Title Lirael : Daughter of the Clayr / Garth Nix.

SRP 2012 REVIEW: Lirael was a fine follow-up to Sabriel, the initial novel in the "Abhorsen Trilogy". The protagonists of this book are both natives of the magic and fantasy Old Kingdom whereas Sabriel was born in the more reason and technology Ancelstierre across the boundary Wall. Lirael is a member of the Clayr bloodline, but an exception in many ways. The Clayr have mostly female children, and they commonly do have children with male outsiders, but Lirael's father is unknown where all other births have the parentage recorded in the archives, furthermore, Lirael is pale and dark-haired whereas her Clayr 'cousins' are all nut-brown and fair-haired; the biggest issue, though, is Lirael's lack of the Sight, the ability to view the future that truly makes one a Clayr. The other protagonist, Prince Sameth, is to be the Abhorsen-in-Waiting and train with the current Abhorsen to learn how to perform the duties of the title and return errant or malevolent dead spirits to their final rest. Sameth lacks the talent for the job, though, and when his friend Nick, known from his schooling in Ancelstierre, comes to visit from across the wall a little early, Sameth flees his duties to ensure Nick is safe. Lirael's path will soon find her accompanying him, for some greater threat waits for the world than could be imagined. The development of the characters and their relationships is something that benefits from the novel occurring over a long period of time. I especially enjoyed the development of Lirael in the Clayr's Glacier. Unfortunately the characters in this book are too often shown as insecure and depressed, which sometimes does feel appropriate, but in parts the self-doubt can actually get tiring. This book ends a bit abruptly, and in the fashion of many second volumes in trilogies, does not feel like a complete plot-line without the third, which in this case is "Abhorsen". I still found it a great book, though.