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clevermird's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This is a book that I think I like a lot more than its actual quality deserves.
The Blue Sword follows Angharad "Harry" Crewe, an orphaned young woman staying at a remote desert military outpost. When Corlath, the king of a neighboring nation, arrives for a diplomatic conference, the magic inherent in his people tells him that she has a roll to play in the fate of his country. Willing or no, Harry finds herself in a strange land filled with danger and adventure in equal portions.
This story is a very classic "fantasy adventure" setup. There's the young audience-surrogate outsider with a destiny, the wise older mentor, the magic sword and the evil demon army bearing down. The worldbuilding is fairly basic, but enjoyably written, same with the characters. As is typical of a McKinley work, horses feature prominently (something my 11-year-old self appreciated greatly and still does to a lesser extent) and the book includes gorgeous, tactile descriptions that set the scene perfectly.
As is also typical, the book struggles a bit with pacing, taking a long time to get going and then rushing the finale. Harry adjusts to her new life and picks up warrior skills a bit too fast to suspend disbelief and the ending borders on deus ex machina.
But nonetheless, I just really like this book. Maybe it's the winsome writing style. Maybe it's the lack of pretentiousness, the willingness to embrace tropes without the need to snark at them that can sometimes permeate newer fantasy novels. Or maybe it's just nostalgia. In any case, the rating reflects my feelings about the book's actual quality, but I highly urge checking it out - like me, you might find more than the sum of its parts.
The Blue Sword follows Angharad "Harry" Crewe, an orphaned young woman staying at a remote desert military outpost. When Corlath, the king of a neighboring nation, arrives for a diplomatic conference, the magic inherent in his people tells him that she has a roll to play in the fate of his country. Willing or no, Harry finds herself in a strange land filled with danger and adventure in equal portions.
This story is a very classic "fantasy adventure" setup. There's the young audience-surrogate outsider with a destiny, the wise older mentor, the magic sword and the evil demon army bearing down. The worldbuilding is fairly basic, but enjoyably written, same with the characters. As is typical of a McKinley work, horses feature prominently (something my 11-year-old self appreciated greatly and still does to a lesser extent) and the book includes gorgeous, tactile descriptions that set the scene perfectly.
As is also typical, the book struggles a bit with pacing, taking a long time to get going and then rushing the finale. Harry adjusts to her new life and picks up warrior skills a bit too fast to suspend disbelief and the ending borders on deus ex machina.
But nonetheless, I just really like this book. Maybe it's the winsome writing style. Maybe it's the lack of pretentiousness, the willingness to embrace tropes without the need to snark at them that can sometimes permeate newer fantasy novels. Or maybe it's just nostalgia. In any case, the rating reflects my feelings about the book's actual quality, but I highly urge checking it out - like me, you might find more than the sum of its parts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Colonisation, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Drug use, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
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