Monday 14 January 2013

Memory Lane Monday [8]


Memory Lane Monday was a feature I had on my blog originally that I've decided to bring back. It showcases those books from my childhood and younger years that I have fond memories of.

First up in 2013 is Sabriel by Garth Nix

For many years Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father, the Charter-Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world.

Though her journey begins alone, she soon finds companions: Mogget, whose seemingly harmless feline form hides a powerful—and perhaps malevolent—spirit, and Touchstone, a Charter-Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories.

With threats on all sides and only each other to trust, the three of them must travel deep into the Old Kingdom, toward a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death—and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny.


I first read Sabriel when I was about 12-14 and I was enraptured by the fantasy setting, brave  Sabriel and most of all, Mogget. Sabriel overcomes her fears and doubts to fulfill the important quest of finding her missing father. Sabriel isn't one of these hardcore, totally badass heroines, she is scared and she does question her abilities and she does comment that she'd rather be back on the other side of the wall, safe. But she takes  everything that happens in her stride and acts bravely. Mogget is the original talking animal sidekick; sarcastic and enigmatic he is one of my favourite characters ever. I am actually reading this right now after seeing it in the library and being struck by a fit of nostalgia!

What books from your younger years do you have fond memories of?

10 comments:

  1. Haha, I've just written a post like this for next week, on my favourite childhood books.
    Cait, you make me want to read the Sabriel books again. I have only the haziest memories of them, but I do remember being fascinated by the world Nix had created, and then reading some of his other books and being terribly disappointed by them because they weren't nearly so good.
    I always loved C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander's the Prydain Chronicles - they were probably my introduction to fantasy, and my Dad used to read them to my little brother and me before bed each night, so the stories themselves are all tangled up in memories of that. :-)

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    1. Ooooh I'm looking forward to your post! I really liked Narnia too, my mum read them with me when I was very young as well :)

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  2. My sister was a big fan of these books but I never got around to them. :-( I really aught to.

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    1. You simply must. I think you'd like them.

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  3. Ooooooohhhhh! I've never heard of this one before, but I was a HUGE fan of his SHADE'S CHILDREN way back when!

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    1. I really liked Shade's Children! You NEED to read these though

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  4. This is a great idea! There are so many great books from my childhood. I still haven't read anything by Garth Nix. I feel like I'm missing out. I need to fix that asap!

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    1. Mine too, it makes me happy to remember them. You definitely should check out Sariel. It is awesome

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  5. I loved Sabriel! Such a fab fantasy book, and Mogget was probably my favourite character of all, he was hilarious. It's nice to reminisce! I remember I never actually read the sequels to this book, I will have to at some point.

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  6. Oh I love this book so much! It was one of the first YA books I read that really got me hooked back into reading YA! I'm hoping to reread a bunch of Garth Nix books soon in preparation for his new one coming out!

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