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iviarelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
With a caveat that this book has one scene that might be quite harmful/triggering to trans folks, I still really adore this book. If Pierce had handled Alanna's feelings about getting her period another way, it would be perfect for what it is. Unfortunately, instead of asking Alanna if she REALLY wants to be a boy, or if she just thinks it would be more convenient to becoming a knight even though she really does feel like a girl, the book just states that there is no way to change the body the gods gave you, so no matter how you really feel in it, you're trapped... I wish there could be a new edition to change that, I really do, because I'd love to recommend the whole of Tortall to basically everyone I know. It's not about Alanna really wanting to be a boy, it's a messy way of confirming that she really is a girl, and one that is, however unintentionally, harmful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Alcoholism
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