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Lirael (Abhorsen #2)

Garth Nix (Goodreads Author)

4.29 · Rating details · 93,589 Ratings · 2,510 Reviews

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr's birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under th ...more

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Paperback, 464 pages

Published December 30th 2015 by Eos (first published April 21st 2001)

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Mar 15, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-all, own

Omg!! I had 6,000 audio books come through the library today 😫But I wanted to follow along in my book while Tim Curry reads to me 😊

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Jan 06, 2018 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, supernatural-paranormal, ya, favourites

“When the Dead do walk, seek water’s run,
for this the Dead will always shun.
Swift river’s best or broadest lake
to ward the Dead and haven make.
If water fails thee, fire’s thy friend;
if neither guards, it will be thy end.”

Well this was freaking awesome!

As a sequel where the main character from Book 1 isn’t the main focus - I was a bit worried; but there was no need because Lirael continued the story of the Old Kingdom and the dead fantastically!

“The blue hats shaded silver sightless eye s ...more

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May 18, 2017 Catriona (LittleBookOwl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

4.5 stars

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May 15, 2017 ⚔ Sh3lly - Grumpy Name-Changing Wanderer ⚔ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: your-argument-is-invalid, fantasy, annoying-characters, dragged-on-forever, library, nothing-happens, omg-this-book-is-so-long, read-2017

When I started this, I was way excited... another epic story in this cool magical world with TIM CURRY narrating, again. The first section was great. We meet Lirael, who is a loner and has trouble being around other people and communicating. She is a Daughter of the Clayr, but doesn't have the power of sight, she is an outcast.

She finds a place to work where she might belong - the library! - and comes across a new, wonderful friend: The Disreputable Dog. I love TDD. So fun, so funny, stole the s ...more

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Mar 09, 2015 Lindsey Rey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015, fantasy, young-adult

[4.5 Stars]
Way better than the first one!

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Nov 28, 2007 Echo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: youngadult, fantasy, favorites

It took me a while to get around to reading this book, even though I rushed out and bought it immediately after finishing Sabriel. The up side to that is in the meantime, I'd bought Abhorsen as well. That's important. Sabriel was a good stand-alone novel. Lirael and Abhorsen are not. In fact, I'd recommend that before you read Lirael 1) you read Sabriel first and 2) you have a copy of Abhorsen ready to pick up as soon as you finish Lirael. Lirael ends in the middle of something, and the two prob ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 21th-century, fiction, fantasy

Lirael, daughter of the Clayr (Abhorsen, #2), Garth Nix
Lirael (called Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr in some regions) is a fantasy novel by Garth Nix and illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon, first published in 2001. Named for its central female character, Lirael is the second in his Old Kingdom trilogy, preceded by Sabriel and continued in Abhorsen.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و دوم ماه سپتامبر سال 2009 میلادی
عنوان: لیرایل - سه گانه پادشاهی کهن کتاب دوم در دو جلد؛ نویسنده: گارت نیکس؛ مترجم: پریا آریا ( ...more

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Feb 17, 2018 TS Chan rated it liked it · review of another edition

While the Abhorsen series continues to thrive on its magic and worldbuilding, the characterisation in Lirael is unfortunately not up to par with its predecessor, Sabriel.

It does appear that Sabriel is written almost like a stand-alone, as this sequel takes place almost one and a half decade after the events in the first book with two new main characters; Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr and Prince Sameth, the son of Sabriel and Touchstone.

Both characters demonstrate the typical angst and insecu While the Abhorsen series continues to thrive on its magic and worldbuilding, the characterisation in Lirael is unfortunately not up to par with its predecessor, Sabriel.

It does appear that Sabriel is written almost like a stand-alone, as this sequel takes place almost one and a half decade after the events in the first book with two new main characters; Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr and Prince Sameth, the son of Sabriel and Touchstone.

