Much as I love A Wizard of Earthsea, it is evident that there isn't much femininity within its pages. It appears to be a male-dominated society, as if shaped solely by men with women merely inhabiting it. I wonder how much thought Le Guin initially put into this aspect. In the story, the women don't really have a significant place. There's the witch, Serret, the Kargish woman, and Yarrow, but they don't play major roles in Ged's life. He is taken away from the tutelage of the witch because only a man can teach him wizardry, and there are sayings like "Weak as women's magic" and "Wicked as women's magic".

Le Guin does address these issues later in Tehanu, but women are truly absent in the first book.

So, it is refreshing to have a book framed by women such as Tenar, Thar, Kossil, and Penthe, the priestesses and novices of the Tombs. Women are the only ones allowed to serve the gods, or at least the Nameless Ones - well, women and eunuchs. The fact that Arha/Tenar is the main character, rather than Ged, gives the story a whole different perspective. She has a distinct kind of life, and thus her story is quite different. Her story is less of an epic quest like Ged's - there is tension and danger, but they are not striving towards something; they are escaping something. She has to grow as a person in a different way. The quest remains Ged's, as before, but this time we see him enter from the outside. It is truly interesting.

The language, descriptions, and images in this book are all as beautiful as in the first one. There is something very captivating about the Tombs and the dark rituals. You can sense the cold and the routine hardness - you feel trapped in the rut that Arha has been stuck in throughout her many lives. You can feel the slow unchanging nature of the place. And you also feel the joy and weight of the escape. I believe I like the rhythms and tastes of this book the best in the entire series. Some of the descriptions have firmly lodged in my mind - the drum struck at a slow heart-pace, the little thistle growing beside Ged's hand. And some of the things Ged says, his descriptions of Havnor and his speech that is essentially about "nature red in tooth and claw".

This is really the only book that steps out of Ged's own culture. The others are mostly rooted in the Archipelagan traditions, which is interesting enough, but this one provides a bit more worldbuilding. And that is truly awesome.

I truly adore Le Guin's unique voice and her profound soul. Interestingly, I've always claimed to hate fantasy. In fact, I've told this to countless people that I've come to believe it myself. However, there are exceptions, and Le Guin is one of them. She had the talent that if she had written self-help or business books, I would have gladly devoured them. She was a feminist, yet unafraid to pen a book with a female lead who is assisted by a man or a wizard. Her works explore power, evil, humanity, big questions, and nuanced answers. Her prose is excellent, but it's her characters that truly shine. I believe she recognized that the key to writing about strength lies in writing about weakness, just as the secret to writing about light is to explore darkness. Although this may not be one of her greatest novels, I might even change my mind about that. If the ideas in this book continue to reverberate in the labyrinths of my brain in a couple of weeks, I might have to give this book a 5-star rating just to find some sort of escape from its powerful grip.

"Alone, no one wins freedom."
- The Tombs of Atuan


*


* Monuments by Kappifern

Deep in the barbaric Kargish lands, they worship the Old Ones, the Nameless Ones. These are immortal powers, not human, but long dead, and angry at human's brief lives full of light.

Tenar was chosen as a High Priestess of this ancient and grand temple. She is the only one permitted deep in the Tomb. Until one day she discovers a man. And he is committing sacrilege, no less, by making light in the deep darkness below, for the first time in several millennia.

I cannot believe Ursula K. Le Guin wrote this in 1969! The style of writing is reminiscent of Tolkien, or Guy Gavriel Kay. The Tombs of Atuan, unlike most other fantasy works, is full of adventure but without battles. Even so, it is immensely interesting.

In Earthsea, only men are Mages. While women can be witches, but are usually untrained. The power of the Nameless Ones is dark, cunning and twisted, something traditionally attributed to women.

Tenar was forced into her role as a High Priestess. We see her life, and her frustration at what seems to be great power, but is instead a life full of regulations and restrictions. Her dark deeds haunt her dreams.

It is interesting that the only way either of them can leave and be free is if they trust each other. They have to lean on each other, Tenar and Sparrowhawk, while the ancient powers seek to crush them. Tenar isn't the typical fantasy woman, a strong warrior. No, she gained her power in a different way. Though her faith turned out to be false, she still gained her strength from it.

I have a feeling this entire series will be 5 out of 5 stars rating. Once again, I cannot believe it took me this long to read this series! I am glad I get to read it in an illustrated omnibus. It is truly a captivating and thought-provoking work that will stay with me for a long time.

Ekip okumalarina dahil kitaplardan biriydi Ursula Le Guin'in eseri.

