Book Review: Lirael by Garth Nix

Odd how I should be getting to this before Khairul, considering that the trilogy was his discovery.
And after how I attacked the last book, you might find it funny that I originally wanted to decide between 'Sabriel' and 'East' while I was shopping with Khairul at Kinokuniya- to which when I asked for his opinion, he asked me to choose 'East', and I rather reluctantly did so. Part of me was screaming that 'Sabriel' was better. Why else would it have a fancier cover? Why else would there be so many copies in Kinokuniya? Well, needless to say I don't regret picking 'East' one bit. But it's funny how Khairul came back later to pick up 'Sabriel'. I'd almost forgotten about it because of 'East'.

Right, in this book, Garth Nix is finally getting somewhere. I say this because most of the holes in Sabriel were filled in this one (most, not all). And in the grand scheme of things, eventually you'll realise that 'Oh, THIS is the main character of the trilogy, NOT Sabriel.' And then you'll sigh with relief. Because 'Lirael' is so much more interesting. (Both the book 'Lirael' and the character 'Lirael'.) Unlike Sabriel, she isn't born to a 'wonderful sacred duty/destiny', so you can feel the contrast there. Far from in, in fact. Lirael is a suicidal girl who was drawn and detailed with quirks, a missing past, guilt, resilience, and a sense of wanting to belong. Sabriel was a hero, who had a sacred duty... and she did it. End of story. Now, Lirael weaves a more tangled web than Sabriel, and that makes it so much better.

The story starts years after Sabriel, introducing us to Lirael. She's a completely different character than Sabriel, as she doesn't start out as an Abhorsen or a necromancer. She is meant to be a Clayr, a Seer. Only her powers haven't developed yet, which causes her to feel like she doesn't belong. Hence the suicidal tendecies. She's a very depressed girl. Though I admit that strong commanding characters like Sabriel turn me on more, Sabriel didn't have enough behind her to make her feel real, while Lirael does. Add a missing past to Lirael's life (she has never met her mother, which leads her to doubt that she has inherited any Clayr blood at all), and you've got a character that you actually want to turn pages for.

In terms of her journey, it feels better because what the villains are actually attempting to do are not exactly clear, with a complicated web drawing it different, unique people- from Sabriel's son Sameth, to the scientific Nicholas who has something inside of him, to the companions of Lirael and Sameth, respectively The Disreputable Dog and Mogget. Yes, a talking dog AND a talking cat. Throughout the story, Dog and Mogget drop hints that there's a lot more going on then we're being led on to, which makes the story feel a lot less linear and more complicated than the first book.

There are more twists in this one. More intense scenes. Even the world feels a bit more alive now.

If anything though, the villains still feel traditional. But they're still a lot better than the one in Sabriel, which, by the time you finish this book, you'll realize that the book 'Sabriel', in the grand scheme of things, was a waste of time.

9 out of 10. It's well worth a read.