Robin McKinley: Hero and Crown (1986, Berkley)
Published Nov. 15, 1986 by Berkley.
The Hero and the Crown is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by Greenwillow Books in 1984. It is the winner of the 1985 Newbery Medal award. This story focuses on "Aerin Dragon-Killer", also known as "Aerin Firehair", the heroine who is introduced as a legendary character in The Blue Sword. The book narrates Aerin's evolution from the shy, retiring daughter of the King of Damar to the heroic queen who protects her people from the demonic Northerners.
I was so glad when Luthe came along. I don't get Tor. He's her cousin. If he was not her cousin I would say this book is perfect. I respect what she did with the love triangle. I respect it. Some really awesome imagary of battling with dragons. Luthe is captivating. I would have enjoyed another book about him and Aerin.
This sticks quite closely to Eliade's classic script for shamanic initiation, although it would be difficult to discuss without spoilers. McKinley infuses life into the script and her heroine is recognizable to the modern reader - which is anthropologically problematic, but culturally understandable. It reads well.
This book gets as three star rating, because I thought the first half kind of drug. The second half of the book was definitely a lot better.
I did like the main character a lot, and I really wanted to know how the book was going to add, it was just a bit slow to start. That being said, I am going to start the next book in the series. Hopefully it goes along quicker.
