A review by house_of_hannah
First Test by Tamora Pierce
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
2.5
I originally read this series when I was in middle school, and I'm planning on re-reading the entire series. I definitely forgot how brutal the beginning is. Within the first 14 pages there is a traumatic animal death. It shocked me, especially since nothing else in this book comes close to that scene.
You can really tell that this is the first in a series as most of the time is spent building the world, characters, and explaining what being a Page entails. We go through their weapon training, horseback riding lessons, and classes, so there isn't exactly a lot of action. I imagine this picks up now that we "know" the world.
I actually kept forgetting that the main character, Kel, is only 10 years old. The Page that is tasked with showing her around and such is 15, and it very often feels like they are the same age. I'm curious to see if we feel the progression of her age as the series goes on, or if she is going to have the same "voice".
Overall I thought this book was ok. It felt a bit slow, and wasn't as intense as I remember. I'm looking forward to seeing how the second book handles the story.
You can really tell that this is the first in a series as most of the time is spent building the world, characters, and explaining what being a Page entails. We go through their weapon training, horseback riding lessons, and classes, so there isn't exactly a lot of action. I imagine this picks up now that we "know" the world.
I actually kept forgetting that the main character, Kel, is only 10 years old. The Page that is tasked with showing her around and such is 15, and it very often feels like they are the same age. I'm curious to see if we feel the progression of her age as the series goes on, or if she is going to have the same "voice".
Overall I thought this book was ok. It felt a bit slow, and wasn't as intense as I remember. I'm looking forward to seeing how the second book handles the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, and Sexism