Both characters demonstrate the typical angst and insecurity of teenagers; one who bemoans the absence of a power that is the birthright of her race and the other who decries the responsibility thrust upon him because of his birthright and powers. If I have to choose, I will say Lirael is definitely the more aggravating one. While the other Clayrs of ages younger than Lirael started gaining the power of Seeing, she remained an outcast as she continues to well into her teenage years without even a hint of it. However, it turns out that she is very adept at Charter magic and has the ability learn quickly and perform marvellous feats which most others cannot. BUT just because she cannot See, her anxiety that she will never fully be one of the Clayrs grates on her self-confidence and my patience. The appearance of the Disreputable Dog - a creature of magic - was a welcome change to Lirael's story. Not accepting her constant self-belittling, the Dog prods her into action that finally takes the direction of her tale towards an intriguing revelation of her potential heritage. Prince Sameth (or Sam) may be slightly less annoying but I do feel like giving him a good shake for both his actions and inaction in addressing his debilitating fear of his legacy.

The Disreputable Dog

The highlight of this series so far truly lies in the magic and worldbuilding. We learn more of the Clayr, a race who appeared briefly in Sabriel, and the birth of the Charter, created out of Free Magic. The seven bells used for necromancy and controlling both the living and the dead, which are tied to the creation of the Charter, are just simply fascinating. So is the portrayal of Death, which is a river, grey and cold, with currents pulling the dead through the Gates, nine in all before a soul goes beyond any necromancer's ability to be summoned back.

The story also started to become more interesting when Lirael and Sam eventually encountered each other under grave circumstances. This also meant that the Disreputable Dog met Mogget, the cat, who is now accompanying Sam after he stole away from the palace under the guise of an ordinary traveller. It was pretty obvious from the start that both these creatures of magic had a history together, and not an entirely pleasant one. A delightful turn of events, one might say.

The common thread that brought Lirael and Sam together is the potential re-emergence of an extremely dangerous and powerful entity engineered by a necromancer of considerable strength. As we find both our main characters getting to terms with each of their own true legacy, the enemy is moving ever closer to his goal. This volume concluded on an unresolved note, with Lirael and Sam both contending with the grim prospect of having to face this new adversary, setting up the stage for the next book, Abhorsen.

This review can also be found at Booknest ...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-fantasy

Well.....okay. Not as good a book as Sabriel, I went with 3 stars on this one. It was close as the story is a pretty good one and we are still following the plot line thrown out in Sabriel, just not quite as well (in my opinion of course).

We pick up about 14 years after end of that volume and we sort of get an introduction like, 14 years have passed. there have been many battles as the King (Touchstone) who married Sabriel (the Abhorsen) overthrows evil, saves the Kingdom and aids the people. At Well.....okay. Not as good a book as Sabriel, I went with 3 stars on this one. It was close as the story is a pretty good one and we are still following the plot line thrown out in Sabriel, just not quite as well (in my opinion of course).

We pick up about 14 years after end of that volume and we sort of get an introduction like, 14 years have passed. there have been many battles as the King (Touchstone) who married Sabriel (the Abhorsen) overthrows evil, saves the Kingdom and aids the people. At the same time the Abhorsen has faced many terrible dangers, binding the dead and destroying awful necromancers.

Really. That might have made a good book. Why didn't you tell us that story???? No we get to start over with another uncertain (even more uncertain) young woman. She constantly bemoans her situation, considers killing herself (but decides that throwing herself off a glacier might not really be the way to go), makes constant bad decisions that seem to work out for her and so on and on and on. And of course a young man who's managed to get himself so scared of his "expected future" that he's paralyzed at the very thought of it...and he won't go to the very people/person who might be able to help him with it.

I'll be honest, I got sick of Lirael's constant woe is me I don't have the sight... Yes it would be awful to go through what she did, to face what she faced. But between her constant bemoaning of her fate and Sam's refusal to talk to his parent's when he had the chance (I'll wait till morning...oops they're already gone) about something that could threaten EVERYBODY... well, it got a bit tiring.

