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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
While I do wish I had encountered this book while growing up, even now I can‘t help but give it 5 stars. As Le Guin herself states in the afterword, this book was at once familiar in its usage of old fantasy tropes yet at the same went so far beyond that.
The story is still epic in scale, yet the cast is much smaller than would be expected. No wars stand at the center of the plot, but instead the main character‘s growth and self discovery. Le Guin makes her observations about the different characters with clear-eyedness and poetry. She writes like an anthropologist in that she withholds prejudice for different cultures, skin colors etc., seeing merit in all of them. She in fact manages to turn a surface level story of the battle between light and darkness into a rich study of grays.
The same skilled observations are made for the world and magic system. Descriptions are beautiful, yet not overly flowery. Instead there is a certain understatedness that gives the imagination more than enough to make the world feel alive, while never detracting from the actual action going on. Rather, certain omissions and unexplained terms indicate that the world has more secrets hidden everywhere, just waiting to be discovered by the reader.
The Wizard is understated while still feeling grand. It is beautifully crafted by a true master of the genre and will invite the reader to revisit Earthsea time and time again, be it through the other Earthsea books or inevitable rereads.
This is rightfully considered a classic I would recommend to anyone not fully scared away by a bit of magic.
The story is still epic in scale, yet the cast is much smaller than would be expected. No wars stand at the center of the plot, but instead the main character‘s growth and self discovery. Le Guin makes her observations about the different characters with clear-eyedness and poetry. She writes like an anthropologist in that she withholds prejudice for different cultures, skin colors etc., seeing merit in all of them. She in fact manages to turn a surface level story of the battle between light and darkness into a rich study of grays.
The same skilled observations are made for the world and magic system. Descriptions are beautiful, yet not overly flowery. Instead there is a certain understatedness that gives the imagination more than enough to make the world feel alive, while never detracting from the actual action going on. Rather, certain omissions and unexplained terms indicate that the world has more secrets hidden everywhere, just waiting to be discovered by the reader.
The Wizard is understated while still feeling grand. It is beautifully crafted by a true master of the genre and will invite the reader to revisit Earthsea time and time again, be it through the other Earthsea books or inevitable rereads.
This is rightfully considered a classic I would recommend to anyone not fully scared away by a bit of magic.
adventurous
hopeful
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the only thing i remember is writing a whole essay abt this in year 1 and failing the class fuck you ged
While I saw the twist at the end coming (him being the shadow) it was still really good. I like the world and the quick character development. It’s different to see a hero cause the world-ending disaster in the beginning
I loved it, lad!
Great story that defies the ego of the hero and emphasises the love and respect in male friendship and mentorship.
Also with a radical environmentalist philosophy.
Interesting contrasting representation of wizards compared to witches in terms of the misogynistic witch archetype. Also very interesting representations of race. Also some very cool linguistic philosophy through the importance of language in the books concept of magic that could get very deep.
But love this quote:
“The wisman is one that never sets himself apart from other living things, whether they have speech or not, and in later years he strove to learn what can be learned, in silence, from the eyes of animals, the flight of birds, the great slow gesture of trees.”
So much environmental wisdom!!! The magic of listening to the world speak is real.
Great story that defies the ego of the hero and emphasises the love and respect in male friendship and mentorship.
Also with a radical environmentalist philosophy.
Interesting contrasting representation of wizards compared to witches in terms of the misogynistic witch archetype. Also very interesting representations of race. Also some very cool linguistic philosophy through the importance of language in the books concept of magic that could get very deep.
But love this quote:
“The wisman is one that never sets himself apart from other living things, whether they have speech or not, and in later years he strove to learn what can be learned, in silence, from the eyes of animals, the flight of birds, the great slow gesture of trees.”
So much environmental wisdom!!! The magic of listening to the world speak is real.
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Animal death, Slavery