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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
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
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Alanna by Tamora Pierce is a classic coming-of-age fantasy full of adventure, magic, and determination. The story follows young Alanna of Trebond, who disguises herself as a boy to pursue her dream of becoming a knight—a path usually reserved for men. As she trains at the castle of King Roald, Alanna faces challenges that test her strength, willpower, and identity, all while hiding her true self from those around her. It’s a compelling premise with strong themes of courage, self-discovery, and breaking societal norms.
While I enjoyed the story and appreciated Alanna’s fierce determination and unique journey, I found myself wishing I felt more immersed in the world. The book moved quickly, and at times I struggled to fully feel present in the scenes or emotionally connected to the characters. That said, it’s still a solid and enjoyable read with a great message, especially for younger readers or anyone looking for a strong female lead in a fantasy setting.
Overall, I’d give Alanna 3.5 stars—it’s a good story with a great heroine, even if it didn’t quite pull me in as deeply as I’d hoped.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
Well, that was a surprise. I definitely didn't expect a young adult book from the 1980s to be that good. Shows how biased I am...
Alanna is a 10-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a knight instead of an expected sorcerer. Problem is, only boys can become knights. When her emotionally absent father ships them off to school, she convinces her twin brother to trade places so that she can train to be a knight (disguised as a boy), while he takes her place to become a sorcerer (no disguise needed because no one limits boys...)
The plot was super smooth and read like a timeless coming of age story. Each page was rich with Alanna's persistence and stubbornness to prove herself among the boys. We have some classic "close calls" that bare resemblance to comedies I grew up with like Mulan (1998) or She's the Man (2007). I kept thinking I've seen this done before, but I’d then realize this was written before any of those familiar references. Silly me.
I really loved Alanna's character development as we begin to see how she starts to accept who she is. I also enjoyed several of the supporting characters, though a few of them blended together at points. I could have done with fewer friends to remember but with more depth to each of them.
Finally, I was surprised how well the writing style holds up as an adult, given that the protagonist is so young. And I'd never read it, so nostalgia wasn’t even a factor. Brava, Pierce! I love to see such early influences of powerful female protagonists in the fantasy genre. I'll be reading the rest of the series ASAP.
Alanna is a 10-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a knight instead of an expected sorcerer. Problem is, only boys can become knights. When her emotionally absent father ships them off to school, she convinces her twin brother to trade places so that she can train to be a knight (disguised as a boy), while he takes her place to become a sorcerer (no disguise needed because no one limits boys...)
The plot was super smooth and read like a timeless coming of age story. Each page was rich with Alanna's persistence and stubbornness to prove herself among the boys. We have some classic "close calls" that bare resemblance to comedies I grew up with like Mulan (1998) or She's the Man (2007). I kept thinking I've seen this done before, but I’d then realize this was written before any of those familiar references. Silly me.
I really loved Alanna's character development as we begin to see how she starts to accept who she is. I also enjoyed several of the supporting characters, though a few of them blended together at points. I could have done with fewer friends to remember but with more depth to each of them.
Finally, I was surprised how well the writing style holds up as an adult, given that the protagonist is so young. And I'd never read it, so nostalgia wasn’t even a factor. Brava, Pierce! I love to see such early influences of powerful female protagonists in the fantasy genre. I'll be reading the rest of the series ASAP.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No