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A review by bookphile
First Test by Tamora Pierce
3.0
I read this book multiple times. Protector of the Small is probably my fav serious out of all the Tortall books, and Kel is my girl.
I knew that the Yamani were based on Japan and Japanese culture, but I didn't pay that much attention. But this time around I not only noticed it, but realized just how heavy based on stereotypes the whole Yamani culture is. The whole fact that Yamani don't like to show emotion and must remain stoic even with family, lucky cats, the whole training thing "running in the rain for nothing". Plus Wyldon actually refers to them as savages and calls their weapons pig-stickers. This is a conservative man we're supposed to come to respect later in the series not only showing extremely racist views but actually voicing them out loud when people of Yamani race are actually present and not have anyone challenge him on it. Same goes for the Bashir... the only Bashir student mentioned at length is really violent and sexist towards Kel. But that's no surprise, the whole Bashir culture is super sexist and racist the way it's written by Pierce in the previous Lioness series.
The sexism in this book is also off the charts. Like Wyldon really forces Kel to do a probation year and then is like "don't expect any special treatment". Well, technically putting her on probation is special treatment, it's just not in her favor. Or when he says in front of her father that women develop fast when her father says she's too young to be thinking about boys in that way. And again he says it in the end, to discourage Kel.
I mean, I've noticed this before, and the fact that this world is pretty sexist is an established fact, one that Tamora is challenging within the story and trying to change. But again, noticing how many times things go unchallenged even by "good" men and again, the fact that we're supposed to learn to respect Wyldon despite his extremely sexist and racist views is kind of grating. It's exactly the kind of rhetoric white liberals are currently pondering that certain bad behaviors should be excused if a person does other good things.
I knew that the Yamani were based on Japan and Japanese culture, but I didn't pay that much attention. But this time around I not only noticed it, but realized just how heavy based on stereotypes the whole Yamani culture is. The whole fact that Yamani don't like to show emotion and must remain stoic even with family, lucky cats, the whole training thing "running in the rain for nothing". Plus Wyldon actually refers to them as savages and calls their weapons pig-stickers. This is a conservative man we're supposed to come to respect later in the series not only showing extremely racist views but actually voicing them out loud when people of Yamani race are actually present and not have anyone challenge him on it. Same goes for the Bashir... the only Bashir student mentioned at length is really violent and sexist towards Kel. But that's no surprise, the whole Bashir culture is super sexist and racist the way it's written by Pierce in the previous Lioness series.
The sexism in this book is also off the charts. Like Wyldon really forces Kel to do a probation year and then is like "don't expect any special treatment". Well, technically putting her on probation is special treatment, it's just not in her favor. Or when he says in front of her father that women develop fast when her father says she's too young to be thinking about boys in that way. And again he says it in the end, to discourage Kel.
I mean, I've noticed this before, and the fact that this world is pretty sexist is an established fact, one that Tamora is challenging within the story and trying to change. But again, noticing how many times things go unchallenged even by "good" men and again, the fact that we're supposed to learn to respect Wyldon despite his extremely sexist and racist views is kind of grating. It's exactly the kind of rhetoric white liberals are currently pondering that certain bad behaviors should be excused if a person does other good things.