Although she is the daughter of Damar's king, Aerin has never been accepted as full royalty. Both in and out of the royal court, people whisper the story of her mother, the witchwoman, who was said to have enspelled the king into marrying her to get an heir to rule Damar-then died of despair when she found she had borne a daughter instead of a son. But none of them, not even Aerin herself, can predict her future-for she is to be the true hero who will wield the power of the Blue Sword...
"Vibrant, witty, compelling, the story is the stuff of which true dreams are made."-The Horn Book
"Splendid high fantasy... filled with tender moments, good characters, satisfying action and sparkling dialogue... superb!"-School Library Journal, starred review
Awards: ( Winner of the 1985 Newbery Medal ( An ALA Notable Book ( An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
The Hero and the Crown ANNOTATION Aerin, with the guidance of the wizard Luthe and the help of the Blue Sword, wins the birthright due her as the daughter of the Damarian king and a witchwoman of the mysterious, demon-haunted North.
FROM THE PUBLISHER 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. About the Author: Robin McKinley is a New York Times bestselling author who has won various awards and citations for her writing, including the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor.
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