The Tombs of Atuan (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 2)

Maameren tarinoita en nuorena lukenut, jostain ihan eri yhteydestä bongasin Holvihaudat ja päätin lukea. Oikeana päivänä syntynyt pikkutyttö saa jatkaa papitarten jälleensyntymisen linjaa ja hänet vihitään vartioimaan pimeitä käytäviä ja holveja maan alla. Missä ei ketään saisi olla, löytyy mies, jonka oikeastaan pitäisi menettää henkensä, mutta Tenar säästää hänet.

Pimeiden, kosteiden käytävien tunnelma välittyi hyvin. Perinne painaa, pääseekö siitä irti?

È il secondo libro del ciclo di Earthsea. L'immaginario che crea e la scorrevolezza della storia si combinano in un ritmo che ti lascia incantato. Bellissimo.

After the Wizard oft Earthsea, this second book felt a bit slow. Since it is confined to one particular place in Earthsea, that might have added to the feeling. It is still a good book and I liked reading it, if only for the change of perspective.

It's the kind of story I'd like to follow a bit further. Also, I'd love some more exploration of how the reality and the worship are connected. But I was happy as it was.

It's decades since I last read this book and I could only remember fragments of it. I had filed it away as one of the best books I'd ever read and on that basis I was worried that reading it all these years later would demote it from that lofty position. It is with relief I can confirm that I wasn't wrong all those years ago and I can keep it filed in its existing place as a fantastic book.

I find the start of Le Guin’s Earthsea books always a little bit of a struggle but they always turn out great. It happened with a the Wizard of Earthsea and it happened with the Tombs of Atuan. After the first couple of chapters you get pulled in. Le Guin’s style is more reflective than adventurous and that’s what I really love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It makes you think and there are some really great quotes there. For example: “What she had begun to learn was the weight of liberty. Freedom is a heavy load, a great and strange burden for the spirit to undertake. It is not easy. It is not a gift given, but a choice made, and the choice may be a hard one. The road goes upward toward the light; but the laden traveler may never reach the end of it.”

Read it!