The Hero and the Crown

Title: The Hero and the Crown
Authors: Robin McKinley
Pages: 256
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (1984)



Review:

Many years ago, my librarian placed The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown in front of me and told me to read them. Usually, this wouldn’t have been a chore, but for some reason, these two scared me with their covers – to start with, the dragon looked far too colorful, and worst of all: they both had Newbery stickers on them. In my experience, those stickers marked the boring books, and were a neon sign warning strangers away from tedium.

When I finally did get around to reading them, The Hero and the Crown became one of my favorite books – if not my absolute favorite. I’ve read this book dozens of times, including just The Best Parts whenever I needed some cheering up… Thus, I will accept that perhaps I’m not the best person to review this book, as I’m hardly impartial. Nonetheless, I do believe that McKinley deserves to become a millionaire just for writing it, so I’m spreading the word to younger generations.

Aerin-sol, daughter of the King of Damar, is possibly the most distinct and believable heroine in the genre, not only because of her flame-colored hair. She’s the original embodiment of awkward and clumsy, while her feelings of ineptitude resonate in anyone who has ever felt misplaced. And yet, even while the reader feels certain that she’ll someday find her destiny and fulfill her potential, the path proves arduous. And so, unlike in more modern fantasy novels, there is no snapping of fingers for the solution – or a definitive happy ever after – to arrive.

McKinley’s style, as usual, describes the world of Damar in a very detailed and painstaking way. It’s divided into two parts, recognizable because of style: in the first, Aerin fights her way to try and find a place for herself at court, while the second shows a more vague, dream-like portrayal of events that legends are made of. As if this weren’t enough, her prose is breathtaking, and this book uses flashbacks better than any other I can remember. It’s precisely this writing style that frightens some readers away, but it’s rewarding if you see it through.

In short, a memorable story that I simply cannot praise highly enough. And yet, here’s a word of advice: although you can read them in any order, I’d recommend tackling The Blue Sword before The Hero and the Crown, to keep the mystique around Lady Aerin alive. She is, after all, a legend…