Sabriel was originally planned as a stand-alone novel, but admirers clamoured for more. Nix later expanded it into an unconventional trilogy, with the sequels, Lirael (2001) and Abhorsen (2003), shifting the focus to new characters. More than a decade after Abhorsen was published, Nix has returned to the Old Kingdom setting with Clariel, a prequel set six hundred years before the events in Sabriel.

‘More than a decade after Abhorsen was published, Nix has returned to the Old Kingdom setting with Clariel, a prequel set six hundred years before the events in Sabriel’

Clariel’s family moves to the bustling city of Belisaere so that her mother can further her career as an artisan goldsmith. Behind Belisaere’s high walls, Clariel feels smothered. As she endures lessons in etiquette alongside the city’s élite, she longs to flee to the forest, the only place she truly feels at home. Clariel’s plans of escape are foiled when the city is thrown into political upheaval; she soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in the schemes of the powerful.

Fantasy fans will find plenty to sink their teeth into here: political intrigue combined with with dark sorcery and heart-stopping action, Clariel is another gripping chapter in the Old Kingdom series. As is common with prequels, some of the book’s charm rests on the reader’s knowledge of how later events will unfold: those new to the series would be better off starting with Sabriel. Readers who know their Old Kingdom history will delight in the hints of foreshadowing and in the opportunity to explore the early history of a character who comes to play a significant role later on. Some fans might come away unsatisfied, as the narrative ends before the major turning point in Clariel’s life. Perhaps there is still room for a fifth instalment.