Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
HarperCollins (2014), Hardcover, 400 pages
Description
Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:The long-awaited fourth audiobook in the New York Times bestselling Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. Award-winning author Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a thrilling prequel complete with dark magic, royalty, dangerous action, a strong heroine, and flawless world-building. This epic fantasy adventure is destined to be a classic, and is perfect for fans of Game of Thrones. Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most important, to the King. She dreams of living a simple life but discovers this is hard to achieve when a dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pwaites
Clariel is the prequel to the Sabriel’s trilogy but can likely be read independently.
Clariel is a young woman who is related though her mother to both the King and the Abhorsen, who is in charge of putting the dead to rest.
The novel starts with Clariel moving with her parents to the capital city
The King has not ruled in years, and the all powerful guilds are in control. In the midst of various manipulations for power, Clariel finds that she is a pawn who has no idea what game is even being played.
I felt like that was the biggest flaw of the book – Clariel is a pawn. She accomplishes little in the grand scheme of things and is being constantly manipulated and used by those around her. When she finally makes a major decision to take action of her own… things don’t work out so well. Annoyingly, two times Clariel set out to accomplish something, she ended up being rescued by male characters. I would have preferred to see Clariel accomplish positive results on her own, something she ever really does once in the book.
Clariel herself is frustrating and sympathetic by turn. At the beginning of the novel, she feels quite childish – more like 12 than 18. She gets into fights with her parents and bemoans how they don’t understand her. She is obsessed with her forest (this remains relatively constant) in a way that can be rather annoying. Yet, this changes over the events of the book. In the space of a key scene about halfway through, Clariel ages immensely and begins to consider things differently than before. She gains goals other than returning to her forest, even though that is still important to her. My heart goes out to her after this turning point.
However, many of the paths I wanted to see Clariel take never emerged, in a large part due to what I found out at the end. This is possibly spoilery, but I will discuss it at the end of the review.
Clariel is also a canonically aromantic and asexual character, something I was really excited about going in. However, it is debatable as to the quality of representation that she provides (discussed in spoilers section). A line near the end says she “almost… let out some feeling that she had long suppressed.” This is troubling in that it implies she was somehow suppressing sexual or romantic feelings, but it is completely at odds with the last 400 pages.
I found the style and construction of the writing to be excellent and have no complaints on that front. I also love the world Nix has built, and he’s really able to make it come alive in my mind. The situation with the guilds was particularly fascinating and well done.
I would recommend this for people looking for a well crafted fantasy with an unusual protagonist. People looking for a book without a romance subplot may be particularly interested.
Some spoilery comments:
Clariel is Chlorr of the Mask, a villain from Lirael that I completely forgot existed. Mind you, Clariel takes place over six hundred years before Sabriel. Clariel is not the villain in Clariel. I would say that she’s perhaps a tragic hero. Indeed, she meets many of the qualifications for such, including the fatal flaw. Even the ending does not cast her as the villain but rather lays the groundwork for how she could become a villain.
Due to her “future villain” status, Clariel does not end up with a happy ending. Thus, much of what I wanted for her was not achieved.
With aromantic and asexual characters being so thin on the ground, making the “future villain” one has unfortunate implications. Would the end of Clariel have been any different if she weren’t aromantic and asexual? I don’t think so. In fact, the decisions she made did stem from love, but for platonic love for her aunt rather than romantic love. Still, what the world needs is more true and true heroes who are asexual and aromantic, and I can’t helped by be troubled by if her “future villain” status is supposed to be connected to her being asexual and aromantic.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Clariel is a young woman who is related though her mother to both the King and the Abhorsen, who is in charge of putting the dead to rest.
The novel starts with Clariel moving with her parents to the capital city
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of Belisaere to farther her mother’s career as a goldsmith. However, Clariel detests the city. Her overriding desire is to go back home to her forest, where she feels that she belongs.The King has not ruled in years, and the all powerful guilds are in control. In the midst of various manipulations for power, Clariel finds that she is a pawn who has no idea what game is even being played.
I felt like that was the biggest flaw of the book – Clariel is a pawn. She accomplishes little in the grand scheme of things and is being constantly manipulated and used by those around her. When she finally makes a major decision to take action of her own… things don’t work out so well. Annoyingly, two times Clariel set out to accomplish something, she ended up being rescued by male characters. I would have preferred to see Clariel accomplish positive results on her own, something she ever really does once in the book.
Clariel herself is frustrating and sympathetic by turn. At the beginning of the novel, she feels quite childish – more like 12 than 18. She gets into fights with her parents and bemoans how they don’t understand her. She is obsessed with her forest (this remains relatively constant) in a way that can be rather annoying. Yet, this changes over the events of the book. In the space of a key scene about halfway through, Clariel ages immensely and begins to consider things differently than before. She gains goals other than returning to her forest, even though that is still important to her. My heart goes out to her after this turning point.
However, many of the paths I wanted to see Clariel take never emerged, in a large part due to what I found out at the end. This is possibly spoilery, but I will discuss it at the end of the review.
Clariel is also a canonically aromantic and asexual character, something I was really excited about going in. However, it is debatable as to the quality of representation that she provides (discussed in spoilers section). A line near the end says she “almost… let out some feeling that she had long suppressed.” This is troubling in that it implies she was somehow suppressing sexual or romantic feelings, but it is completely at odds with the last 400 pages.
I found the style and construction of the writing to be excellent and have no complaints on that front. I also love the world Nix has built, and he’s really able to make it come alive in my mind. The situation with the guilds was particularly fascinating and well done.
I would recommend this for people looking for a well crafted fantasy with an unusual protagonist. People looking for a book without a romance subplot may be particularly interested.
