A review by neni
Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous dark inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 This was amazing. The tone and themes of the book really surprised me, in a most positive way. You can definitely tell Ursula wrote this some time after the first 3 books, because the vibe is completely different (darker, more mature and reflective) while somehow still maintaining the “spririt” of the previous stories. 

Let me just start by saying that I was NOT expecting this to be such a feminist view on gender roles, especially women’s roles, in society, but I was deeply impressed by how the author managed to have such meaningful reflections and thoughts about these subjects, while weaving them into and maintaining an engaging and believable (more on that later) plot and storyline with the characters. 

I loved having Tenar as the main character again. She is fierce and brave and intelligent as fuck, and I aspire to reach her levels of awesomeness to be honest. Tombs of Atuan is arguably my favorite of the first 3 books, and this felt like a continuation of that vibe but somehow evolved and better. Upgraded Tenar vibes lol 

It was great to see a middle aged woman as a main character instead of the habitual twenty something heroine (nothing wrong with young female protagonists, but it does tend to be the norm, especially in the fantasy genre). And particularly, one so expertly written was a joy to read. 
Ursula is a master of characterization (and just writing in general really), and this work really showcases that. Tenar feels so real, so complex, her inner toughts and her often conflicting emotions are incredibly well refined, in a way that just allows the reader to deeply connect with her and care about her life and her relationships. It’s honestly incredible to experience. 

One of the things that impresses me the most as well, is the way she manages to built tension within a plot that is objectively not that fancy or complicated. The setting is very simple and pastoral, not that much happens really, at least in terms of like “normal fantasy” tropes. So, no big exciting battles or mysteries happen. But still, the story feels incredibly compelling and important, and you care about the characters because they feel real and deeply complex, even though there’s arguably not that much time alloted to character development in a typical sense. I genuinely can’t explain what makes this so fascinating to me, but there’s a definitive unique quality to Ursula’s writing and storytelling that I don’t really get anywhere else. 

About the writing style, I have nothing to say but praise. She has a distinctive style with a certain “magical” rhythm to the phrasing, that gives the prose an almost hypnotic quality, even though it’s, once again, not the flashiest or most elaborate in objective terms. One of her (many) strongsuits is description, especially the use of metaphors, which she performs masterfully to build beautiful imagery and ambience. 

Coming back to the themes, there were plenty of interesting (and often painful) discussions on women’s identities and roles in society. How older women are often seen as useless and not worthy of love or respect, even by those who are closest to them (children, spouses). Also, how in many cases, older women (or women in general really) aren’t even truly seen, in a way. Not allowed space to exist, to thrive, outside of the boxes, roles and norms that restrain them. It’s remarkable how this is a fantasy story, and a great one at that, but also so much more. 

In terms on how I felt reading it, I love Tenar, as I’ve said. It was heartbreaking but also inspiring and hopeful in a way to see Ged again, and his healing process after all the trauma he’s been through. The meaningful insights into gender roles weren’t exclusively about women. I think Ged’s plotline and struggle after losing his magic exemplified a ton of issues and problems men also face in society. The reflections on motherhood were fantastic as well. 

Overall, this was just a great book that more people should read, regardless of if they even like fantasy or not. Because, even though there’s the ocasional awesome dragon appearance, it’s mostly about humans. And I think that’s beautiful. 
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