The Blue Sword

Bibliographic Info

Title: The Blue Sword

Author: Robin McKinley

Publisher: Puffin Books

Publication Date: 1982

ISBN: 978-0141309750

Plot Summary

Harry Crewe has lived in Istan for three months, and while staring out at the mountains on the horizon of the desert, she is restless.  She’s always had trouble doing what was expected of her – embroidery, lessons.  She preferred to ride horses and read adventure novels.  When both of her parents die and she moves to the privileged house of kind relatives in remote Istan, she strives to behave herself in a world of white napkins, dances, and servants.

When Harry is kidnapped by the king of the Hillfolk, life becomes an adventure, and for the first time in her life, Harry feels like she is where she belongs.  Her initiation into the Damarian culture leads her to discover her past and her true strengths.

Critical Evaluation

In The Blue Sword McKinley has created a rich world and a resonant story of a girl finding herself in a kingdom far from home.  The elements of the story compelling and echo something eternal that rests within the human spirit – a connection with the natural world that calls you, the grandness of kings and queens who are noble, not by title, but by deed, a kind of magic that seems like a force of nature.  The story has a strong female protagonist.  The story is strengthened by a romantic subplot, and by the Harry’s friendships.

Reader’s Annotation

Harry’s life on the remote outpost of Istan leaves her restless.  When she is kidnapped by the king of the Hillfolk, she discovers a world that she never knew, but was always a part of her.

Author Info

Robin McKinley was born Jennifer Carolyn Robin McKinley on November 16, 1952 in Warren, Ohio.  She graduated from Bowdoin College in 1978.  McKinley held several jobs including editor, research assistant, bookstore clerk, teacher, and barn manager.  She began writing at age 26.

McKinley currently lives in Hampshire, England with her husband, Peter Dickinson.  She says she enjoys grand opera and long walks to keep her imagination active.

Genre

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties

None

Book Talking Ideas

Do you ever find yourself staring out the window, thinking that your true destiny lies somewhere else?

Reading Level

Challenge Issues

Magic

Challenge Responses

Active Listening

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Selection

Recommended by a friend.