Daja's Book (1998)

Re-read. Still good.

Listened to the Full Cast Audio CD edition in October 2007. I cannot get over how much I'm enjoying listening to Pierce's catalog - I just wish all of her titles had already been released on audio. I know they're in the process but, what can I say, I guess I'm just not patient enough. Previously read. ( )

The kids have traveled with the Duke and their teachers to help in a region plagued by drought. Daja interacts with traders for the first time since she became an outcast.

I keep telling myself that I haven't fallen in love with these characters like I did the ones in Pierce's Tortall series, but when I felt bad while I was away from home, these books were a total comfort, and I just keep reading through the series. I believe Daja is my favorite amongst the children with Briar in a close second, so I this was my favorite of this quartet. ( )

I originally reviewed this book on my blog - The Cosy Dragon. For more recent reviews by me, please hop over there.

Tris, Daja, Briar and Sandry are still great friends, and their magics are twining together just as well as before. Unfortunately, that means that plant mage Briar is getting sparks of lightning that kill plants, and Daja gets out of control just like Tris. Things are even more complicated by the fires threatening to spark over the region they are travelling in. Will everyone survive?

Daja is trangshi, which means that she is unable to communicate with her Trader kinfolk. Her smith magery gets out of hand, and she is able to create a beautiful growing tree, which is seen by the Traders in the area. They want to buy it - but noone is willing to communicate with Daja.

Just like the other books in this series, there is a focus on the plot pushing forwards.The majority of this book is from Daja's perspective, although the other three children also have parts. There is some character development, particularly for the children learning responsibility for their magics.

In this book, it is possible to see how magic can kill someone, because they are trying to stop the forces of nature. Certainly this is a theme brought back by Pierce multiple times, that the forces of nature will sometimes have their way, no matter what people try to do to stop them. I don't think it's a bad thing - those of us in the real world have to deal with things like earthquakes and fires without the aid of magic.

I think out of all of the Circle of Magic books, this one is my favourite. Ever since I started rereading these for the purpose of reviewing them, I have been dying to get to this one! Daja's character really speaks to me, even though I'm decidedly not black or built like a smith. Her insecurities and frustrations, as well as her motivations are really touching.

Suitable for children and teenagers alike, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and magic. You could read this book without having read the first two in the series, but you will then spoil some of the plot of those for yourself. This book takes place almost immediately after Tris's book, while everyone is still recovering from the pirates and earthquake. ( )

This is the third book in the Circle of Mages series about four young mages in training, linked magically and by friendship: Ssndry, Tris, Briar, and Daja, who is the focus of this book. By this time in the Circle series I was well and truly hooked. I certainly felt for Daya and her backstory, her special isolation, and I like how it, and the development of her powers are treated here. A very entertaining book, although I think the series gets stronger after the first four books. ( )

In the third book of the Circle of Magic series, the four friends travel with Sandry's uncle to North Emelan, a town that has been suffering from a drought. The duke wants to see if there is anything he can do to help. Rosethorn, Lark, and Nico, the young mages' teachers, are even more concerned that the local mage has been keeping wildfires at bay, meaning that if any true forest fire were to start, the place is ripe for destruction.

At this point, if you've been reading the series all along you know exactly what to expect. We move between the points of view of Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar, who have now been at Winding Circle for five months. Their magic continues to tangle in interesting and new ways. This time, I was happy to see that what "normal" magic is supposed to be like is a little more fleshed out, though I'm not sure I really understand why their magic is supposed to be so surprising. I'm looking forward to reading Briar's Book, since he's my favorite character of the four. ( )