charlibirb's review
5.0
***
2nd Read-through:
These books hold a deep nostalgia for me. As an adult, they're WAY shorter than I remember them being. But I love how sexuality is approached for women, for the most part, but as an adult, I am also creeped out at how many of her BFs weren't great at listening to her romantic boundaries, were kind of stalker-y, too. Thanks, Tamora Pierce, for one of my favorite YA stories of all time.
...These books are definitely waaay shorter than I remember them being. I thought it was going to take me a week and a hlaf to get through, but I shot through them!
2nd Read-through:
These books hold a deep nostalgia for me. As an adult, they're WAY shorter than I remember them being. But I love how sexuality is approached for women, for the most part, but as an adult, I am also creeped out at how many of her BFs weren't great at listening to her romantic boundaries, were kind of stalker-y, too. Thanks, Tamora Pierce, for one of my favorite YA stories of all time.
...These books are definitely waaay shorter than I remember them being. I thought it was going to take me a week and a hlaf to get through, but I shot through them!
missbabayaga's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
its_tara's review
5.0
This was probably one of the first fantasy books I read as a child. It follows the story of Alanna - a page who just happens to be a girl and swapped places with her brother.
The characters in this are written beautifully, and as a reader you find yourself very much hoping that Alanna manages to achieve her dream, and totally wrapped up in the world of Tortall. Definitely a worth while read :D
The characters in this are written beautifully, and as a reader you find yourself very much hoping that Alanna manages to achieve her dream, and totally wrapped up in the world of Tortall. Definitely a worth while read :D
bookishwendy's review against another edition
4.0
This was a nostalgic read for me--its been roughly 20 years and while the fantasy plot seems quite well-trodden these days, the character of Alanna holds up surprisingly well. In fact, I rather miss the Alanna-type of tough girl. She isn't the Chosen One, or particularly pretty, or a genius or a super-talented martial-artist. She has some magical ability, but such a thing is normal in her world and doesn't make her special or powerful. She even likes boys but is self-aware enough to recognize that when a handsome man behaves like a creep to her, she immediately loses any attraction she might have felt. In this book a pre-teen Alanna pretends to be a boy so she can train as a knight, but she (realistically) has to work extra hard, is perceived as a weakling by some of the other boys, and so compensates by studying harder and making friends and allies who will stand by her. At one point she does learn some dirty-fighting tactics so that she can challenge a bully, but her surprise attack works exactly once, and she--again, realistically--can't ever use this attack to her advantage again. I find her blend of grit, assertiveness and genuine kindness/vulnerability extremely refreshing in a warrior-type of female character, as I'm weary of angry/revengeful/sociopathic bad-asses. Alanna is special in her ordinariness, something I didn't realize when I read this as a kid, but maybe that's why I still like her so much.
willowbiblio's review
5.0
I will always love these characters and every few years I feel obligated to go back and read all of Tamora’s books again. She gave me some wonderful female protagonists when I, as a young girl, didn’t have much of that provided in literature. These women didn’t need men to be strong and empowered and I love them for that. The Tortall-verse is one I will always carry in my heart.
krissasaur's review
3.0
This book was super cute. Simple, yes, but still super cute.
The story line is very typical, and it does borrow a lot of known ideas, which may turn some people off. Joan of Arc, Sword in the stone, etc.
I have read that she becomes a 'slut' later on which worries me, but then other people have said those reviews are over reacting? We will see. I tend to over react to sex though... And this book feels and is written as a kid's book, so depending on how it's worded, it may or may not bother me. (In this book it was mentioned, but just as, "When a woman lies with a man she gets with child." Which is totally okay with me. Lol.)
The story line is very typical, and it does borrow a lot of known ideas, which may turn some people off. Joan of Arc, Sword in the stone, etc.
I have read that she becomes a 'slut' later on which worries me, but then other people have said those reviews are over reacting? We will see. I tend to over react to sex though... And this book feels and is written as a kid's book, so depending on how it's worded, it may or may not bother me. (In this book it was mentioned, but just as, "When a woman lies with a man she gets with child." Which is totally okay with me. Lol.)
dvybb's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
mariab3's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I read this many times as a kid and am rereading as an adult. I still love the story and characters but now I’m finding myself wishing it was slower paced and more detailed. Still a great introduction to this world and its characters!
lumma_eck's review
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
a rollicking good adventure