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Lirael (Abhorsen, #2)

Garth Nix

Start date: March 1, 2019

Finish date: March 31, 2019

Discussion: Book of the Month

Why we're reading this: Goodreads Book of the Month, March 2019
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What Members Thought

Mar 28, 2017 Tooms rated it really liked it

For the most part this is quite an enjoyable sequel to Sabriel, though it isn't quite as strong. Garth Nix can weave a good story full of imagination and suspense, and his prose paints a vivid picture. However the pace of this novel will likely irritate readers like myself who can only stand so many paragraphs where the story stands still.

First and foremost, this is not a complete story. I feel it best explained as the first two acts of a larger story, clearly left for the third installment in ...more

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Nov 04, 2017 K rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, fantasy, young-adult, australian-author

I remain fascinated at how I somehow missed Garth Nix and particularly this series when I was the right ago for them. I can’t explain it, but I think it says something for the strength of the world and story that they still hold up when I’m reading them for the first time now.

Lirael skips forward about 14 years from the events of Sabriel and follows two different protagonists. It’s an unusual move but, after I caught up with what was happening and that I hadn’t skipped a book in the series, I li I remain fascinated at how I somehow missed Garth Nix and particularly this series when I was the right ago for them. I can’t explain it, but I think it says something for the strength of the world and story that they still hold up when I’m reading them for the first time now.

Lirael skips forward about 14 years from the events of Sabriel and follows two different protagonists. It’s an unusual move but, after I caught up with what was happening and that I hadn’t skipped a book in the series, I liked it. Lirael is raised with the Clayr, but she is visibly different to her cousins and has not received the gift of the Sight long after it should have come. She finds solace in the Clayr’s vast and dangerous library as an assistant librarian. Lirael uses her considerable skills with Charter magic to sneak into sections of the library she shouldn’t have access to yet and also makes herself a companion – the Disreputable Dog – made of free and Charter magic.

Prince Sameth – Sabriel’s son schooled in Ancelstierre comes home to the Old Kingdom where he is handed increased responsibilities that come with his role, including becoming the (reluctant) Abhorsen-in-Waiting. When his friend from school, Nicholas, falls in with bad (necromancer) company Sameth uses it as an excuse to avoid his responsibilities and sneaks off to rescue him.

I loved Lirael as a character – belligerent, flawed, smart, adventurous – she’s a strong female protagonist without being masculine or particularly fighty (though it is fun she picks up a sword!).

Sameth I found harder to like. I get that he’s got this whole internal conflict going, but it seemed so overwhelming and the choices he makes as a result were frustrating. His leadership is shown early and his loyalty to Nicholas is admirable, but I didn’t find these enough to bring him up to ‘likeable’, nor did I care much about his side of the narrative.

The plot has similarities to Sabriel – hoardes of undead, a big necromancer antagonist, and mixed politics between the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre. The world is really the strength to this series. Nix’s Ancelstierre and Old Kingdom are both fascinating with deep, different histories and cultures. They’re completely different places, made all the more so for being right next to each other.

The narrative twists were mostly obvious – particularly Lirael’s – but the “hows and whys” of them were unexpected and nicely done. The book ends on a mid-point in the main plot setting up for a conclusion in Abhorsen. However, the lack of a solid plot resolution, even in part, and the unevenness between Lirael and Sameth’s stories brought this down to 4 stars for me.

Highly recommend the audiobook version of these read by Tim Curry. There’s no one better for capturing the wonderful sarcasm of the Disreputable Dog. ...more

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Nov 23, 2020 Tweller83 rated it liked it

Shelves: own-read, fantasy

While I very much enjoyed meeting Lirael and the Disreputable Dog in this one, it just overall seemed like such a setup book rather than a book with much in it for the series. Since this originally was a trilogy, it seems like this would have more action than it did. I didn't hate it and will continue on in the series, but I didn't love it either. I will be interested to see where the series goes. ...more

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