I took an extended leave from the fantasy genre.

Yesterday afternoon, I made the decision to return to the captivating world of witchcraft and sorcery.

Highly recommended by my fellow peers, I selected Garth Nix's renowned 'Sabriel'.

Frankly speaking, I was so deeply impressed and completely drawn into the story that I finished it within two days and immediately rushed to pen an amazingly complementary review.

The plot was nothing short of fantastic and had a rapid pace. There wasn't a single moment when I wasn't on the edge of my seat, completely engrossed.

Exhausting chapters filled with worthless garble are a common characteristic in many so-called 'classic' fantasies. However, Nix has masterfully crafted an extremely believable and well-versed world, devoid of any fluff.

The story is poetic, dark, and forbidding, and the heroine and her companions are truly worthy of the world they inhabit. I could easily close my eyes and envision myself flying across the borders of the mysterious Old Kingdom, with all its dangerous beauty.

We are like foreign visitors, just like the daring Sabriel. The plot was clear, concise, yet not overly simplistic. It commences as a search and rescue mission and culminates in a rich and intense battle to save both the old and new aspects of this strange world.

The characters were wonderful. As rich and complex as the world they reside in, Sabriel, Touchstone, and Mogget left a lasting impression on me. They all seemed amazingly real, like living people rather than mere creations of fantasy.

Mogget, in particular, with his dual personalities that clash wickedly, is not always what he appears to be. Is he a cat? Or something more, like free magic?

To conclude this tiring review of a not-so-tiring story, I would like to add that this work is new, creative, and bold. There is a striking combination of modern technology and medieval swords and bows, with a wall dividing the two areas of the world.

Many embrace magic, while others fear it - and rightly so, for the wall does little to hold back the terrifying Greater Dead, a fearsome entity of the Old Kingdom.

Following in her father's footsteps, Sabriel will not disappoint the reader in their quest for a great read.

Sabriel truly reminded me of Howl's Moving Castle, which has always been my absolute favorite.

It features a smart and no-nonsense heroine, a dense plot filled with countless twists and thrilling cliffhangers, hilarious dialogues that keep you entertained, an original magic system that is both captivating and unique, a scary evil character along with his minions, and even a talking cat. This is precisely what I consider to be perfection in young adult literature.

The fact that it can be given to a 14-year-old does not imply that the book is shallow or childish. On the contrary, many adult fictions actually lack the depth and imagination that Sabriel possesses. It is a book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, offering a rich and engaging reading experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Before the era of the internet, my approach to discovering new books to read was quite distinct, albeit rather simplistic.

I would visit the library (or, on rare occasions when I had some spare cash, the bookstore). There, I would pick up every book that caught my eye even slightly and take it home. Then, I would simply start reading. I wasn't at all particular about which books I chose.

This method had its drawbacks. The most significant one was that I often ended up reading books that I didn't really care for that much. However, at that stage of my life, it didn't seem to matter too much. As long as I was engaged in reading, that was all that counted.

Nowadays, my reading habits have become much more targeted. I am connected to numerous sources that provide me with recommendations for new and old books. As a result, I tend to like most of the books I read.

But there was something to be said for that impulsive "smash and grab" instinct I had during my middle and high school years. Sure, there were quite a few duds, but once in a while, I came across books that I would never have found otherwise and which I ended up absolutely adoring. And they seemed all the more wonderful because, let's face it, they were often surrounded by not-so-great books. (Seriously, I would read anything.)

All of this is to say that "smash and grab" is precisely how I discovered Sabriel. It must have been at least fifteen years ago now, and from the very beginning, almost everything about it intimidated me.

I guess we would classify Sabriel (the first in the Abhorsen trilogy) as young adult fantasy. But when I first read it, it didn't feel like it was written for young people. In fact, it seemed very adult to me, with its focus on death in all its various forms and Nix's practical, no-nonsense prose.

The trilogy is set in a world that is divided by a magical no-man's land, at the center of which is a magically fortified wall. Below the wall is Ancelstierre, a place not unlike our world in the early 20th century. Above the wall is the Old Kingdom, a place filled with old magic, sorcerers, necromancers, lost kings and queens, and a magic system that is on the verge of failure.

Sabriel's father is from the Old Kingdom, but he insists that she be educated in Ancelstierre, in a girls' boarding school not forty miles from the wall. Here, people live close enough to not deny the existence of magic, and a specially trained armed force consisting of both magicians and non-magicians mans the wall, lest something dead or magical crosses over.

