Genre: Young Adult
Sub Genre: Fantasy; Magic, Circle of Magic
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Back Cover: It has been centuries since pirates dared to attack Winding Circle Temple, a renowned center of magic. But after a recent earthquake, the community’s defenses are perilously weakened. For the four young mages studying at Winding Circle – Briar, a former street thief whose magic is with plants; Daja, the outcast Trader honing her powers in metalcraft; Sandry, a noble whose magic lies in weaving and other threadcraft; and Tris, the “weather witch” rejected by her family- the pirates threaten the first real home the four have known. The enemy, led by the pirate queen Pahua and her mage brother Enahar, has a devastating new weapon. Can the four young mages risk using their fledgling powers against such strong opponents? At stake for Daja, Briar, Sandry, and especially Tris are not only their own futures, but the fate of the entire Winding Circle community.
This is the second book in the Circle of Magic series. The characters are still getting used to having their magic tied to one another. But then pirates come to their home and now they have to figure out how they can save it. The book has many twists and turns. Tris is the main character but you get to see other sides of the other children. With their magic not reacting the way it has in the past they must figure out what they can do. I liked this book as it is more than just about saving the day. Seeing the different sides of the characters as they are growing is also one of the things that keeps bringing me back to this series. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Daja’s Book.
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0590554093
Pages: 272
Series: Circle of Magic
Volume: 2
Genre: Young Adult
Sub Genre: Fantasy; Magic, Circle of Magic
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Back Cover: Trapped in a dark cellar, a noble girl waits hopelessly, for the door of her prison is sealed with magic… Third time unlucky: a thief who has again been caught stealing will be sentenced to a short, brutal life of hard labor… The lone survivor of a shipwreck, a young trader is pronounced an outcast by her own people… A girl whose strange connection to the weather unsettles everyone, including herself, has run out of refuges… Four young people – all possessing powers they do not understand, all in dire need of rescue, of training, of a home, maybe even of each other – meet up with the one man who can help. The mysterious Niklaren Goldeye takes them, one by one, to Winding Circle, a temple community. There they are installed in a cottage called Discipline. Are they being punished? Or does Niko have some other reason for bringing them together?
This is the first book in the Circle of Magic series. It is about four young children who are all orphans with something special. And together they are amazing. Sandry has grown up as a noble. While Tris has been moved from school and family to many times. Daja has lost everything and is even scorned by her people for surviving. Briar is a thief and can’t run anymore. But in while they are dealing with all this there are things that are also coming and they must work together. I really like this story even though it is for a younger audience. The characters are well developed and you get to watch as each one discovers themselves. It is another amazing magical world that Tamora Pierce creates. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Tris’s Book.
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0590554085
Pages: 272
Series: Circle of Magic
Volume: 1