Ursula Le Guin'i her okuyusumda daha fazla seviyor, kalemine hayran oluyorum. Ne gec kalmisim okumaya!

Bu kitapta Tenar'in hikayesini okudum. Atuanda mezarlar ve karanlikla yuzlestim. Okurken kendi yasamimdaki donemecleri ve kararlarimi sorguladigim zamanlarim oldu.

Ve Ged... Cevik Atmacam... Onun durusunu, karakterini oyle seviyorum ki.

Defalarca okunasi gereken bir kitap! Her okuma sirasinda yeni bir anlama sahip olabiliyorum. Kitabin karakterleri ve anlatimi beni her seferinde daha derinlere indirmektensevinir. Ayrıca, Ursula Le Guin'in kullanici oldugu dili ve anlatim tarzini oldukca etkileyici buluyorum. Bu kitap, okuyucunun hayati bakis acisini degistirebilir ve yeni fikirler ve duygulara sahip olmasina olanak saglar. Kesinlikle tavsiye ederim.

4.5 Stars

It took me a considerable amount of time to truly immerse myself in the story. This was mainly due to the dark setting and the sense of isolation that pervaded it.

However, Ursula K. Le Guin did a truly fantastic job of delving deep into the themes of freedom and human will.

The story follows a young girl named Tenar, who is regarded as a high priestess reborn. We spend a great deal of time inside Tenar's mind, and Le Guin did an incredible job of portraying her both as a high priestess and as a little girl. The distinction between the two aspects of her character is quite clear, and Le Guin managed to achieve this in less than 200 pages.

This story has had a profound impact on me and is going to stay with me for a very long time. It is a testament to Le Guin's remarkable storytelling abilities and her ability to create complex and engaging characters within a relatively short space. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking and well-written fiction.

This was my favorite Earthsea volume in my memory;

it's still my favorite on reread. Tenar's coming-of-age story has a special resonance for me in a way Ged's never did.

Her petty joys and deeper kindnesses, her struggle to build an ethical foundation from first principles, and her simultaneous wonder and fear at the world all contribute to making her story truly engaging.

I appreciate that Ged is right in suggesting that she needs to leave, but it's Tenar herself who has a better sense of what her new life should be, and Ged comes to respect that.

Moreover, I'm looking forward to reading The Other Wind with the context of the rest of the series fresh in my mind.

I have read it before, but it was fifteen years after I read the original trilogy, so now I hope to better appreciate the way it weaves together previous hints of Earthsea's metaphysics.

Side note: I read the first edition, as pictured here, but the cover on mine (otherwise identical) is blue, not orange.

In fact, every picture of the first edition online I can find has the cover in blue.

I wonder what the story of the orange variant is?

The second volume of the Books of Earthsea pleased me as much or even more than the first one.

In 'A Wizard of Earthsea', we witnessed the initiation process of the character. However, in 'The Tombs of Atuan', the action is more confined.

The story takes place in a single location, and the author takes her time in developing the plot.

It is a fantasy to savor. The detailed descriptions of the setting and the characters' emotions add depth to the narrative.

We are drawn into the world of Earthsea and become invested in the journey of the protagonist.

The author's writing style is engaging and immersive, making it difficult to put the book down.

Overall, 'The Tombs of Atuan' is a worthy addition to the series and a must-read for fans of fantasy literature.

The second installment in the Earthsea Cycle, this book delves into the coming of age story of a young woman named Tenar, who is committed to serving the Nameless Ones. For the most part, the book felt rather slow-paced for me. However, it began to gain momentum when our wizard Ged from the first book made an appearance and managed to transform Tenar's world.

Some of the book's strengths include:
1. Simple story. The narrative follows Tenar, who is chosen to be the next high priestess in the Tombs of Atuan due to being born on the same moon day as the previous high priestess's death. Removed from her family at five, she quickly accepts the tombs as her home, guided by Thar & Kossil. She befriends Manan, an eunuch tasked with protecting her. As she matures, she realizes the cruelty in her duties but remains silent, finding solace in the tombs' darkness. Her perspective changes when she meets Ged in the tombs.
2. Narration by Ursula K Le Guin. Listening to the audio, with Le Guin voicing Tenar, she flawlessly conveys all of Tenar's emotions. It's fair to say that her narration kept me engaged despite the slow pace.

