Reviews with content warning for Pandemic/Epidemic - The Magic in the Weaving

This is a reread for me, but it's been many years since the last time I had read this. This is one of many books Tamora Pierce has written for this fantasy land, and the start of my favorite of her series. I love the introduction of each character, and the depth she gives each of their unique cultures, in the short amount she gives each introduction. The setting of The Winding Circle Temple, and the new home of Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar, has always fascinated me. I love that they live in a world of magic, but that they all believe the can't be magic, just because their magic doesn't look like everyone else's. Sandry led such an atypical life for a noble, even before her parents pass, that she has always been so endearing to me. Her steadfast insistence on treating everyone like equals, yet still using her status when needed was just neat. We also meet their caretakers, Lark, a weaver, and Rose thorn, a gardener, who are not boring average adults you usually saw in the children's books of this era. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys high fantasy, with strong female characters.

Sandry's book is mostly focused on Sandry, but gives us a fair chunk of introductions to the other characters and the lovely setting. Sandry is a noble born girl, who lost her parents to an epidemic that swept the country they were visiting. She loses her parents, then her governess in short order, and nearly loses her sanity and self before she is found and brought to her nearest family member, her Uncle, ruler of Emelan. He is ill equipped to handle a young girl, so it is suggested she be sent to stay and get educated at The Winding Circle Temple, and large religious and educational facility a few leagues away. Sandry leaps at the chance. On arrival, she quickly realizes that the other girls of her station are not quite like her, and disapprove of the friends she makes as they are below them, so to speak. Sandry ends up moving out of the dorms, into a small cottage with three other misfits, Daja, a trader girl, Tris, a merchant's disowned daughter, and Briar, a former thief from the streets. They are living with Lark and Rosethorn, who just want them to thrive, but there is strange magic afoot, and danger ahead.

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bailey_the_bookworm's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I read this one for a challenge—this is a series of Pierce’s I never got to as a young reader, and it was a pleasure to try it out now. I was, perhaps, more interested in Lark and Rosethorn’s stories than the stories of preteens, but then I am not a preteen and haven’t been for a very long time.

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frantic_vampire's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

It’s been a very, very long time since I last reread this book and it did not disappoint. It was like coming home and snuggling under a warm blanket. There were so many things that I had forgotten! But getting to meet these characters again? It was so much fun! I loved getting reacquainted with all the kids, and somehow at 30-years-old I feel like I connected more with them than I did when I was 12 or 15. I can also see where my love of found family’s came from. I love the way the Pierce wrote the kids because they got to be actual kids and learn and make mistakes and grow into who they’re meant to be. Sandry’s Book is getting a solid five stars, both for the nostalgia and for being a fantastic book that really stands the test of time.

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