Customer Reviews

Heroine of the World

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

You either "get" Tanith Lee or you don't--it's that simple.

If you're looking for an action-packed, sword-weilding, Conanesque adventure (not that there's anything wrong with that--I like my Conanesques just fine), this is the wrong book.

If you're looking for a compelling, sweeping epic with grand vistas, politics, intrigue, and beautiful writing, this is the right book.

This book, set in almost-19th century Russia, has stayed with me for 7 years, and I must say that it's one of the best fantasies I've ever read despite--or maybe even because of--its different focus and scope.

There are few books out there that I really wish that I have written. This is one of them.

I first wrote a review of this book on this site in 1997. I reread A Heroine of the World every year or two and it is still one of my favourite novels ever -- so I wanted to write another review, especially for anyone considering reading this book who may be puzzled by the disparate opinions which have been posted here.

This is a fantasy novel but one which pushes the boundaries of the genre, creating a unique world which I believe may be inspired by central Europe in the 18th or 19th century. The fantasy elements are subtle, and do not overwhelm the stark realism of the story or the humanity of the characters. In essence this is the story of a young girl who becomes a refugee when her country is invaded and the city in which she lives is besieged. This war will change her world and profoundly shape her own life, carrying her, as she says, beneath its grinding wheels. Her parents are killed in the war and she is taken under the protection of an enemy officer. When he dies Aradia inherits his property and lands, and there she comes of age and gains power over her own life.

It's not necessarily an easy book to read, however. The first time I read it I set it aside after about 100 pages -- when Aradia is in the midst of what seems like a neverending military retreat across a bleak and desolate winter landscape. It seemed to me as if nothing much was happening in terms of the plot, and Aradia herself was a bit too passive for my taste. I didn't pick up the book again for at least a year, at which point I discovered that a few pages after I had abandoned the book, something really big happens. After that I was hooked, and I couldn't put the book down. I was completely engrossed by the story, by the subtle plot twists and the development of Aradia's character, by the heart-wrenchingly painful story of her discovery that the adult world is not everything she thought it would be, that there is no happy ever after.

Aradia is 13 years old at the beginning of the book, and she may seem too passive, judged by modern standards of how novel protagonists should behave. But her behaviour is in keeping with her age and with the terrible events she has endured. And one of the crucial aspects of the story, of Aradia's special (perhaps magical) power, is that every small action she takes has large consequences. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something a bit different, and especially to those who haven't tried reading fantasy before. Tanith Lee possesses a skill for language and imagery that is matched by few writers in the fantasy field. Every time I reread this book I discover something I hadn't noticed before, a beautifully written passage, a keenly observed character, a passage of dialogue which leaps off the page. The novel may not be to everyone's taste, but it's definitely worth a try.

A Heroine of The World is one of the most brilliantly composed books that I have ever read. From the first pages, you begin to feel as though the main-character, Ara's, experiences are your own. Never in my life have I felt so compassionately for a character. Through Lee's carefully selected words, you not only can understand the character's joy, and sadness, but also feel as though you yourself are going through the same experiences. I wasn't even going to take the time to write this review, but when I saw that someone had written that this wasn't a quality piece of literature, I just wanted to set the record straight.

_A Heroine of the World_ follows a young girl from the sack of her home city into an uncertain and violent world. Although naturally passive, she's forced by circumstance into becoming a woman who is able to act on her own behalf.

Unique in the fantasy genre in that it refuses to compromise and fall into cliches. Politics are murky and there's no clear good or evil. True love doesn't always run smoothly. The heroine isn't exceptionally anything except real. One of Lee's best. (And even her worst is pretty darn impressive.)

This book weaves a magic spell drawing the reader into the uncertainty of the child trapped in a besieged city. I think the book's drifting structure reflects how Aradia lets Fate propel her. She eventually learns the danger of it as she tries to make sense of a chaotic world. A haunting story which enchants the reader. It's complexity is rewarding - don't let the sceptics put you off.

I cannot begin to describe how lovely and how beautifully written this is. I absolutely loved it. If you are familiar with this author, you will know that all her novels are imaginative and hauntingly beautiful; picture all these qualities in an adventure/romance that is epic in scope-- I believe this is one of her longest novels, and I enjoyed every minute of it. This is not for insensitive or shallow readers -- a simply lovely experience-- I've read parts of it many times over, just because the descriptive passages are so enjoyable. Bittersweet, haunting, uplifting, and beautiful -- I am always amazed at the apparent effortlessness and grace with which Ms. Lee writes for us --her inexhaustible imagination is a true delight, and something every reader should sample at least once, just to have the experience.

I read a couple of negative reviews about this book, all of them complained that nothing ever happened.

I had a totally different impression. I thought a great deal happened, and I enjoyed reading this story immensely.

As I have gone through life I have discovered that there are a lot of the kind of people around who have to be told EVERYTHING. They can't make a connection between idea A and idea B. Nothing can be implied, everything has to be spelled out. If this sounds like you, then you probably won't enjoy this book.

This book is not for everyone. A previous reviewer complains that the heroine doesn't seem at all heroic; well, one of Tanith Lee's great strengths is that she often works with fantasy tropes and stereotypes in unexpected ways; "heroine" has some irony in it, here. If you're looking for swordfights and blatant sorcery and such, you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for a different kind of story about a war-torn, mutedly magical world, and the way women have often had to live through such times -- particularly if you seek vivid description and delicate characterization -- then you won't be.

I think many of the issues reviewer have with this book derives from the blurb. It seems as though so many blurbs for Lee's books are off -- I think this has more to do with how unusual her work really is compared to the legions of quick-read fantasy novels out there, and less to do with any real weakness to her writing. Don't blame Lee if the blurb wasn't correct -- she doesn't write them, after all.

This is not a tale of a world changing sword-slinger or magic-wielder. It is an well told story of a girl turning woman in a difficult time. She misses several early opportunities to seize control of her life, but then how many people do you know who are actually in control of thier lives? Especially while still teenagers. Most people just drift along. Our heroine isn't Joan of Arc, but she does endure many trials and tribulations (some of which would drive many to suicide or severe depresion); and learns from them. And she is important to world events and is in the front row for more. Eventually, she aquires enough information and strength of personality to proceed along the path she wants and to recognize and live with the consequences of that choice. And unlike Joan, she waits until she has a chance to survive her choice.

This complex, sweeping saga of a girl's jourrney to find a place and herself is one of the best fantasy books I've every read despite, or because of, its unusual nature. I read it in one sitting--and it's a hefty tome! The almost-19th century Russia is vivid and compelling, as are Ara's struggles and decisions. A naturally passive girl comes to become and courageous and fierce woman. Very human, very real.