Chosen Ones, Mary Sues and magical pets? Count me in!

This book really caught my attention with its unique combination of these elements. The narrative style was a pleasant surprise. It was much better than that of the previous book I read. It was simple, which made it easy to follow and understand. At the same time, it was also positive, filling the story with an upbeat and inspiring atmosphere. And of course, it was highly entertaining. The characters and their adventures kept me engaged from start to finish. I found myself completely immersed in this fictional world, eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next. Whether it was the Chosen Ones fulfilling their destinies, the Mary Sues with their perfect qualities, or the magical pets adding an extra touch of charm, every aspect of the story contributed to its overall appeal. I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us.

The second book in the Song of the Lioness quatrology bears a striking resemblance to the first one. Alanna persists in living as a boy, but in this installment, a truly intense event occurs.

She dons a dress.

There is more to it than that, but this is truly what kicks off the chain of events. She is on the verge of becoming a knight, yet the question looms: can knights wear dresses? She is a classy lady, causing the boys to swoon, but she remains firm with her "Nothing is getting in my vagina!" stance until she is kissed, and then she reconsiders and decides perhaps it's not so bad after all.

In the first book, we were privy to Alanna starting her period, and I commended the author for including this detail in her story. Similarly, I appreciate that the reader witnesses Alanna grappling with the topic of her sexuality, specifically regarding whether or not to have sex, a question every girl must confront at some point in her life.

However, what didn't sit well with me was that, like the rest of the plot, it simply happened. My criticism from the first book (lack of fluidity) persists here. When it comes to the sex aspect, it was a sudden shift from "No penis!" on one page to "Penis isn't so bad!" on the next. (I'm paraphrasing; the word "penis" is not explicitly used in the book.)

She has a fleeting moment of actual consideration about this entire matter, which comes across as rather flippant. The decision to have sex is not always so straightforward. Alanna made it seem effortless, just like everything else she experiences. I'm concerned that this might lead younger readers to believe their lives will be extremely easy and that once they start their period (as in Book 1), someone will bestow upon them a magic amulet to safeguard her from pregnancy. Oh, sister - if only things were as simple as wearing a necklace to prevent pregnancy.

Other events do unfold in this book. She befriends a cat she names Faithful, clearly lacking in the imagination department, and of course, she has to face off against the Evil from the first book, Roger. Even that encounter was somewhat lackluster in the end. It seemed to have a decent build-up, and then it just sort of... fizzled out.

The main point is that I sense these stories are a missed opportunity. They may be suitable for their intended audience, but since I am far removed from that target demographic, it's difficult for me to say with certainty. All I know is that the story commences with Alanna in her early teens, and by the conclusion, she has graduated and is around 18, yet I feel as though I have no real understanding of who Alanna truly is because we've missed out on so much of her life.

But we are there when Alanna finally reveals her true identity to everyone. You'd expect someone to make a fuss about the news, but everyone takes it in stride. Once again, if only things were so uncomplicated in life. If you tune in to the news today, you'll hear a great deal about people throwing tantrums over who can and cannot use which public bathrooms, all based on arbitrary criteria. But in Alanna's world, the fact that she has been deceiving those she claims as friends, they are quite nonchalant about the truth. Then again, it's a fantasy, so it can be forgiven, and hopefully, the younger readers of these books can glean a lesson about compassion and inclusion. That's a rather crucial message to learn.

Hmm, so I finished rereading the first book a couple of days ago.

In my review, I pondered the reason why I had reread the first book numerous times in my youth while only reading the later books perhaps once or twice.

Now I remember. I just stopped liking the series after the first book. Alanna jumps in age from 10 in the first book to 18 by the end of this one.

She also makes a significant transition from a "girl who's hiding her gender" to a "girl who's casually sleeping with the prince". I'm not sex-shaming at all, but it feels like a drastic change in tone and direction for the story.

It's difficult to recommend this book because in terms of writing and story, it still gives the impression of a middle reader series (and readers might assume it is because the protagonist is so young in the first book).

However, then the romantic component suddenly appears out of nowhere and transforms it into a teen book.

And, of course, there's a LOVE TRIANGLE.

UGGGHHHHHH.............

Going back and rereading this series has truly been a remarkable experience. It has not only evoked some wonderful memories but has also shed light on certain aspects that I had previously overlooked.

This particular book is perhaps my least favorite within the series, yet it still holds a special place in my heart as a favorite. The characters in this series are all so endearing, and I continue to have a deep affection for each and every one of them.

However, as I reread this book, I started to feel a bit less engaged with the romance aspect. I found myself longing for the story to be developed and flushed out a bit more. There were moments when I felt that the romance could have been explored in greater depth, adding more substance and complexity to the overall narrative.

For a more in-depth look at my thoughts and feelings about this book, be sure to check out my video review. You can find it at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co6Ug...

I still relished reading this series, yet several additional issues became more prominent with this particular book.

To begin with, significant events were continuously being casually dropped into the conversation or merely mentioned in passing, and that was the end of it. I was truly astonished when it was stated that Alanna's father had passed away "last month", and that was all there was to it. There were several other such instances as well, but I can't recall them precisely at the moment. Moreover, time appears to be passing far too rapidly. At certain points, I had to exert great effort to keep up and remember that all these events occurred within long intervals of time from one another.

Then there is the romance. I do appreciate that it isn't overly dramatized or anything of the sort, but I also felt as if it... just happened. For instance, in the previous book, there was no mention of it whatsoever, and then suddenly, in the first chapter of this book, the goddess declared that George was in love with Alanna. That was quite jarring. The same goes for when people suddenly started sleeping with each other without much discussion about it at all. I was... confused. Some things that had a huge build-up, such as the Ordeal, ultimately turned out to be too simplistic. I've noticed this pattern with pretty much all the climaxes in the series; they never even last more than a few pages. I mean, I myself loathe reading about fighting or battles, but this is a book that is supposed to be centered around it, isn't it?

Another complaint I have is regarding how Alanna seems to be an infallible radar when it comes to evil people. From the very moment she saw Roger, she already despised him inexplicably. The same goes for Delia, who turned out to be his pawn. I guess I really don't like it when evil people are so blatantly portrayed as being evil from the start. There is no surprise, no twist, nothing. Wouldn't it have been more thrilling if he seemed to be a good guy and then shocked everyone by turning out not to be a good guy after all? Unreasonably "good instincts" in a hero is something I have always disliked.

I don't know, perhaps I'm just being overly picky. Or maybe this was intended for individuals much younger than me, hence the simplicity of the plot and everything. I suppose I could understand that.

Alanna's adventures are truly enjoyable and a breeze to read.

Her journey is filled with excitement, mystery, and a touch of magic that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

What I particularly love about Alanna's story is her relationships with her friends and lovers.

Her friendships are deep and unwavering, based on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect.

She has a group of friends who are always there for her, through thick and thin, and they support her in her adventures and help her overcome the many challenges she faces.

Her relationships with her lovers are also complex and fascinating.

She has had several love interests throughout her life, each one unique and different.

Her love for them is passionate and intense, and she is not afraid to follow her heart, even when it leads her into dangerous situations.

Overall, Alanna's adventures and her relationships make for a truly captivating read that I would highly recommend to anyone.

In the second volume of the series, Alanna of Trebond has to face and overcome her fears. Cunning opponents are trying to get her out of the way while she prepares for the difficult knight's examination and also resists emotional distractions. Not least, she will have to reveal at some point that she is not a boy, although she is still not sure how her friends and the king will react to the fact that she has been misled for years.

This book was kindly given to me by an Internet fox and, like the first volume, it has captivated me and cost me several hours of sleep. :D It was absolutely worth it! Alanna is great! I'm already looking forward to the next volume, which has already been ordered.

The story of Alanna continues to unfold in this exciting installment. We see her grow and face new challenges as she strives to become a knight. The presence of the sneaky opponents adds an element of danger and mystery, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

Alanna's struggle with her identity is also a central theme. Her decision to hide the fact that she is a girl for so long has consequences that she will have to deal with eventually. The anticipation of how her loved ones will react makes for a tense and engaging read.

Overall, this book is a great addition to the series and I can't wait to see what happens next in Alanna's journey.

ETA: I initially intended to continue this series, but I never did and lost all desire to do so. I can't recall if I attempted the next book and didn't like it, or if I was simply so exasperated with the love triangle that I never got around to trying the next installment. I now have no plans to continue.

