Sabriel by Garth Nix

Opening Sentence:It was little more than three miles from the Wall into the Old Kingdom, but that was enough.
Synopsis: Who will guard the living when the dead arise?

Sabriel is the daughter of the Mage Abhorsen. Ever since she was a tiny child, she has lived outside the Wall of the Old Kingdom - far away from the uncontrolled power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead.

But now her father is missing and Sabriel is called upon to cross back into that world to find him. Leaving the safety of the school she has known as home, Sabriel embarks Upon a quest filled with supernatural dangers, with companions she is unsure of - for nothing is as it seems within the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens more than her life, and comes face to face with her hidden destiny...
Genre:Fantasy
Rating:@@@@@
Pages:341
ISBN:1-4056-6024-4
Year:1995
Format:Paperback
Comments:Sabriel is a fascinating fantasy novel. The characters are believable and filled with life, and the juxtaposition of modern and Old world's somehow ominous. There is layer upon layer of depth in this story and it is very difficult to put down. I feel that the author's unique style will make this book enjoyable even to those who are not fans of the genre. I will definitely be reading the sequels!