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A review by hopeboyce
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Pros : concept, scope, theme, writing, pace
Cons : the female characters oscillated between stereotypical “men writing women” and moderately compelling, but by the end they each had aspects that left a bad taste in my mouth.
It’s frustrating to read a story with such interesting themes, compelling emotional beats, and practically perfect pacing, and be repeatedly let down by this. And there are several POV female characters - each with distinct voices, motivations and lives - it wasn’t all terrible, it just became disappointing by the end how each arc revolved around sex in some way, either as a tool of agency, a way of measuring innocence, a scene of trauma, or a moment of reward for a male character. I kept giving it slack for being written a few decades ago to just being tired of reading each and every woman be framed through the lens of her sexuality in varying ways.
Also why the hell did Dianora love Brandin? Sure, it would be an interesting dynamic to explore but there’s no convincing development or explanation for why she falls in love. And she is horrified by what happens to Rhun but that doesn’t somehow affect her feelings or convictions?
Cons : the female characters oscillated between stereotypical “men writing women” and moderately compelling, but by the end they each had aspects that left a bad taste in my mouth.
It’s frustrating to read a story with such interesting themes, compelling emotional beats, and practically perfect pacing, and be repeatedly let down by this. And there are several POV female characters - each with distinct voices, motivations and lives - it wasn’t all terrible, it just became disappointing by the end how each arc revolved around sex in some way, either as a tool of agency, a way of measuring innocence, a scene of trauma, or a moment of reward for a male character. I kept giving it slack for being written a few decades ago to just being tired of reading each and every woman be framed through the lens of her sexuality in varying ways.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence