Nix, Garth: Clariel(Abhorsen #4) Informal Buddy Read; Start Date: December 05 2014

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This topic is open for discussion about Clariel by Garth Nix



Book Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Clariel is not adjusting well to her new life in the city of Belisaere, the capital of the Old Kingdom. She misses roaming freely within the forests of Estwael, and she feels trapped within the stone city walls. And in Belisaere she is forced to follow the plans, plots and demands of everyone, from her parents to her maid, to the sinister Guildmaster Kilip. Clariel can see her freedom slipping away. It seems too that the city itself is descending into chaos, as the ancient rules binding Abhorsen, King and Clayr appear to be disintegrating.

With the discovery of a dangerous Free Magic creature loose in the city, Clariel is given the chance both to prove her worth and make her escape. But events spin rapidly out of control. Clariel finds herself more trapped than ever, until help comes from an unlikely source. But the help comes at a terrible cost. Clariel must question the motivations and secret hearts of everyone around her - and it is herself she must question most of all.

About this Buddy Read
An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book.

BE PREPARED FOR SPOILERS

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Reserved

[Amanda]

I'm really excited for this one. This series is one of my favorites and I always recommend them to people.

I've heard that Garth Nix is also planning/writing a fifth novel in the series.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

A fifth? Wow. I was so surprised to hear about this one, that would be SUPER exciting!

I really loved this series. I read it all via audio which was well done and I'm really curious to read this new addition. (Plus Garth Nix being Australian makes me that much more interested teehee)

[Amanda]

Did you listen to the audiobooks narrated by Tim Curry? I was wondering how good his narration is.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Yes I did and I loved listening to him! It's a great way to read them if you intended to re-read. I can only hear Mogget as his voice now ;)

[Kelly]

Added it to the library hold list. I'll have to fit the 3rd book in somewhere in between.

[✿~Danielle~✿]

I just bought the first book to read when TTIII starts, so if I like it I'll continue reading and join this BR.

[Andrea]

I'd like to join too. I read the first three books when I was still in highschool and loved them. Garth Nix is a fantastic author!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Great :)

[Niamh]

I'd like to join! I loved this series when I first read it.

[Alanna]

Tim Curry as Mogget. That sounds amazing.

Also, yeah, I'm totally in.

[Yzabel]

Hmm, I can borrow the ebook for 14 days at the library... Guess this buddy read is the perfect excuse. :P

[Amanda]

I'm one chapter into the book and absolutely loving it! Nix has such a way of drawing the reader into the story. I love Clariel already.

[Marla]

My audiobook is enroute to my library, but I've got 4 books currently in progress and I've gotta finish something before I can start another one...so be here soon!

[Amanda]

I am really enjoying Clariel. The Abhorsen series was one of my favorites growing up and it's nice to get back to it.

Part 4.5/10 of the audio
(view spoiler)[
I wish Clariel would at least take an interest in learning charter magic. She seems to think she has everything all figured out. There are a few times when she acts a little arrogant about it all.
I do identify with her, though, because I grew up in the woods and would much rather spend all my time in a forest than puttering around in a city. I feel for her.

I really like Bel's character. I wish Clariel would act a little friendlier toward him. I couldn't believe it when she said that she didn't care if he died, as long as it didn't mess up her plans. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Chapters 1-3
I'm really loving the start of this too. I've missed this world (although I only read the series in the last year!). I think this will be like book 2, in that it is more about the characters than a 'quest" storyline and that suits me to a tea.

I can't wait to find out more about her family ; especially her parents and what is going on with them.... and I also want to know about the possibility of (view spoiler)[ Clariel being a 'berserk' and more info about what that means (hide spoiler)]

Thoroughly enjoyable so far! I haven't read your spoiler Amanda as I can only assume you are way further then me as I'm only about 14%

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Chapter 7

How awesome are the characters? And I love Kargrin. (view spoiler)[ It is so good to see someone in this time uses the charter. I wonder how long it will take her to start using charter magic? His method of trying to force her to was a bit interesting!! (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

I like the dragon on a leash on the cover of the book.

Prologue - Chapter 4
(view spoiler)[
The guild colors meaning different things made me think of academic hoods and how they have different colors for the different disciplines. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic... .



