A Semi-Spoilery Reread Review
So, I have read Lioness Rampant three times at this point. I will tell you that I did not remember what the hell happened through 90% of the book at any given moment between the last time I read it and the present. I feel like that's probably because there was actually a lot that happened. Lioness Rampant is a "quest book" -- as Pierce puts it in the 2014 afterword -- but the quest isn't the main focus of the end, which is arguably more jam packed than the rest of the book. I barely remembered what happened during that last 90% as well. There's just so much and it honestly made me tear up this time around.
So, the things I remembered are technically spoilers, so... you've been warned. I promise not to spoil the end, though.
Thayet and Buri eventually ending up in Tortall. I have read and remember more of Protector of the Small and so had it hammered into my brain that Thayet eventually becomes queen and Buri sticks around. I remembered Thayet was a warlord's daughter, but not much beyond that. I did not remember how they ended up in Tortall, like, at all. I think I vaguely remembered Alanna introducing Thayet to Jonathan... I mean, her court entrance was amazeballs in my mind. Big Beauty and the Beast style staircase and the dress was super vivid in my brain. How could I forget that?
I knew Alanna got the Dominion Jewel, but the method by which she got it totally left my brain and still wants to. I think the concept of more eldritch being tied to certain places is a cool concept, though not one I think is explored again... I swear I read Immortals at some stage but I literally remember nothing except Daine so I cannot say for sure. I assume that's where the eldritch beings might come into play... but yeah. Alanna fights a big ol' ape in the cold. Cool. *shrug* moving on.
I did not remember Liam at all. He exists aaaaand then poof, gone from my brain. I guess that's kind of amusing for the Shang Dragon being as they're supposed to be the best of the best and I just plum forget him every time. Liam kind of struck me as Scottish or whatever the Tortallan-y version of that is. I really don't have much to say about him.
The ending part of the book is just so much court stuff piled in on top of itself. So much to remember and keep straight for as long as it's happening, I guess. I was really touched on Alanna's behalf when people were welcoming her home and accepting her as The Lioness. Made me tear up. I guess I was more attached to these guys than I thought.
I did remember the whole scene where Jon gives George his pardon and makes him a Baron. That scene lives rent free in my head for some reason. I did forget that it was a bit later than all the other stuff, like Alanna becoming Champion and whatnot. Thought those scenes were one... I was wrong. Go figure.
Alanna shows in Lioness Rampant that she really has grown from even the end of The Woman Who Rides Like a Man. Her growth isn't exactly super obvious, but sneaks up on you. It's definitely a factor in how she eventually deals with the resurrected Roger. Actually uses her head instead of just rushing in all reckless and whatnot. Not that she was super prone to that in the beginning, but... I dunno. It felt significant.
The last thing I remembered was the whole thing around Roger. I won't talk about it here, but his machinations were definitely something to remember. I didn't quite get the setting in my head right or all the details, but it was largely correct and present in my head as I was reading. Every time Alanna awoke from one of her vision-dreams, I was like, "nope, girl, that wasn't just a dream."
So yeah, I liked Lioness Rampant. It's very likely a good portion of it is going to slip my mind again until my next reread, but I feel like that's okay. Rediscovering Alanna's story is part of what makes my disparate rereads fun.
Favorite Line
"Fairy stories are important," Jendrai told Alanna. "Legends teach us and guide scholars in searching out the truth of history." - Nahom Jendrai
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