SuitabookIn the Hand of the Goddess
Tamora Pierce
- Reading
- As you read, notice how Alanna balances her role as a squire, friendship and secrecy. Since this is a series instalment, check whether you would prefer a brief recap of earlier events before starting.
- Themes
- Gender and access to knighthood: Alanna pursues knighthood while disguised as a boy. The premise places a girl’s ambition alongside a concealed identity, but does not establish how the book evaluates the restrictions she faces.
- Loyalty and danger: Alanna is Prince Jonathan’s squire and friend; she faces a threat to his life and may risk revealing her identity to protect him. The premise connects friendship and danger, but it does not show how the story weighs duty against personal risk.
- Worth knowing
- A sorcerer threatens the prince’s life, and the story is described as involving swords, adventure and intrigue. The extent or detail of any violence is not clear.