Customer Reviews

Briar's Book (Circle Of Magic)

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First off, for those who are confuse, (I know I was), The healing in the Vine is, indeed, the re-titled version of Briar's book. And, as it happens, is possibly my favorite book on Earth. It tells about how Briar must dive into the sea of sick in order to save his friends, not to mention the hundreds of other dying, and then, at the far end of the book, Rosethorn comes down with the illness! Briar dives into death to save her, but does she survive? Now, you'll just have to read it, won't you?

This is a strange name for one of my favorite Tamora Pierce Books. Unless I am mistaken, it is really the book in the Circle of Magic series known as Briar's Book, and is truly an excellent fantasy story. I love all of Tamora Pierce's books, from the Lioness and Immortals Quartets, to Protector of the Small and the Circle of magic stories. I love fantasy... don't get confused by the strange name of this book!!! It is a very excellent story, and one that every fantasy lover should read.

Briar rocks and so does this book by my favorite author in the world! In the fourth and last book of the Circle of Magic quartet a deadly plaugue sets over the land. I thought it was a scary book not because I am scared of disease and stuff but I hate being helpless and I felt all the characters helplessness as they attempted to battle something they couldn't control. I am VERY sad that the quartet ended because I think the furute series is only going to focas on one character at a time and I REALLY LOVE the bond all four kids have. Plus I want Sandry and Briar to hook up and if they're all seperated I will be so sad. So all in all this is an excellent way to end the series

I think this is one of the best Circle of Magic books! Briar is my 2nd favorite character (Sandry being my first) and I couldn't wait for this book to come out! Its great, it has enough excitement in it, and although I thought some of the medicine parts were a little slow, it was great! I hope that Sandry and Briar get together! Call me a hopeless romantic, but a little romance would make these books more interesting. This is a great book, all Tamora fans should read it.

"Briar's Book", the last book in the "Circle of Magic" quartet (also published as "The Healing in the Vine") is perhaps one of Tamora Pierce's best novels. Unlike her other series, which deal with battles, magic, fantasy creatures, revolution and politics, "Briar's Book" centres something very mundane by comparison: a plague. Yet Pierce incorporates within the story all her powerful themes of love and friendship, pain and suffering, grief and hope, and humanity's capabilities for both good and evil that make her one of the best YA fantasy writers out there.

Briar Moss (who is unique among the cannon of Pierce's books considering he is her only male protagonist thus far) has spent almost a year at Discipline Cottage, Winding Circle and out of all of the young mages gathered there, he has changed the most. Once a street rat that picked pockets for a living, he is now happily installed in the temple community, under the tutelage of Rosethorn in the art of growing and maintaining plants. He loves Sandry, Tris and Daja as if they were his sisters, and enjoys the material benefits that the community provides him with.

One afternoon, when accompanying Rosethorn into Summersea to restock supplies at Urda's House (a hospital for the poor), Briar is called away by his old street friends. Following them down into the sewers he discovers his particular friend Flic is seriously ill. After informing Rosethorn the situation escalates, and soon Briar finds himself in quarantine at Urda's house as more and more patients of the Blue Pox are brought in. Whilst Briar and Rosethorn tend the sick in the city with minimal supplies and little help, the Winding Circle community are doing their best to find a cure and replenish the medicines available.

But the death toll keeps rising and no one seems to be any closer in discovering a cure. When a way of identifying the disease is finally discovered, Briar is finally allowed to return home - only for one of his nearest and dearest to get the Pox...

Pierce is excellent in creating the growing despair and panic of the city, the claustrophobia of Briar in quarantine, and the frantic efforts of Winding Circle's healers. As well as this is Briar's inner struggles; both with the patients and with his growing reluctance to spend time in the grime and muck of his former life. Pierce is always good at capturing human emotion and thought, and here she is at her peak. Throughout the course of the story there are many moments of insight into the human mind during this crisis - but for me to describe them here wouldn't be doing them justice. Some readers may be frustrated at the slow pace and lack of magical components that usually make up Pierce's books, but the patient reader will be justly rewarded.

The bond between the four children and their teachers is palatable, and you can really feel their pain at their separation, and the joy of their reunion. Things as small as a hug, a smile or a hand holding up a bowl for their loved one to vomit into is how Pierce captures their affection for each other - and which all capture more meaning than any long-winded speeches about friendship and loyalty that other author's write. Especially touching is the bond between Briar and his stern and bad-tempered teacher Rosethorn - but I'll let you discover that for yourself. A fantastic read all around.

i loved the whole seires, i could totally relate to Tris, i loved the friend ship between the four. i just wish that there were more on them. I read the interview with Tamora Pierce, she said that she is having books about the four having their own students! that should be interesting indeed....i just hope that the focus stays on the four, cause ive really grown to like them!

I don't even dream of giving Tamora Pierce's book a point less than 5. Well, I must admit, this book is nothing like the "end." That's cuz there's the Circle Opens and all. I think this book was really cool and unique... with all the medical stuff. Sure, I love fantasy like the Tortall series, but I think Circle of Magic is really cool. I think it's really cool how Rosethron's character is developed so well. At first, I disliked Crane, but now, my feelings have change. No offense, but I think that she is the most interesting adult in the story. Sure, Niko's powerful and all-- hardly a person. Lark is cool, but no *interesting* Same with Frostpine. The only disappointing thing is that there is like no romance in the story... Only hints of it which I can't decide if I am imagining. Maybe it's because it is for "kids" Oh well. Man, Briar is a cool character. I like bad boys like him (with a soft heart) And why do I like Sandry? That's cuz she's the thread which binds the 4 together. And why do I want those two together? Because they have an *aura* Only B+S-- that's what I call them-- fans will understand what I mean. No more said. I can't wait till the next part of this series comes out! I've waited ever so long to get the paperback edition of this. Yeah, some may complain, some may say the later books are not good, but I believe that all Tamora Pierce books has a certain flavor (causing an excitement to tingle in me). She's an awesome writer!

I greatly enjoyed Briar's Book by Tamora Pierce. I am already a huge fan of Ms Pierce and have enjoyed all of her other stories. Briar's Book is my favorite out of the Circle of Magic Books. In this story you see how the four young mages react under pressure, but for the first time they all need to use their powers seperately. Instead of all combining their powers to work on one (conveniently end of the book) project, they're seperated and using each of their individual tasks to help stop the plague. This book isn't a good place to start if your new to the series, but it is the best display of the character's unique personalities and strengths. The sickness stirs up different memories in each of them and makes the book a definite page turner. I highly reccomend all of Pierce's work, but Briar's Book holds a special place on my list.

This is probably the most exciting of the Circle of Magic quartet. When Briar's 'street rat' friend, Flick, takes sick with an never before seen disease, Briar must do all he can do to save her. But the disease is highly contagious, and soon about 198 out of every 200 people in the city are sick. Briar returns to Winding Circle Temple to help find the disease. They are getting closer to the cure when a splash of the disease essence infects a person very close to Briar, then he is torn between helping to find the cure and caring for her. The cure is discovered, but is it too late?

I have been facinated with Ms. Pierce's writing since she first hooked me with Alanna's stories. It took me some time to find the sequels to Alanna, but I've been avidly reading her ever since. Briar's story is absolutely tremendous, keeping you on the edge of your seat through the whole story. You won't be disappointed, whether you're a long-standing fan or a new reader!