Lirael by Garth Nix
![]()

It has been 18 years since Sabriel and Touchstone defeated the Great Undead, Kerrigor and they now reign together, man and wife, as Abhorsen and King of the Old Kingdom. Lirael is a daughter of the Clayr who has yet to be gifted with the 'sight', the means to look into the future and all possible futures, a gift peculiar to the Clayr and without such Lirael feels an outcast, something that her appearance does not help, looking less than Clayr like and often mistaken by travellers as merely another guest.
Prince Sameth, son of Sabriel and King Touchstone has a very grave problem; he is the Abhorsen-in-waiting, yet he is terrified of death. The paths of the characters come together as it becomes clear that there is a new evil sweeping the Old Kingdom that is more terrifying than anything that has come before it and Lirael begins a quest, driven by a vision by the Clayr that will find her on a treacherous path to fulfill her true destiny.
Chapter 1: Lirael
This is the sequel to Sabriel, the award winning book from Garth Nix. I have to say that I enjoyed this book far more than it's predecessor, although, without Sabriel doing most of the ground work, this book wouldn't be as free to thunder along at such a roaring pace. There are far more twists and turns in the plot, making Sabriel feel quite linear in comparisson, and there is far more character development in this book allowing you to fully submerse yourself in this world and relate to the characters highs and lows. Quite a wonderful book and one I would definately recommend to any young reader (12+) and adults alike; though you really can't skip the first book and expect this to make any sense (nor should you). There are some wonderful new characters and equally some wonderful old ones that each play their part in this multifaceted tale of death, life and magic. There is a resolution at the end of the book but not a conclusion as it leads straight into the third and final installment of the trilogy 'Abhorsen', which you will want to pick up the instant you reach the final page of Lirael so make sure you've got it to hand!
Chapter 23: Lirael
You may also like...
Danielle from Cumbria
This is one of the best sequels, indeed, the best books I’ve ever read. It was a haunting tale in which Lirael is a wonderful, strong character. Garth Nix has an amazing imagination and he places all his thoughts onto the page with breath-taking skill. Mogget and The Disreputable Dog are my favourite characters (other than Lirael of course). The entire Abhorsen trilogy gets better and better. ![]()
Submit your own mini-review
Let people know what you think about Lirael. You can write your own mini-review and give the book the rating that you think it deserves. Your reviews will go towards giving Lirael its overall rating that will decide where Lirael finishes in the top 100 fantasy books of all time.


Online Store
Online Store