Some spoilery comments:
Due to her “future villain” status, Clariel does not end up with a happy ending. Thus, much of what I wanted for her was not achieved.
With aromantic and asexual characters being so thin on the ground, making the “future villain” one has unfortunate implications. Would the end of Clariel have been any different if she weren’t aromantic and asexual? I don’t think so. In fact, the decisions she made did stem from love, but for platonic love for her aunt rather than romantic love. Still, what the world needs is more true and true heroes who are asexual and aromantic, and I can’t helped by be troubled by if her “future villain” status is supposed to be connected to her being asexual and aromantic.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member keristars
I have been a big fan of the Old Kingdom trilogy (now series) since I first encountered Sabriel back in 1999, so I was eagerly anticipating Clariel from the moment I heard it was in the works. I've always found Garth Nix's writing to be very immersive with imaginative settings, descriptions, and
Clariel did not disappoint. Well, actually, I wish that there were more to read about Clariel, because the book ended long before I was ready to say good-bye! I can only hope that Nix wrote this one to set up or provide backstory for the next novel, focusing on Lirael and Nicholas de Sayre (as last seen in Abhorsen and the novella "Across the Wall").
Clariel is "the lost Abhorsen" in the subtitle, but it isn't entirely clear to me what that means. She's from the Abhorsen family, but doesn't identify with them much - her mother has cut ties with them and set herself up as a very skilled goldsmith in the northern village of Estwael, where Clariel is much happier in the woods than anywhere else.
When Jaciel is invited to the royal city Belisaere to join the Goldsmith Guild as one of the most skilled artists in the country, she takes her family along, despite Clariel's protests. Clariel is only 17 years old and not old or skilled enough to strike out on her own, and her parents want her to have the opportunities that joining Belisaere circles will give her.
Things aren't going so well in the city, though. The king hasn't done his job of ruling for many years, the city's governor wants to have complete control, and it seems there is a Free Magic denizen causing trouble. All this creates problems for Clariel, royal cousin and granddaughter of the Abhorsen, but she finds support and understanding in unexpected places, even as enemies appear elsewhere and, perhaps, in herself.
I don't want to give away spoilers, since I'm writing this review when the book has just been released, so I won't go into the major plot of the book, except to say that it hits many of the elements that were part of the original trilogy and references favorite people and places, sometimes giving more backstory to them, such as Abhorsen's House or Mogget. We learn a little, too, about what the Kingdom was like nearer to its height, when there wasn't just one Abhorsen but an entire village-worth of family with the name.
There are a lot of things I really liked in Clariel, from the names to the way Nix depicts the school she attends (it's not Super Evil or Super Banal like many unwanted schools in fantasy novels - Clariel finds it useful in some aspects and boring in others), but one thing which stood out is towards the beginning, when Clariel reflects on her romantic relationships. It was refreshing for the narrative to present the options of Likes Boys and Likes Girls as equally valid options without any judgments either way, and then to go beyond that and suggest that some people aren't really interested at all, and that's okay. It's not a huge part of the story, though Clariel's lack of interest in romance is referenced a few times, but it's fairly rare to see that kind of discussion so that it meant a lot to me.
If Clariel has any faults, it's that it isn't long enough and the plot is a little too unfinished - it's as much a story of growing up for Clariel as anything else, and it feels like a lead-in to the main Sabriel/Lirael/&c. plots in many ways. But I fell in love with Clariel and didn't care so much about that, I just want to see more of her and her struggle with Free Magic and the Royal rage.
Ultimately, Clariel is a satisfying prequel to the Old Kingdom series, but due to references and nods to the prior books, isn't best read before the others.
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world-building, even if the plots themselves are more typical or basic adventure/suspense when stripped down.Clariel did not disappoint. Well, actually, I wish that there were more to read about Clariel, because the book ended long before I was ready to say good-bye! I can only hope that Nix wrote this one to set up or provide backstory for the next novel, focusing on Lirael and Nicholas de Sayre (as last seen in Abhorsen and the novella "Across the Wall").
Clariel is "the lost Abhorsen" in the subtitle, but it isn't entirely clear to me what that means. She's from the Abhorsen family, but doesn't identify with them much - her mother has cut ties with them and set herself up as a very skilled goldsmith in the northern village of Estwael, where Clariel is much happier in the woods than anywhere else.
When Jaciel is invited to the royal city Belisaere to join the Goldsmith Guild as one of the most skilled artists in the country, she takes her family along, despite Clariel's protests. Clariel is only 17 years old and not old or skilled enough to strike out on her own, and her parents want her to have the opportunities that joining Belisaere circles will give her.
Things aren't going so well in the city, though. The king hasn't done his job of ruling for many years, the city's governor wants to have complete control, and it seems there is a Free Magic denizen causing trouble. All this creates problems for Clariel, royal cousin and granddaughter of the Abhorsen, but she finds support and understanding in unexpected places, even as enemies appear elsewhere and, perhaps, in herself.
I don't want to give away spoilers, since I'm writing this review when the book has just been released, so I won't go into the major plot of the book, except to say that it hits many of the elements that were part of the original trilogy and references favorite people and places, sometimes giving more backstory to them, such as Abhorsen's House or Mogget. We learn a little, too, about what the Kingdom was like nearer to its height, when there wasn't just one Abhorsen but an entire village-worth of family with the name.
There are a lot of things I really liked in Clariel, from the names to the way Nix depicts the school she attends (it's not Super Evil or Super Banal like many unwanted schools in fantasy novels - Clariel finds it useful in some aspects and boring in others), but one thing which stood out is towards the beginning, when Clariel reflects on her romantic relationships. It was refreshing for the narrative to present the options of Likes Boys and Likes Girls as equally valid options without any judgments either way, and then to go beyond that and suggest that some people aren't really interested at all, and that's okay. It's not a huge part of the story, though Clariel's lack of interest in romance is referenced a few times, but it's fairly rare to see that kind of discussion so that it meant a lot to me.
