Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Sarai and Dove

I'm listening to Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce, and I have one comment to make.

SPOILERS

First, a note for those who have not read the book but who will read this anyways...

The short explanation is this: There is a revolution in the works, and the two potential queen candidates are the sisters Sarai and Dove, because of their bloodlines. Except that Dove isn't even considered because she's the younger. At least, not at first...

I've read Trickster's Queen before, and this time as I listen I can't help but compare Sarai and Dove. Dove would definitely make a better queen because, well for just one reason, even though Sarai's heart is in the right place she doesn't know how to keep her yap shut. She sees the injustices and blurts things out when it would be more prudent to watch her words. AND, she says repeatedly that things will never change. Hmm, is that the attitude that you would want for your new queen after you've overthrown the old king and his regents?

This being the case, shouldn't they be thanking the Graveyard Hag when she helps Sarai run off with her lover, leaving Dove as the queen-to-be? Dove is younger, sure, but she's more cool headed and, unlike Sarai, she was clever enough to figure out that the rebellion was brewing in her own home and that her own sister was the intended queen. Sarai never had any idea of it. And even though the people love Sarai and Sarai cares about them (which is why she keeps speaking out and getting into trouble with her family) it's Dove they talk to, and who is really the approachable one.

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