Well, I'm currently reading the Earthsea books by Ursula K. LeGuin (on the 5th one right now), and coming of age seems to be the theme of all the books (that and , you're never too old to grow further).
they're all great, but so far the one that I can relate to the most is the first "A Wizard of Earthsea", which is (symbolically at least) about facing the darkness within yourself, and realizing that you can't simply defeat it. You can't let it overpower or control you, but you still have to utilize it as part of yourself to become a full person. A much more realisitic and interesting concept than plain old good or bad IMO. This novel features a male protagonist, but the series as a whole features both men and women as the main characters, depending on which entry you read.
The first 3 books are suitable for ages 10 and up. The latter 3 were mildly controversial as they entail a much more feminist counterpoint to the previous 3 and do feature more adult content, including some somewhat disturbing moments. Some people didn't care for this stylistic change, but I think it's clever how LeGuin turned the tables on her own work, and personally I feel it only makes the world of Earthsea that much richer.
posted 2 months ago. ( reply )
