The Song of the Lioness

Well first things first-we're back! We have both survived finals, and now we are looking forward to a nice, long break. We will back to reading and blogging with a vengeance, so watch out world. Without further ado, the post-finals post.

Nathan says 5 stars...

I'm reviewing this series as my post-finals choice because they are the ink and paper equivalent of a hug and hot chocolate. Tamora Pierce is the Santa Clause of YA literature-she brings joy and cheer wherever she chooses to fly.

The Song of the Lioness was Pierce's first quartet and in it we meet Alanna, the tough, young girl who wants to be a knight. So Alanna disguises herself and trades places with her twin brother and sets off to the kingdom's capitol to become a knight. There you have it. That's where the story begins. Sure, it sounds simple enough, but Pierce is a master of story. She takes that already intriguing plot and turns it into an imaginative, effortless, and engaging masterpiece.

The story goes far beyond Alanna's quest for knighthood and into her other adventures, but the story is always fascinating. Pierce uses her strong female protagonist in a non-preachy way, while still making a point.

Her prose is often times lyrical, but its strength lies in its dialogue. The give-and-take between characters is natural and lovely.

All I can say about these books is that they are an absolute must for any fan of fantasy or YA literature. If you've had a bad day, pick these up, they're sure to make you feel better. In fact, I'm going to work off the rest of my exams with Lioness Rampant right now.