This is a coming of age tale about Aerin, a princess who was disqualified from the throne at birth due to the dubious origins of her mother. Aerin, while ranked first among the ladies of the court, is considered last by everyone else. She is tall and awkward, tongue tied in public and worst of all, had little to none of the magic that is inborn to all royals. An outcast, she does her best to make her way in world she doesn't fit into. Naturally, she ends up becoming a great warrior and the savior of her people in the end-although to be fair, it was an uphill battle for her.
One of the main themes of this book was Aerin's struggle to find out what she could be. Unable to fit into court life, she made her own place. With some assistance from a friend, she teaches herself to fight mounted and becomes a dragon killer (dragons are a small pesty beast in this world), the least respected of all fighters. She finds more effective ways to do this all on her own. When her country needs to be saved, she goes off alone, without endangering anyone else to do what she can to help. She becomes a hero by doing what others don't want to do, instead of setting off on a big quest with lots of fanfare and helpers.
The Hero and the Crown
Robin McKinley
no known/63
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