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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
While this is certainly a good book, I think I would have enjoyed it slightly more if I had read it when I was younger. Not that it's bad, it handles its themes well and tells an inspiring tale, but reading it at thirty instead of, say, thirteen, means it didn't leave as much of an impact on me. You could complain that the book tells a stereotypical hero's quest story, and it many ways it does, but it does it well. It goes beneath the surface in exploring the social forces which stand in the way of its heroine, as well as the heavy impact her heroic action has on her mental and physical well-being, further driving her story forward. Definitely a recommendation for fans of classic fantasy.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
There's just something about classic fantasy that is so fun and nostalgic! Loved.
This book was 5 stars until the 80% mark. I know it's just me but her and Luthe were great and both immortal and in love? and then right at 80% she's like, i'd better go back and marry Tor since i love him too and i'm meant to be queen. ??????????? idk i just was not a fan. felt a little duplicitous. i know she'll end up with Luthe after her mortal marriage dies but still like... not a fan. so 3 stars for that section. but it averages out. a great dragon read.
I enjoyed it but didn't love it. It felt like a few independent book concepts smashed together rather than woven. I liked the first portion of the book better.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Enjoyment 8/10
Concept 9/10
Execution 8/10
Writing 8/10
Plot & Logic 7/10
Pacing & Structure 6/10
Atmosphere 9/10
Characters 8/10
Intrigue 8/10
World Building 6/10
Rating: 3.87/5
Concept 9/10
Execution 8/10
Writing 8/10
Plot & Logic 7/10
Pacing & Structure 6/10
Atmosphere 9/10
Characters 8/10
Intrigue 8/10
World Building 6/10
Rating: 3.87/5
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If ever there was a perfect fantasy for teenage readers, this is that book. Way ahead of its time for being written in 1985. I'm totally impressed - this book is excellent.
4.5 stars, I really loved this one. I have a thing for becoming-immortal stories, apparently. This book is awesomely well written, the language is just perfectly legendary and dreamlike while remaining tangible.
This book has all the right elements, but I didn't like it as I would expect to. On the surface, it's the story of a girl who grows up to be a dragon killer and leader of her people. The dragons as a villain aren't really developed. They are just assumed as evil. Yes, they eat people but aren't they just really looking for food? The pacing may be the main reason I didn't like it. The first section is the training section of how Aerin, the king's daughter, teaches herself how to kill dragons. Like most training sections, it seems to last forever. Part 2, the battle with Maur is the highlight of the book. Therefore, the last section was a letdown. The final battle is rolling a skull out of the castle. However, Bravo to the strong female protagonist.
I hadn't read The Hero and the Crown since high school, so when I found it on my YA shelf recently, I wanted to revisit what I remembered to be one of the better fantasy books I read at the age of fifteen. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, the book has become more powerful, more nuanced, and more eloquent as I've gotten older. I may appreciate these qualities more now than I did then.
People will say that the protagonist Aerin is a good "role model" for girls, but I don't really like the term "role model" when it comes to female literary characters. As a teenage girl, I didn't want a role model. What I wanted was to read about fully-realized, well-crafted female characters with their own dreams and desires, their own flaws and shortcomings. Aerin is that character. Though brave and intuitive, she is constantly running up against her own insecurities, fighting back the bitterness brought on from feeling out of place in her king father's country. The book is just as much about overcoming these obstacles as it is battling dragons.
The structure of the novel is not perfect. As in many fantasy stories, the narrative sags a bit in the middle with the sudden introduction of a new character, Luthe, who becomes Aerin's mentor. I didn't connect with him as much as the story probably wanted me to. Overall, whenever the plot moved outside the City, I was always anxious to get back to the characters I was familiar with.
In all, this is a great young adult read. McKinley is quite skilled as a writer. Her landscapes are lush with detail, and she knows how to strike the right emotional tenor in each scene.
People will say that the protagonist Aerin is a good "role model" for girls, but I don't really like the term "role model" when it comes to female literary characters. As a teenage girl, I didn't want a role model. What I wanted was to read about fully-realized, well-crafted female characters with their own dreams and desires, their own flaws and shortcomings. Aerin is that character. Though brave and intuitive, she is constantly running up against her own insecurities, fighting back the bitterness brought on from feeling out of place in her king father's country. The book is just as much about overcoming these obstacles as it is battling dragons.
The structure of the novel is not perfect. As in many fantasy stories, the narrative sags a bit in the middle with the sudden introduction of a new character, Luthe, who becomes Aerin's mentor. I didn't connect with him as much as the story probably wanted me to. Overall, whenever the plot moved outside the City, I was always anxious to get back to the characters I was familiar with.
In all, this is a great young adult read. McKinley is quite skilled as a writer. Her landscapes are lush with detail, and she knows how to strike the right emotional tenor in each scene.