#39--Sabriel

Bibliographic Information

Sabriel by Garth Nix. HarperTeen (1997).

Price: $7.99 for mass market; $9.99 for paperback; $17.45 for hardback

Pages: 496 for mass market; 336 for paperback; 491 for hardback

All page numbers referenced in this review are from the mass market edition.

Note: Sabriel was originally published in 1995. It is the first in a four book series.

Plot Summary

Sabriel suspects that something is terribly wrong when her necromancer father does not visit her in spirit form at her boarding school. Until that day he had never missed a meeting. Her suspicions are confirmed when an undead creature delivers her father’s prized possessions of sword and bells, both tools of the necromancer trade. Determined to rescue her father and bring him back from the land of the dead she decides to forgo college and return to the Old Kingdom where magic is strong and the undead roam the land. The Old Kingdom, Sabriel knows, was not always such. In fact, it used to resemble the prosperous kingdom of Ancelstierre where Sabriel spent her school years. The Old Kingdom, however, fell into ruin when the charter stones began to be broken by a great evil and the bloodlines of the protectors began to dwindle. Now Sabriel must return to the land of her early childhood where nothing is certain and everything is dangerous.

When Sabriel arrives in the Old Kingdom danger quickly follows in the form of a mordicant, one of the powerful servants of either a great necromancer or a greater undead creature. She finds temporary safety in the house of her father where she finds a peculiar ally in Mogget the cat who is clearly something more than just a cat. Together they must evade the mordicant while trying to save her father as he is the only necromancer who lays the undead to rest instead of raising them.

Critical Evaluation

It is easy to see why some consider why some consider the Abhorsen books to be modern classics. Sabriel is a wonderfully written book filled with phrases, characters, and settings that harken back to an older time. For example, while guns are used Sabriel’s weapon of choice is a sword. She also belongs to a long line of necromancers who were all responsible for keeping the Charter (a magical agreement) and protecting the Old Kingdom. Nix’s novel frequently reminds readers of Tolkien’s Middle Earth as both worlds are set in their twilight years. Previous history is hinted at but never fully explained, characters visit sites of once great renown that are now almost nothing more than ruins, and bloodlines are hinted at but rarely elaborated on. Nix’s land of the dead is just as fascinating as the Old Kingdom. Slowly readers learn the geography of the nine realms of the land of the dead, all of which have a great river flowing through them bearing souls past the ninth and final gate and onto the afterlife. Some, however, do not want to die and instead become something not unlike a zombie searching for a way back into life. Nix’s creations of the undead is varied and complex. Some seem to be able to exist as benevolent ghosts within the land of the dead while others become zombie-like, some humanoid, some not. It is certainly enough to give one nightmares!

Nix’s characters are equally fascinating. Sabriel is a refreshing protagonist as she does not deny her feminity nor is her sole driving factor to prove that she is just as capable as a man, a trend that is distressingly familiar within fantasy novels. Touchstone is also intriguing as he is evasive about his past. All the readers know is that a terrible crime was committed partly due to his carelessness. Interestingly, Mogget the cat knows him at once as soon as Touchstone is free from the magic imprisoning him in a ship’s figurehead. Mogget is also something of an enigma as he cannot talk about his past or true nature because of the bindings place on his collar. Sabriel is a truly wonderful start to what is no doubt a terrific series. With a world steeped in history and a cast of complex characters Sabriel is a novel that is sure to please.

Side Notes

If possible, try to listen to the audio version of this novel as it is narrated by Tim Curry who is an excellent actor and narrator. His interpretation of Mogget is pure genius!

Reader’s Annotation

Sabriel must travel to the mysterious and magical Old Kingdom in order to free her necromancer father from the Land of the Dead.

About the Author

There is no doubt that Garth Nix has made a significant contribution to young adult and children’s literature as he is the author of twenty-six wonderful novels with more on the way. Surprisingly, he only became a full-time author in 2001. Before then he worked in the book world as a literary agent, editor, publicist and bookseller. He currently lives in Sydney with his wife and two children where he is working on a fourth Old Kingdom book entitled Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen.

Learn more about the author here.

Genre

Coming of Age, Fantasy, Paranormal fiction

Readalikes

Lirael by Garth Nix

·         The sequel to Sabriel

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

·         Also about a strong heroine who must discover her true destiny

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

·         Similar scope in world building

Tags

Boarding school; Cats; Death; Epic fantasy; Magic; Necromancy; Paternal relationship; Quest; Single father; Spirits; Undead; Zombies

Awards Won/Lists On

1995—Aurealis Award for Fantasy Novel and Young Adult Novel

1996—Ditmar Award Nominee for Short Fiction

1997—ALA Notable Children’s Book for Older Readers

2005—Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee

Professional Reviews

1997—Horn Book Magazine

1997—Book Report

1997—Publishers' Weekly

2002—Horn Book Magazine (for the audio version)

2002—School Library Journal (for the audio version)

2002—The Guardian

Booktalk Ideas

Introduce the Bells—smallest to largest (80-82)

·         Ranna the Sleeper

o   Causes sleep in living, willingness to return to death for undead

·         Mosrael the Waker

o   Ringer goes toward death, the listener towards life

·         Kibeth the Walker

o   Can causes dead to wake or return to death depending

·         Dyrim

o   Gives the undead a voice

·         Belgaer the Thinker

o   Restores or takes away memory & movement

·         Saraneth the Strong

o   Binds the undead

·         Astarael the Sorrowful

o   Banish all who hear it including the ringer to death

Explanation of Main Characters

·         Begin with the basic premise of the novel

·         To help her with her journey is:

·         Mysterious Mogget

o   Appears as a cat but it something more

o   Imprisoned by Abhorsens for centuries

o   Possibly as old as the wall itself

·         Silent Touchstone

o   Imprisoned in a wooden figurehead

o   His past is somehow intertwined with the old royal family

o   Mogget knows his story but won’t tell Sabriel

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This book could be used as a launching off point to discuss the afterlife. It also may be beneficial for those who are struggling to find their place and purpose in the world.  

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 7^th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Child slavery

·         Corrupt government

·         Graphic violence

·         Grotesque undead

·         Human sacrifice

·         Magic

·         Necromancy

·         Reference to penis

·         References to sex

·         Undead possession

Librarians can point out that while the novel possesses some graphic elements it accurately portrays the horrors of war. Soldiers are not the only ones to die but innocent civilians as well. It’s an excellent novel to use in discussions of justice and personal responsibility.

Why Was This Included?

I’ve owned Sabriel for years but felt conflicted reading a book about necromancers so it has remained on the shelf. I really enjoyed Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series so I’m excited to finally read Sabriel!