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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
”Who dares ask questions of the dark? Who’ll ask the dark its name?”
The old woman was rocking, chanting, lost in her incantation; but Tenar sat upright, and split a reed down the center with her thumbnail.
“I will,” she said.
She split another reed.
“I lived long enough in the dark,” she said.
A beautiful exploration of gender, age, power, and powerlessness. Le Guin tackles these issues with the complexity, gravity, and empathy that they require.
I loved seeing Tenar and Ged again, and I loved the exploration of the ways in which they love each other but also struggle to understand each other's experiences and perspectives. I loved Therru and the compassion with which Tenar raises her.
I wasn't expecting this to be my favourite Earthsea book (so far), given how different it is to the three that precede it. But I really enjoyed the different perspective on the world, especially as it is still so rare for the protagonist of books to be elderly women.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
A quite different look at Earthsea, through the eyes of non-magical characters, facing more grounded terrors as well as some more epic terrors from the perspective of the powerless. More than that, though, it's focused on quotidian village and rural life. In this narrower, local scope, there is no room for Le Guin's poetic turns of phrase for landscape. In place of her epic mode of delivery we have dialogue and (as she notes in the afterword) kitchen table conversations.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is an easy 4.5 on first read.
I really wasn't expecting Earthsea to get this emotional. Man..... Ursula, you did it again.
I really wasn't expecting Earthsea to get this emotional. Man..... Ursula, you did it again.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Grief, Stalking
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-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
dark
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny
Moderate: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape
adventurous
reflective
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:
Complicated
The best book in the Earthsea Cycle -- just incredible
My previous favorite was the Tombs of Atuan, so I was so excited to read more about Tenar's story and this was incredible.
My previous favorite was the Tombs of Atuan, so I was so excited to read more about Tenar's story and this was incredible.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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