fact because of his connections with the street kids of the city Briar is the first to find and report a victim of this plague. That first victim is his friend and he spends most of the book caring for one person after another as the entire city slowly succums to the disease. Briar's book feels the most personal because his enemy is something he can't see or fight, but that kills people he's close to. Briar isn't one for feeling helpless, and so for most of this book he's forced into a kind of numb idleness of working on something that doesn't really help solve the problem but is also vitally necessary. In the end it's the four's unwillingness to give up that saves the day and ends the series on a great note.
I'm not as certain what Briar brings to the quartet as I am for the others. He's certainly got street smarts, but I'm not sure what he has that they need. I think Briar might be stability, because he changes but always stays himself. He's also a boy when the others aren't but I know there's more to it then that so I'll have to think on it.
So this book brings the danger right home to roost for the four protagonists. In fact because of his connections with the street kids of the city Briar is the first to find and report a victim of this plague. That first victim is his friend and he spends most of the book caring for one person after another as the entire city slowly succums to the disease. Briar's book feels the most personal because his enemy is something he can't see or fight, but that kills people he's close to. Briar isn't one for feeling helpless, and so for most of this book he's forced into a kind of numb idleness of working on something that doesn't really help solve the problem but is also vitally necessary. In the end it's the four's unwillingness to give up that saves the day and ends the series on a great note.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2015
Gosh darn it this pulled on my heart-strings and I think I spent the later half of it in tears.
I think overall this series is great, but I would have liked there to be a little more character development. While each of the leading characters of the book did face a personal struggle that they overcome, it didn't necessarily make them a better person. Granted the entire series takes place over just one year and these kids have faced an earthquake, pirate attack/battle, forest fires, and a freaken plague. The last book, while emotional and has a satisfactory ending, doesn't really tie the series together. It's very open ended.
But I do love the series. I love the characters and how original the setting is, while I think Tamora's Tortall books have more interesting plotlines, Emelan definitely wins the setting and diversity trophies.
Greatly recommend to anyone who loves Pierce's Tortall book.
Just keep in mind that these are written for younger teens.
I think overall this series is great, but I would have liked there to be a little more character development. While each of the leading characters of the book did face a personal struggle that they overcome, it didn't necessarily make them a better person. Granted the entire series takes place over just one year and these kids have faced an earthquake, pirate attack/battle, forest fires, and a freaken plague. The last book, while emotional and has a satisfactory ending, doesn't really tie the series together. It's very open ended.
But I do love the series. I love the characters and how original the setting is, while I think Tamora's Tortall books have more interesting plotlines, Emelan definitely wins the setting and diversity trophies.
Greatly recommend to anyone who loves Pierce's Tortall book.
Just keep in mind that these are written for younger teens.
September 18, 2012
Every book in this series became less and less exciting as I became a master of predicting what-will-happen-next. How can I predict the plot? Easy, because it's the same plot in every book. The only thing that changes is the central character whose name appears on the cover. So reading all four in a row was like eating four pints of ice cream in different flavors. By the time you get to the last pint you want to barf no matter how much you like ice cream. That being said I've decided I'm not going to finish it and consider it read. Anyways, I'm trying to watch my figure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 679 reviews