emilyjarman's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
adashske's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
maren_hemsath's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
circleofreadersdruid's review against another edition
5.0
I have to say, Tehanu is the best in the Earthsea books so far. I liked the first three, especially the second, which also featured Tenar, but in Tehanu, Le Guin has finally come into her own as a writer. The slow reveal of where she was going with her world- and magic-building was delicious, and I lapped up every bit of her questions and discourses about feminism, power, and societal responsibility. Here’s one of my favorite quotes:
If women had power, what would men be but women who can’t bear children. And what would women be but men who can.
One last note: Jenny Sterlin is an amazing narrator. I’ll be on the lookout for more books read by her.
If women had power, what would men be but women who can’t bear children. And what would women be but men who can.
One last note: Jenny Sterlin is an amazing narrator. I’ll be on the lookout for more books read by her.
enbyglitch's review against another edition
5.0
Another solid Earthsea book, which greatly subverted my expectations of both the series and feminism.
Two books I've read are somewhat reminiscient - Hobb's "Ship of Destiny" and Larkwood's "The Unspoken Name". In either of those stories, Tenar or Therru would have eventually taken up the power to deal with the problems facing them. Here though, their heroism comes in surviving abuse until an opportune moment. It is a very different take than I'd seen previously, and probably puts to rest my hopes of seeing Tenar become a cool wizard in this series haha.
Le Guin has a lot to say here about the victimization and dehumanization of women in the acts and words of men - and the truth there cannot be denied. It's fascinating to me that she emphasizes and explores a real binary between the genders, then in the Afterword talks about needing to transcend systems that have proven chronically traumatic. Maybe its just my genderqueer bias, but I think she was almost there.
Overall a good story, if certainly worthy of all kinds of content warnings regarding sexism and abuse. Le Guin's take on feminism is both wildly different and interesting in its own right.
Two books I've read are somewhat reminiscient - Hobb's "Ship of Destiny" and Larkwood's "The Unspoken Name". In either of those stories, Tenar or Therru would have eventually taken up the power to deal with the problems facing them. Here though, their heroism comes in surviving abuse until an opportune moment. It is a very different take than I'd seen previously, and probably puts to rest my hopes of seeing Tenar become a cool wizard in this series haha.
Le Guin has a lot to say here about the victimization and dehumanization of women in the acts and words of men - and the truth there cannot be denied. It's fascinating to me that she emphasizes and explores a real binary between the genders, then in the Afterword talks about needing to transcend systems that have proven chronically traumatic. Maybe its just my genderqueer bias, but I think she was almost there.
Overall a good story, if certainly worthy of all kinds of content warnings regarding sexism and abuse. Le Guin's take on feminism is both wildly different and interesting in its own right.
fi_reads_books's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sjbooks123's review against another edition
5.0
Favorite of the books. Excellent in dealing with the treatment of Tehanu, getting Ged and Tenar together, contempt of son to mother, feminist view of Tenar and the duties of women, required to go on, Ged selfish and unseeing.
rwittmann's review against another edition
3.0
While the most direct sequel in the Earthsea Cycle so far (the smallest time gap between two books), which I've missed a bit in the previous books, this is also what I'd consider the most boring one. The pacing is rather slow, the world-building the smallest, and the action/fantasy is low.
It does provide some interesting developments for Ged and Tenar (who finally makes her return), which I enjoyed, but too much depends on pay-offs in the following books to gain it more than 3 stars.
Spoiler
It does set up things for the rest of the series with characters and prophecies which were the most intriguing parts, but those positives are very reliant on whether the following - and remaining, two books can deliverIt does provide some interesting developments for Ged and Tenar (who finally makes her return), which I enjoyed, but too much depends on pay-offs in the following books to gain it more than 3 stars.