Sunday, September 22, 2013

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

"'From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight.' 
And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. 
But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies. 
Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins -- one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land."


So I'm having a horrible weekend of being sick, and found my old copy of this somewhere out of the blue. Needless to say, it was my couch buddy. And, since I haven't reviewed this before, I figured I'd enlighten y'alls that haven't read this fabulous woman's work. I basically grew up with this series, and roughly seven years later, I still love reading it. Let me explain why: Alanna is the most amazingly awesome role model for any girl. She basically goes, "gender roles? What the heck is the point?" and does what she's determined to do. She's stubborn and headstrong but also very innocent in a way, which she has to learn to leave behind fast and use cleverness and quick thinking. Tamora Pierce has this rare writing where it entrances kids and teenagers and adults all in one fell swoop. I honestly can't say enough good about this series and this author; she's responsible for a good part of my childhood and I still love her today. This book in particular is at Keet, Blatchley, SHS, Mt. Edgecumbe, and Kettleson... and I'm gonna stare at you virtually through this screen until you read it. 

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