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The Hero and the Crown
- By Robin McKinley
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Teens love this mature, Newbery-winning fantasy.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the heroine defies convention to remains true to herself.
What's the story?
Fighting dragons. Wielding a magic sword. Not proper behavior for a young princess. But Aerin, through sheer stubbornness, teaches herself to do both, never dreaming that she is destined to become her country's savior. Vivid descriptions of a fantastic world, along with a powerfully written main character, make this book a favorite for young-adult readers.
Is it any good?
As a princess, Aerin-sol is generally expected to keep to her castle. She meets with a great deal of disapproval, from the king and from everyone else, when she teaches herself to slay dragons and embarks on a quest to save her city.
She is by no means invincible -- she is an imperfect human being, and makes numerous mistakes, often putting herself in great danger. However, even in her darkest moments, Aerin remains true to herself and to her goals. Robin McKinley has given readers a surprisingly realistic female role model, one that will quickly capture their imagination and attention.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the expectations for Aerin. What kind of life is she expected to lead? Why is she discouraged from learning to slay dragons? Do you think she would be as successful -- both in terms of her tasks and her personal growth -- if she had been encouraged to follow that path?
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AGE
A Great Book; Sometimes Difficult to Understand
This is a very good book telling the story of a young out casted girl Aerin. McKinley writes in an interesting manner which can sometimes be difficult to understand, but when you get past that there is some very good writing, and a good story. The only problem was some of the sexual scenes. A skilled reader can read if 10+ but even for me it was a difficult book to read at times.
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AGE
Boring!
I read this when I was 13 and I thought it was the most boring book. I mean it dragged on and on and on....it wasn't that exciting either
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AGE
Fantasy is good, but this is a slight change...
This book is probably for kids 12+. It can be rather had to understand, and I was too young when I read it 3 years ago when I was ten.
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AGE
A Long Time Favorite
I first read this book as a teen and have returned to it many times. Each reading is as rewarding as the first. Robin McKinley writes beautifully, and the world she creates is rich and vivid, easy to lose oneself in. Aerin is an inspiringly strong independent heroine with enough foibles that I still identified with her despite the magnitude of her heroic actions over the course of the novel.
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AGE
My first Robin McKinley book I ever read
You know, what the heck, I read his two years ago, so my opinion may be, ah, off. But I thought that it was not that great for my then, when I was eleven or so, but I got more out of it when I turned thirteen and skimmed through it again. Still, 2 out of 5.
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| Author: | Robin McKinley |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Penguin Group |
| Publication date: | January 1, 1984 |
| Number of pages: | 227 |
| Paperback price: | $5.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 14 |
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