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?