So far I really like Clariel as a person. Garth Nix seems to write really strong lead female characters. I didn't like the last book quite as much and I think it's because it started getting really complex on the state of the world. We seem to have gone back to being a simpler world with less rules to keep track of.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Karen wrote: "Chapters 1-3"

(view spoiler)[
I wonder if the berserk thing means she has one of the other families blood in her too. That seemed to be a big thing in the other books. Maybe that puts her in a unique position.

I do think it would be terrible to be the first generation in a long time to have an issue come to light. To have generations of Abhorsen not have to deal with the dead then have to figure it out mostly on your own would be really hard.
(hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Thanks for the images Kelly!
And I think you may be right with your spoiler... I hadn't thought of that

[Amanda]

Karen wrote: "Chapter 7

How awesome are the characters? And I love Kargrin. [spoilers removed]"

I really like Kargrin, too.
(view spoiler)[
I've always liked Nix's descriptions of charter magic and it's uses and I was hoping we'd see more of that. I'm glad we have a character who is a very strong magic user.

I wonder what's the purpose of everyone hiding their charter marks? I know it's not supposed to be popular to show the mark, but it seems like there is more to it than that. I was wondering if it will turn out to be something that dulls the power of the charter? (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Oh I hadn't considered that Amanda. I just assumed it was a fashion thing. (view spoiler)[ I can't help but think of the Capitol in The Hunger Games when I read those bits. I especially keep seeing Effie in my mind! (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Karen wrote: "Chapter 7

How awesome are the characters? And I love Kargrin. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[
I think he might have been trying to bring out the beserker in her by provoking her.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Amanda wrote: "Karen wrote: "Chapter 7

How awesome are the characters? And I love Kargrin. [spoilers removed]""

(view spoiler)[
Maybe it could be like the Dresden books with knowing the other person's name. Maybe it's something that gives others power over you if they know it.
(hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Karen wrote: "Oh I hadn't considered that Amanda. I just assumed it was a fashion thing. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[
It does seem like something you'd see in the Capitol. Especially the tea ceremony and the class on how to write a letter with double-meanings.
I'd be just as fed up with them as Clariel is. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Chapter 5-9
(view spoiler)[
Aronzo seems like a bit of a jerk.

I like the tea party with them all saying completely ridiculous things. You got a good sense that the others were real people even though they were playing puppets.

Clariel's mother seems a bit unstable even though I believe her about why she had to kill her brother.

I wonder if Clariel's going to end up being Queen after all this. Hopefully without the puppet part.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Chapter 10-14
(view spoiler)[
Them reading the How to agree without agreeing section made me think of Etiquette & Espionage series. Apparently finishing school is a lot more interesting in books than it must be in real life.

I wonder why she let the free magic creature go. I wonder if that's going to come back to help her or not.

I also probably wouldn't have yelled at the King. That tends to be bad for ones health.

(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Chapter 15-20
(view spoiler)[
I hope her mother's still alive somehow. She stepped up when it was really important.

I'm surprised Klip brought it out unless he was using that as an excuse to attack them. Seems better just to attack some other way and not let it out that he uses free magic creatures.

I assume that Az is the same one Klip is using and Clariel fought.
(hide spoiler)]

[Marla]

I should be starting the audiobook tomorrow. Sorry, to be starting late.

[Kelly]

No problems Marla :) There's still people here to talk with.

[Kelly]

Chapter 21-25
(view spoiler)[
Tyriel doesn't seem too bad though he doesn't seem like he takes his duties very seriously.

The house seems like it might be good for Clariel, it seems quiet which is what she wanted. And apparently Moggert's up to his old tricks. Since this is a prequel I'm guessing he's a bit more wild in this one instead of how Sabriel knows him.

It doesn't feel like much has happened in the book. Clariel gets pulled away from the action a lot more than the characters in the other books.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Chapter 26-end
(view spoiler)[
Well that wasn't a very satisfactory ending. I think the best thing we can learn is not to leave young adults with lots of power alone to get up to mischief.

