Trying to figure out who you are. A bit of a noble goal that also happens to be the primary them of Taran Wanderer, book four of the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. The hero of the series, young Taran, has realized that he is in love with the princess Eilonwy and would like to court her. However, he feels he is unable to do so without first knowing where he comes from. After seeking permission from Dallben, Taran and the ever faithful Gurgi set out to try and discover the truth of Taran’s parentage. They first head to the marshes where they reunite with the three witches they met while previously searching for the black cauldron. Since Taran refuses their trade offer all they reveal is that he should travel to the mirror of Llunet to find his answers. Deciding to do just that Taran and Gurgi set off on a journey that will take them the length and breadth of Prydain as they search for the elusive mirror. In the process, they will be temporarily reunited with a variety of friends such as Fflewddur Fflam and Doli.
I think, in many ways, this is one of the better books in this series. I say that because, unlike the previous three books, the primary conflict appears to be internal. Taran is not trying to overcome dark or evil forces so much as he is trying to discover the unknown by finding his parents. These are fundamentally different types of conflicts so it creates a different feel in this book. I don’t say this as a negative thing because I rather enjoyed the different feel. Previously I said that this book is about trying to figure out who you are which is a fairly important part of growing up. The part I found interesting is how this idea or concept evolves over the course of the book. At the beginning of the book Taran is rather obsessed with finding out who his parents are. He is convinced that that who he is and his worth is defined by who his parents were. Trying to find out your family history is a noble goal but not if it blinds you in the process. Luckily, despite Taran’s minor obsession, he is not completely blinded. I say this because he still stops to help people out such as when he helps to resolve the dispute in Smoit’s realm and ends up helping the farmer out. Taran stays focused on his worth being based on who his parents were for a good portion of the book. He only slowly comes to the realization that a person’s worth is based entirely on the person and how they behave. At the same time he starts unintentionally going on a quest to figure out who he is as a person, irregardless of who his parents were. I think that this is an even more noble goal to have. This book did a great job of showing the subtle shifting of thought and focus that Taran undergoes on his journey. Honestly, there were times when I didn’t notice right away how Taran was changing. I likes this a lot as I am rarely surprised when I read. There was however one thing that I was rather unsure about in regards to the book. If this book is so heavily focused on Taran finally figuring out who he is as a person, or rather who he wants to be, what exactly is left for the next and final book in the series. Rather makes me curious. Overall, an incredible addition to the series and it definitely earns 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This is a pretty good kids fantasy book. It would probably hold the most appeal for younger readers, especially one who enjoy the fantasy genre, but it will probably appeal to kids in general. I know it is probably classed as teens but I think it would be fine for kids as well. There isn’t any content that would make in inappropriate or unsuitable for that age range. Keeping all of this in mind, I am not sure if it would hold a lot of appeal for older readers. The book is probably a little short and simple for adults, though it is still a great book. One more thing to keep in mind, this is book four out of five so if you want to try this book you should seriously consider reading the first three. You can probably read it without that but for more background you should read them. As always feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.