If Clariel has any faults, it's that it isn't long enough and the plot is a little too unfinished - it's as much a story of growing up for Clariel as anything else, and it feels like a lead-in to the main Sabriel/Lirael/&c. plots in many ways. But I fell in love with Clariel and didn't care so much about that, I just want to see more of her and her struggle with Free Magic and the Royal rage.
Ultimately, Clariel is a satisfying prequel to the Old Kingdom series, but due to references and nods to the prior books, isn't best read before the others.
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LibraryThing member elucubrare
Clariel. Oh, Clariel. I wanted to love Clariel (the book or the character? yes.) but I just can't. Spoilers, of course, abound.
Part of it is that Clariel herself is just not a character type I get along well with. I really dislike characters who hate everything about the high society of their
There's deeper problems, though: Clariel's motivation, a lot of the characterization in general, some of the tone, and the pacing of the book. Clariel's motivation is almost entirely that she wants to be left in peace in her forest, which is not particularly compelling, especially since it never changes or becomes more complicated.
I also find, having let the book sit for a while, that I would have preferred her to have taken up Free Magic on purpose, rather than accidentally. Clariel uses Free Magic with the best of intentions - she wants to save the King and be free, and Free Magic is the only way to do that. Even at the end, when she's going North to be beyond the Charter, she wants to be a good person, even if she is contemplating becoming a necromancer.
When we see her in Lirael she's a malignant figure of pure evil, and even with six centuries of Free Magic corrupting her, I find it hard to believe that the naive, impulsive girl we see in Clariel could ever have gotten there. Contrafactual reviewing - talking about the book you wanted rather than the book you have - is never good, but: wouldn't it be more interesting to see her become warped by the society or by something in her personality rather than just by magic? It would, of course, be harder to make us feel compassion for a bad person, but therein lies the challenge and the interest.
As for characterization: I didn't like Clariel very much either as a person or a character, but, as I said, that's mainly because she plays into a lot of tropes I really dislike. Her parents, though, were fairly badly handled. Her mother, Jaciel, is the head (or some other very highly placed official) of the goldsmiths' guild, but she's really bad at politics and keeping her silence, which doesn't make any sense. Skill can only get you so far, in what is a political position.
It turns out that the odious boy Clariel is supposed to marry is using Free Magic to make his masterwork. Jaciel finds out, and instead of hiding that she knows or doing anything reasonable, she accuses him while she's surrounded by his father's guards. Which leads to a very well-executed scene - but that doesn't help the fact that it was a really stupid thing to do, by a character who's supposed to be absorbed in her work, but not stupid.
I also have some problems with Mogget's characterization, or rather making his characterization jibe with his earlier characterization. He's always been fairly neutral as a character, helping the Abhorsens only because he's bound to, though he does seem to have at least some affection for Sabriel. In this he's actively malicious, lying as much as he able to. Which I think Nix explains by saying that he's been ignored by the Abhorsens, so his Free Magic nature is stronger, but leaning on Free Magic to explain faults of characterization is really weak.
In general, he painted with fairly broad strokes - you knew the evil people were evil, you knew the good people were good. Which isn't necessarily a fault, except that he was trying to be subtle in the beginning. You can't do a sneaky court intrigue book, which part of this was, if the sides are obvious.
(I'm not sure what this falls under, but there were also a couple of times where Clariel demands to know what's going on and people knuckle under pretty quickly. Keeping her in the dark doesn't really make sense, but having people try to keep her in the dark and then give in really quickly when she asks them direct questions is creating unnecessary conflict.)
The pacing was probably the biggest flaw, and is tied into the tone problems I had. Clariel is about 400 pages long, and I felt as though I was in the setup stage until around page 275. There was too much time spent on miscellaneous action in Belisaere, including an unnecessary school scene or two (what was the point of Yaneem, a needlessly unpleasant girl? there was none) and much too little on Clariel's descent into well-meaning evil.
So, the tone. Again, this is contrafactual, but this definitely wanted to be a much darker book than it was. I was going to say that it was held back by being YA - but so was Sabriel, and that was much darker. Clariel is essentially good, and any corruption in her is due to her bloodline and exposure to Free Magic; her character was very straightforward and uncomplicated. And sure, both her parents get killed in a bloody way, but that jarred with the tone of the book up to then - which was fairly light. There are ways to have contrasting tones in a book, but I don't think he did particularly well here. I think it needed to be a court intrigue book, and that's very hard to do when none of your main characters are at all sneaky.
The thing is, though, that I did enjoy it very much. There were a couple of really great scenes and some pretty darn badass magic, and I do love coming back to the Old Kingdom. It's just so much weaker than the other three. I tried to love it, really I did.
Part of it is that Clariel herself is just not a character type I get along well with. I really dislike characters who hate everything about the high society of their
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culture and refuse to even try to fit in (can't we have a main character who loves court balls and swords?), which Clariel is. There's deeper problems, though: Clariel's motivation, a lot of the characterization in general, some of the tone, and the pacing of the book. Clariel's motivation is almost entirely that she wants to be left in peace in her forest, which is not particularly compelling, especially since it never changes or becomes more complicated.
I also find, having let the book sit for a while, that I would have preferred her to have taken up Free Magic on purpose, rather than accidentally. Clariel uses Free Magic with the best of intentions - she wants to save the King and be free, and Free Magic is the only way to do that. Even at the end, when she's going North to be beyond the Charter, she wants to be a good person, even if she is contemplating becoming a necromancer.