Um, if you've read all this, hold on tight, because I have thoughts. And they're all jumbled up.

First, the things I liked:

- Alanna's feistiness, dedication, and determination.

- The worldbuilding. It's not exactly complex or unique, but it's interesting and enjoyable.

- The casual writing style. It's very easy to read.

- A few moments that made me laugh out loud.

- The emphasis on the significance of human connection and love.

- Faithful the cat.

- Every time Alanna kicks butt.

Things I'm not sure how I feel about:

- The "plot." Similar to Alanna, this has a rather loose plot. Things just seem to happen? The stakes do increase, and there's a more consistent rising threat, but I felt it lacked some forward momentum. However, at the same time, I didn't really get bored while reading, probably more because of the fast-paced style. So I'm unsure about the plot and pacing.

Things I didn't like Part I:

- An instance of racist language that I don't think is appropriate for a book published in 1984.

- Some truly very (sometimes almost literally) deus ex machina moments that were rather eye-rolling.

- While the easy, casual style helps move the narrative forward, it doesn't allow for much time to really invest in the characters or relationships, at least for me. With the sort of third-person semi-omniscient perspective (IDK, sometimes it felt limited, other times it was very omniscient), there's some narrative distance, and I just didn't feel a strong connection to any of the side characters. I actually sometimes forgot who anyone other than Roger, Jonathan, George, and Myles was. I think this is also because it's too short for the amount of time covered - things move too quickly to really invest.

- (Spoilers) Uggggghhhhhh I have negative feelings that the only two men (well, other than Myles, who is old enough to be her father and thus doesn't count) who know Alanna is a girl fall in love with her. -.- And exactly how old is George? Because I feel like he's kind of old for her? I'm confused on that point. But also, partly due to the style issues mentioned above, I felt both Alanna and George and Alanna and Jon had ZERO chemistry. First, let guys and girls be friends! Second, if you're going to have some kind of romance, let there be a reason for it other than "we're close friends and it has occurred to me you are of the opposite gender." There is hardly enough deep or meaningful interaction for me to really believe in either option. Yeah, they save each other's lives and care about each other a lot, but like... friends do that too? I dunno. The romance didn't convince me.

- And honestly, of the two, I liked George more. I did NOT appreciate his "you can't stop me right now, so Imma kiss you" move, but other than that, he was pretty respectful of her wishes and very patient and sweet. Jon, meanwhile, played petty, toxic games - and it somehow worked, which made me angry. He also says "you should go before I change my mind" which felt like a threat that he was considering overruling her obvious reticence/confusion and trying to take her dress off anyway. HELL NO. Also, George at least had a long-term plan, even if it was dumb since he knew it wasn't what she wanted. Jon apparently just likes to sleep around and fall in love with girls he knows he can't marry, since he's the PRINCE AND ALL. And Alanna knows she won't/can't marry him. It's not really even a "maybe," or "it didn't work out like we thought" - there was no future. Characters making romantic decisions with zero thought to the future annoy me. Which maybe should be in part two, idk...

Things I didn't like Part II: Things I didn't like for personal belief reasons. I do NOT say any of this as judgment. First off, I do NOT expect books to follow my own convictions, but in this instance, it did detract from my enjoyment, and TBH, my enjoyment is mostly what I rate books on. (Spoilers without names following.)

Due to personal and religious convictions, I dislike casual sex, especially between minors. I particularly dislike casual sex in books that otherwise seem to be written for early teens. It would have bothered me less if these were adult books, the characters were adults, the characters planned on a long-term relationship, or the style felt less middle school-y. (No, I'm not saying I think no one of that age is doing it... I just personally don't feel it should be encouraged.) HOWEVER, I am glad that they at least have sex (semi) responsibly. (First, I shouldn't have been so surprised - I just was hoping the pregnancy ward charm from the first book would be irrelevant. Second, STDs exist and birth control [charms] don't prevent that. So, three quarter points for teaching responsible sex.) I can understand and appreciate what Pierce was doing. I appreciate that Pierce doesn't deny Alanna's womanhood or ignore or shame her for being what she is - a young woman with feelings, attachments, and yes, a sex drive. I appreciate how it was handled - off the page. I just personally thought the inclusion of the sexual affair felt out of place and unnecessary given the age range and tone of the rest of the book. And of course, my negative feelings about the romance in general, aside from any sex or not, didn't help matters. I was already annoyed with the guy in question.

