Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Circle of Magic #1: Sandry's Book

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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321zeggy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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clarabooksit's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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therainbowshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

I disliked this for the first 10-15 minutes of listening, but it grew on me. It was tough to keep the characters straight in my head for some reason. Once I figured them all out, it was a super fun middle grade adventure. I loved watching each character come into their own unique magic. This felt like Avatar the Last Airbender and Percy Jackson crashed into each other.

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quasinaut's review against another edition

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adventurous funny 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? Yes

5.0

I am so, so delighted at how well this book holds up after so many years. I've been long overdue for a reread. It was a joy to meet Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja again, and watch them discover their magic, form a friendship, and grow through their trauma. I adore the characters, settings, and stories that fill this world. Can't wait to continue on in the series.

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