Since I took the holiday off from blogging I will use today to fill you in on what I've been reading*: Garth Nix's Lirael. I took it off the library shelf at random expecting something neutral and was surprised when I fell in love with the story.
It is a young adult fantasy novel that has an interesting world of its own within the broader fantasy genre. The world of the book is unique with likable characters and an unpredictable storyline (which I find a rare quality in fantasy).
One of my favorite elements of the book is how little the author labors over describing the mechanics of the magic, it is left a little mysterious. (As magic should be.) I may have to eat these words when I go back and read the first book in this trilogy Sabriel. That's right, the downside of plucking a random book on the shelf is sometimes you find yourself accidentally in the middle of a trilogy. (I'm suppose I ignored the subtitle that said "Sequel to Sabriel") I hope that when I go back and read the beginning of the story that the author doesn't fall into the trap of having to explain in tedious detail his (obviously intricate) take on how magic works in his universe.
The other major attraction of this book for me are the complex characters. Maybe it is just my own bias, but I have a soft spot for characters that are tragically unaware of their own potential. It is easy for characters like this to appear a little weak or winey, and in some scenes they are, but the really impressive thing is that I found myself liking them anyway. I found myself rooting for them to come into their own, (sometimes cheering out loud...I'll admit it) I was proud of their successes and understanding of their failures. I found it to be a refreshingly realistic portrayal of insecure yet destined-for-greatness young adults.
What have you all been reading? What is your favorite character archetype? Did you do anything bombastic to celebrate the founding of the good ol' USofA?
~Claire Out.
*Well I suppose that 'reading' may be slightly misleading. As someone who spends a disgusting amount of time in their car (one of the joys of living in L.A.) I have taken up the habit of listening to books on CD from my local library. So just know that sometimes when I say 'reading' I mean 'listening', though you should also know that I always go for the unabridged version.
2 comments:
I LOVE SABRIEL AND LIRAEL!!!!!! And there's a third one called Abhorsen, and then there's like a collection of short stories, too!!!!
OMG I'm so happy you're liking it. I loved it because it was such a different take on magic vs. real world--the modern world and the world of magic were so interestingly connected...and not...oh man, I want to go back and read them again now!!!
I'm reading a series called the Spirit Thief by Rachel Aaron, and I'm on the fourth book and they're super fun and short and wicked funny. I'm pretty positive you'd like them, too. :)
Yay Heather! I'm excited to know someone else has heard of these books. That magic in them is the best, so complex and interesting. I'll totally check out the Spirit Theif too. I'm always looking for new books!
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