Clariel - BookWyrm

Paperback, 416 pages

Published Aug. 2, 2016 by HarperCollins, Harpercollins.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-156157-3

(3 reviews)

4th in the Abhorsen series. 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 Kilp. 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 …

4th in the Abhorsen series. 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 Kilp. 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.

6 editions

Curtis reviewed Clariel by Garth Nix

Review of 'Clariel' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I had skipped this and read [b:Goldenhand|28594830|Goldenhand (Abhorsen, #5)|Garth Nix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459724394l/28594830.SY75.jpg|42858213], as I didn't have a copy and had seen this was a prequel. Goldenhand did provide a slight spoiler insofar as clarifying who Clariel is (or more precisely, who she becomes). While I don't think it overall ruined the story for me, I think it did prompt me to see some developments as more overtly telegraphed than perhaps they would have been had I not known Clariel's…progression? fate? trajectory?…beforehand. So, for anyone who stumbles on this review in time, I do suggest reading this before Goldenhand.

I enjoyed the story in the end, but as with some of the other sequels to [b:Sabriel|518848|Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)|Garth Nix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1293655399l/518848.SY75.jpg|3312237], this one felt like the plot dragged on a bit too long. I do admire the attempt to reimagine the Old Kingdom in its heyday—i.e., before it …

I had skipped this and read [b:Goldenhand|28594830|Goldenhand (Abhorsen, #5)|Garth Nix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459724394l/28594830.SY75.jpg|42858213], as I didn't have a copy and had seen this was a prequel. Goldenhand did provide a slight spoiler insofar as clarifying who Clariel is (or more precisely, who she becomes). While I don't think it overall ruined the story for me, I think it did prompt me to see some developments as more overtly telegraphed than perhaps they would have been had I not known Clariel's…progression? fate? trajectory?…beforehand. So, for anyone who stumbles on this review in time, I do suggest reading this before Goldenhand.

I enjoyed the story in the end, but as with some of the other sequels to [b:Sabriel|518848|Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)|Garth Nix|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1293655399l/518848.SY75.jpg|3312237], this one felt like the plot dragged on a bit too long. I do admire the attempt to reimagine the Old Kingdom in its heyday—i.e., before it was the "Old" Kingdom—and I think Nix succeeded to a certain degree in that reimagination. At least Clariel does focus the better part of the story on the development of its titular character, unlike the other three sequels.

Muse

rated it

Jan. 5, 2015

WINTERMARY

rated it

Sept. 5, 2015