Sandry’s Book (Circle of Magic #1)
Summary:
With her gift of weaving silk thread and creating light, Sandry is brought to the Winding Circle community. There she meets Briar, a former thief who has a way with plants; Daja, an outcast gifted at metalcraft; and Tris, whose connection with the weather unsettles everyone, including herself. At Winding Circle, the four misfits are taught how to use their magic - and to trust one another. But then disaster strikes their new home. Can Sandry weave together four kinds of magical power and save herself, her friends, and the one place where they've ever been accepted? (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
I decided to reread this series (third time I believe?) as an adult since I believe the last time I had done it was before I went to college. I was a little surprised to realize this first series (Circle of Magic) was geared for slightly younger audiences that the subsequent series (The Circle Opens). The idea is that readers can grow up with the characters, but I hadn’t remembered that. Despite being outside the target audience, I still really enjoyed these books. Sandry is one of my favorites because her heart is just so big. She’s courageous and isn’t afraid to stick up for her friends – whether they want her to or not.
I also like that the characters are not instant friends although they do seems to instantly grasp their magic. Their relationship builds over the course of this first book making it feel more organic than forced. All in all, this is a very quick read that sets the pace and tone for the subsequent books in the series and I’d highly recommend them for Tamora Pierce fans or younger readers.
Rating: 4 stars!
Who should read it? Middle grade to younger adults (~11 years old) and those young at heart.
Want to read the whole series?