Wizard of Earthsea

I spent the past week reading a chapter or two a night before sleeping from Ursula Le Guin’s Wizard of Earthsea. I spotted this book at our local Powells and didn’t think I wanted to read it, but then happened on it again in the digital library app and decided to give it a try. I had no idea until I read the note from Le Guin at the end of the book that she wrote it upon request that she write something for young adults. I’m so glad she did.

If you’ve followed my reading here in the past year or so, then you know I love Le Guin and this book, while not exactly like the others I’ve read by her, was just as good. Ged is a young boy living in a world of islands when his local Mage realizes he has some natural abilities. Off he goes to the big city, so to speak, to learn how to be a wizard. He is arrogant, he is young, and I related to him quite a bit, which surprised me. But I saw my younger self in him in so many ways.

What I really enjoyed was how readable and easy it was to get into the story. I’ve been reading some things that are taking me longer and are darker in many ways and it was nice to take a break and just speed through a fun story. That’s one reason I like to read young adult fiction, it’s great stories and I learn things about the world, but I usually don’t have to work quite as hard for it.

Also: if you read the book make sure you read Le Guin’s note, because it is so amazing. She’s amazing. And yes I still dream of running into her some time in Portland.