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Robin McKinley
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The Hero and the Crown Paperback – October 2, 2000

by Robin McKinley (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,743 ratings
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A Newbery Medal Winner

Although she is the daughter of Damar's king, Aerin has never been accepted as full royalty. Both in and out of the royal court, people whisper the story of her mother, the witchwoman, who was said to have enspelled the king into marrying her to get an heir to rule Damar-then died of despair when she found she had borne a daughter instead of a son. But none of them, not even Aerin herself, can predict her future-for she is to be the true hero who will wield the power of the Blue Sword...


“[The Hero and the Crown] confirms McKinley as an important writer of modern heroic fantasy, a genre whose giants include C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin.”—The Washington Post

“An utterly engrossing fantasy.”—The New York Times
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  1. Reading age
    10 - 12 years, from customers
  2. Book 2 of 2
    Damar
  3. Print length
    272 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    5 - 9
  6. Lexile measure
    1050L
  7. Dimensions
    7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
  8. Publisher
    Viking Books for Young Readers
  9. Publication date
    October 2, 2000
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robin McKinley has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown and a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword. Her other books include Sunshine; the New York Times bestseller Spindle's End; two novel-length retellings of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and Rose Daughter; and a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood. She lives with her husband, the English writer Peter Dickinson.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0141309814
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition (October 2, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1050L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,743 ratings

About the author

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Robin McKinley

Robin McKinley

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Robin McKinley has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown and a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword. Her other books include Sunshine; the New York Times bestseller Spindle's End; two novel-length retellings of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and Rose Daughter; and a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Outlaws of Sherwood. She lives with her husband, the English writer Peter Dickinson.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
3,743 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

SparkleChick
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
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This is such a good book that I could hardly stand to put it down. Everything from the story to the characters, all the way down to the editing, is done beautifully.
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Agnethe Poulen
4.0 out of 5 stars Good as a first fantasy read, but didn't age well
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2021
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I read this as a child and loved it, but sadly it hasn't aged well. It took me a while to get into it again, because the heroine suffers from a mixture of what I call light-Cinderella-syndrome and not-like-other-girls-syndrome. Meaning she suffers a bit and is treated as an outcast despite her position, and the author clearly thinks that hating "girly stuff" like embroidery, dresses, and dancing somehow make the heroine more compelling. Maybe this was new in the 1980s (I certainly didn't mind it as a kid), but nowadays I'm getting really tired of authors looking down on women who like to look pretty or who enjoy typical "female" things. A female lead doesn't become more interesting because she likes typical "boys' stuff".

Also I never liked Luthe, even as a kid. Back then I think it was because I liked Tor as a character, so I was inclined to hate Luthe for being his - sort of - rival. As an adult and a writer myself, I realize the real problem with Luthe. He's a flat character. The author wants the reader to like him, but she tells the reader (and Aerin), rather than developing Luthe to become a real character that would be likable - or even lovable - in his own right.

And then the weaknesses in the plot. The main villain comes out of nowhere, the plot about the crown - and Aerin's mother - and Luthe - and so many other parts of the magic in the plot that I lost count - just isn't very well-developed. It's way too vague.

I've read a few McKinley books, and I notice her struggle with both plot and character interaction in several of her books. But she's great at creating compelling heroines, and while upon re-read I wasn't much of an Aerin fan, she does have her strong points. Aerin's relationship with the horse is one of the strongest parts of the book.

I gave this 4 stars, because I remember how much I liked this book as a child. As an adult who's read better fantasy, I find too much of it frustrating and annoying, but mainly because I've read "Deerskin", which is a superior book, so I know McKinley can be really good. Probably best for kids as an introduction to fantasy.
8 people found this helpful
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Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars A rare fantasy that stands the test of time.
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2016
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I first picked up this book when I was in second or third grade, and even though some of the words and subtleties escaped me at the time, I was enthralled, excited, and ultimately empowered by Aerin. She was clumsy, odd-looking, unpopular, and un-Gifted. She was a type of heroine I'd never read about before, and back then certainly wasn't the norm as it's become today. I read this book over and over and over again.

Not many "children's books" pass the test of time, but while speaking with friends about books that changed my life, this one inevitably came up. Wanting to relive the magic and adventure that had so drawn me in when I was young, I purchased it for my kindle. Now, many such books, when revisited don't offer the same excitement and grandeur that you felt when you first experienced it. It was, after all written for a different age and we've all grown since then, and we see the world through a significantly different lens. Not this one though. I've been delighted to be just as enthralled as I was when I was a child and I am now better equipped to appreciate the less-obvious parts of Aerin's story that bypassed me completely when I was young.

Some reviewers may malign this as "stereotypical" or "uninspired" fantasy that draws its base content from other similarly packaged fantasies written in the past decade. But I beg you consider, that this book was first published in 1984. If anything, newer books are pale imitations of their predecessors, and The Hero and the Crown will always stand up - at least in my eyes - as a delightful book with an empowering, human, clever, flawed, brave young woman at it's helm. I will gift this book to my nieces and nephews when they're old enough to love it as well as I do.
8 people found this helpful
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Joshy
4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying enough
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2018
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After finishing this book, I can honestly say it was worth reading. The story is well developed, I liked all the characters enough, and there wasn't anything particularly insufficient. I do however feel like the major plot points could have been more fleshed out. The main character is dragged through the story arcs, and they are entertaining, but I don't know that each event gets enough attention or explanation to carry the gravity it is owed. By the end of each major arc I found myself wishing I had learned more about why the main character was there, how she was able to conquer such an insurmountable task, and what spurred her to continue on. I think the book has a good storyline overall and enough interesting concepts to keep the reader moving forward, I just prefer a little more background and context in my reads.

TL:DR- Pick this book up if you're looking for a quick, but decent, fantasy story with a strong female lead and enough content to hold you over till your next favorite novel
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Top reviews from other countries

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J Parry
5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous Story, beautifully written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2023
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I loved the heroine and the courage, tenacity and love she brought
I loved her connection with the animals
I loved the magic of her story and all she faced and defeated in such a human way
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Ananya
2.0 out of 5 stars Sad story
Reviewed in India on May 3, 2020
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I bought this book specifically because I liked The Blue Sword, and this was an origin story. But where The Blue Sword was thrilling with just the right amount of conflict and challenge, this one seemed to have one blow after the other for poor Aerin. She's lovely, and I love the feminist theme of the book, but I don't enjoy sad novels.

I mean, sure, this one has a happy ending, but after reading about every blow the protagonist received, I got tired of it after a while.

I'd recommend this book to people who love plots with a lot of conflict and sadness, after which the ending is happy.
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Cdn Rose46
5.0 out of 5 stars I have worn out my paper book because I have ...
Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2018
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I have worn out my paper book because I have read it so often and now I have it on my kindle
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Salliem
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful sequel
Reviewed in Australia on April 13, 2021
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It's not often that a sequel surpasses the original...not when the original is as good as The Blue Sword. I have The Hero & the Crown in book form, but couldn't pass the opportunity to get one of my favourite books on my ebook device. It's a pity there is not the scope to give it more than five stars...
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autumnstare
5.0 out of 5 stars Un beau conte
Reviewed in France on December 30, 2015
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Quatrième roman de Robin mckinley que je lis C est un très bon auteur et une belle histoire qui rappelle les contes À lire peu importe son âge
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