Scan barcode
rachelgreenreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was an absolute triumph for young adult fiction. The coming of age of Keladry of Mindalen continues as Kel faces down her remaining three years as a page.
Pierce does not shy away from the difficult topics young girls face, from sexual harassment, to periods, puberty, and birth control, to bullying. Kel is such a lovable and admirable character. She’s fiercely committed to becoming a knight, and her values of protecting those with less power are displayed repeatedly as Kel rescues small animals, intervenes on bullies, and in this book specifically, bears the responsibility of a new maid in her charge.
This book brings immense satisfaction in watching Kel work hard and succeed at what she does, and also handles the complex emotions of girls becoming teens, especially in a male-dominated space.
Obviously I’m not the target audience for this, but it was immensely enjoyable to my inner child, and I felt the content was approachable even in its complexity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying and Kidnapping
Minor: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
PAGE continues with Kel's second year as a page, now that her probation is over. It covers three years, concluding with public tests for pages ready to become squires. It continues Kel's resistance to Joren's bullying, bringing younger pages into her and her friends' protection as they try to stop the hazing. In addition to new and old friends among Kel's peers, she gains a maid and a dog. Lalasa has been subject to unspecified harassment and physical assault, and her uncle, Gower, hopes that being Kel's maid will offer Lalasa some protection. There's a mostly new storyline related to Kel's efforts to teach Lalasa self defense and help her have a life outside her duties. It intersects with the continued harassment of Kel and her fear of heights in a very dramatic finale which I hesitate to spoil. It doesn't really try to wrap up many plot threads, other than specific incidents (which resolve soon after they begin) and the finale. It's building up to challenges she'll presumably face as a squire, meaning that most things are assumed to continue later in some form (or are so minor as to not require a resolution at this time).
Kel's voice is consistent with the first book. She sounded a bit older than ten there and now she actually is, so it's a benefit to this story even if it didn't quite fit the first one. The story could mostly make sense to someone who hasn't read FIRST TEST, since the harassment and bullying begun there continue here in a form which is easy to understand even if its origins were shown elsewhere. Happily, the friends she made before continue here as well, with the welcome addition of Owen to their group. It also focuses on Kel's perception of her training and the differences in her body as becomes a teenager. This gets the room to be a fuller story and slightly less of an anti-bullying PSA, while still having enough of that for continuity. The slight reduction there is made up for in discussions of sexual harassment and self-protection, as Kel teaches Lalasa to defend herself from unwanted advances. It's a bit coy about exactly what Lalasa fears, and my one worry would be that it's only helpful to a reader who doesn't need things explained in the first place.
Overall it feels like this book is doing more work for the quartet as a whole than it is for itself as a volume within it. The plot that's mostly unique to this volume has to do with Lalasa, but even that story is of Kel trying to prepare her to defend herself and then it not being enough without Kel's help. Having read later books before, I know that even this incident is part of a broader conflict spanning most of the series, which means that the main conflict is a continuation of things begun earlier and finished elsewhere. That's fine for the second book in a quartet, it's common for book two of a series to have this feeling, I just wish this book had more that was its own.
Kel's voice is consistent with the first book. She sounded a bit older than ten there and now she actually is, so it's a benefit to this story even if it didn't quite fit the first one. The story could mostly make sense to someone who hasn't read FIRST TEST, since the harassment and bullying begun there continue here in a form which is easy to understand even if its origins were shown elsewhere. Happily, the friends she made before continue here as well, with the welcome addition of Owen to their group. It also focuses on Kel's perception of her training and the differences in her body as becomes a teenager. This gets the room to be a fuller story and slightly less of an anti-bullying PSA, while still having enough of that for continuity. The slight reduction there is made up for in discussions of sexual harassment and self-protection, as Kel teaches Lalasa to defend herself from unwanted advances. It's a bit coy about exactly what Lalasa fears, and my one worry would be that it's only helpful to a reader who doesn't need things explained in the first place.
Overall it feels like this book is doing more work for the quartet as a whole than it is for itself as a volume within it. The plot that's mostly unique to this volume has to do with Lalasa, but even that story is of Kel trying to prepare her to defend herself and then it not being enough without Kel's help. Having read later books before, I know that even this incident is part of a broader conflict spanning most of the series, which means that the main conflict is a continuation of things begun earlier and finished elsewhere. That's fine for the second book in a quartet, it's common for book two of a series to have this feeling, I just wish this book had more that was its own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, and War
inferiorwit's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
rini's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Child abuse
manarnia's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There are so many things I love about this book! Kel is such a good protagonist, and the challenges she faces are somehow relatable despite being things that would never happen to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Vomit
meganpbennett's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After having completed her first year as a probationary page, Kel has become an official page. This book covers all of the years that she is a page, so many months are glanced over unless something happens. <i>Page</i> is very similar to <i>First Test</i>, and to the various Alanna books, though Kel hires a lady's maid.
Kel shows leadership skills, and works on her fear of heights while also learning how to be a page, and how to handle the boys who don't think women should be knights.
Kel shows leadership skills, and works on her fear of heights while also learning how to be a page, and how to handle the boys who don't think women should be knights.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Misogyny
Minor: Vomit
victorianrogue's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Sexism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Violence, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death and Vomit