Book Review:
In the Hand of the Goddess (Book 2 in the Song of the Lioness series) by Tamora Pierce
I enjoyed the first book and dove right into the next book in this series. Although I still only get a few minutes here and there, I enjoy my reading time and keep my books accessible throughout the day. Steven often grabs my book and tells me to “Put that book down now!”
Content
This book follows Alanna and her quest for knighthood. And apparently her quest is approved by the Goddess Mother. Alanna is visited by the Goddess, who gives her a magical charm and a guardian cat.
At the end of the first book, Prince Jonathan found out Sir Alan of Trebond’s secret. But that doesn’t stop Jonathan from choosing this young page as his squire when he is knighted. As squire, it is Alanna’s duty to protect her friend and liege against foes seen and unseen. Throughout many trials, Alanna serves boldly and gains her shield as a knight.
Although the storyline was fun and full of adventure, there was a lot of drama. Alanna faces many challenges while hiding her gender. One challenge is to acknowledge her romantic feelings towards her comrades as they learn her secret. And even though there wasn’t anything explicit, I wasn’t impressed with the loose morals at court.
Recommendation
I give Book Two 8 out of 12 buttered rolls. This is a drop from book one of the same series. This series is definitely geared towards a younger audience. However, I felt that much of the underlying subject matter would not be appropriate for my twelve year old. Like I mentioned before, nothing was explicit or inappropriate in its conveyance. But I didn’t like the inferences and those underlying messages distracted me from the adventure.