When we see her in Lirael she's a malignant figure of pure evil, and even with six centuries of Free Magic corrupting her, I find it hard to believe that the naive, impulsive girl we see in Clariel could ever have gotten there. Contrafactual reviewing - talking about the book you wanted rather than the book you have - is never good, but: wouldn't it be more interesting to see her become warped by the society or by something in her personality rather than just by magic? It would, of course, be harder to make us feel compassion for a bad person, but therein lies the challenge and the interest.
As for characterization: I didn't like Clariel very much either as a person or a character, but, as I said, that's mainly because she plays into a lot of tropes I really dislike. Her parents, though, were fairly badly handled. Her mother, Jaciel, is the head (or some other very highly placed official) of the goldsmiths' guild, but she's really bad at politics and keeping her silence, which doesn't make any sense. Skill can only get you so far, in what is a political position.
It turns out that the odious boy Clariel is supposed to marry is using Free Magic to make his masterwork. Jaciel finds out, and instead of hiding that she knows or doing anything reasonable, she accuses him while she's surrounded by his father's guards. Which leads to a very well-executed scene - but that doesn't help the fact that it was a really stupid thing to do, by a character who's supposed to be absorbed in her work, but not stupid.
I also have some problems with Mogget's characterization, or rather making his characterization jibe with his earlier characterization. He's always been fairly neutral as a character, helping the Abhorsens only because he's bound to, though he does seem to have at least some affection for Sabriel. In this he's actively malicious, lying as much as he able to. Which I think Nix explains by saying that he's been ignored by the Abhorsens, so his Free Magic nature is stronger, but leaning on Free Magic to explain faults of characterization is really weak.
In general, he painted with fairly broad strokes - you knew the evil people were evil, you knew the good people were good. Which isn't necessarily a fault, except that he was trying to be subtle in the beginning. You can't do a sneaky court intrigue book, which part of this was, if the sides are obvious.
(I'm not sure what this falls under, but there were also a couple of times where Clariel demands to know what's going on and people knuckle under pretty quickly. Keeping her in the dark doesn't really make sense, but having people try to keep her in the dark and then give in really quickly when she asks them direct questions is creating unnecessary conflict.)
The pacing was probably the biggest flaw, and is tied into the tone problems I had. Clariel is about 400 pages long, and I felt as though I was in the setup stage until around page 275. There was too much time spent on miscellaneous action in Belisaere, including an unnecessary school scene or two (what was the point of Yaneem, a needlessly unpleasant girl? there was none) and much too little on Clariel's descent into well-meaning evil.
So, the tone. Again, this is contrafactual, but this definitely wanted to be a much darker book than it was. I was going to say that it was held back by being YA - but so was Sabriel, and that was much darker. Clariel is essentially good, and any corruption in her is due to her bloodline and exposure to Free Magic; her character was very straightforward and uncomplicated. And sure, both her parents get killed in a bloody way, but that jarred with the tone of the book up to then - which was fairly light. There are ways to have contrasting tones in a book, but I don't think he did particularly well here. I think it needed to be a court intrigue book, and that's very hard to do when none of your main characters are at all sneaky.
The thing is, though, that I did enjoy it very much. There were a couple of really great scenes and some pretty darn badass magic, and I do love coming back to the Old Kingdom. It's just so much weaker than the other three. I tried to love it, really I did.
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LibraryThing member Xleptodactylous
A prequel to the Abhorsen Trilogy, Clariel focuses on one young girl called Clariel who is forced to leave her rustic lifestyle besides the Great Forrest and endure the pithy and carefully watched-over life of the city. Her parents are unsympathetic to her plight, both of whom seem only concerned
I preferred this novel over the original Abhorsen trilogy, but only just. I thought the characters were better developed, though the pathetic, natty nature of Clariel (like Lirael) grated on me slightly. The fundamental reason why I read this book, and will continue to read any book in this world, is because of that: the world. I think it's a wonderful world, with such great vastness of creativity that the sheer scope of what could happen anywhere is breath-taking. It should be expanded further and I really wished it would be, as opposed to being condensed in one simple place like Ancelstierre.
Garth Nix's writing style isn't great in this book. I've read various others of his (Shade's Children was one I particularly liked) and I've never felt like his writing style was lacking except when he delves in to the world of the Old Kingdom. I also found the book to be extremely slow (we could have entered the story around 150 pages in and it would have been thoroughly more exciting) and as a result, barely anything happened. I was also extremely confused as to whether this book took place before or after the events of the Abhorsen trilogy (something which only becomes clear once you research it and read the words 'prequel').
It wasn't a great read, but it was enjoyable for escapism and just one more dive in to the world of the Old Kingdom.
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with her mother's work as a Goldsmith. Instantly, Clariel tries to divise a plan to escape, but the operations of a possible creature from the Dead averts all of her intentions.I preferred this novel over the original Abhorsen trilogy, but only just. I thought the characters were better developed, though the pathetic, natty nature of Clariel (like Lirael) grated on me slightly. The fundamental reason why I read this book, and will continue to read any book in this world, is because of that: the world. I think it's a wonderful world, with such great vastness of creativity that the sheer scope of what could happen anywhere is breath-taking. It should be expanded further and I really wished it would be, as opposed to being condensed in one simple place like Ancelstierre.
Garth Nix's writing style isn't great in this book. I've read various others of his (Shade's Children was one I particularly liked) and I've never felt like his writing style was lacking except when he delves in to the world of the Old Kingdom. I also found the book to be extremely slow (we could have entered the story around 150 pages in and it would have been thoroughly more exciting) and as a result, barely anything happened. I was also extremely confused as to whether this book took place before or after the events of the Abhorsen trilogy (something which only becomes clear once you research it and read the words 'prequel').
It wasn't a great read, but it was enjoyable for escapism and just one more dive in to the world of the Old Kingdom.
