The world is falling into anarchy as evil creatures return from death leaving it up to a young woman to stop it. “Sabriel”, written by Garth Nix, is a diverse novel of true love, adventure, and sorrow. The protagonist of the story is Sabriel, a young high school student with exceptional skill for magic. The conflict deepens as her father, Abhorsen, is captured and taken far into death by old enemies, in response Sabriel must rescue her father if the world is to stay safe from an ancient rival.

True love is shown throughout the novel several times. However the love Sabriel shows for her father is greatest and most frequently suggested. This is shown when it is mentioned, “Sabriel never seemed troubled by her father’s rare visitations, as most other girls would be.” (Page 4). This shows the reader Sabriel has a deeper connection with her father than most other girls. Also showing deep love is when Sabriel finds her father. “She broke down, and started to cry. She had come all this way, through so many troubles, only to find him trapped, trapped beyond her ability to free him.” (Page 213). This reflects to the reader that at this point in the novel Sabriel is truly upset that for the boundless expedition centered on her fathers rescue, she can not.

A key factor in the novel is adventure. Adventure is a largely portrayed element in the book as Sabriel transforms into a top grade student into a rugged warrior. One section of the novel that shows this is a true adventure is new expirences. As Sabriel comes in contact with a paper plane aircraft called the Paper Wing. “Let go!” she cried, and the sendings complied, the Paper Wing leaping up into the arms of the wind, out and upward, splashing through the spray of the waterfall as if it were no more than a spring shower, flying out into the sky and the broad valley beyond.”(Page 96-97). Not only was a new experience part of the adventure, but battle was as well. “Then rifles cracked, and the machine-guns beat out a terrible, barking roar, red tracer rounds flinging out, ricocheting from the pacing in a crazy embroidery of terrible violence.” (Page 274). This points out to the reader as something part of Sabriels journey. That it is a lengthy, uphill battle, not the common high school girl is adapted to.

Last but not least, sorrow is the last key element of the story. “Sabriel saw the magistrix first, lying a little away, curled up on her side. Anyone else might have though her merely unconscious, but Sabriel knew she was dead.” (Page 281). This shows the reader a perfect example of sorrow showing that Sabriel faces the death of someone very close to her, someone she knew all her life. “She was killed three or four days ago, Sabriel announced” (page 147). This also shows one of the many cases of death Sabriel endures not the typical teenager deals with.

Sabriel is an excellent book for people with dynamic taste in literature. It expresses sorrow, adventure, and true love along with many other traits. Garth Nix chose excellent themes to create a fantastic world. Sabriel could possibly be its own genre of book in being that it has almost every element needed to create a truly great book.