This book may be (and I hope is as I'm beginning the third book Abhorsen) suffering from the well know "second book in a trilogy" syndrome. It's a bit long winded, a bit drawn out and a bit (for me) tiresome. I like good YA fantasy and the first in this series was certainly that. This for me told a pretty good story but could have done it better in maybe two thirds the length...just me possibly.

Three stars, not bad, a fairly interesting story that tells us more of the world and it's people, hope the next strikes me better.

************* Spoiler below line *************************

(view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 09, 2015 Samantha rated it really liked it

4.5 stars
I liked this even more than the first book! I really really love Lirael and the Disreputable Dog was a great addition. Some of my favorite scenes where between Dog and Moggot.
He book definitely ends on something of a cliff hanger so I cannot wait to pick up Abhorsen!

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Aug 28, 2009 Chris rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, 2015-series-challenge, fof-sequels

When I glance at the reviews for this book, I'm actually surprised. Not that people would like this book, but that everyone would like it. I thought for sure there would be more of a split on it.

I mean, the writing is good. Nix can put together sentences and his plot is soundly articulated. His Old Kingdom is a vast and impressive construct, and his imagination is superb. There were even a couple really good scenes in here.

I just...I don't know. I couldn't wait for it to end. I hated the charac ...more

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Oct 11, 2016 Mayim de Vries rated it liked it

Sabriel was a pure pleasure to read. Lirael was as appalling as Sabriel was awesome. It sported an insecure and impulsive heroine drowning in her angst and her companions: an idiot of a selfish prince and a dog (a dog!).

Lirael is a Daughter of the Clayr, compensating her lack of Sight (i.e. the ability to see future) with other capabilities like outstanding sociopathy and a penchant for magic. Yes, Lirael is one of these special snowflakes we love reading about. She is so standing apart that she ...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brainy-chicks-holla, dark-and-creepy, fantasy, fierce-ladies, theres-a-prince-yall, ya, reviewed-books, zombies-yo

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
There’s a reviewer who I follow (Ceridwen) who mentioned in her review of Sabriel how refreshing it is that the magic in the story is “something other than a deus ex machina” (aka: when the protagonist defeats evil without any true skill, the magic just kind of does its thing through them because they are super special snowflakes). I completely agreed with that point…in book 1. Pretty much everything I loved about the protagonist in Sabriel is contradicted in the Mary-Sue that is Lirael, the ma
There’s a reviewer who I follow (Ceridwen) who mentioned in her review of Sabriel how refreshing it is that the magic in the story is “something other than a deus ex machina” (aka: when the protagonist defeats evil without any true skill, the magic just kind of does its thing through them because they are super special snowflakes). I completely agreed with that point…in book 1. Pretty much everything I loved about the protagonist in Sabriel is contradicted in the Mary-Sue that is Lirael, the main protagonist of book 2.

Doormat/whiny/woe-is-me/doesn’t think she’s special even though all signs point to the annoyingly obvious fact that she is. Not only is she mega-talented (but thinks she’s worthless), she has the added convenience of that “dues ex machina” magic that shows up unexpectedly and makes her 10x more awesome.

It killed me that even after the Clayr explained that only super awesome Clayr develop “the Sight” late and only incredibly important people are sent on missions, Lirael is ready to kill herself all over again and actually thinks they’re just kicking her out. Yeah, ok, Lirael. Ok.

And where Sabriel’s looks weren’t really mentioned and her “romance” was pretty dang tame for YA, Lirael, on the other hand, is a silent, sensitive wallflower who hides behind her hair but catches the eye of alllll the boys because they all find her beautiful, even though…wait for it…she doesn’t find herself beautiful!

Ugh, spare me.