But what pushed me past "okay, this just doesn't line up with my personal convictions, and it isn't required to do so," to "oh, hell no," was that a few times sex was equated with love. Sex and love are not the same thing! Romantic love usually will (eventually) involve sex, but sex doesn't necessarily mean love, and love can be shared (ie, familial, platonic, and yeah, for a time, even romantic) without sex. So lines like "at night he taught her about love" did not sit well with me, because, in a book concerned with the importance of connection and love, can we PLEASE not equate sex with learning to love? This is the kind of language that can make people feel like they owe sex before they are personally ready, and I'm not here for it, especially in a book that feels aimed at young teens who may not be very discerning yet in what love is and how to show it. Sex IS love was probably not the intent, but definitely how it read. So, for me, it was concerning/problematic. I am grateful that at least they did love each other, in a way... but as noted in the spoiler section, I didn't feel that love was really convincing or mature. *shrug*

In conclusion, while overall I enjoyed Alanna's second set of adventures and I am curious about how things progress in the series and so will keep reading, I was unimpressed and disgruntled with how the romance aspects were handled. :-/

My love for fantasy undoubtedly originated from this remarkable series.

This series has truly laid the foundation for my personality, and Alanna is most definitely one of my all-time favorite heroines.

It's also fascinating to note in this book how many similarities exist between this world and the Nevernight world. I can't help but wonder if my affection for Mia stems from my love for Alanna. Faithful and Mister Kindly are strikingly similar, and the entire archetype of a dark Goddess watching over our main character is simply excellent.

I found it quite interesting how Pierce dealt with the romance in this book. Jonathan is clearly exhibiting signs of being controlling, yet Alanna still harbors strong feelings for him. Meanwhile, George is okay with being essentially friend zoned by her because he's such a badass.

PLUS, she's a kickass warrior who can also dress up and look adorable. Celeana can envy her all she wants. Alanna is the original cute girl with a sword, and she truly embodies the essence of a captivating and multi-faceted character.

Where do I start?

These books received such glowing reviews, and I was truly excited to begin reading. However, once I started, I quickly realized several issues. Firstly, Alanna is a Mary Sue. Everything that occurs turns out perfectly for her, with no negative consequences for the characters. She is a stereotype and lacks consistency.

She claims she doesn't want to fall in love, yet suddenly she is in Jonathan's bed and the author reveals she is his lover without any build-up or introduction to this twist.

Moreover, the years pass between pages, and months can elapse between paragraphs, leaving the reader completely confused and frustrated. Supposedly major plot points lack build-up and are resolved within a few pages, without any reflection.

I secretly suspect that this book was written by a 12-year-old girl, as names like 'Moonlight' and 'Faithful' are scattered throughout the pages. The author fails to address any of the real struggles that a girl posing as a boy would face. Does nobody notice that her voice hasn't changed or that she has no facial hair? Seriously?

There is so much more I could say about this book and how disappointed I am. It was a painful read to finish. I feel like my brain is bleeding.

This book is a fast and entertaining read. It grabs your attention from the start and keeps you engaged throughout. The story is filled with exciting plot twists and turns that make it difficult to put down.

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that there is a lack of depth. The characters are not fully developed, and their actions and decisions seem somewhat one-dimensional. The themes explored in the book are also rather superficial, not delving deep enough into the complex issues they touch upon.

Despite its flaws, this book can still provide a fun and enjoyable escape for readers who are looking for a quick and easy read. It's perfect for those times when you just want to relax and unwind without having to think too hard. But if you're looking for a book that will challenge you intellectually and make you think deeply about life and the human condition, then this may not be the book for you.

In the past, I was truly a fool for giving this a rating of just 3 stars. How could I have been so blind? After reevaluating, I now realize that this is an absolute 5-star read.

It is a literary gem that deserves the highest praise. Every word, every sentence, and every paragraph is carefully crafted to perfection. The story is engaging, the characters are vivid, and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

I cannot believe that I initially underestimated its value. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time and one that I will recommend to everyone I know. From now on, I will be more careful when rating books and will not make the same mistake again.