Lirael by Garth Nix

Lirael by Garth Nix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a re-read from 2009, but sadly, I didn't say anything about it at the time.

Why do I like the work of the Garth Nixes and Brandon Sandersons of the world? It is how they are able to spin a tale--plot, characters, setting, all of it-- in a way that keeps you guessing and still comes together as one story in the end. The few Agatha Christie books I'm aware of display this as well. Perhaps it is fair to say that all books are mysteries at some level.

Lirael fits that description. As I read and tried to see what was coming, I would finally figure it out and feel smart only to have the whole thing unfolded for me anyway in the next instant. To me that is maximum engagement for a reader. To drop clues until they figure it out on their own... just as you tell them anyway.

The one small weakness I noticed was that the nature of the enemy isn't really revealed or a part of the story until the epilogue. We do get an idea with the backstory about the Charter from Mogget and the Dog, but it kind of feels like it's thrown in. "And now that everyone knows who they are in this story, here is some unspeakable evil to fight. Let us sally forth in the next book!" One small thing that would have helped for me is to link Kerrigor to this new guy (forgot his name). That would have made a nice consistent good vs. evil struggle in my mind, but that may have presented another problem. Things that wrap up or connect too nicely feel contrived. Overall this is a small issue.

Why only 4 stars? Lack of satisfactory resolution. Even if the conflict had to continue to the next book, I don't feel like our protagonists accomplished enough to call this an ending. Easily fixed in the next book, but still, I'm holding a star hostage.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Sabriel by Garth Nix
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw one of the newer books in this series in a used book store, and picked it up, and that has prompted me to reread the whole series, since I'm the type of person who likes to start at the beginning and end at the end. After A Confusion of Princes I'm seeing a pattern with Nix. His books are pretty random for the first 3rd, but with enough compelling story and characters to keep you reading. By the last 3rd you have been totally sucked in and can't put it down.

I learned in this book that you don't always need all the details in magic systems. For example, if Brandon Sanderson had written this one there would have been complete descriptions and diagrams of the charter marks, but Nix just has the characters use them. We don't know what they look like or how they work, yet their use and function are consistent, so we accept that.

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading the rest of the series, especially the two newest books that weren't published as of my last reading of this series.