On the other hand, some of the book's weaknesses are:
1. The rivalry between Kossil & Tenar seems hollow. The ownership of the tombs is contested by priestesses of two different sects, one worshipping the God king and the other serving the Nameless ones. Kossil, serving the God king, is often shown misguiding Tenar. However, aside from a few incidents, their rivalry felt underdeveloped, and given the book's length, Le Guin could have explored it more deeply.
2. The book is too slow. As mentioned earlier, the story drags after Tenar becomes the priestess in the tombs and only picks up when Ged arrives. Overall, I rate this book 3/5 stars.

As I was reading this book, I realized that the most suitable profession for me would be the High Priestess of the Tombs of Atuan.

Constantly wearing black robes, living on an island surrounded by women and never seeing a man.

Being feared and respected by everyone in the era in which she lives.

With the only responsibility in between being to smoke opium and dance in the dark all night.

Getting lost alone in the underground labyrinths.

"What a dream," I say to myself only....

This idea of such a secluded and mysterious life appeals to me on many levels. The thought of being the center of such power and respect, yet living a life away from the chaos and distractions of the outside world, is truly captivating. It makes me wonder what it would be like to step into the shoes of the High Priestess and experience this unique existence for myself.

What wonderful and vivid imagery this book contains.

Imagery that holds great power for those readers who can identify with the central figure, Arha/Tenar. Especially for those who are faced with challenges in their own lives similar to those she confronts.

I discovered imagery of the mystery and challenge of self-discovery. There is also imagery of the conflict and dual-nature within humanity and within individuals.

Imagery of loss, dedication, loneliness, and self-denial can be found. Additionally, there is imagery of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Imagery of gender roles and expectations is present, and even (dare I say it?) imagery of sex and the loss of one's innocence.

In a sense, The Tombs of Atuan is the female counterpart to A Wizard of Earthsea. However, don't misunderstand me. I don't think The Tombs of Atuan is merely the female counterpart to its predecessor. It just seems like the obvious point of comparison.

Both books have a lot to say about finding one's self and one's way in the world. The first does so through a male character, Ged, and the second through a female character, Tenar.

I can't claim that I identified with Tenar nearly as well as I identified with Ged, but that's acceptable. I didn't enjoy the second book any less. I simply enjoyed it in different ways.

The Tombs of Atuan showcases UKL's talents as a writer. She has the ability to make abstract concepts feel tangible and familiar or overwrought concepts feel new and refreshing.

The Earthsea books are far better than I anticipated. My only regret is that it took me so long to read them.

Enamorada quedé,

qué increíble mundo es éste.

Qué personaja tan multicolor y fascinante.

Es como una brillante luz en la oscuridad, iluminando mi camino y llenando mi corazón de alegría y esperanza.

Cada momento pasado junto a este personaje es como una joya preciosa que guardo en el fondo de mi corazón.

Su presencia me hace sentir viva y llena de energía.

No puedo imaginar mi vida sin él ahora.

Es como un capítulo nuevo y emocionante en mi historia, y estoy ansiosa por ver cómo sigue desarrollándose.

Enamorada quedé, y no me arrepiento en absoluto.

Este mundo y este personaje son mi tesoro más preciado.

Hem surukleyici, elinden biraktirmiyor kendini, hem de kisacik. Olmaz ki boyle.

This book really intrigued me. It had a certain charm that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Bu kitabi da cok sevdim, ve basima bir is gelmeyecekse eger icimdeki gizli romantigi durttu bu kitaptaki guzel bag.

I loved this book so much that if no work comes my way, the beautiful bond in this book will keep my hidden romanticism alive.

"Ogrenmeye basladigi sey aslinda ozgurlugun yukuydu. Ozgurluk agir bir yuktur, ruhun yuklenmesi gereken buyuk ve garip bir sorumluluk. Kolay degildir. Verilen bir armagan degil, yapilan bir secimdir; bu secim de zor bir secim olabilir. Yol, yukariya, isiga dogru cikar; ama yuklu yolcu oraya hicbir zaman varamayabilir."

The thing he started learning was actually the burden of freedom. Freedom is a heavy burden, a great and strange responsibility that the soul must bear. It is not easy. It is not a given gift but a choice made; and this choice can be a difficult one. The path leads upwards, towards the light; but the burdened traveler may never reach there.

Bu arada bizim dunyada da var ise eger iki parcaya ayrilmis bir halka ki birlestiginde barisi getirecek; herkes yanina yoresine bir baksin bence. Ozgurluk yukunu secebilmek ve isiga varabilmek dilegiyle.

By the way, if there is a ring in our world that is divided into two parts and when joined together will bring peace; I think everyone should look around their vicinity. With the hope of being able to choose the burden of freedom and reach the light.

Bes yildiz. Five stars.