 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Sabriel: The Abhorsen Trilogy, Book 1
Common Sense Media says
Necromancer's teen daughter fights the dead.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a dark, grim fantasy in which death is a prominent topic. Since there are obvious religious implications in any story dealing with the afterlife, those who will be offended if the author's imaginative creation conflicts with their beliefs probably should stay away. Also, there is a scene in which Sabriel hears a couple having sex, a surprising, unnecessary scene that pointlessly raises the recommended reading age.
What's the story?
The world of this novel is split by the Wall. On one side is Ancelstierre, a fairly ordinary world of electricity and cars. On the other is the Old Kingdom, where magic works and the dead don't always stay dead. It is the job of the Abhorsen to deal with the incursions of the dead into Life. But now the Abhorsen himself is trapped in the land of the Dead, as one of the Greater Dead plots his downfall and the destruction of the Charter Magic that keeps the world in order.
So it falls to the Abhorsen's daughter, Sabriel, to try to rescue her father and prevent the powers of death from overwhelming her world. But Sabriel has grown up in a boarding school in Ancelstierre and, while she has had some training in magic and walking the land of the Dead, she lacks knowledge of the Old Kingdom and of the deeper levels of Charter Magic she will need to confront the most powerful beings from the other side.
Is it any good?
Garth Nix's first book for young adults, and the beginning of a trilogy, is not your typical modern fantasy. It's similar to the Earthsea books in that the action and suspense are built up slowly as the parameters of a world radically different from our own are set in place. For patient and experienced readers it is a treasure, but the first half may seem slow to those used to the slam-bang pacing of much modern fantasy.
All the characters are appealing, and there's a dry, understated wit. Rich and complex, the world Nix creates is at once vividly imagined and riddled with ambiguities -- even the characters don't understand everything about it, which leaves lots of room for more exploration in the sequels. In the meantime it's an engrossing, at times thrilling, and intellectually stimulating ride.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the author's unique vision of magic and death, and their relationship. Much is also ambiguous, such as the dual nature of Mogget, which can prompt debate.
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AGE
One of the better books I've read so far.
I absolutely adore this book. It's very individual, magic has boundaries, it's surprisingly believable for being so fantastic. Nix is wonderful when it comes to writing.
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AGE
I love this book
Sabriel is fantastic.
It is incredibly dark, but
for some reason that didn't seem to bother me when I read it.
I first read it when I was in fourth grade. It went a bit over my head.
I would say that it's for ages 12 abd up
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AGE
an incredible book!
I read this book when I was in fourth grade...so 9 or 10? But this series is truly great and it's basically what made me love books.
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AGE
Good for older teens, not for younger.
Sexual references are sometimes quite descriptive.
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AGE
A good book if you want something quick and original.
This book was not amazing, but perfectly enjoyable. I read it in a day and greatly respected the author for his originality. Necromancy has always been a great interest for me and I was thrilled when I found out that this is what the story is centered on (I didn't know that when I first got it) There is nothing to worry about for your kids. There is romance, but it's very subtle and there is no sexual scenes except for when Sabriel hears the couple next to her in an inn, but even then, it's not at all an issue. I have yet to read the next to in the series, but I'm sure they're perfectly fine as well.
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AGE
One of my favorites
This book is just soo .. perfect. Although, at first, I thought that the important aspects if the book were a little complicated. So, I don't really recommend those who don't really understand complicated materials. I'm talking to the tweens
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AGE
Awesome!!!
One of the best books I have read except for a unneeded sex scene where Sabriel hears a couple in the hotel room next door. other than that, the content of the book was great. Rock on Garth Nix!!!!!
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AGE
Great Fantasy Novel!
This is a wonderful fantasy novel for tweens and up. There is some non-explicit sexual material, and some violence (including dark images. She is a necromancer's daughter afterall!
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Author: | Garth Nix |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | September 11, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 292 |
| Hardcover price: | $15.95 |
| Paperback price: | $7.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
| Read aloud: | 12 |
| Read alone: | 12 |
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