Trickster's Queen

Tamora Pierce (author)

Scholastic, Australia: 2004; 570pp

ISBN: 1865047406

Genres: adventure, fantasy

Issues: change, cultural differences, family, identity, leadership, personal development, racism

The Balitang family is returning from exile in the highlands, summoned home after the death of the King. Aly accompanies them, this time by her own choice rather than by a deal with the Trickster God. Although she is still acting as his agent, what truly motivates her is her love of the Raka people.

The city of Rajmuat is a place of unrest, intrigue and uneasy political alliances when Aly arrives. Her goal is to organise a rebellion that will overthrow the cruel and overbearing Rittevon royalty and place on the throne ‘she who is twice royal' - her mistress, Sarai Balitang, who has both luarin (white) and Raka (native) royal blood in her veins. Eighteen-year-old Sarai, temperamental, impetuous and passionate, is furious when she sees how the Raka people are treated by the Crown and often puts the family at risk with her outspoken comments. Her highly intelligent thirteen-year-old sister, Dove, although equally upset by the social injustices around them, sees the larger picture and the role that a new royalty could play in building a better society. Once she realises the extent of the conspiracy against the hated Rittevons, Dove commits herself to helping Aly in any way she can in order to minimise unnecessary bloodshed and loss of life.

But Aly is not merely the God's Chosen. She is from Tortall, the daughter of Alanna the Lioness and George of Pirate's Swoop. If the Raka knew that she learned her skills from her father, the Spymaster of an enemy nation, she would be killed instantly. Although Aly knows her commitment to the Balitang girls is complete and that she wants one of them on the throne as much as the Raka do, she must hide her true identity and some of her more unusual sources of information in order to protect herself.

This is one of Tamora Pierce's finest novels. The extra length allows greater subtlety of character and plot development and avoids some of the repetition that is otherwise necessary in sequels. Aly is a brilliant creation - an intelligent, independent, mischievous and passionate young woman who knows that she can achieve many significant things in life and still have a great deal of fun. In her ‘Notes and Acknowledgements', Pierce indicates that her editor challenged her to create a leading character who was ‘laid-back and easy-going, not driven'. This makes an interesting change for the reader, as most of the leading characters in Pierce's previous books are quite driven and intense. Aly's wicked sense of humour, her self-confidence and easy manner with other characters are very appealing. Unlike many previous leading characters she comes from a secure, loving home, where her main source of conflict has been a personality clash with her mother. For this reason Aly's growth as a character is centred more around her relationships with others. Her experiences in the Copper Isles allow her to develop a greater sensitivity to and understanding of her parents, as well as introducing her to deeper, more meaningful relationships with those around her in the Copper Isles.

Another significant and interesting change for Pierce is to have a central character whose ‘gift' is so very different. Despite her skills in unarmed combat and being good with knives, Aly's greatest strength is as a Spymaster. Although she participates in many of the rebellion's skirmishes, it is her analytical brain, her ability to see the pattern amongst the chaos, that is both her gift and her burden. Although there are plenty of physical conflicts and adventures to entertain readers, and many other well-developed characters who are in the thick of the action, Aly's role is defined by her ability to direct the pieces on the board to the greatest advantage for their cause. It is yet another indicator of Pierce's skill as a writer that she can create and sustain such a supervisory character in a way that engages reader sympathies.

Highly recommended, but do read Trickster's Choice first.