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A review by amyelizabeth
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
Long before Harry Potter had a twinkle in his green eyes, there was Sparrowhawk of Gont. While Harry Potter, the wizard du jour, is humble and shy, Ged is loud, proud and eager for attention. Seeking greatness, Ged eventually leaves the apprenticeship of Ogion to pursue studies at the island of the wise - Roke Island, where there is ag boarding school for apprentic wizards.
Ged's rivalry with an older, wealthy apprentic wizard, pushes Ged to learn more and be greater than any boy at his school. Even that is still is not enough, Ged truly wishes to best the older boy and ultimately, causes Ged to commit a great act of evil in the process.
Le Guin's writing style is sparce, but incredibly effective in creating a setting and mood. The thing that I most enjoy about the Earthsea novels, is that they deviate from the normal ethnocentricism of fantasy novels and use non-western cultures as a model for Earthsea. Le Guin also brings up interesting issues of gender and race. My favorite element of Le Guin's writing style are her ongoing themes of balance, light and dark, life and death, which are heavily influenced by Buddism.
Ged's rivalry with an older, wealthy apprentic wizard, pushes Ged to learn more and be greater than any boy at his school. Even that is still is not enough, Ged truly wishes to best the older boy and ultimately, causes Ged to commit a great act of evil in the process.
Le Guin's writing style is sparce, but incredibly effective in creating a setting and mood. The thing that I most enjoy about the Earthsea novels, is that they deviate from the normal ethnocentricism of fantasy novels and use non-western cultures as a model for Earthsea. Le Guin also brings up interesting issues of gender and race. My favorite element of Le Guin's writing style are her ongoing themes of balance, light and dark, life and death, which are heavily influenced by Buddism.