Rating: 
Summary: An Amazing sequel
Review: The book Lirael tells the story about two very special charecters, both different and similar in many ways. Lirael has never felt like a daughter of the Clayr. Not only dose she look different from the rest of the tanned, blond haired, blue eyed Clayr but she lacks the single most important thing that defines her as a Clayr. The SIght, or ability to see into the future. THis bothers her so much that she decides to end her life. But she is stopped and suddenly her life changes forever. Little dose she know but she has a destiny that not even the most expert Clayr could predict.This story is also about the young Prince Sameth (son of Sabriel and King Touchstone). Since his sister will become the Queen of the old Kingdom, it's his job to become the Abhorsen. The only problem is he is deathly afraid of death (pun not intended). THere is nothing he wants less than to not be the Abhorsen. But dose he have a choice? With a wonderful story that rivals it's predecessor, Sabriel, Lirael is definatly a must read. You'll enjoy seeing some old charecters such as Mogget (my favorite charecter), Sabriel, and Touchstone. And a bunch of new and entertaining charecters too. If you liked Sabriel you'll love this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the wait
Review: I loved Lirael but I don't want to be gushy in my praise of it, though Lirael certainly is worthy of being the sequel of Sabriel. We learn a lot more about the magical Old Kingdom, and the story continues with the same tense, sometimes ironic tones as Sabriel. And interestingly, there is not just one main character, as there was in Sabriel - but two, Lirael herself and Sameth, the erring prince. However, I was a little disappointed in the way both Lirael and Sameth indulged in self-pity (the latter more often) and found Sameth's childish, selfish behavior rather annoying. But because Lirael isn't a complete novel, like Sabriel, (it ends abruptly with the story of Lirael and Sameth continuing in "Abhorsen") I can yet hope these two main characters - Sameth particularly - will develope further.
Rating:
Summary: (1) Sabriel (2) Lirael (3) Abhorsen
Review: "Lirael" is neither the beginning nor the end (thank goodness) of this remarkable fantasy series by Garth Nix. If you haven't already read "Sabriel", you might want to put "Lirael" aside and begin at the beginning. The middle book could stand alone, especially the story of Lirael herself, but you will miss nuances of the Philosophy and Geography of Death if you don't start with "Sabriel". The only work I can compare this series to is Philip Pullman's "Golden Compass" trilogy, although I prefer Nix's magical world-building. If I ever die and go to fantasy heaven, I hope it resembles his immense library beneath glacier and mountain, where each door opens into a separate mystery. In the catacombs beneath the library, Lirael discovers how to turn herself into an ice otter or a barking owl, reads "The Book of Remembrance and Forgetting", and duels with the monstrous Stilken. However, "Lirael" isn't just about Lirael. Prince Sameth, heir apparent to Sabriel as the Old Kingdom's champion against evil necromancers, also comes of age in this volume. There are plenty of evil necromancers to go around. In fact, at the end of this book, it appears as though they are winning the war to turn the Old Kingdom into a kingdom of the dead. One fault should be noted. The two main characters spend too much text feeling sorry for themselves. Lirael pursues an impossible dream, while Prince Sameth tries to escape from an impossible nightmare. I think the author's editor must have read "Sabriel" and said, "Garth, this is a great fantasy but your heroine, Sabriel is pretty darn self-sufficient. Readers can't relate to that. You need to make your characters more vulnerable." So that's exactly what Nix did in Volume Two. Vulnerability often shades over into self-pity in "Lirael"---too often for my liking. It's not enough of an annoyance to bypass this fantasy. Hopefully, in the yet-to-be-published "Abhorsen", Lirael and Prince Sameth will stop whining and take up the burden of defending the Old Kingdom. Lirael is already headed in that direction, along with her friend the Disreputable Dog. Garth, I advise you to stop listening to your editor. You were pitch-perfect in "Sabriel". Retune 'Astarael, the Sorrowful' that "casts all who hear it deep into Death" and finish this marvelous trilogy the way you began it.
Rating:
Summary: Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr
Review: This really is the BEST book, right up there with his best ever book Sabriel. The only probelm is that it is THE BEST prequal to what promises to be the ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTE best book by anyone: Abhorson, the third book in the series. So while this book absolutely ROCKS the next one looks like it will blow the world away!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Another Masterpiece by Nix
Review: Garth Nix has truely dazzled us with yet another masterpiece. After reading Sabriel many readers were itching for more and wanted a sequel. After waiting for what seemed like forever, Lireal is here to amaze us again! His second novel in the series moves just as fast as the first one. If you haven't read Sabriel, I recommend reading that one first so you understand part of what's going on. He ends it at a point where we want more and more. But we have to wait for the third in the series, Abhorsen. Highly recommended for teens and children at heart. A mix between fantasy, realism, love, adventure, and sci-fi. Thriller for all!
