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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
My favourite of the series so far
challenging
emotional
reflective
relaxing
tense
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
dark
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
More focused on the magic of an “ordinary” life, as well as in the earnest love, duty, and power of women.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
An exceptional inversion of perspective from the previous three books. In a world where magic is ubiquitous and takes as many shapes as there are people who can work it, we are instead given every bit of story that has happened so far from point of view of regular people who have come from irregular backgrounds. However, its sharpest bit of commentary comes from the insistence on the woman's experience of the world. All the many ways they are kept apart and yet are irrevocably tied together in a way that sadly mirrors the real world. But it is also home to some of the most gentle and thoughtful discussion on a woman's place in a world like this I think I've ever read, without ever minimizing the harm that is done to them and being bold enough to present no easy digestible answers. Instead it provides the questions through the characters and invites you to think along with the characters as they sew their pants back together and spin yarn during winter. Why can't a woman be Archmage? What is a woman's power? How is a woman's power different from a man's power? Subsequently it draws you into thinking about structures of power, of unspoken rules of power, and so on.
I adore this book, heart and soul.
I adore this book, heart and soul.
dark
hopeful
tense
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:
No
Le Guin taking nearly 20 years to reflect on the state of Earthsea was an incredibly good decision. This book started to look at some of the the misogyny that was present throughout the first and third books, and I’m really happy to see that.
I also love the development of Tenar and Ged’s relationship. I really loved their moments of quiet conversation and intimacy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No