Sabriel's life has been marked by death from the very first page of the book. When she is born, she immediately follows her mother into death but is pulled back out again by her father.

Sabriel's father is the Abhorsen, the one responsible for safeguarding the boundaries between life and death. It is his duty to keep dead things in their proper place and, yes, occasionally bring people back to life if they haven't strayed too far into death. The Abhorsen is a hereditary title passed down through Sabriel's family via their blood.

When her father goes missing and it becomes evident that something big is planning its escape from death, and the future of all magic in the world may be at stake, Sabriel is forced to assume this mantle much sooner than she is ready. Armed only with her father's necromancer bells (each with a special power to compel the dead) and his magically enhanced sword, Sabriel must make her way into the Old Kingdom and embrace her deathly inheritance.

The plot follows the typical quest storyline, but with Nix's sensibilities, everything feels fresh. I read a lot of fantasy as a child, and I still read a lot of it now, but I have yet to find any other fantasy story that combines magic and realism as effectively as this one.

Re-reading this book for the first time in a very long time, I can see where it could be criticized for a lack of characterization, especially when compared to the second two books in the series. However, as a child, it never bothered me, and knowing where the series ultimately leads, it doesn't really bother me now either.

I truly love the world that Nix has created and appreciate that he has written a story for young people that doesn't patronize them. It is for this reason that I believe these books have endured so well - the themes they explore are not exclusive to a young audience. I can envision myself revisiting them again in ten years and still enjoying them.

If you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend giving it a try. But definitely stick around for books two and three because that's where the really good stuff begins.

A fantasy book that is outside my comfort zone, yet it can be devoured easily because the style is truly smooth and simple. The story engages the reader, but many things are taken for granted or are explained in a really simplistic way. Sabriel gets into very dangerous troubles and magically always comes out on top. At the beginning of the reading, I noticed a certain similarity to Harry Potter, but then it quickly veers off: a different story, a different structure, a different kind of magic.

It didn't fully convince me, but I'm curious to read the rest of the saga to discover new adventures of Sabriel. Maybe there are more complex plot twists and character developments waiting for me. I want to see if the author can build on the foundation laid in this first book and create a more immersive and satisfying fantasy world.

Despite its flaws, this book has piqued my interest, and I'm eager to continue exploring the world of Sabriel and see where her journey takes her.

I can't believe I've never reviewed this book before!

I had heard such amazing things about it that as soon as the paperback was released, I immediately bought it and devoured it with great pleasure! I also own the next two books in the series, but I kept postponing reading them because I wanted to reread this one first. However, it always seemed to end up at the bottom of my to-read list, and so on and so forth!

So, I recently decided to listen to the audiobook because my sister got into it, and guess what? It's narrated by TIM CURRY! That's right! He's the one who played Dr. Poole, Long John Silver, and Wadsworth! And he did an absolutely brilliant job!

Of course, the book itself is already brilliant without any help. It's not just the simple yet ingenious magic system that makes this book stand out. It's not just the tender and intriguing characters. What I truly love about it (and it might seem a bit strange, but it's my honest opinion) is the pre-WWI vibe that permeates the entire story. There are guns, motorcars, and soldiers in khaki. There are electric lights and young ladies in white blouses and serge skirts attending a young ladies' college.

This could have easily been your typical, run-of-the-mill vaguely Medieval or Renaissance Europe fantasy, but this unique setting elevates it to a whole new level. It also makes the contrast between the Old Kingdom and Alcestier even more striking. It's like the perfect icing on a delicious cake.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy story with a unique setting and memorable characters.

The first time I read this in Romanian, it was nine years ago.

The second time I read it in English, five years ago. I loved it both times, devouring it in one sitting, completely adoring it. (The second time I ended up reading the whole series in just 5 days, which I won't be doing now). Alas, I've changed and I didn't love it as much this time. It took me quite a while to finish it. I'm taking a star off from the original rating!

Still, I think it's a very tense book with a super cool and engaging main character. I love how pragmatic Sabriel is. The moment she even contemplates having sex, she's like: but it's a complication, we have to figure out contraception, etc. etc. I just love that kind of character. I also liked Touchstone, but not as much as I used to. Honestly, I think right now I'd have needed more from their romance - which does have its great moments, though. The first kiss is... bloody.

The pacing is really good, the action is non-stop and you always care about what happens to the characters and how they come out of it. The worldbuilding is also cool, but my brain now started asking questions about this whole Free Magic versus Charter Magic. It feels like a very orderly way to muzzle magic - and bind it by using the monarchy, a sort of religious institution and a sort of magical hereditary cop (the Abhorsen). It gives me 'civilized' vibes.