Sameth, the male protagonist isn’t much better although he’s a little more sympathetic. He might be somewhat of a spoiled brat, but at least his whining is more believable (not living up to his parents or elder sister’s expectations, because, honestly, what they want for him isn’t what he wants or is even capable of). Lirael, though, is out slaying beasts and is still like, “Shucks, I’m no good at anything, why do I even bother living…” Gurl, write a sad poem in your journal and move on.

Also, this book had no real ending. I’m basically being forced to read the last book of the trilogy against my will. Basically.

THREE STARS because Sabriel and Touchstone make cameos, Lirael occasionally takes breaks from moping to kick some butt, there’s some crazy/creepy action sequences, Nix's world-building is always fun, and the two talking animals (Mogget and Dog) save the reader from utter boredom (concerning the main characters) with their snarky comments and superior characterization.
...more

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May 22, 2008 Nicole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: feminists with a morbid streak

Shelves: ya, fantasy-dragon-magic-such

I'm not a huge fantasy person, but I'm always up for a kick-ass heroine such as Lirael. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 books in this trilogy, mostly because they appeal to my morbid streak. Death portrayed as a river with 7 gates? Sending the Dead back into Death using necromancer bells? What's not to like here?

Decent writing, excellent story, not-quite-typical (and therefore appealing) fantasy story. Not to mention book covers by the Dillions. I will read almost anything that has a Dillions c ...more

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Apr 02, 2018 Katie.dorny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018

The only thing that held this book back was the character of prince Sameth, the son of Sabriel and Touchstone. Apart from him, I fell in love with both Lirael and the Disreputable Dog and cannot wait to get my hands on the last book! I also personally think this book was better than the first. I have high expectations now for the last one!!

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Jan 29, 2014 Sanaa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-read

[4 Stars] I'm conflicted about this rating because the first half of the book was probably more like a 5 star book, the last half of the book was more 4 stars, and all of Sameth's parts were around 3.5 or even 3 stars. Why did Sameth have to be just as annoying as Lirael was amazing? Lirael was seriously such a fantastic protagonist, and I wish the book had focused almost entirely on her as opposed to bringing Sameth into the picture. He just seems like a bit of a waste in all honesty: annoying, ...more

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Mar 25, 2018 BAM The Bibliomaniac rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, own

Audio # 33
2018 Reading Challenge: deals with a library or bookstore

Lirael is so depressed and has such low self esteem.

Note-Tim curry can feel free to narrate every book I own please

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Feb 22, 2011 Lady rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Lady by: Ben

Shelves: bookclub, fantasy

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 ca ...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Eddie Costello rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014

These books are awesome and should be mandatory reading by everyone.

I first read this trilogy(Lirael is a second book in the old kingdom trilogy; Sabriel is first while Abhorsen is the finale) when I was in middle school and I have to admit I'm just as obsessed with this series now as I was then.

With a cast of fantastic characters and a quick moving pace(mostly), you are truly sucked into the world of the old kingdom and it's pretty scary.

I'm truly surprised that this book can be considered YA ...more

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Apr 09, 2017 Laure rated it really liked it

Shelves: seasonal-challenge-spring-2017

Nice to see the stories and characters are getting more complexed - I am looking foward to the next instalment in the stories.

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Jun 13, 2015 Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-high, written-review, audiobook-would-recommend, 2015, meh-boring-dragged-blah

Two books through this trilogy (because I'm very unsure about reading past that, since Nix has started doing prequels and such) and I'm STILL uncertain how I feel about it. I reread my Sabriel review and basically find myself feeling the same way, if rather reluctantly. As I mentioned in my last update, these books are sometimes difficult to focus on, but by the end I want to go back and reread them to piece everything together. Lirael and Sameth both felt very realistic, although I was disappoi ...more

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Dec 31, 2008 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, orphalins, treasure-and-adventure, violent-and-epic, world-lit, not-quite-five-stars-but-sooo-close, favorites