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LibraryThing member kthxy
Okay okay I did enjoy this a bit but whyyyy the whole regret storyline like can't a girl even turn to the dark side w/o being grateful for some dude showing up saving her
LibraryThing member mcroushorn
Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen by Garth Nix was a very enjoyable read for me. I find that I am very interested in the world of the Old Kingdom and the unique (to me) system of magic and necromancy. I needed to know what was going to happen in the story as fast as possible and so I read the book in a
Most people wouldn't consider the next couple sentences a spoiler but I figured I'd mark it just in case you want absolutely no information...The world that Nix has created is very compelling and so I had no trouble connecting again even though the events of this book are set several centuries prior to the trilogy. I don't always connect well with new books in a world that do not have any of the original characters in them. That is not the case with this addition to the Old Kingdom.
While an enjoyable read I must say that it felt like it took a little too long for the story to build up and climax. And then the climax was a little bit of a letdown. I still very much enjoyed the book but the ending was just not quite enough for me. The author's note at the end of the book was probably a more striking ending then the rest of the book to me.
I'd probably give the original trilogy 5-stars but Clariel falls just a tiny bit short of this. Absolutely worth the read though.
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couple of days around my two jobs. Most people wouldn't consider the next couple sentences a spoiler but I figured I'd mark it just in case you want absolutely no information...
While an enjoyable read I must say that it felt like it took a little too long for the story to build up and climax. And then the climax was a little bit of a letdown. I still very much enjoyed the book but the ending was just not quite enough for me. The author's note at the end of the book was probably a more striking ending then the rest of the book to me.
I'd probably give the original trilogy 5-stars but Clariel falls just a tiny bit short of this. Absolutely worth the read though.
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LibraryThing member AngelaCinVA
Overall, I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the other books in the series. Clariel's situation is unfortunate. But she also can be a bit whiny and stubborn. She complains about the King and the Abhorsen avoiding their responsibilities while she refuses to accept that she should do anything
Definitely a must read for fans of Sabriel. While this book is a prequel, I wouldn't recommend reading it before the others. It relies on previous knowledge of aspects of Charter Magic, Charter Stones, the Abhorsens, etc.
Graeme Malcolm does a wonderful job as narrator.
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other than exactly what she wants to do - run away to live in the forest. She has good intentions, but not the strength of character to always do the right thing. Definitely a must read for fans of Sabriel. While this book is a prequel, I wouldn't recommend reading it before the others. It relies on previous knowledge of aspects of Charter Magic, Charter Stones, the Abhorsens, etc.
Graeme Malcolm does a wonderful job as narrator.
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LibraryThing member bell7
All Clariel wants is to become a Borderer, living on her own in the Great Forest and protecting the realm with her hunting prowess. But everyone around her has some other plan for her: going to school, marrying, becoming a goldsmith like her parents... why can't she just be left alone to do as she
This book is set in the same world as Sabriel and the rest of the Abhorsen books, but several hundred years before those events took place. Clariel is likable enough, but her overarching desire to be Away made for sometimes boring reading, as the main character always felt like more of a pawn than a player. But Nix's writing and ability to imagine and convey a fully-realized other world is pretty amazing, and carried me along when the plot lagged. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point, but it's a solid recommendation for fans of Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.
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pleases? And why does she have to live in the city of Belisaere, where she practically chokes over the political machinations that no one wants to talk about?This book is set in the same world as Sabriel and the rest of the Abhorsen books, but several hundred years before those events took place. Clariel is likable enough, but her overarching desire to be Away made for sometimes boring reading, as the main character always felt like more of a pawn than a player. But Nix's writing and ability to imagine and convey a fully-realized other world is pretty amazing, and carried me along when the plot lagged. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point, but it's a solid recommendation for fans of Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.
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LibraryThing member Claire.Warner
I was so waiting for this book to come out, having loved the previous three and today when I walked into my local bookstore, it was on the shelf. I bought it then and there after squeeing with joy a little and have not put it down since.
Garth Nix's world of magic, undead, swordplay and dark
I was prepared to be mildly disappointed as prequels tend not to live up to the reputation that later novels have built up for them. I was, however, completely blown away by this book.
Clariel, cousin to the Abhorsen, has moved with her Goldsmith parents to a large house in the city of Belisaere. Most would consider this an asset, but Clariel prefers the woods near her own home and wants nothing more than to return. As the Kingdom is stable and at peace, the Abhorsen and Royal Family shirk their responsibilities, allowing dangerous elements to gain a foothold in the world. Clariel is unfortunately smack dab in the middle of it. She is used to help deal with the problem, but her longing for solitude and lack of aptitude or desire for Charter Magic, makes her turn to the easier and far more dangerous Free Magic.
Clariel is a different sort of book to the previous Old Kingdom Novels. Whilst the other two dealt with 'end of world' stuff, this is far more personal and deals with a young woman's 'fall from grace'. I loved it. The main character is deeply flawed, yet satisfying and her road onto her new path is well written and believable.
I highly recommend Clariel to any fans of The Old Kingdom Series and to those who have not read the series before.
Garth Nix's world of magic, undead, swordplay and dark
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creatures is one that I particularly love. So when I came across Clariel, the prequel novel to the original set of books, I brought it immediately. I was prepared to be mildly disappointed as prequels tend not to live up to the reputation that later novels have built up for them. I was, however, completely blown away by this book.
Clariel, cousin to the Abhorsen, has moved with her Goldsmith parents to a large house in the city of Belisaere. Most would consider this an asset, but Clariel prefers the woods near her own home and wants nothing more than to return. As the Kingdom is stable and at peace, the Abhorsen and Royal Family shirk their responsibilities, allowing dangerous elements to gain a foothold in the world. Clariel is unfortunately smack dab in the middle of it. She is used to help deal with the problem, but her longing for solitude and lack of aptitude or desire for Charter Magic, makes her turn to the easier and far more dangerous Free Magic.
