Tris's Book

Really deeply enjoyed this; the feeling is definitely different from book one, where so much time is spent on setting up the story and world and introducing the characters and their magic. Here, it feels so much more fraught and tense but not in a way that is like off-putting, and I love the ways that you get to see more of the world (especially regarding the magic of the mentors.) It makes me love the characters so much more, as they feel more fleshed out and real, and I couldn't even wait and immediately dove into the next book, oops!

Tris is fat, unloved, and far too magically gifted for anyone's comfort. But the recent earthquakes (from [b:Sandry's Book|58889|Sandry's Book (Circle of Magic, #1)|Tamora Pierce|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328860148s/58889.jpg|1142894]) have weakened the duchy's defenses, and Tris's half-controlled weather magic might be their last protection against a pirate fleet.

Everything about Tris is wonderfully specific and unique, from the way she prices every object she sees to her complicated feelings about her cousin. She's her own person, and discovering all her little nooks and crannies is really interesting. Even more so is the pirate invasion--Pierce writes battles and describes magic in the most exciting, engaging, completely show more enthralling way. This book was a huge improvement on the first book in the series, and it just gets better from here. show less

Tris, Sandry, Daja, and Briar, the four young mages brought together in Sandry's Book, are still living - and learning - together and are closer than ever, to each other and to their teachers. What will they do when pirates attack their new home?

Either the four of them trust each other implicitly, or they feel it's necessary to sneak around behind each other's backs. Which is it? There's confusion about that, and it weakens the plot. However, the overall story - of Tris learning to control her power and of the four of them learning how their combined magics make them stronger - is an interesting one, and the descriptions of Tris using her weather magic are really neat.

This book is the 2nd one in the Circle of Magic quartet.
All four of the young mages are still living with Rosethorn and Lark. The four together participate in the action and readers learn more about these main characters and their personalities.

The big reveal about one of the supporting characters was a big win and I cheered for Briar's involvement. For me, Briar is my favourite of the four, so I will be reading Daja's book and then Briar's to stay in sequence.

I was disappointed how rushed the final adventure (in this book) felt when the pirates started attacking. Somehow the descriptions of vivid imagery of magic unleashed felt a tad contrived. Not as well-paced as Sandry's Book, though still a very engaging story. A plus in the show more narrative is the insight by the author into problems children in the real world face in becoming respected adults. This series is an excellent set of books for the YA-Middle grade age group, assuming adventure and over-the-top excitement is appealing. show less

Despite the fact that I'm only reading this now as an adult, I still found the book really enjoyable to read. Pierce isn't afraid to tackle a few hard subjects in her books, even if they're written for children. One thing I have liked about this series so far is how accurately it portrays kids who have lived in bad situations, and how those past experiences affect the things they do and the way they perceive the world around them. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Tris is a little annoying. She's driven too much by circumstance - she deals with what's in front of her without really thinking about what comes next. Which may be related to her power, and how she had to suppress it as best she could for years - but it still makes her annoying to read about. Her dealing with Cousin Aymory here really shows that - she thinks he can just back away, then she blows up (more or less literally!) when he suffers the consequences of his choices. She does blow up in the right direction, but still.

The second in the Circle of Magic series starts not long after Sandry's Book ends. The four young mages - Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar - continue to have lessons in the afternoons to develop their magic, but also begin to find ways that their magics have overlapped since their experience in the cave. Now, the protection of Winding Circle is threatened by an outside source, and the four will have to use all their ingenuity to save their new home.

As I was talking about the books I've been reading with a couple of people today, I'm realizing that I'm reading these books right now for practically the same reason that I have not been rating them higher. Lately I've been in that late-winter funk that seems to be hitting so many people now, show more where I have not felt like reading several types of books that would appeal to me in a different mood, and can't really concentrate on something with too much depth. These books fit the bill by being short, typical of a genre I'm well-versed in, and not requiring much thought on my part. While not absolute brain candy, they are intended for a younger audience and do not get into intricacies of world-building or fleshed out secondary characters. The Full Cast Audio has been fun to listen to while running errands, though. show less