From childhood, Aerin had been haunted by the story of her mother - a "witchwoman" who enspelled the king and then died in childbirth, leaving behind a newborn daughter and an heirless land. Left to her own devices, Aerin grew up wild, doing her best to live up to her reputation as the disappointment of the realm. But little did the young princess know the long-dormant powers of her mother would wield their own destiny, and leave Aerin with a duty to her scornful homeland that she couldn't refuse.
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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.
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First Sentence
SHE COULD NOT REMEMBER a time when she had not known the story; she had grown up knowing it. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
SHE COULD NOT REMEMBER a time when she had not known the story; she had grown up knowing it. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I read The Hero and the Crown in the age of ten. When I read it then, I didn't understand it that well and the tiny letters hurt my eyes (I wear very, very thick glasses). I read it again and again; the story was enchanting more than anything; this book motivated me to write. After I read this book I was crazy about Aerin-sol. She's the princess of Damar but called witchwoman's daughter. I felt kind of dreamy while reading this book.
I'm a little sorry for Luthe. But the ending was BEAUTIFUL. This is a must-read for any reader. I'm twelve now and I've read this book about seven times. It still amazes me.
I'm a little sorry for Luthe. But the ending was BEAUTIFUL. This is a must-read for any reader. I'm twelve now and I've read this book about seven times. It still amazes me.
By Watchgirl
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is an epic story of love and girl power. I cry when I read this book it's truly like camelot all over again. I think I read this book 28 times. It and Blue sword are just wonderful.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Robin McKinley's books aren't exactly what I would recommend to anyone who is a big battle fanatic. They do have their battles (the final battle between Aerin and the man in the red room and the battle between the Damarians and the Northerners) but it doesn't take over the whole book. There is just enough of a battle to make the book filling, not overwhelming. You can truly see the battle for what it is and the just cause it is being fought for. But in my opinion, they are all the better because of the lack of long, drawn-out, extremely detailed, horribly gory battles!
There isn't constant action from scene to scene, you get to know the characters instead, possibly even better than they know themselves. This book is also about discovering the true nature of Aerin and finding ourselves in the process. We find out about their history, there is a great insight into why they are who they are. And I love the horse aspect, I LOVE horses! I own several and have applied the method of riding that Aerin and Harry use to my own horses. The leg thing really does work. Both Damar books are for horse lovers and those who want to know the misfit characters for the genuine, real and wonderful characters that they are. We see wrongs being made right, people coming together in friendship and love and we are able to see a lot of GOODNESS in the process.
Anyone who has been ostracized, left out from the crowd, never felt like they quite fit in, these books are for them. It shows what a strong character people like that can have and how, in many ways, they are stronger than those who have not had the same hardships. After all, it was the misfits with the strongest "kelar" and the ones who defeated the gravest of enemies! This referring to both this book and The Blue Sword also by Robin McKinley.
Aerin is a great character and I would not pass up the experience of following her through all her hardships, it just might teach you something if you do! The thing about Robin McKinley's characters is that they are REAL, you can almost become a personal friend of theirs just by reading these books. They are very approachable characters and your copies of these books will become dog-eared and tattered from reading just like mine have! I also recommend The Blue Sword in addition to this, it takes up the story 500 years after Aerin's time, but still we meet up with some old friends again!
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4.5 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Masterpiece
The Hero and the Crown is an amazing book. I read it when I was quite young but still enjoyed it a great amount. Read more
Published on Jun 11 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Witchwoman's Daughter
"The Hero and the Crown" is a beautifully written tale that creates a whole new world for readers.
Aerin, the daughter of the rumored "witchwoman" and of the current king, is... Read more
Aerin, the daughter of the rumored "witchwoman" and of the current king, is... Read more
Published on Jun 10 2004 by Arrow
5.0 out of 5 stars
3 Reasons Why You Should Read It
Should be considered mandatory reading for every girl from ages 9-15 (no, make that 4-100). I've read this book every year for the past, oh, ten or so years. Read more
Published on Jun 5 2004 by Kate Page
4.0 out of 5 stars
McKinley is a hero
Have you ever read a book as a child that still managed to resonate as an adult? "Hero and the Crown" was one such book for me. Read more
Published on April 17 2004 by C. DeMario
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my all time favorite fantasy books
I read this book for the first time in middle school and over the years I've re-read it numerous times (um, its been a long while since middle school). Read more
Published on Mar 21 2004 by Elizabeth A. Prior
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blue Sword and Hero & Crown are some of my fave books
The Hero and the Crown and THe Blue Sword are two of my favorite books. I would have to say that I prefer the Blue Sword but I read the Hero and the Crown first and I think both... Read more
Published on Nov 22 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
stunning plot and characters
I first had this book read to me when I was in fifth grade, and it was incredibly confusing. I picked it up again in high school and understood why. Read more
Published on Oct 30 2003 by "jjloraine"
4.0 out of 5 stars
This really is a YA novel
I'm middle-aged but I read a lot of fantasy. _The Hero and the Crown_ and _The Blue Sword_, which I read one after the other, really are too "young" for me. Read more
Published on Oct 30 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
Books that make me weep and laugh simultaneously....
This tops that list.
If you haven't picked it up, I can't explain...
Yes, it starts in a way that some would call slow... Read more
Published on Oct 16 2003 by Constance S. Edwards
5.0 out of 5 stars
A strong heroine
When I was a small child, I loved books and was obsessed with all kinds of stories... fairy tales, adventures, the classics, etc. Read more
Published on Sep 26 2003 by "rougemacabre"
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