Clariel is a different sort of book to the previous Old Kingdom Novels. Whilst the other two dealt with 'end of world' stuff, this is far more personal and deals with a young woman's 'fall from grace'. I loved it. The main character is deeply flawed, yet satisfying and her road onto her new path is well written and believable.
I highly recommend Clariel to any fans of The Old Kingdom Series and to those who have not read the series before.
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LibraryThing member photonegative
The book took a bit to build up to speed, but once it did, it was fantastic. It was so incredible to be back in this world and to get to read about more of its history and inhabitants.
LibraryThing member photonegative
The book took a bit to build up to speed, but once it did, it was fantastic. It was so incredible to be back in this world and to get to read about more of its history and inhabitants.
LibraryThing member lkmuir
Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most importantly, to the King. When her family moves to the city of Belisaere, there are rumors that her mother is next in line for the throne. However, Clariel wants no part of
But many forces conspire against Clariel's dream. A dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?
In Clariel, New York Times bestselling author Garth Nix weaves a story that is as rich and compelling as the original Abhorsen novels. Clariel, prelude to the Abhorsen trilogy, is set approximately six hundred years before the birth of Sabriel. Devoted Old Kingdom fans and new readers alike will clamor for this epic fantasy adventure.
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it—a natural hunter, all she ever thinks about is escaping the city's confining walls and journeying back to the quiet, green world of the Great Forest.But many forces conspire against Clariel's dream. A dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?
In Clariel, New York Times bestselling author Garth Nix weaves a story that is as rich and compelling as the original Abhorsen novels. Clariel, prelude to the Abhorsen trilogy, is set approximately six hundred years before the birth of Sabriel. Devoted Old Kingdom fans and new readers alike will clamor for this epic fantasy adventure.
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LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
Six hundred years before Sabriel was born, the Abhorsen family was large and the Old Kingdom so peaceful that they didn't even bother patrolling it. Clariel is the teenaged daughter of a famed goldsmith and related to both the royal family and the Abhorsen. Her bloodline pulls her into a political
There are parts of this that I absolutely loved. The action scenes are fantastic and held me riveted. The background characters feel wonderfully unique. Clariel's mother Jaciel turned out to be a particular favorite of mine, an ambitious womanwho finds calm from her berserker rage in her art --it's a character type I've never seen for a female character before. (Nix's books are always great for inclusion of characters of color and non-standard gender roles. His worlds are proof that it's possible to write fascinating fantasy set in a pre-industrial age and not mirror the same structures of oppression of this one.) Clariel is nearly a great character, but her development near the end is too rushed to truly work for me. I did love that her power comes through her stalwart, obstinate force of will.
All in all I enjoyed this, but the final few chapters happened too quickly for my tastes. I wish there'd been more build up of certain things. Afterwards, I realized the legend Clariel left behind and I wished even more that we'd gotten more of her struggle with the Free Magic and less of her lessons in deportment. The chapters in Belisaere felt too detailed and drawn out given how little page time was given to thecoup and Clariel's ascension to sorcery .
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battle between the guilds and the king, but her personality draws her toward the solitary peace of the Great Forest. Although she is torn between expectations and her own ambition, Clariel's life narrows to a single focus when a terrible tragedy strikes her family. Emboldened and enraged, Clariel goes against her family's teachings in her search for vengeance.There are parts of this that I absolutely loved. The action scenes are fantastic and held me riveted. The background characters feel wonderfully unique. Clariel's mother Jaciel turned out to be a particular favorite of mine, an ambitious woman
All in all I enjoyed this, but the final few chapters happened too quickly for my tastes. I wish there'd been more build up of certain things. Afterwards, I realized the legend Clariel left behind and I wished even more that we'd gotten more of her struggle with the Free Magic and less of her lessons in deportment. The chapters in Belisaere felt too detailed and drawn out given how little page time was given to the
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LibraryThing member stormyhearted
While the original Old Kingdom trilogy ranks among my most beloved fantasy stories and worlds, Clariel didn't ring true for me. I feel like most of this novel was filler to work out her backstory prior to the next book, Goldenhand, and the interesting material in it could have been better utilized
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as flashback scenes in Goldenhand instead of a standalone novel. That magical touch just isn't here for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Narilka
"A passion thwarted will oft go astray."
Clariel by Garth Nix is the fourth book publication wise in the Old Kingdom series though technically it is a prequel to Sabriel. The story is set roughly 600 years before the birth of Sabriel. The world definitely has a different feel to it. Gone is the
Just as the world has an entirely different feel, Clariel is an entirely different story. It is a hero journey that goes tragically wrong. A common phrase from the previous trilogy is repeated here and takes on new meaning: "Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?" Clariel wants nothing more than to live a simple life in the Great Forest in Estwael. This one simple wish is denied over and over again, first by her parents trying to marry her off to a murderer, then by being caught up in the politics of the Guilds in the city and again through the wiles of Free Magic creatures. Clariel is offered little choice in any of these situations and it's no wonder it takes her down a destructive path.
It took a while for Clariel to grow on me. Having read the original trilogy fairly recently, I was used to the obvious heroism of Sabriel and Lirael so was a bit of a shock that Clariel was not like them at all. She's very self absorbed and completely focused on her dream of a simple life. Her family and society sees her only as a child of a noble house to be married off for political gain. It's no wonder that Clariel focuses mostly on her dreams even though they never come true. She ends on a dark path indeed. It's also a fun easter egg for fans to realize just who's back story we're reading.
