Second in the Protector of the Small fantasy series for children revolving around Kel of Mindelan, only the second girl to want to become a knight of Tortall.My TakeWe get all the rest of the years Kel spends as a page in this one story. She matures and has all the complications which that entails including coping with falling in love with Neal and some of her school friends starting to see her in a more romantic vein.Kel continues to set the moral tone with support from her friends. Well, those who haven't graduated into squires and gone off with their teaching knights.The StoryKel certainly fulfills the series' promise as it begins with Kel rescuing a dog from one of the kitchen apprentices about to lay into him with a meat cleaver when he steals a string of sausages. Nor does it seem that Joren and crew have stopped their harassment of the younger ones. Although Vinson seems too interested in Lalasa. Interested enough that Kel insists her maid learn how to protect herself. Her study group continues and the younger ones are starting to come to Kel for weapons training.The hazing has spread to Kel and her friends, particularly at the banquets when the pages are serving. It's enough to result in punishment details and a compromise. The summer camping trips result in Kel's taking command during a surprise attack---it sure frosts Wyldon that Kel is so competent! Although he does takes advantage of Kel's fear of heights as he intensifies her training. And Kel continues to lead and win. In spite of the nasty tricks, the kidnappings...The odd bit, Joren starts sucking up to Kel...and Kel's mysterious benefactor continues to send the most amazing gifts.The CharactersKeladry "Kel" of Mindelan is our heroine and she has survived her first year as a probationer in spite of Lord Wyldon' s restrictions. Nealan "Neal" of Queenscove was one of her first friends at the school. Other friends include Seaver, Cleon of Kennan of the poetic address, Merric of Hollyrose, Faleron of Kin's Reach, Esmond of Nicoline, Prince Roald, Owen of Jesslaw, Iden of Vikison Lake, and Warric of Mandash.Baron Piers and Ilane are her parents. Adalia and Oranie are her older sisters. Innes is her second oldest brother and he takes Cleon on as his squire.Joren of Stone Mountain is a fellow student; he and his cronies hate Kel, partially because she refuses to accept their particular brand of hazing. The cronies include Vinson of Genlith, Zahir ibn Alhaz who seems to be moving past this childishness, Garvey of Runnerspring, and Quinden. Salma Aynnar is in charge of the pages' wing. Lord Wyldon is the training master in charge of the school and tried very hard last year to prevent Kel from being admitted as a student. Gower is the servant in charge of cleaning her rooms and fetching her water; Lalasa is his niece and he requests Kel hire her for her personal servant to keep her safe from the other servants and pushy nobles. Hakuin Seastone and Eda Bell are combat instructors. Now that she's old enough, she's serving in the banquet room—Master Oakbridge is the master of ceremonies. Sir Myles is their history and law instructor. Lindhall Reed. Numair Salmalín. Stefan Groomsman continues to manage the stables.Daine has a cameo appearance. Queen Thayet and King Jonathan give Kel a bit of help. Uline of Hannalof is one of Kel's admirers and Neal's first crush. The CoverThe cover is primarily mellow oranges and grays as a casually clad Kel aims a spear from atop a cliff, her sparrows swirling around her and Jump between her legs on guard.The title is short and succinct as it covers Kel's years as a Page.
Everyone should read Tamora Pierce. Not just fantasy readers, not just young readers, but anyone who enjoys a good tale. And who doesn't? If you've read Tamora Pierce, then you already know what I mean.Tamora never tries to win an award for the most confuscated use of the English language. She never lets language get in the way of her story. She writes her books in a simple, honest way to hook her readers into a fascinating tale. And she succeeds brilliantly in doing so.In Page, Tamora Pierce gets back to the very essence of storytelling - a young hero must prove herself in the face of seeming unbeatable odds to achieve her goal. In this case, the hero is a female page struggling to gain her knighthood. Tamora is not afraid to touch on difficult subjects such as discrimination, abuse, and death. She creates strong, unique female heroines who fight against oppression, and yet the appeal of her books is not limited to a female audience. Who among us has not felt held down by seemingly unbeatable odds? Who has not wished for the strength to pursue an impossible-seeming dream? Tamora's characters pursue their dreams with strength and grim determination, and in doing so, make us believe that we too can achieve our dreams if we stick by them.I read Tamora's books as a child and found myself unable to put them down, and even a decade later I get the same thrill as her characters fall in love, escape from danger, or rush into battle. Rare is the author who can so completely captivate a reader's attention.It's no wonder that Tamora's books have all recently been re-released. And to boot, Tamora is kind to fans and frequently appears at conferences, book-signings and conventions! If you're looking for a new author to love, look no further.
What do You think about Page (2008)?
Keladry of Mindelin (or "Kel" to her friends ) has completed her first year of training to be a knight, and conquered the unfair probation that the training-master Wyldon inflicted on her. Now she hopes she can finally get on with her life-long dream of following in Lady-Knight Alanna's footsteps, and take the next step in becoming a knight of Tortall.But things are never as easy as that, and there are still those among her who are determined to see her fail. Yet, as in her first year, Kel is helped by old friends Neal, Merric, Owen, Cleon and Prince Roald, her stallion Peachblossom and the flock of friendly sparrows outside her window. As well as this are two new allies; the timid maid Lalasa whom Kel takes into her employment, and Jump the mongrel who has 'adopted' Kel as his own. When the year starts the work begins, along with page-duties of serving the court, summer camps in the wilderness, skirmishes ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
—Fantasy Literature
Second book in the Lady Knight Quartet where we live through Kel's second through fourth (and last) year as a Page in the capital of Tortall.Kel still has a tough time proving herself to the other male pages and instructors, but it is a bit easier because she has a good entourage of friends. She is also growing up and becoming a woman which only annoys her as she is working so hard to become the best. Kel is obviously the best but because of her upbringing of modesty and silence, she doesn't ever ask for help when it would have made her life so much easier.I think the treatment of time passing was well done, perhaps the best I've read in a while because of the day-to-day routine doesn't need to be repeated so Tamora Pierce just peppers the months unfolding by adding just the important character building moments for Kel and her friends. I liked that she had a crush on Neal because it would have been too weird for a young lady to have no love interest at all. The addition of the abused maid seemed at first to be a throw-away character but I liked that it was important by the end of the Page years.I was a bit annoyed not to find out who is going to be her knight-teacher because usually Tamora Pierce is careful not to leave us hanging on a cliffhanger ending, but this made me go out and buy the next book right away! I'm guessing the King's champion would only choose the best page like Kel.4 stars
—Tonileg
The last three years just flew by, full of struggles and challenges and some odd things. But Keladry has proven herself once again...Page follows the last three years of Kel's time as, well a page, as the name suggests. She is no longer on probation and has gained the trust and respect of many of her fellow pages. Kel really starts coming into her own in this book. The training gets hard, her skills are put to more and more difficult tests, and changes are happening with her own body that she has to deal with. As Kel is growing older, she is becoming more aware of the world outside the walls of the palace. She finds herself fighting bandits on the road and gets word about the growing threat in the north. Pierce does a good job of not getting bogged down in the repetitive nature of going to school. She keeps Kel in her routine of learning and training but she also has enough adventures on the side to keep things interesting. By the end of the book, Kel finds herself facing down the exams to become a squire but someone is trying to keep her from them, thus forcing her to redo another four years as a page. Will she be able to find what is taken from her and pass the exams to become a squire? Well, I guess you'll find out in the next review!~Ren
—Renee
