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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Tombs of Atuan is definitely an improvement on the formula that Le Guin established in A Wizard of Earthsea. I found the protagonist to be a more interesting character to follow than Ged and the overall narrative more interesting. Still, while Earthsea was YA before YA I can’t help but feel that the writing is overly simple and the world and characters too uncomplicated for my personal taste. Four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
After the first book, I did not expect this story to be set almost entirely in a single location, but that's not a bad thing.
A quote I liked:
A quote I liked:
Freedom is a heavy load, a great and strange burden for the spirit to undertake It is not easy. It is not a gift given, but a choice made, and the choice may be a hard one. The road goes upward towards the light; but the laden traveler may never reach the end of it.
Ursula Le Guin is a great writer. I appreciated the quiet action in this book, as opposed to the more explicit action in the first and third. In the end, this series is much more concerned with the more universal, internal struggles we have, as opposed to the external struggles of many fantasies.
Le Guin is kind with her characters. They have faults, but at the base they are good people struggling to do what is right.
Le Guin is kind with her characters. They have faults, but at the base they are good people struggling to do what is right.
I really enjoyed the perspective switch from the first novel in this series. Tenar was a very interesting protagonist, as we explore her very unique life on Atuan. The symbolism of the Labyrinth was striking.
Spoiler
I loved when Ged arrived. Seeing their initial rivalry and his almost immediate defeat from being trapped in the Tombs was very much at odds with how I imaged the reclaiming of the Ring to go.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated