4.5 stars!

I truly and wholeheartedly love the adventure that we embarked upon in this third novel!

Alanna has gracefully transitioned into womanhood after spending such a long time presenting as a man.

The year that this book is set in has been a wonderful journey for her as she discovers and embraces her true self.

I find myself loving her even more deeply now than I did at the beginning of the series.

I am finally beginning to understand the reason why this series is so adored by so many.

The character development, the exciting plot, and the richly detailed world-building all contribute to making this a truly remarkable read.

I can't wait to see what further adventures await Alanna in the remaining books of the series.

Jonathan continues to be a disappointment as a person. He fails to meet the standards and expectations that one might have.

On the other hand, George is a breath of fresh air. He continuously exceeds expectations, and it's truly heartwarming to see how he simply allows Alanna to be herself. He respects her individuality and gives her the freedom to express who she is.

However, there is a significant flaw in this narrative. The concept of a white savior finding a so-called "barbaric" culture and "fixing" it is rather problematic. It implies a sense of superiority and a lack of respect for the existing culture and its people.

Moreover, the idea that the people would decide they could be independent but then choose to be ruled by a king from another culture and country seems rather strange. It makes one wonder about the motives and the implications behind such a decision.

Overall, while there are some aspects to like in this story, the presence of these issues detracts from its overall appeal.

I truly adored this book.

The story was captivating, and the characters were extremely interesting and well-developed. It was just outstanding.

The adventure and the intrigue within the book were so fascinating. It was written in a very skillful manner, and I had a great liking for it.

This time around, the characters were more fully fleshed out, and there was an interesting conflict that added depth to the narrative. It was really excellent.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with engaging characters and an exciting plot.

It is definitely a must-read for book lovers.

I did have to run this one through CAWPILE just to see my rating. There were certain aspects that I liked, but there were also quite a few things that didn't sit well with me. It even made me wonder if I had overhyped the first two books when I read them.

However, I don't think that's the case. Looking back at my ratings and notes/reviews, I still believe that the things I loved about those books are valid. It's just that those elements are not as prominent in this book as they were in the previous ones. I still really liked Alanna as a character. I appreciate the way she continuously stands up for herself and doesn't simply accept things passively. I also loved that this book has a very valid discussion about marriage. It explores the idea that maybe it's not for everyone and that it's completely okay and valid to want to explore the world first before settling down.

Now, let's talk about Jon. What was going on with him? It seemed to me that his character did a total 180. He was being a pouty and annoying little baby throughout the entire book. I don't remember him being this irritating before. Everything related to him frustrated me to no end.

One thing that bothered me a lot while reading this was how Alanna and Jon are essentially the stereotypical white saviors in this book. I won't give away all the details, but from the moment Alanna arrived at the Bazhir (who are basically a somewhat stereotypical Middle Eastern type of people) until she left, I felt very uncomfortable with the way they treated the people there. It seemed as if everything in their culture was automatically considered inferior and bad. While feminism is indeed a good thing, it's also a core part of feminism to let women make their own choices. If a woman wants to wear a veil, she should be allowed to do so without having someone else's beliefs forced upon her. I also want to add that although there are quite a few problematic aspects in the plot regarding the Bazhir people and the way they are treated, I do like that Tamora Pierce, in 2014, had the insight and self-awareness to include a little Afterword section. In this section, she discusses this issue and the implications of the plot, as well as how it hasn't aged well and how she feels a bit differently now. While I wish she had been more explicit about certain things, I still think it's good to have read that. Not many authors, especially those who are prolific and wrote in the 80s, have the courage to come forward and admit that they did something wrong. So, kudos to Pierce, I guess.

All that being said, I'm still quite excited to see what happens in the next book.

These are books that it is simply impossible for me not to view through a nostalgia lens.

There is a great deal here that might cause my eyebrows to raise if it were from a more recent release. This includes the rather questionable depiction of the pseudo-Arabs and Alanna's somewhat problematic white savior role.

Moreover, the pacing is rather odd. Just like with all the Alanna books, I find that my memory has filled in a significant amount of interstitial material that in reality simply does not exist in the book's actual bare-bones narrative.

However, I love Alanna and her story to such an extent that I just don't really care about these flaws.

Man, that cover is truly awful, though. I always seem to forget just how bad it is.

It's one of those things that you only really notice when you look at it closely, but once you do, it's hard to unsee.

Despite the cover, the content within the books still holds a special place in my heart.

01/17: All other reviews still stand.

04/13: I still have this intense urge to stab Jon in the face. However, I still have an undying love for Alanna and George, and of course, the relationship between Alanna and George, and so on and so forth.

03/10: You know, you guys, this is the very first time I've read this without getting so outrageously enraged that I couldn't think straight for a certain period of time! (I think the longest it lasted was two whole weeks. I would just randomly start shouting about what a despicable piece of shit Jon was and then proceed to lecture anyone who happened to be in my immediate vicinity about why he deserved to die in a fire. Poor my parents!) Maybe it's because I'm just older and calmer now, or perhaps I'm simply over it, or maybe I find some solace in what Kel has to say about him. But it was really quite strange to read that line, roll my eyes, and then just move on.

Plus, then there was all that glorious George to make up for it. He is, in actual facts, my absolute favorite fictional boyfriend ever. Ever ever ever. He's just so charming and wonderful, and he makes my heart flutter every time he appears in the story.

**Book Review: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man**

Cover Blurb: I'm not a fan of these covers with character impersonators. This one might be the worst. Does the impersonator have jaundice? She looks unwell. At least the horse is nice.

Characters: My feelings for Alanna are mixed. Sometimes she's strong and believable, but other times she's a crying mess for no reason. She wants to be a warrior but cries over hurtful words. Jonathan, on the other hand, becomes a total jerk when he starts sleeping around. George is still great, though. The other characters don't really matter.

The Romance: Jonathan wants to marry Alanna, but she doesn't want to be a princess. George loves Alanna, but she's too busy with Jonathan to notice. I don't really care which guy wins. The relationships are underdeveloped and bland.

Plot: Alanna earns her shield and goes on a quest. She ends up in the desert with a nomadic clan and becomes their shaman. The plot is less meandering than the previous books, but it still lacks a clear purpose. The adoption and shaman stuff happen too quickly, and most of the book is spent on her duties and training. There's also some romantic drama with Jonathan.

Believability: The nomadic people's treatment of women and their acceptance of Alanna's changes are hard to believe. Tradition is not that easy to change, even in a fantasy world.

Writing Style: Third person, past tense. The writing style is mediocre. I don't see what's so special about the world building and descriptions that everyone raves about.

Content: Alanna sleeps with Jonathan and George, but there are no details. Thank goodness.

Conclusion: Alanna's twin brother is becoming arrogant and messing with magic. I didn't see that coming. The end is not epic, and the book is pretty dull. It could have had more action and a better plot.

Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fourteen-and-up, fans of slow fantasy.

I truly love the fact that the pacing of this book has finally decelerated a little. It allows you to catch a glimpse of the depth within some of the characters and observe how they handle various situations. Alanna, in particular, really begins to blossom and find her own identity. However, I must be honest and admit that this installment has always left me extremely exasperated with the majority of the male characters. Their actions and decisions often seem to lack understanding and empathy. It's as if they are constantly missing the mark when it comes to truly connecting with the other characters.

Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co6Ug...

I opened this book while sailing along on a certain ship. It was a ship that I'd been on since book 1. At that time, I was completely convinced that my feelings were never going to change.

But then, things happened! These events weren't the kind that made me happy. Not at all happy, Jon! And Alanna reacted just exactly how I expected she would.

I thought I was fine because of George. But now, I don't even care. I ship Alanna with anyone she wants to be with. As long as they respect her as a knight and allow her to go on her adventures, experience life, and everything it has to offer, and figure out what she wants. If you can do this, I will ship you with her. I promise.

The journey through this book has been filled with unexpected twists and turns, and my perspective on Alanna's relationships has changed dramatically. It's been a wild ride, and I can't wait to see what else lies ahead for her.

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man is the third volume of the SONG OF THE LIONESS quartet.

It is unfortunately the weakest volume in the series. Tamora Pierce does make a good effort in exposing Alanna (and by extension, the reader) to some of the diverse peoples and customs within the Tortallan kingdom and its neighboring countries.

However, she relies too heavily on the White Savior trope, which ultimately causes the entire book to suffer. As I have mentioned previously, readers should begin with the first book, Alanna: The First Adventure and progress forward.

Thankfully, Pierce does a great job of summarizing key events from the previous books.

The entire SONG OF THE LIONESS series is centered around the theme of old ways giving way to the new, and this is nowhere more blatant than in this volume.

Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

This one isn't my favorite.

It lacks the grand adventure that the other ones possess. I simply wasn't feeling it.

I really liked how the first two books were set in the castle and focused on the journey of becoming a knight.

But now, we're just going to spend some time in the desert before moving on. It was so boring!

It felt like a random filler episode on a TV show that you don't even need to watch because it doesn't really contribute anything.

Sure, Alanna does mature more and deal with her romantic relationships that were left unresolved from the last book. But come on! They were total fuckboys.

And how many times were they going to call her by that title? It's such a mouthful and I get it already.

I hope the next book in the series brings back the excitement and adventure that I loved in the beginning.

Ahhh this wasn't what I was expected. I've enjoyed the series so far, but this is definitely my least favorite book because of the way some things were handled. 3.5 Stars

The Woman Who Rides Like A Man commences shortly after the events of the second book. Alanna stumbles upon a group in the desert and gradually integrates into their community. Frankly, this is where the major concerns surface for me as a reader. It is evident that the Bhazir are crafted to imitate what was assumed to be traits of cultural characteristics of groups from the Middle East. These segments are often stereotypical and cringe-worthy to read in 2021. Additionally, readers have to endure Alanna's attempts to convince various community members to adhere to her feminist beliefs which have been formulated through the perspective of a white woman. Consequently, we encounter white feminism and the white savior trope. There was a particular scene where Alanna tried to persuade two women not to wear their face veils, which bothered me as a reader. It should be noted that Pierce does address these issues in the afterword of the newer editions of these books and acknowledges how her writing and ideas from the 80s could affect readers today.

Outside of those instances, this book did possess some interesting aspects, especially regarding character development. I was utterly and completely astonished by some of the character narratives that changed in this book. There were inklings in the previous book, but to witness it come to fruition in this installment was still rather astonishing. The pacing was significantly better as it covered a shorter span of Alanna's life, yet it still left room for inquiries about how the story might unfold in the final novel. Once again, Pierce does an excellent job in developing the dynamics of found family for certain characters and truly enables Alanna to continue to seek and achieve independence from traditional/stereotypical gender roles. Throughout the book, there is a great discussion centered around marriage and what it means to be prepared for marriage. There is also a great discussion about a woman's right to decide whether she desires to have children or not. Pierce clearly stipulates that marriage does not necessarily imply that partners must have children. It is refreshing to read this in a novel published in the 80s when this is a discussion that is still ongoing today. Overall, I thought that this was an okay installment in the series. It's not my favorite, but I am excited to see how the series concludes.