Garth Nix - Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr Books

Pros: Teen characters with teen anxieties other than romance.
Cons: The point of view transitions are a bit clumsy. Some mistakes in Sam's characterization.

Lirael is a Daughter of the Clayr, but as each year passes without her receiving the Sight she feels less and less a part of Clayr society. It doesn't help that she isn't pretty like other Clayr, lost her mother when she was five, and never knew her ...

Pros: Riveting; very real characters; wonderful topics and plots
Cons: "to be continued" (AGH!); slightly choppy writing

There's a reason why I don't purchase many books that are part of series any more. I've grown tired of those three words, "to be continued." I loathe cliffhangers, where you're in the middle of an exciting situation, turning the pages as quickly as you...

Pros: Engaging characters, interesting magic, well-paced and heart-pounding plot.
Cons: Nearly impossible to put down.

Among the icy-blonde Clayr, with their gift of second sight, lives one dark-haired girl whose every birthday is a trial. As she grows taller, the younger girls around her gain the Sight and are accepted as adults in the clan, but Lirael has neither the...

Pros: Attention to detail, colorful writing with vibrant imagery, narrated by Tim Curry
Cons: Back-and-forth storytelling, "To Be Continued..."

This review is for the audio book version of Lirael, narrated by the one and only Tim Curry. Lirael is the second in a trilogy of books by Garth nix that take readers on a journey to a world where magic and technology both exist, ...

Pros: indescribable!
Cons: the beginning starts a little slow, but the rest makes up for it

You may have seen my latest review for Sabriel. Like its predecessor, it's a keeper. Personally, I think that it has some more thrilling moments than Sabriel! As a slow reader, I thought reading Sabriel in 4 days was impressive. But I read Lirael in only 5 and it is almost twice as long! It's filled with action, suspense around every corner!

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. She's 14 and hasn't yet received the Sight, the Clayr's birthright. 14 is an unheard of age to find get the Sight. Although she has not received the Sight, there is something else in store for her. The fate of the Old Kingdom lyes in her hands.

Lirael is surely a book that will keep you reading for hours. A page-turner for sure!

Pros: It's totally understandable in the lives of many teens AND adults, yet...
Cons: It's an entirely fictional story, You'll have to read the trilogy to fully understand it.

I have just finished reading Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr by Garth Nix, and I have to say I am truly impressed. It is a riveting mix of love, despair, loss and life as they know it. It also relates to young teens problems of feeling inferior. ( I know this because I am a teen myself)I love this book because it is not of this world, yet similarly down to earth. I believe it will be a hit with every age for years to come. (I can't wait for Abhorsen, being released Febuary 1, 2003, 528 pages)
-Katelyn Mehring
age 14, grade 10

Pros: Never a dull moment. Fast paced and hard to put down!
Cons: Too short!

What a great sequel to Gareth Nix's trilogy - Lirael has new, captivating characters that kept me turning the pages til I finished the book in a couple of days. I was hooked on the first book, Sabriel and found the story of people who could walk in and out of Death fascinating. The story of Lirael who grew up not realising who she was and how important her life was in the Old Kingdom is just as engrossing. If you enjoy fantasy adventures, then you will thoroughly enjoy this.