I think this is one of those books that benefits by having read the original trilogy first. While it is an interesting story and has themes that any new reader to the series can identify with - what happens if one gives in anger and the temptation of power - by having Sabriel and Lirael's stories to compare to is what makes Clariel more poignant.
Clariel by Garth Nix is the fourth book publication wise in the Old Kingdom series though technically it is a prequel to Sabriel. The story is set roughly 600 years before the birth of Sabriel. The world definitely has a different feel to it. Gone is the
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feeling of menace and dread. In it's place you can see how the world and it's peoples have become complacent during a long period of peace. The Abhorsen is more concerned with going on Great Hunts than protecting the kingdom since there's been no sign of the Dead in many years. The current King has refused to rule and locked himself in his castle, forcing the people to fend for themselves. The Guilds have taken the opportunity to seize power and enforce their will upon the populace. The story is set almost entirely in the city of Belisaere with no mention at all of Ancelstierre.Just as the world has an entirely different feel, Clariel is an entirely different story. It is a hero journey that goes tragically wrong. A common phrase from the previous trilogy is repeated here and takes on new meaning: "Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?" Clariel wants nothing more than to live a simple life in the Great Forest in Estwael. This one simple wish is denied over and over again, first by her parents trying to marry her off to a murderer, then by being caught up in the politics of the Guilds in the city and again through the wiles of Free Magic creatures. Clariel is offered little choice in any of these situations and it's no wonder it takes her down a destructive path.
It took a while for Clariel to grow on me. Having read the original trilogy fairly recently, I was used to the obvious heroism of Sabriel and Lirael so was a bit of a shock that Clariel was not like them at all. She's very self absorbed and completely focused on her dream of a simple life. Her family and society sees her only as a child of a noble house to be married off for political gain. It's no wonder that Clariel focuses mostly on her dreams even though they never come true. She ends on a dark path indeed. It's also a fun easter egg for fans to realize just who's back story we're reading.
I think this is one of those books that benefits by having read the original trilogy first. While it is an interesting story and has themes that any new reader to the series can identify with - what happens if one gives in anger and the temptation of power - by having Sabriel and Lirael's stories to compare to is what makes Clariel more poignant.
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LibraryThing member urph818
3.5
i was a great fan of the Abhorsen trilogy. So I listened to Clariel,but the story didn't engage me until nearly half-way through. This could be because Clariel is a bit of a difficult character to like and engage with, but I perservered and Clariel gradually came to life as a conflicted, strong
Again, this wasn't my favorite Abhorsen novel but I certainly enjoyed this audio book
Jack Murphy
i was a great fan of the Abhorsen trilogy. So I listened to Clariel,but the story didn't engage me until nearly half-way through. This could be because Clariel is a bit of a difficult character to like and engage with, but I perservered and Clariel gradually came to life as a conflicted, strong
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willed character with whom I sympathized, as I started to get into the book. Again, this wasn't my favorite Abhorsen novel but I certainly enjoyed this audio book
Jack Murphy
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LibraryThing member watersgendry
While not as engaging to me as the original trilogy was, I still thoroughly enjoyed Clariel as an additional story in the Old Kingdom series. I think that the overall pacing of the story left much to be desired, as the first two-thirds of the book was slow and steady, but the last third felt like
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what I have come to expect from Garth Nix. I really did love that this book allowed us a glimpse into the origin story of the Chlorr of the Mask and it definitely made me more sympathetic and interested in the version of Chlorr that Lirael faces in the distant future. All in all, an enjoyable read! Show Less
LibraryThing member jdifelice
3.5/5 stars
I quite enjoyed this book! I thought Clariel was kind of annoying in some parts - she just wouldn't shut up about that forrest, but overall I enjoyed her struggle and her story. It took a bit to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. I love the world Garth Nix has created with the
Overall great read!
I quite enjoyed this book! I thought Clariel was kind of annoying in some parts - she just wouldn't shut up about that forrest, but overall I enjoyed her struggle and her story. It took a bit to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. I love the world Garth Nix has created with the
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Abhorsens and Clayr. It is so fascinating. In this prequel, the world was familiar but different at the same time. It was cool to read about the time before Sabriel and Lirael. We are taken to a different Belisare where the king is shirking his duties and all the Abhorsen cares about is hunting, which is just so different from the butt kicking, death walking Sabriel. Overall great read!
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LibraryThing member kornelas1
The world of The Old Kingdom returns in the highly anticipated prequel to the Abhorsen series. The titular character is introduced as a reluctant teenager forced to follow the path of her parents’ ambitions to a new town, Belisaere, far away from the comforts of the Great Forest, where she feels
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the most alive. A headstrong girl, scheming for a way to return to her chosen path in life, Clariel is soon thrown into the political disarray of Balisaere where powerful players are clamoring to take control of the kingdom in the power vacuum left by a withdrawn king. This book cleverly introduces readers familiar with the series to new aspects of the Old Kingdom, such as Free Magic and the history of the world. Through these details, Nix continues to show his skill at worldbuilding; however, the choice of protagonist leaves some to be desired. The constant desire of Clariel to be ‘not-here’ diffuses a sense of gloom that disrupts the potential to fully engage with the story. However, it is worthwhile to note that Clariel comes across as potentially asexual in the story, which may be of interest to those wanting to see representations of an underrepresented minority in fiction. There was plenty of action and the reliance on political intrigue to fuel the plot had potential, however, the book never fully delivers. Recommended additional selection. Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
I adored revisiting Nix's world of the Abhorsen even though the narration is not done by Tim Curry. It's a backstory of a character from the trilogy (I'll have to reread - I don't remember her) and Mogget is there, causing trouble as usual.