So there’s this girl, and she lives in a Glacier. Yes, a real glacier. It’s in a tall mountain at the very tip-top of her country, and she lives there with thousands of cousins, who are collectively called ‘The Clayr,’ most of whom are female and have the pale blonde hair and tanned skin that marks them as one of their own. They are entitled to this sobriquet because every single one of them can see the future. Every single one of them, except Lirael, that is. Most Clayr receive the Sight by the So there’s this girl, and she lives in a Glacier. Yes, a real glacier. It’s in a tall mountain at the very tip-top of her country, and she lives there with thousands of cousins, who are collectively called ‘The Clayr,’ most of whom are female and have the pale blonde hair and tanned skin that marks them as one of their own. They are entitled to this sobriquet because every single one of them can see the future. Every single one of them, except Lirael, that is. Most Clayr receive the Sight by the age of twelve. Lirael passes twelve. Then fourteen. Then seventeen. She is an adult, and she does not have the Sight. This is the main source of inner conflict in Lirael’s life.

Lirael is also different physically. Her black hair and pale, deathlike skin mark her immediately out from her fellow Clayr, but Lirael is also unusally quiet and reserved, because Lirael is very lonely. All the other Clayr have a purpose. They all take turns on the Watch, and they wear the robes of an adult, while Lirael still wears the robes of a child, simply because the main indicator of adulthood as a Clayr is the Sight, which, as discussed above, Lirael doesn’t have. What’s worse, none of the other Clayr have ever Seen Lirael. Not one. They don’t know what to do with her any more than she knows what to do with herself.

So instead of actually throwing herself off the highest peak of the glacier, as she almost did on yet another birthday without the Sight, she instead chooses to focus on learning the Charter (the magic system in the Old Kingdom), which leads to her creation of her companion the Disreputable Dog (who is THE BEST). This is the Disreputable Dog when she first meets Lirael:

“Suddenly, the dog stopped scratching, stood up, and shook itself, spraying droplets of dirty water all over Lirael and all over the study. Then it ambled across and licked the petrified girl on the face with a tongue that most definitely was all real and not some Charter-made illusion.

When that got no response, it grinned and announced, ‘I am the Disreputable Dog. Or the Disreputable bitch, if you want to get technical. When are we going for a walk?’”

Together, Lirael and the Dog explore the Clayr’s magical, GINORMOUS library and mine it for secrets, defeating monsters lurking in the corners, and all the while honing Lirael’s magic. Oh, yeah, did I mention that Lirael is a librarian? BECAUSE SHE IS TOTALLY A LIBRARIAN and the library is almost as terrifying and awesome as the Library the Doctor and Donna visit where the Library is an entire planet (and also the shadows are trying to kill them).

Now, I’m focusing on Lirael here because she’s my favorite, but this book has other stuff going on, as well. It takes place 14-18 years after Sabriel (depending on Lirael’s age), and Sabriel is barely in it at all. The two main characters are Lirael (obvs) and Sameth, Sabriel and Touchstone’s son. The narrative starts with them apart as we get to know them, but eventually they meet up and things are pretty much BOOM BOOM BOOM from there on out. Both Lirael and Sam have good character arcs, their inner lives and conflicts are way more realized than Sabriel’s were in book one. Sabriel can pretty much stand alone, but the second two books are basically one long continued story, with Lirael setting things up, and Abhorsen bringing them to a close. I think I prefer Lirael, though, because of the library, and because also Abhorsen honestly kind of scares the shit out of me. But more on that in the appropriate review.

[4.5 stars] ...more

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Jul 21, 2015 Erik Fazekas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: extraordinary-books, fantasy, favourite, k, read-in-sk, rereading-always, young-adult

Toto bol môj 28 rereading... (to len tak odhadom :) )
ale páčilo sa mi to aj najviac zatiaľ.
viac napíšem, keď si utriedim myšlienky.

