A review by cicadaknight
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

No plot just vibes. Feels like an interlude between two main chapters. 

I remember Jonathan was my favorite character as a kid. I named a fish after him. And after reading this book I was so pissed at him I gave “Jonathan” the fish to my teacher because I couldn’t stand to look at him.

• I appreciate that Alanna was having none of his bullshit even though they loved each other. 
• Don’t understand how she moved on so quickly.
• Not a whole lot of knightly action here. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Islamophobia, Misogyny, and Self harm

-Kid gets burned alive by magic. -General Islamophobia/xenophobia regarding the Bazhir people and their culture. Whole plot of the book is a white woman changing the Bazhirs’ traditions because they’re “backwards” (specifically about women’s position and role in the tribe/face veils). However, she herself learns to be more flexible and the Bazhir characters are mostly complex and warm. -Self harm: spells involving cutting wrist/forearm.