The prequel to the three Old Kingdom series titles (Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen), Clariel is set around 600 years before the start of Sabriel. The main character is sixteen-year-old Clariel, daughter of one of the most prestigious families in the Kingdom and a close relation to both the Abhorsen and the King. She loves tracking and hunting in the Great Forest near her home town of Estwael, and so when she and her parents relocate to the capital, Belisaere, she can't wait to escape from the boring life of luxury: potential marriage and politics that will tie her down for the rest of her days.
She then becomes ensnared in a plot to remove the old and weary King from the throne and install her mother as a puppet Queen. As if that wasn't enough, she is also tasked with binding a dangerous Free Magic creature rampaging through the city, using just her Berserker's anger. And as everything disintegrates into confusion, Clariel faces a terrible choice. Saving her friends, family and everything she knows and loves, or losing her long-awaited freedom? Unusually for a prequel, Clariel is every bit as good as the previous three books! An enthralling plot, fantastically vibrant and varied characters, an original and fascinating world and a good dose of magic is only part of what makes this epic fable so enjoyable. The other part might have something to do with the fact that it's the new book from the Old Kingdom series that I've been (admittedly unconsciously!) wanting ever since I read the original series! That said, you don't have to have read the other books to enjoy this one. It reads just as well as a standalone novel, though the ending is a bit of a cliff-hanger as it leads into the start of Sabriel. Clariel is an interesting character. She doesn't exactly do much to make you like her, but I still felt she was a really great person and easy to empathise with, even while you can see what path she is walking. I felt like I could understand all her decisions, even the bad ones - an unlikely heroine that turned out really well! There's one massive plot twist in this book that I'm not going to reveal. It's enough to say that Clariel does also appear in Sabriel, though under a different name, and it's probably not who you think. Intrigued? You'll just have to read it to find out who she is!

Highly recommended to everyone, whether you loved the original trilogy or haven't yet read them (why not?!), this book is definitely not to be missed!

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