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Sep 10, 2017 daisy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I'M SO !!!!!
I stayed up until midnight to finish this and I don't regret that really, but I need to be awake at 5am for uni, so... I'll write a review out tomorrow lmao
REALLY enjoyed this though 🙏

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May 08, 2015 Nikki rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, children-s-and-ya

As much as I love Sabriel (both the book and the character!), I was reluctant to read this again. Lirael’s role in the library is awesome, but both she and Sameth are rather too prone to self-pity to stand up well beside Sabriel’s example. Which is part of the whole point, that Sameth’s grown up in his parents’ shadows, but still. While Sameth has serious problems to deal with, he’s also selfish, doesn’t think things through properly, and would do a lot better if he’d open his mouth and let word ...more

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Jun 13, 2008 Miriam rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, books

This sequel to Sabriel is stronger on character development but weaker on action; I don't think Nix has quite figured out how to balance the two aspects of the story. In Sabriel, the heroine (and we as the readers) were plunged almost immediately into the dangerous journey across the Wall. While I liked Sabriel, I found her a bit flat and her relationship with Touchstone not terribly convincing emotionally. With Lirael, we spend much more time watching her grow up and develop some confidence. He ...more

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Jun 21, 2014 MadameMelli rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, neu-2016

Band 2 spielt einige Jahre nach den Ereignissen aus Sabriel, ist aber eng mit den dortigen Ereignissen verwoben.

Erneut konnte mich Garth Nix mit seinem Stil, der weniger an Fantasy als an einen Roman erinnert, fesseln und ich fand die Charaktere, die wir in diesem Band begleiteten, noch besser aufgebaut als im ersten Teil.

Ich hatte definitiv kaum noch Erinnerungen an diesen Band und freue mich auf die Auflösungen, die im nächsten kommen werden. Danach kann ich dann endlich die neueren Bücher un ...more

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May 28, 2018 MoonWyvern added it · review of another edition

I wasn’t very interested in this book. I’m not sure what happened. I like “Sabriel” but this book seems different. I think it’s mainly because it follows a different character and takes place years later after the events in “Sabriel”. DNF - page 92

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Apr 23, 2015 Ally rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: action, books-i-own, boys-who-need-to-be-punched, fantasy, magic, kick-ass-heroines, pov-switches, read-2015, ya

Garth Nix has done it again folks.

Lirael is closer to a piece of artwork than a book. The world is so vivid, it becomes a character itself. Nothing in this book is an inanimate object. Everything from the Abhorsen's house to the river Ratterlin has character and charm. Specific settings of the book carry emotion that is felt by the characters and readers alike. For instance, the Clayr's glacier has an air of oppression and deep sadness, while the great library Lirael came to love conveyed a sens Garth Nix has done it again folks.

Lirael is closer to a piece of artwork than a book. The world is so vivid, it becomes a character itself. Nothing in this book is an inanimate object. Everything from the Abhorsen's house to the river Ratterlin has character and charm. Specific settings of the book carry emotion that is felt by the characters and readers alike. For instance, the Clayr's glacier has an air of oppression and deep sadness, while the great library Lirael came to love conveyed a sense of hope. Every single place Lirael visited played an physical and an emotional role in the book.

That brings me to how amazing the Clayr library is. It's everything any bookish person could ever wish for. It had thousands upon thousands of books, rooms filled with magical items, and the lurking threat of an escaped monster at every turn. So generally it was a ton of fun watching Lirael explore it all, learning crucial magics along the way.

Lirael was fantastic. She embodies everything I look for in a protagonist. Smart, funny, and doesn't need no man to get the job done. Lirael managed to use her past to fuel her future, and didn't have the self pity that usually accompanies main characters. She was resourceful; furthering her knowledge of magic every time she could. She was always asking to read magic books or explore ancient tunnels in search of forgotten tomes. I really related to the curious side of her, cause if it were me, I'd be doing the exact same thing.

I loved Lirael's furry companion, the Disreputable Dog almost as much as I loved her. The Dog is awesome. Seriously, where can I get one. She's loyal, funny, and wildly powerful. Unlike Mogget from Sabriel, the Disreputable Dog actually wanted to be with Lirael. It allowed for a kinship that was new to the series.

