The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness, bk 3)

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness, bk 3), by Tamora Pierce; young adult, fantasy; 304 pages

One of my favorite authors is Robin McKinley, in part because the fantasy novels she writes never have a happily-ever-after ending. Conflicts are resolved, but instead of riding off into the sunset, the main character might just decide to take things one day at a time. That's the same sense I got from this book, which is perhaps the closest I've ever come to McKinley's The Blue Sword. While the previous books each covered about four years of her life, this book is a single year for Alanna, as she tries to make a name for herself as a knight. Many of her relationships come to turning point in this volume, but nothing is neat or tidy, and I don't see an easy ending for her in the future. Now that I have a better idea of what to expect from Pierce, I'm really psyched about reading the rest of her Tortall books.