I'm rather annoyed that nothing she did really affected anything. I felt like it was a letdown. 3 Stars.
(hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

All good Marla. I don't get much reading done through the week, so I'll get back to this tomorrow

[Alanna]

I'm only just getting started now, too, because of shifting work schedules. What a lovely cover, though.

The guy in the prologue without a Charter Mark, though. I was under the impression that all Old Kingdom citizens had a mark. What do you guys think, am I wrong, is it a time period difference, or is it just narrative convenience?

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Welcome Alanna!
In later chapters, they talk about how in this time period people cover their charter marks. So that is a possibility as to why he doesn't have one

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Kelly wrote: "Chapter 10-14

Them reading the How to agree without agreeing section made me think of Etiquette & Espionage series. Apparently finishing school is a lot more interesting in books t..."

Yes and characters always hate going to finishing school ;)

I think that Aziminil (view spoiler)[ got under her skin because she realised that they weren't so different and Clariel's worst fear is being inhibited/locked up / not able to do her own thing. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Chapter 15

(view spoiler)[
I really enjoyed the meeting with the King and the Charter sending cat creature. Interesting that the Clayr have seen his daughter return. If she is around the same age as Clariel that must be soon.
Gullaine's offer was interesting. She is seems loyal to the monarchy, but worried for it's future.
And Bel is living there? We must be heading into some good action scenes with these guys because they are all powerful n their own way (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Karen wrote: "Chapter 15"

Makes me wonder who the next book is about. Maybe he already announced it and I missed it.

[Marla]

I'm 1.5 disks into 10 disks. I'm kind of confused at the time frame. Is this really far into the future? Since I don't recognize several generations of Abhorsens.

King Touchstone, Sabriel's husband, was a berserker. So since Clariel is descended of the Abhorsen and the royal line, she would have his blood.

I think the guilds and robe colors are interesting, but like Clariel, I think it's kind of silly. The layered sleeves remind me of Japanese kimonos. And having taken Japanese tea ceremony class, I could feel Clariel's pain...though I thought it was culturally interesting, it was trying and often boring.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Hi Marla
I'm reading the kindle version which states at the start this book is set approximately 600 years before the birth of Sabriel

[Marla]

Thanks Karen, I wonder if I missed that on the audiobook, or it was skipped.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

No worries!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Kelly wrote: "Chapter 15-20
..."

(view spoiler)[ I don't see how her mother could be alive, unless they cleverly made it sound like she was decapitated when she wasn't? I'm sticking with the assumption she is dead.
Yes, I think Az is the same creature (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Chapters 20 & 21

(view spoiler)[ So I was a bit annoyed at Clariel when she was going to leave Bel, so I'm glad she realised it was putting him at risk and changed her mind.
Then we meet the Abhorsen and I can see why she wasn't so keen on going there. He is so different from all the other Abhorsens we have known! I wonder if Bel will take the title before this book is finished.
I do really want Clariel to get some training so hopefully she can get it here (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Karen wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Chapter 15-20
..."

(view spoiler)[
This is the land of undead creatures though and it's just starting up. Though there wouldn't be much of a point in re-animating her if the real queen showed up.
(hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

@Kelly
re: chapters 15-20
I thought that too Kelly, (view spoiler)[ , but now Bel says if her mother was in Death she'd already be past the ninth gate and I remember that when Sabriel's father was killed, she could find him in Death and he could come out only for a time. Maybe he was too far through death? I can't quite remember what gate though (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Kelly wrote: "Chapter 21-25
..."

Oh I just love (view spoiler)[ that Mogget is back! And it will be good to see how different he may be. Of course still up to mischief ;)

I am enjoying this book as I'm not a huge action person, I much prefer character development which is why Lirael was my favourite book in the Abhorsen trilogy (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Karen wrote: "@Kelly
re: chapters 15-20
I thought that too Kelly, [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Hmm. You'd think that being worried about their children would keep them closer to the entrance to death. But maybe that's more a ghost thing than something in this world. Did they ever mention what keeps people close?
(hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

@Kelly (chapters 15-20)

I don't think so. I remember that when in Death (view spoiler)[ you are really pulled further and further in, without wanting to be. And I don't think there has been any mention of ghosts in the Abhorsen series from memory (hide spoiler)]