Tehanu

The Earthsea Cycle, #4

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Paperback, 281 pages

English language

Published Nov. 29, 2004 by Pocket Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-4165-0963-9
Goodreads:: 13661

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(63 reviews)

Years ago, they had escaped together from the sinister Tombs of Atuan—she, an isolated young priestess; he, a powerful wizard. Now she is a farmer's widow, having chosen for herself the simple pleasures of an ordinary life. And he is a broken old man, mourning the powers lost to him through no choice of his own. Once, when they were young, they helped each other at a time of darkness and danger and shared an adventure like no other. Now they must join forces again, to help another in need -- the physically and emotionally scarred child whose own destiny has yet to be revealed.

4 editions

nogoodnik reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

the book that's bringing me around on Earthsea

4 stars

I've been reading through Earthsea half out of duty to finish everything by my favorite author; I hated A Wizard of Earthsea, loved Tombs of Atuan, and then found The Farthest Shore kinda tedious. But this book - written nearly 2 decades after the original trilogy - brought everything I love about Le Guin's work into the Earthsea series in a way that hadn't hooked me before. The prose, both deep and clear, and the rich depictions of life on Gont and musings on culture and gender finally brought what I'd wanted to see in Earthsea to the surface.

the_lirazel reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Apparently the key to really appreciating this book is to read it again when you're over 30.

loppear reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 4)' on Goodreads

4 stars

Wonderful unheroic postscript to the series, the view from age and infirmity and powerlessness of the breakdown of a society built on acquiring and wielding power. From LeGuin's afterword, "the anger of an underdog at social injustice. ... [transcending to] no longer identifying freedom with power, with separating being free from being in control."

tomek reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Warto było przemęczyć się przez poprzednie trzy części, żeby przeczytać tę jedną. To piękna dojrzała opowieść o doświadczonych ludziach, ich wzajemnych relacjach, młodości i starości, społeczeństwie, niepełnosprawności, wychowaniu, strachu, zaufaniu i miłości. A także o sielankowym życiu, które zakłócają niespodziewane wydarzenia.

lijadora reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Being different in a society and dealing with it. Woman's emancipation. Work-life balance.

Also a high fantasy story. Story arc: who is the child (answered in the last chapter and only partly a surprise).

Open ends, though:
- in search of an archmage they're looking for a woman, but in the book they never find her (is it Tehru/ Tehanu? Or Tenar? Someone else)
- How did Tehru end up on Gont with these people that mistreat her?
- Why did Handy come for help to the villagers after Tehru was burnt?

Steen Christiansen reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The primary attraction of Earthsea has always been Sparrowhawk, for me. Even here, when he is no longer a mage, I find his development interesting. As for Tenar, she always frustrates me, but I recognize this is a function of the frustration and entrapment she feels. Definitely an important installment in the Earthsea cycle.

chadkoh reviewed Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin (The Earthsea Cycle, #4)

Review of 'Tehanu' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Reminds me of [b:Howl's Moving Castle|6294|Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle, #1)|Diana Wynne Jones|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407450489s/6294.jpg|2001] by [a:Diana Wynne Jones|4260|Diana Wynne Jones|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1193516584p2/4260.jpg], another story that features an elderly woman – an unfortunately uncommon protagonist in genre fiction (or any other fiction for that matter). Tehanu gives us a dash of fantasy in a wonderfully bucolic setting, focusing on the role of women. The magic takes backstage and we learn about being independent, and not depending on external power, which binds us anyways, taking away our freedom.