Looking for a particular book--can't remember the title

[ratherread]

I am looking for the title/author of a young adult fantasy book I read some years ago...I'm hoping that someone out there might know which one I'm searching for. I do appreciate any help that you might be able to give.

The protagonist is a young girl who lives in a world that struggles to stay balanced between good and evil. She discovers she is part of the "good" side and able to perform magic to help maintain that balance.

I wish I could remember more but I am drawing a blank. Any suggestions? Thanks again!

 

[Bookwyrm]

You just described a thousand books my friend Can you remember anything else? character names; world it is set in? Wish I could help!

 

[ratherread]

Looking for a particular book

I knew when I posted that very general description what all of you would think!

I wish I could remember more about the book--the only thing that keeps popping up is the author's description of a tear (or rip) in the tapestry/curtain (that keeps the world from being balance of good and evil) the young girl must repair.

Thanks for your thoughts...

 

[mehastings]

I think this sounds vaguely like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series. However, the books aren't that old, so I doubt that is it.

 

[Kookamoor]

Yeah, not enough info for me to really start googling. Ripped fabric makes me think of Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule series where the veil that separates the living from the dead has been ripped, and raising the possibility that the Keeper can enter the world. But while there is a female main character there are other characters, including a somewhat more prominant male protagonist.

Any idea what year you read it? What age group would it be suited to - is it childrens, young adult or adult?

If you can think of ANY other details, consider sending a PM to a member called Ainulindale (do a search), who is a veritable encyclopedia of fantasy and sci fi.

 

[KristoCat]

How about So You Want to Be A Wizard by Diane Duane? That's about a girl who learns magic but must quickly become good at it in order to help repair an imbalance between good and evil in the universe. She has a friend named Kit who helps her. They travel through a kind of "rip" in the air that leads them to a different dimension.

Look here for more. The illustration on the cover makes me think this might be the one you're asking for.

 

[ratherread]

Thanks for your input...

Thanks to the two members who posted replies! Mehastings: no, it is not the Pullman series (GREAT books, by the way)...Kookamoor, not the First Rule series, either (liked those, too).

I am going to see if I can come up with some more details before I send a PM to Ainulindale. I do know that I read the book about 15 years ago (around the early to mid 90s). It is probably listed as being in the Young Adult or Juvenile Fiction section of the library.

Many thanks to both of you.

 

[Kookamoor]

Did you see Kristo's post?

 

[ratherread]

Looking for a particular book

Kristo,

Thanks for your response! I looked up So You Want To Be a Wizard, but this is not the book I am in search of...the book I need did not have a young boy involved (I don't think) and was not set in Manhattan. Thanks for the suggestion, though! Duane's series sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out.