Literary Style
The style of the book is noticeably different than the initial Earthsea trilogy. Whereas the initial trilogy was written around classic fantasy tropes such as perilous quests, heroic actions and larger-than-human forces, Tehanu is more a study of social interaction and emotional resonance. The pace is far slower, the mood much darker and more introspective.
The initial trilogy focuses on the character and quests of Ged, with Tenar introduced as the central character of the second book. Tehanu uses the lens of everyday events and a strong anti-patriarchal viewpoint to not only explore the future of these two characters—and of Earthsea itself—but to reinterpret them. According to Sharada Bhanu, Le Guin sees this reinterpretation as a more balanced view of the world of Earthsea, which is written in the first three books from an implicitly patriarchal (or at least, male) viewpoint.
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