The Circle Opens by Tamora Pierce

 

Title: The Circle Opens Quartet

Author: Tamora Pierce (American, 1954- )

Originally published: 2000-2003
Page count: 1,266

Dates read: 1/16/21-2/5/21
2021 book goal progress: 

2, 3, 4, and 5 out of 38
Reading category: Tamora Pierce; 

Chunkster Reading Challenge


Read my other book reviews for my 2021 goal HERE.

1. Magic Steps (2000) - Sandry - 262 pages - read 1/16/21-1/20/21

Description:

Lady Sandrilene fa Toren knows all about unusual magic - she herself spins and weaves it like thread. But when she witnesses a boy dancing a spell, even she is confounded. To her dismay, Sandry learns that as the mage who discovered the power of the young dancer, she must be his teacher. Before lessons can begin, however, Sandry and her uncle, Duke Vedris, get news of a mysterious murderer stalking a clan of local merchants. The killer employs the strangest magic of all: the ability to reduce essence to nothingness.

First sentence:
"Lady Sandrilene fa Toren opened the door to her room and stepped into the dark corridor."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.6/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 8
Atmosphere   - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 7
Intrigue          - 7
Logic             - 6
Enjoyment     - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?

Mini-Review:

The idea of dance magic was fun to explore in this book. I have been getting into embroidery myself, and, as Sandry is a thread mage, it's also amusing to imagine magic in my craft. This story was surprisingly gruesome and gory - especially when I remember it's supposed to be a children's book. 

2. Street Magic (2001) - Briar - 292 pages - read 1/21/21-1/24/21

Description:

It's been four years since Briar Moss began his training as a plant mage, but he still hasn't put his past behind him. Wandering through a Chammuri market, Briar comes across a street girl using powerful magic to polish stones for a merchant. He resolves to find her a teacher. Then he discovers that the fiercest gang is seeking a stone mage to lead them to hidden gems. Briar once believed that gangs offered protection, but now he and his magic may offer the only protection the young stone mage can count on. 

First sentence:
"In the city of Chammur, on the eastern border of Sotat: For centuries it had been called 'Fabled Chammur,' 'Chammur of the Flaming Heights,' and 'Mighty Chammur.'"

Favorite quotes:
"She sipped the tea and, despite her wrath, sighed gratefully. It was her own blend, a morning pick-me-up tea that could help the dead to cast off weariness."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 8/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 9
Atmosphere   - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 7
Intrigue          - 8
Logic             - 7
Enjoyment     - 8

Mini-Review:

Stone magic wasn't as exciting as dance magic, but the story itself was fun. I enjoyed the new culture that was explored - both in city life, as well as gang life. This one wasn't quite as gory and shocking as the first book, but it was still gruesome. I also appreciate the break from the sexist stereotype of gardeners being female with Briar, a boy, having plant magic.

3. Cold Fire (2002) - Daja - 355 pages - read 1/25/21-1/31/21

Description:

Daja and Frostpine expect to have a peaceful winter's visit with old friends in Kugisko, a port in the vast empire of Namon. But there is no peace when mysterious fires begin to blaze across the vulnerable city. Daja assists Bennat Ladradun, a local firefighter, and they soon realize the fires have been deliberately set.

First sentence:
"In the city of Kugisko: Niamara Bancanor,  twelve and sometimes too helpful in Daja Kisubo's opinion, grabbed Daja's left hand and elbow."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 5.1/10 - ⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 4
Atmosphere   - 8
Writing Style - 6
Plot                - 4
Intrigue          - 4
Logic             - 5
Enjoyment     - 5

Mini-Review:

I was disappointed with this story. Many of the characters I outright didn't like. I knew what was going to happen from the very beginning and just spent the book waiting for the ax to drop - it was pretty boring and irritating. The world-building was still neat with a bunch of islands connected by ice. This time, twins were discovered with magic and they had cooking and carpentry magic.

4. Shatterglass (2003) - Tris - 357 pages - read 2/1/21-2/5/21

Description:

Kethlun Warder was a gifted glassmaker until his world was shattered in a freak accident. Now his remaining glass magic is mixed with lightning, and Tris must teach him to control it. But there's more at stake than Keth's education. With his strange magic, he created glass balls that reflect the immediate past and expose the work of a murderer. If he can harness his power properly, he'll be able to see the crimes as they take place. 

First sentence:
"Tharios, capital of the city-state of Tharios, on the Ithcot Sea: The short, plump redhead walked out of the house that belonged to her hostess and looked around, her air that of someone about to embark on a grand adventure."

Favorite quotes:
"If she had a motto, it was 'New learning never hurt anybody.'"

"It occurred to him for the first time that perhaps magic wasn't simply a matter of fires, lightning, and power in the air, if spoken words could also create such a transformation."

CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.9/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters      - 9
Atmosphere   - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot                - 8
Intrigue          - 7
Logic             - 6
Enjoyment     - 8

Mini-Review:

This was a great story to finish the quartet! I enjoyed learning about glass mixed with lightning magic and learning more about academic mages versus ambient mages. I loved the world-building and stepping into a brand new culture - again. It bothered me that the third book in the quartet was all about how it's bad when the antagonist literally tests people by fire, but, in this book, it's totally fine for the protagonist to literally test someone by lightning. The double standard bothered me. It also irritated me how Tris continually told her student to watch his energy levels while she was completely draining her own. I found this story particularly humorous... and there's a living glass dragon - which is awesome.

Overall Review:

I really enjoyed this quartet. I think I like these books so much because I can easily get lost in them. I love the depth of culture written into the world. The stories are quick, simple, and straightforward - it doesn't take much processing. Many of the books I read are heavier and have multiple meanings, but I like these to just flash through - even if they are a bit predictable. Unlike the first quartet where all 4 of the mages are learning together, in this quartet they are all out traveling with their respective teachers and actually become teachers themselves! It was kind of sad to me to not have them all together, but it was also nice to be able to delve deeper into each individual character. 

Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Tamora Pierce have the last words:

"'They never tell you some things,' Briar said bitterly. 'They tell you mages have wonderful power and they learn all kinds of secrets. Nobody ever mentions that some secrets you don't ever want to learn'

'All you can do is learn good to balance the bad,' Rosethorn told him. 'Learn to do all the good within your reach. Then, if you wake in a sweat, you have something to set against the dream.'" -#2. Street Magic