The Circle Opens by Tamora Pierce

The Circle Opens is the continuation of Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar. This time, though, the young mages are traveling with their respective teachers, and the situations reveal as more adult than students.

Magic Steps follows Sandry as she is nursing her uncle the duke after a heart attack. As the only one still in Emelan, Sandry soon becomes embroiled in a series of murders. Along the way, she discovers a young mage similar to herself and her adoptive siblings, only he produces dance magic. Now she must get the young man and his magic under control, while maintaining the realm and stopping more murders.

Street Magic shows us Briar and his teacher Rosethorn in Chammuri when he sees a young girl using stone magic. But there are gangs about and Briar can smell a war brewing. How does he find a teacher for the young girl and get all of them to safety in time?

Cold Fire discovers Daja and Frostpine in the middle of winter in Kugisko. There, Daja sees their host's twin girls each conduct magic, and each is different. If anyone can handle 2 different mages as well as a firestarter, it's Daja. The locals all believe the fires are accidental. It is winter after all. But when Daja gets caught in one, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident. Now it's a balancing act for survival.

Finally, there is Shatterglass. Tris is simply trying to learn all about her magic and the different things she can hear, and now see. She does not have time for a wayward glass works mage. Nor does she have time to deal with someone murdering the "lower class" in Tharios. In the end, even she cannot ignore the rules of being a mage and a decent human being.

Overall, I rated each book 4 out of 5 stars. This second series is decidedly darker than the original. In a couple there is the implication of abuse and torture. While the scenes are not overly graphic, there are brief descriptions of what may have happened concerning the torture. It makes me as an adult shudder. I think that's why I can't stand them as an adult. I can't even watch shows that show that level of cruelty. Having an overactive imagination can be exhausting.

I will say what saved the series was the fact that Tamora Pierce developed the matureness of each character just right. These are still young mages but because of their experiences and their learning, they are a little more than young adults. Oh, they have the temper tantrum moments that a young adult has, "I don't want to do this," but in the end they do it. They have a wonderful sense of morals, justice, and responsibility.