It also has some really baffling moments, like when they're like: shouldn't we save the 20 children from those slavers who use them as bait for the dead?! And SPOILER: they don't have time for that. In general, the book felt like it lacked some sort of exploration of grief - for a book that's very much about death, it felt a bit lacking.

So there you go, I'm being a wet blanket again. I still think Garth Nix did a good job with the gender dynamics here, with Sabriel and Touchstone, but also with making sure that a whole lot of other characters in traditional male roles were actually women, which I enjoy. I did not enjoy the army-related bits, though.

[re-read, 2019]

Brilliant, breathtaking, fast-paced, great main character and great world building :D

Sabriel attends Wyverley College, a renowned boarding school for girls on the Ancelstierre side of the Wall. Here, in addition to the regular academic subjects like reading, writing, and arithmetic, she delves into the神秘的worlds of Charter Magic and necromancy. Her father, the Abhorsen, typically pays a visit from the Old Kingdom once or twice a year. During these visits, he trains Sabriel in the art of binding the Dead. This involves using The Book of the Dead, along with Charter Magic and the Bells, to ensure that the Dead stay dead.

When her father fails to visit as expected, Sabriel's worry grows. Determined to find him, she crosses the Wall into the Old Kingdom. Almost immediately after crossing, she is attacked by the Dead who are roaming and hunting the countryside near the Wall. She narrowly escapes the first attack and flees to her father's home. There, she takes the time to rest, recuperate, and conduct research.

The remainder of the story chronicles Sabriel's search for her father and her discovery of the serious threats that are plaguing the Old Kingdom. The magic system in this story is complex and fascinating. It consists of the Charter and a seemingly infinite number of Charter Symbols for everything. Necromancy, as practiced by the Abhorsens, involves binding the dead through pure tones, usually generated by bells, and a detailed knowledge of the topography and Gates of Death. Free Magic, on the other hand, represents wildness and can be bound by silver and the bells as well.

Sabriel comes across as very mature for a teenager, which is understandable considering what she has been taught and the situations she has been thrust into. Touchstone, who serves as both a guardian sidekick and a love interest, follows a somewhat formulaic pattern but is still comforting. The final climactic ending packs a good punch and doesn't leave much of a cliffhanger, for which the reader is grateful. If the reader decides to continue this series, it will be out of personal choice, not out of obligation. Overall, this book is recommended to anyone who has a penchant for fantasy and wishes to embark on a different, more supernatural adventure.

3.75 stars

This left me very unmoved throughout.

Initially, I was somewhat intrigued by the original depiction of the realm of the Dead. I'm always interested in an exploration of magic interacting with dead (and undead) creatures and beings. However, I would hope that a story with so much death in it would also have some sense of the impact of death on life and on the living. Sadly, it barely scratched that surface for me.

The writing is competent, and the dialogue mostly flows. But the plot just feels like one incident knocking into the next, ad nauseum. There is very little urgency (beyond the artificial “we only have ten minutes to do the thing we need to do!” sort of urgency), and no sense of organically connected themes and motivations.

I understand that this book, when it was released, represented a welcome change in fantasy literature as it features a capable, courageous, intelligent young woman as its protagonist. I can certainly appreciate and applaud that fact. But she deserves a much richer story than what she's given here. It was such a middle-of-the-road reading experience for me that I won't be continuing the series.

Overall, while there were some aspects that had potential, the book ultimately failed to engage me on a deeper level. I was disappointed by the lack of exploration of the profound themes related to death and the somewhat disjointed plot. I had hoped for more from this series, but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations.

Possibly the highest compliment I can pay this book is to state that it reminds me, in a unique way, of the first fantasy series that truly captivated me during my teenage years! That would be none other than The Belgariad Series by David Eddings!!

Sabriel is a tale about a remarkable heroine who is tasked with saving the world! I absolutely love that kind of story, guys!!

The world-building, although at times a bit tiresome, is truly amazing. I adore the way this world is constructed, how death is presented, and the concept of necromancers. I have a particular fascination with necromancers!! (Theoretically, of course.) The writing, while sometimes a bit slow-paced, is very well done. The characters, especially Sabriel herself, are wonderfully developed. The evils and dead creatures are masterfully portrayed and fantastically intertwined.

I have a soft spot for a strong female character. One who has responsibilities thrust upon her that she didn't seek but perseveres nonetheless because she must. The very world she knows depends on it!