LibraryThing member Codonnelly
The fourth novel, a prequel, is definitely the odd (wo)man out, as it jumps back in time over a thousand years. Clariel is the first anti-hero in the series, and she makes some highly questionable decisions that lead to nasty consequences. She is also the loneliest character with the most tragic
There was a large gap between the release of Abhorsen and Clariel, which is occasionally distracting, although Nix’s writing style seems to have matured. The dialogue between characters is more frequent, but it is hard to jump back into the Old Kingdom when it no longer feels familiar. It is also disappointing to not encounter the main characters from the first three books.
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backstory, which only worsens as the plot moves forward.There was a large gap between the release of Abhorsen and Clariel, which is occasionally distracting, although Nix’s writing style seems to have matured. The dialogue between characters is more frequent, but it is hard to jump back into the Old Kingdom when it no longer feels familiar. It is also disappointing to not encounter the main characters from the first three books.
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LibraryThing member jscape2000
It was nice to return to the world of the Abhorsen. No spoilers here. The idea was very very good, but the execution felt only fair. Having just read his book of short stories, this really felt like a short story or novella that got padded out.
LibraryThing member willszal
"Clariel" is a book about power, and the sacrifices that come along with it.
The Old Kingdom series was my favorite fantasy series as a teenager, and possibly still today. I was excited to recently discover that Nix has added two titles to the original trilogy.
I find the world of the Old Kingdom
One element of the Old Kingdom that I find interesting but ultimately cosmologically flawed is the concept of the Charter. Similar to "The Matrix" or the concept of spren in the Stormlight Archives, the Charter belies a belief that our world is constructed, or at least fundamentally anthropocentric. I prefer cosmologies that see the universe as infinitely complex, not composed of some sort of code that can be hacked. Yes, there is structure to nature, but the concept of the Charter takes this ideology too far.
One of my favorite aspects of the Old Kingdom series is that each book casts a powerful female protagonist. One critique here could be that Nix is male, and it is possible that his work would be more feminist if composed by a woman.
To get into the particulars of this book, "Clariel" is a coming of age story. Unlike many coming of age stories, Clariel ultimately succumbs to dark forces. And despite this, Clariel comes across as charismatic; I find it hard not to like her. This could be another failing of the cosmology; in that it establishes a hierarchy of good an evil, an "us" and "them," as opposed to maintaining neutrality between races. In this instance, Free Magic and the Dead are the evil other.
"Clariel" is a page-turner, and compelling read.
The Old Kingdom series was my favorite fantasy series as a teenager, and possibly still today. I was excited to recently discover that Nix has added two titles to the original trilogy.
I find the world of the Old Kingdom
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enchanting—the Nine Precincts of Death, the Seven Bells, the Five Charters. Although I'm not an expert in fantasy, the Old Kingdom is my favorite world I've come across thus far.One element of the Old Kingdom that I find interesting but ultimately cosmologically flawed is the concept of the Charter. Similar to "The Matrix" or the concept of spren in the Stormlight Archives, the Charter belies a belief that our world is constructed, or at least fundamentally anthropocentric. I prefer cosmologies that see the universe as infinitely complex, not composed of some sort of code that can be hacked. Yes, there is structure to nature, but the concept of the Charter takes this ideology too far.
One of my favorite aspects of the Old Kingdom series is that each book casts a powerful female protagonist. One critique here could be that Nix is male, and it is possible that his work would be more feminist if composed by a woman.
To get into the particulars of this book, "Clariel" is a coming of age story. Unlike many coming of age stories, Clariel ultimately succumbs to dark forces. And despite this, Clariel comes across as charismatic; I find it hard not to like her. This could be another failing of the cosmology; in that it establishes a hierarchy of good an evil, an "us" and "them," as opposed to maintaining neutrality between races. In this instance, Free Magic and the Dead are the evil other.
"Clariel" is a page-turner, and compelling read.
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LibraryThing member allison_s
Maybe I rated this so highly bc NOSTALGIA!!! but it was amazing. The first half was pretty slow. A lot of Clariel sitting around or walking around complaining about everything and trying to escape Belisaere be a hunter (I still found this all fairly enjoyable since I've been waiting for this book
Aziminil sounds GROTESQUE AS HELL. I looked up some fan-art and damnnnnnnnnnnn.
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for a decade). The second half was much more brisk, very fun, and very dark.Aziminil sounds GROTESQUE AS HELL. I looked up some fan-art and damnnnnnnnnnnn.
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LibraryThing member EmScape
I was delighted to find that there were a couple more books set in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom and that this one was set during the 'olden days' when Belisaere was the bustling hub, complete with palace and dying king. Clariel's parents have moved the family there from the countryside as Clariel's
Since this is a prequel that was published well after the first series, it might make sense if you are a new reader to read this first. I can't recall anything in this book that is enhanced by knowledge of the original trilogy, but there were several parts of the first books that I wanted to go back and read with this new knowledge.
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mother is being made head of the Goldsmith's Guild, but Clariel just wants to get back to the forest and be a Borderer. Clariel's single-minded focus on this goal is a headache to her parents as well as everyone else around her, particularly since there seems to be some intrigue amongst the Guilds that's centered around making Clariel a politically beneficial marriage. Since this is a prequel that was published well after the first series, it might make sense if you are a new reader to read this first. I can't recall anything in this book that is enhanced by knowledge of the original trilogy, but there were several parts of the first books that I wanted to go back and read with this new knowledge.
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Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — Young Adult Novel — 2015)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Nominee — 2016)
Aurealis Award (Shortlist — 2014)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2016)
Ditmar Award (Shortlist — Novel — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2014-10-14
Physical description
400 p.
ISBN
006156155X / 9780061561559
Local notes
The story of the young woman who eventually became Chlorr of the Mask. It takes place about 320 years before the events in Sabriel.