Sadly, Mogget leads us to the negative part of the review.

So Lirael has a split POV. This usually doesn't bother me, but I absolutely hated Sameth, the other character followed through the book. He is everything Lirael isn't; winey, self absorbed, and privileged. Intill later on in the story, all he does is make bad decisions and complain about the burdens of being the abhorsen in waiting. To make things worse, Mogget is asleep basically the entire time, so we don't get any reprieve from Sam's winey ways. Although, I could see a light at the end of the tunnel for Sam. Throught the series, I see endless potential for growth. He could become the brave warrior that fights for his kingdom. Maybe that day will come, but for the entirety of the book, he was a little snot that really needed to suck it up.

Overall, the book was really good. Honestly, I'm regretting not have picking it up sooner. The ending was a bit abrupt, and Sameth was a little aggravating, Lirael and the world building made up for it seven fold. ...more

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Apr 13, 2016 Shari Kay rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Though the overall plot is very good...I had trouble warming up to the MC's.

Lirael is full of self pity and is quite the whiner. She contemplates suicide a few times and because she is not a Seer like the rest of her people...she feels life isn't worth living. She shuts everyone out and makes herself, and the reader, fairly miserable. She eventually finds a place in the Library and proceeds to almost unleash an unspeakable horror that's been locked away with a big, "DO NOT ENTER" sign on the do Though the overall plot is very good...I had trouble warming up to the MC's.

Lirael is full of self pity and is quite the whiner. She contemplates suicide a few times and because she is not a Seer like the rest of her people...she feels life isn't worth living. She shuts everyone out and makes herself, and the reader, fairly miserable. She eventually finds a place in the Library and proceeds to almost unleash an unspeakable horror that's been locked away with a big, "DO NOT ENTER" sign on the door. Does Lirael think maybe as an APPRENTICE librarian, (a job which by the way, she never would have gotten without the kindness of others and is lucky to have) maybe she really shouldn't break all the rules and out of curiosity break into a sealed room like a criminal ? Then when she does unleash this monster, does she ask anyone for help? Does it dawn on her that man, I may get in trouble for being where I wasn't suppose to be but heck people could die so I guess I should suck it up and tell someone what I've done? Um...that would be a, "no". She decides to handle it herself. But since she has no idea how to do that, she takes months to figure it out and prepare herself. All the while she is risking the creature's escape. After miracles of miracles she DOES manage to "fix" the problem...does she decide she barely escaped disaster and should never do it again? That'd be another, "no." She just finds other ways to go where she shouldn't. Does she end up being a fairly brave girl...she does. Does she have a good heart...yes, she does. Did I find her as annoying as shite? Yes I did.

This book is also about Sameth. Another whiny, self-pitying teenager who needs to use his words and not just moan and groan about everything.

The dog and the cat...can't say I loved either one, but at least the despicable dog appears to have affection for and is trying to help Lirael...can't say the same for the Puss in Boots.

And can I just say, Sabriel and Touchstone turned out to be fairly rotten parents...

So as annoying as the characters were for a large majority of the book, the world is interesting and the magic is original. I really liked Nick.

Will I read the final in the trilogy...probably. Eventually. Maybe. ...more

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In A Bookish Reverie: Week 2	1	3	Mar 12, 2017 10:24AM
In A Bookish Reverie: Week 1	1	1	Mar 12, 2017 10:21AM
In A Bookish Reverie: Lirael	1	5	Feb 18, 2017 09:36AM
The Library Lived In: Lirael (Old Kingdom #2) - Dec 2016	7	3	Jan 16, 2017 07:51AM
Goodreads Librari...: separate listing	2	11	Dec 30, 2016 03:16AM
A Million More Pages: 2 - Lirael (Abhorsen): Apr 28	33	27	May 01, 2015 02:36PM

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About Garth Nix

Garth Nix

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Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.

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