Rating:
Summary: Better than the first one
Review: This book was a big improvement over the first one, Sabriel. The book has two story lines that run in parallel. The first line, about Sameth, son of Sabriel, suffers from some of the same problems as the first book. He keeps running into those masses of zombies ("Dead") all the time and when he's not outside, he's moping around his castle being picked on by his sister, which is better than running around outside with the zombies, but pretty tedious. The second line, about Lirael, is *much* better. Lirael is exploring this great library full of magic creatures and magic books. She's trying out all kinds of things and becoming more and more powerful. Granted she has a nasty case of depression, but she gets through it and builds herself up to be truly exciting. I think the sequence of Lirael in the library makes the book worth while. I could have stayed in that library forever. This is a bit of a spoiler, so you might want to stop reading at this point. Anyway, the bad thing is that Lirael gets out of the library and then she's out there with all those zombies and Sameth. And there are more and more of the putrid things. The more she kills, the more there are. It's the ultimate sisyphean task. This series is kind of like the story of a bunch of glorified exterminators who spend their lives ridding the world of disgusting and dangerous pests. Unfortunately, I was reading the book in a cockroach infested dormitory, which did not help.
Still, the book has good suspense, a real page-turner, and a lot of the stuff is very creative, not at all like other fantasy books. The land of death that Nix creates is very unusual. On the whole, I recommend the book. Warning: the ending is a cliff hanger. You might as well just buy the whole series together. It's not very likely you're going to be able to walk away from all this suspense without finding out what happened.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent sequel to Sabriel
Review: Sabriel set the stage for what begins to take place in Lirael. Once again we meet Touchstone and Sabriel in their quest to put the dead to rest who reek havoc, harm and destruction on their beloved "Old Kingdom," a world that exists right next to modern England and only separated by a wall filled with powerful charter magic. However, unaware that they have a new ally in Lirael and her faithful companion, they leave the "Old Kingdom" entering the modern world of politics in hopes to keep people who cannot protect themselves in this magical kingdom from crossing the border into the "Old Kingdom." Lirael our new herione, just as spunky and likeable as Sabriel with the aid of her faithful friend begins a self-discovery into who she really is, what her path will be and how she alone holds the power to save the Old Kingdom and its heir from imminent destruction. In her search, she follows a history full of dark, old magic that will eventually return everyone to the beginning of charter magic. This book reads quickly and brings the characters to life easily. You can lose yourself in the story. Somewhat graphic in its description of everything, even evil parasitic death forms; it never dumbs down the subjects of death, pain, betrayal and hurt that life can bring. This novel will please even the pickiest of thriller readers. Well Done, Garth!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent novel
Review: I'm just so glad I started reading the series this year (2004-2005). The poor readers who read Sabriel when it was first published in 1996 had to wait FIVE YEARS for this wonderful sequel to be relased! But anyway, onto the reveiw. Although I didn't find Lirael as captivating as Sabriel, it was still worth the read, and is definately worth a second read! Although it takes a while for the actual plot to develop, Lirael is filled with overwhelming information about Lirael, Prince Sameth, and the former Abhorsen-- information that leaves its readers with more questions then answers, as it is with all important discoveries! Thankfully, most of these questions are answered in its sequel, Abhorsen. :]
Rating:
Summary: An amazing sequel to Sabriel!
Review: I was so eager to delve back into the world of the Old Kingdom that when my copy of Lirael arrived in the mail in the form of a Christmas present from my grandmother, I was desperate to get a hold of it. After a day of begging four days before Christmas, my mother reluctantly shook her head in a "yes" and I dashed to the present and then ran upstairs and locked myself in my room. Garth Nix once again amazes me at his storytelling abilities. Lirael was a fully realized character full of desperate wants that ultimately will not be filled. The intricate plot once again was ingenious, preluding events to come in the slightest bits of foreshadowing. The magic is so real and somewhat dangerous, the plot superb, and the world as solid as the charter itself. I have a slight feeling of melancholy as I put off reading Abhorsen, the last title of this breathtaking trilogy, wishing that it would never end. Garth nix offers a tale that reassures your feeling that your are in for a tale of destiny, magic, and wonderful entertainment. Lirael is true winner, a worthy sequel to the excellent Sabriel, and it met and exceded my every want and need.
Rating:
Summary: No surprise that it's * * * * *
Review: Love all of Garth Nix's book and will forever. Lirael is by far the best book out of the trilogy. I think Garth Nix really went all out in creativity in this book and that was what I found captivated me the most. I love this world that he has created (though I wouldn't want to live in it), and I love how Lirael enters the story. Garth Nix definitely succeeded in bringing in the element of mystery and apocolytic-ness into the story that makes the story seem out of this world (which it is). By the way, to all readers, if you liked the first two books, the third book is a must and is a great reward to read. ( the ending almost made me cry and I felt that pang in my heart)
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