Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - In the Hand of the Goddess

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

6 reviews

fuchsiarascal's review

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

I just finished re-reading this in 2024 for the first time since I wrote this review in 2012, but I'm gonna keep it because it's still accurate.

5.0 nostalgia, 4.0 re-read, 4.5 actual.

Okay, I've re-read this many times, but never with as large a gap [3+ years] and as much a focus on critical thinking as now. That being said, although the Immortals Quartet stands as my favourite Tortall series and I relate to Diane more overall... this book has always been my favourite. And, looking at it critically, I stand by that judgment. It does have its faults (not all author-related), but its strengths make up for those. I do have a couple of disclaimers for people who are reading it in their post-teen years: this book is decidedly in a market of its time. The entire series' length was cut in half, at least, due to publishers not believing that a fantasy novel, especially with a female protagonist, would sell well in the years before Harry Potter (author Tamora Pierce has commented on this numerous times throughout the past 15 years). As a result, the characters, plot, and novelization are rushed throughout the first two books (which, combined, take place over 8 years), which gives the books a juvenile feel. This is a result of publishing (oh, how I wish I could read those original versions of the first two books!) and something that's not reflected in Tammy's later novels, whether the last two books of this series or subsequent series. If you can get past the juvenile-esque writing of these first two books, you will be duly rewarded, I assure you.

I can't tap into what originally made me declare this book my favourite book of all time. I originally read these books in 1996, pre-Protector of the Small quartet and actually, before most of the Immortals quartet. I identified with Alanna's need to get out and prove herself against ~masculine~ warriors. I came into this series obsessed with Joan of Arc, but already familiar with the world (and slightly with Alanna's legacy) via Wild Magic. I left this series as a feminist activist, thankful that Alanna was a character who presented both masculine and feminine qualities. But, admittedly, I've evolved beyond my 13 year old definitions of feminism in the last 15 years since I originally read this book. All that being said, it's still my favourite.

The strong point of this novel is, in my opinion, Alanna's acceptance of her gender. You might disagree with that but, in my perception, that is what hit strongest. In this book, Alanna becomes more real, fighting her desire for love vs. her knowledge of the pain it causes; her feminine side vs. the masculine side that will keep her safe. She has chosen a masculine appearance (until her knighting) that will keep her free and safe from harassment and yet, despite this, she explores what it means to be a female and what it will mean after she's earned her shield. She's an excellent student and squire but that doesn't mean that she knows everything, something she learns fairly quickly during her squire training.

Personally, the steps Alanna takes towards accepting her femininity mean the world to me. At this point, I don't really care about her knight training or her relationship between Jonathan or George. Alanna taught me how to accept both femininity and masculinity, and accept what they meant to me. I can't put a rating on that. What matters is that it made me think about it and come to my own conclusions. What makes a female a female? What makes up masculine characteristics? Alanna shows that you can be a bit of both, honestly. (2024 note: Tammy has since stated that now, she sees Alanna as gender fluid, but did not have the words to accurately reflect that in the 80s. It makes a lot of sense and something I always felt.)

So many feels, y'all.

Content Warnings

blissofalife's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

An enjoyable quick read, I liked that there were so many time jumps but listening along and trying to keep track was sometimes jarring.

Content Warnings

booksthatburn's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Now squire to Prince Jonathan, Alanna is on her way to being a knight and finally revealing that she's not the boy, Alan, that she's been disguised as since she became a page.

The new worldbuilding focuses on Alanna's first experience of war, as well as some new examples of how magic works. Being a squire seems to give Alanna more freedom than being a page, able to travel see Thom at one point. This is also the introduction of Faithful, Alanna's cat whose meows sound like speech to her and may have a supernatural origin.

Both of Alanna’s suitors are older than her and are young adults by modern standards while she’s still a teenager, though are reasonably close to her in age. She’s fifteen to George’s twenty-one when he first kisses her and she rejects his advances. A year after the first kiss, George lets her know he’s interested in marrying her and is willing to wait years if need be, something that is on a fine line between endearing and creepy, saved mostly by their continued strong friendship and the fact that he does stop actively pursuing her after this conversation. Later on, she and Jonathan get together when she’s seventeen and he’s around twenty-one. At one point Jon gets possessive of her, a difficulty compounded by the fact that their relationship is a secret. Given the overall arc of the series, this works pretty well and is one step in Alanna figuring out what she wants from relationships and how she'll approach love and sex.

Alanna's distrust of Duke Roger, sorcerer and cousin to the king, continues. She keeps being suspicious of him but then not doing anything about it (for eventually explained plot reasons). It covers the final years of Alanna's disguise as Alan, since she planned from the start to reveal her identity when she became a knight. There's a new storyline related to the war with Tusaine, beginning with diplomatic efforts and then leading into Alanna fighting in part of the campaign. I don't think there are any major things introduced and resolved within this book, since even the war with Tusaine serves as an extension of machinations begun earlier. Alanna's relationship with Jon begins here, but I don't think it could be called "resolved" at this point, it's implicitly on hold while Alanna is traveling but they haven't talked about it within the text.

This leaves the rest of Alanna's life for later, but specifically her next steps as a newly-revealed Lady Knight, travelling with Coram to figure out what she wants. Alanna is still the main narrator, but this includes small sections following other characters, most of whom have grown and changed from the first book. It covers several years of her life, and Alanna matures a lot during that time. It could make sense for someone to start here, as it doesn't rely on a lot of complicated backstory and it briefly recaps whatever is necessary. The main plot focuses on Alanna's time as a squire, ranging from her upcoming Ordeal of Knighthood, to the campaign against Tusaine, to Roger's meddling. It also shows more of Thom than the first book, now that he's almost done with his magical studies.

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