Episode 19 - The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley

Evil dragons. An impossible love. Our favorite fully realized horse. Whatever malak is. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley is much more than just the 1985 Newberry Medal winner (although Aerin does look mighty nice next to that gold seal). Rereading this one shook us to our cores and inspired an impassioned discussion about how female characters complicate the hero's journey, sneaky flashbacks and time jumps, debilitating dragon-inflicted wounds, and mik-bar cravings. Settle down inside your gray castle on the Lake of Dreams and steel yourself - Feelings ahead.

EPISODE MEDIA

Dragon-Slayer vs. Dragon-Sayer: Reimagining the Female Fantasy Heroine (aka the paper that we rightfully ripped apart during our discussion on the book's feminism)

For our Pretend Foodies - Robin McKinley's answers to questions about malak and mik-bars