A review by firewolffred
Goldenhand by Garth Nix
4.0
It took until reading Goldenhand to really inderstand what I want from a story. I loved the first half of Lirael, but while a good book, Abhorson just didn't reach that same high. Neither does Goldenhand, but it comes closer and I now know why.
World-ending threats are all fair and good, but what I LOVE is characters living their lives. Lirael being a depressed loner in a magical castle chilling with her dog while adventuring in an ancient library. That's great. Its world building and character building. Lirael feels so real and relatable in those chapters because the conflict is inside herself rather than external. As soon as we leave the glacier then the writing has to speed up to carry the plot and save the world.
Goldenhand starts with solo-travelling, flitting from location to location, and it was only from the return to the glacier that I really got absorbed again. All of the relationships felt rushed, but as soon as I ignored that and just enjoyed the back and forth of the characters then every thing become much better. Lirael being giddy with Nick made me feel happy, and every time Sam and Ferring shared a scene I found myself grinning like a foolÂ
World-ending threats are all fair and good, but what I LOVE is characters living their lives. Lirael being a depressed loner in a magical castle chilling with her dog while adventuring in an ancient library. That's great. Its world building and character building. Lirael feels so real and relatable in those chapters because the conflict is inside herself rather than external. As soon as we leave the glacier then the writing has to speed up to carry the plot and save the world.
Goldenhand starts with solo-travelling, flitting from location to location, and it was only from the return to the glacier that I really got absorbed again. All of the relationships felt rushed, but as soon as I ignored that and just enjoyed the back and forth of the characters then every thing become much better. Lirael being giddy with Nick made me feel happy, and every time Sam and Ferring shared a scene I found myself grinning like a foolÂ