Lirael is the second in the Garth Nix Abhorsen trilogy.

I read Sabriel and really enjoyed it.

But the freshness and weirdness of this world Garth Nix has created wasn't enough to keep my attention throughout another whole book where it was more of the same.

Cool in the first book. Yeah, yeah, yeah, in the second book. Still have a girl who is learning how to deal with a powerful familiar (dog this time) and her abhorsen-in-waiting status. Still have an emotional distance from the main character. Still have a male character/potential love interest with powers/royal bloodline as the foil.

And somehow, even though we get the feelings/thoughts of the guy this time, it kind of took away some of the excitement (who is he? what are his powers?) I felt in the first book without establishing an emotional connection.

So now I'm hoping to find out what happens in the third book online without having to read the third book. But, if it isn't possible, the series is still good enough that I'd get the third book anyway.

Somewhat recommended.