Sort of spoiler: I thoroughly enjoyed the love interest here, and the fact that Touchstone didn't even make an appearance until over the halfway mark. Instalove? No, thank you! This romance didn't feel forced to me. I will note that I guessed his lineage very early on, but I really don't think it was meant to be a surprise for the reader. It didn't detract from the story for me that I guessed it almost as soon as he showed up.

Her burden, no matter how heavy, and how weak her shoulders might currently feel, she has to bear it.

I'm excited to read the next installment in the series. I think Nix might be my N in my A-Z Challenge, guys!

Gifs courtesy of the fact that I restarted watching "Buffy" while on winter holiday!

Read this quite some time ago and have been meaning to get to the sequels for some time. So first I reread this one. :)

This is an interesting YA novel set in a divided world. There is Ancelstierre, the southern Kingdom, a technological society at about the level of World War I era Earth. It closely resembles the UK, with rugby and cricket being played at boarding schools. There is no magic in Ancelstierre; in fact, they mostly view magic and all things magical as superstition. This poses a problem as they share a border in the North with the Old Kingdom, where magic reigns supreme. Technology fails near the border, especially when the wind blows from that direction, and unfortunately, the dead sometimes rise and attack. That is, unless they are bound by The Abhorsen.

The novel focuses on Sabriel. She is a young woman from the Old Kingdom who has been sent to a boarding school in the south, near the border where magic is recognized and taught, despite being in the southern kingdom. Sabriel is waiting for a visit from her father, Abhorsen, when the story begins. However, he doesn't show up.

Instead, a dead sending arrives with a message from him. He is apparently trapped in death. Thus begins Sabriel's adventure. She quickly discovers that her father's name isn't just Abhorsen, but he is THE Abhorsen. The Abhorsen is a kind of reverse or good necromancer who doesn't call the dead back to life but instead lays them to rest and binds those that want to return and feed on the living. Things are changing in the Old Kingdom, and Sabriel, having been in the south, is unfortunately uninformed. Now she finds herself responsible for saving her father, perhaps everyone in the Old Kingdom, and maybe even the rest of the world.

The book does a great job of drawing us in, explaining the world, and introducing us to the magic system. It's a YA book, but don't let that deter you. Many YA books transcend the genre and are simply excellent novels. This is one of them. It's an outstanding fantasy.

C.S. Lewis said, \\"...a children's story which is only enjoyed by children is a bad children's story\\". This one can be and I believe will be enjoyed by all ages.

This was my very first book penned by this particular author, and I absolutely adored it!

Garth Nix showcases an extremely high level of writing prowess. His ability to construct a world and present original ideas is truly remarkable.

I took great delight in reading about the contrast between Charter Magic and Free Magic, as well as the thrilling journeys into Death.

Sabriel, the female lead, is portrayed as a good and strong character, which I really appreciated. Moggett adds a wonderful touch to the story, and Touchstone manages to redeem himself by the conclusion of the book.

I have delved into a vast amount of fantasy literature, and this book stands out as one of the better ones I have come across in a long time. It has left a lasting impression on me and has me eagerly anticipating more works from Garth Nix.

Sabriel's father is the Abhorsen, the most powerful necromancer capable of binding the dead and preventing them from breaking through to the real world.

Since her mother passed away at her birth, Sabriel is dispatched to a boarding school and only gets to see her father twice a year. The kingdom they inhabit is divided into two parts by a wall safeguarded by potent magic. Ancelstierre, the southern kingdom where Sabriel is sent to school, is safe and people lead uneventful lives without the use of magic. However, the northern part of the kingdom, the Old Kingdom where the Abhorsen must reside, is filled with both good and evil magic. Here, the dead can more easily break through and return to attack the living.

When Sabriel is on the verge of leaving school, she receives the news that her father has died, and she must journey to the Old Kingdom to uncover what has transpired.

This is an extremely well-written YA fantasy suitable for both the young and the old. Sabriel is a strong female character who, despite making some blunders, matures into her role. Assisting her is Mogget, a cat-shaped spirit that provides some humor by making snide remarks at her expense, and Touchstone, who becomes increasingly likeable as the book progresses. The world-building is excellent, with the good, safe, non-magical kingdom separated from the more chaotic, magical side, and the system of magic is fascinating, based on an agreed Charter as well as free magic that has no rules.

Overall, this is a captivating and engaging read that will keep readers of all ages hooked from beginning to end.