Reviews

A Handful of Ashes by Garth Nix

octavia_cade's review

adventurous fast-paced

2.0

I like a lot of Nix's work, but this one just didn't do it for me I'm afraid. I enjoyed the concept, in which several poor students from a magical college are bullied by their wealthier brethren, and have to find a way to escape the curse set upon them in order to complete their education. It's a great idea, with a sympathetic protagonist and an interesting beginning, but it all fell apart in the second half for me, and I think it's down to the form. This is, I believe, a novelette, but it might have done better expanded to novella length, because there's just so much crammed in that it begins to feel as if it's less a story than a bullet point list of actions. Or if not bullet points, then an outline in story form. 

I would genuinely like to read a longer version of this, but as I said: the current length is doing this story no favours. 

tempestaires's review

5.0

So far, this is the most enjoyable story I read in To Hold The Bridge.
Very interesting lore, I especially loved to concept of the wands you can make more powerful by carving runes and enchanting them.
Mari is a strong female character, they make a great team with Francesca - who could use a few more pages so we get to see more of her personality, without revolving around boys.
I really wish this was turned into a full book, there's so much to dig into, the sizars, the different kinds of magic,... The Mistress Wasp story was also very interesting, and I'd love to read more about it.