It has never actually been said what it takes to be a great mage, whether it is an official acknowledgement, or other mages recognizing you, or just a term for a certain power level. It is entirely possible that they are not great mages yet, individually, though I am fairly sure they all have the potential to be later in life, with more experience. The thing is, that doesn't really matter, because when they start combining their magics, they don't seem to just stack, but rather to heterodyne - the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts, and they seem to be way beyond great mages then, in a way that seems to be unprecedented in their world. So I think people keep underestimating them in part because they are breaking the established classification system, doing something new.
Also, I think people continue to think of them as "children," although they are all 18 now and legal adults.
I love that song so much, it's one of my favorites. Another one that seems appropriate is "The Princess who Saved Herself" by Jonathan Coulton. Do you know it?
V qba'g frr jul vg arrqf gb or nal bs gubfr guvatf. Fnaqel fnlf Qnwn vf jvgu Evmh, naq fb unf pybfrq bss ure pbaarpgvba, ohg "jvgu Evmh" qbrfa'g arrq gb or n rhcurzvfz sbe "univat frk." Qnwn vf gjb jrrxf vagb ure svefg ebznapr, naq fcraqvat gvzr jvgu ure ybire, juvyr fur unf rirel rkcrpgngvba gung ure fvoyvatf jba'g arrq ure uryc - gur cnynpr vf fhccbfrq gb or fnsr, erzrzore. Vg znxrf cresrpg frafr gb zr gung Qnwn jbhyq abg jnag ure fvoyvatf bireurnevat ure gubhtugf rira jura gurl nera'g pheeragyl qbvat nalguvat zber guna syvegvat, abe jnag gb nppvqragnyyl bireurne ure fvfgre tehzoyvat nobhg gur cnegl juvyr fur vf jvgu Evmh. Jr qvqa'g urne gur pbairefngvba orgjrra Fnaqel naq Qnwn nobhg Fnaqel'f nppvqragnyyl bireurnevat bs gung svefg xvff, ohg vg'f snveyl pyrne vg gbbx cynpr, naq jnf cebonoyl rzoneenffvat rabhtu gung Qnwn jbhyq cerirag vg sebz unccravat ntnva ol oybpxvat bhg ure fvfgre ybat orsber guvatf trg gb gung cbvag ntnva jvgu Evmh, rfcrpvnyyl fvapr fur jbhyq yvxryl or engure qvfgenpgrq ng gung cbvag.
Vg pbhyq fgvyy unir orra n zvfgnxr, bs pbhefr, gubhtu V qbhog vg jnf n wno ng Qnwn. Ohg vg jnf cynhfvoyr gb zr.
Yeah, that's one reason why it didn't really bother me, despite that trope. Also, I like that Briar did the comforting part, and Tris did the fighting, what there was of it. Another way that this does not fit the trope people were objecting to.
Gung'f n ernyyl tbbq cbvag, npghnyyl. V'z cerggl fher nyy guerr bs gur bguref xarj nobhg Funa orvat gur Rzcerff'f ybire ybat orsber guvf, naq Qnwn naq Oevne, ng yrnfg, rkcyvpvgyl xabj nobhg Fnaqel'f vagrerfg va uvz. Jul qvq ab bar gryy ure hagvy Sva guerj vg ng ure qhevat uvf xvqanccvat bs ure? Qvq gurl whfg nffhzr fur fbzrubj xarj?
One thing Namorn has that Emelan doesn't seem to is most of Sandry's relatives, which could also have been a big draw, but Berenene doesn't even seem to have thought of that. Despite calling her "cousin" all the time, she doesn't really treat Sandry like family, and she pulls Sandry away from Landreg as fast as possible, so she doesn't get much time with Ambros, Ealaga, and their children, to turn them from "relatives" into "family" in a way that might have made her want to stay. Same with her tenants, really, if she had had more time to get to know them individually, she likely would have felt more pull to stay. Berenene really screwed that one up.
Yay, Daja and Rizu! I love this part, too. Especially because their story is rare. And it isn't just your selection bias - someone actually counted a bunch of YA books, and came up with only 1% that had any representation at all. Daja, Rizu and now Rosethorn are remarkable.
As for Fin, yes, entitlement is definitely the word. No offense to Mark, but I don't think Fin is at all hurt by Sandry leaving, as he would have to care about her at least a little to get his feelings hurt. What he is is insulted, about the loss of something he felt entitled to, namely Sandry, as well as thinking he would be embarrassed by someone else having it. He is terribly gross, but unfortunately there are actually people who think that way.
Agreed about Shan. Kissing someone without mentioning you already have a lover is a jerk move. I'm glad the timing resulted in Sandry leaving awkwardly, in a way that is not easily fixed in the indirect ways this court tends to talk to each other.
I love that scene so much. Briar trusting Tris! Tris showing her kinder side to support her brother! Acknowledgement that just because this PTSD is only in Briar's mind, that doesn't mean it's not a real problem! Reforging their bond! I love the relationship between Tris and Briar.
Yeah, Jak does much better than Fin here. On this read-through, I was struck by the difference in not just what they each said, but their actions, particularly in light of the fact that Sandry has just been threatened with sexual assault and rape for the rest of her life. Fin comes in and immediately gets close to her, grabs her hand, and kisses it several times without any indication she's ok with this (and by her reaction after he leaves, she isn't.) He also stays until she "manages to get rid of him," (as well as insulting her siblings by implication with that line about merchants and Traders. Seriously, Fin?)
Jak, on the other hand, comes in but does not come close to her until he has asked permission, does not touch her until she offers her hand, and simply clasps it and then lets go. He also leaves on his own, rather than overstay his welcome. He shows a lot more respect than Fin does for her boundaries and personal space, even if he is still trying to get her to marry him.
Even besides whether this is victim-blaming, I'm not actually sure a non-magical fight was a viable option. I don't think it ever said how many guards Sandry had with her then, but I got the impression it was less than 10, and there were explicitly 20 kidnappers. A fight would have gotten many of her guards hurt or killed and they probably still would have lost. I think magic really was the best option she had, and that means either Sandry or Tris. (This book) Naq, nf jr frr yngre jvgu Funa, jung fur qvq guvf gvzr vf fvtavsvpnagyl yrff guna jung fur pbhyq unir qbar, fb fur qbrf xrrc gevpxf hc ure fyrrir sbe yngre.
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