Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Lirael by Garth Nix, the second book in the Old Kingdom series. I’ve been wanting to read this book since I finished Sabriel back in 2022. So, I jumped at the opportunity to buddy read it with Celeste from A Literary Escape.

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr’s birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil.

In this sequel to Sabriel, winner of the Aurealis Award for Excellence in Australian Science Fiction, New York Times best-selling author Garth Nix weaves a spellbinding tale of discovery, destiny, and danger.

After reading both Sabriel and Lirael, I definitely understand why this series is so beloved. The stories had relatable characters and fascinating world-building, and the coming-of-age themes are explored particularly well. There was also necromancy, sassy “animal” companions, and lots of cool magic. What’s not to love?

I loved the additions to the world-building in Lirael. It was really cool getting to see more of how the Clayr operated. The library setting was one of my favorite parts of the book, and I had a really great time following Lirael around as she explored its nooks and crannies for secrets. More information about the history of the world was unveiled in this story, too, and I found it all so fascinating. The differences between Charter and free magic make much more sense to me now than when I was reading Sabriel.

The characters were another major high point of the book for me. I was initially hesitant about the time jump and following new characters. Lirael and Sameth were so great, though, and I quickly came to love them just as much as Sabriel and Touchstone, who also made occasional appearances. Both Lirael and Sameth were struggling with finding their place in the world because their interests/powers didn’t align with what was expected of them. Sameth was the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, which was problematic because he was terrified of entering Death. Whereas, Lirael kept waiting and waiting for her powers of foresight to manifest and always felt like an outsider because of it.

Each of them made companions during their adventures, including those of the not quite an animal variety. Nix does a great job of creating animal companions that house ageless entities of unfathomable power. The Disreputable Dog was introduced in this story, and she was such a great sidekick. Mogget is still my favorite, though, and I was so surprised and happy whenever he showed up to knock some sense into Sameth. Both companions also had a sense of mystery around them, and I’m curious to see what their roles will be in the rest of the story.

The only place that Lirael faltered a bit for me was in the plot and pacing. There was a lot of focus on setup and introducing the new characters, which caused things to feel slow at times. None of the overarching plot elements were resolved by the end, either, which is a pet peeve of mine. It was all setup with no real payoff. That being said, the character arcs did feel complete, even if the plot didn’t. Both Lirael and Sameth discovered where they belonged and seemed ready to face whatever comes next.

Overall, Lirael was a really great addition to the Old Kingdom series. It introduced great new characters while adding so much detail to the world. I’m very curious to see what happens next! Therefore, I rate this book 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Have you read Lirael or any of the other Old Kingdom books? What do you think of them? Let me know down in the comments!