If A Wizard of Earthsea was about overcoming the shadow brought into life by your own actions (trauma from within), The Tombs of Atuan is about recognizing and overcoming the shadow that has been forced upon you from childhood through your adolescence (trauma from others). The second Earthsea book isn't quite as adventurous or fantastic as its predecessor - it takes place on one island, on a temple site, and, for the most part, in a dark labyrinth. There are no mystical creatures, monsters, riddles or traps in this labyrinth and our protagonist goes into it well prepared; she won't get lost because she has known the way for thousands of years.

I'm finding it hard to pinpoint whether this book works as a standalone book. The plot synopsis isn't the most thrilling, the beginning a bit tedious, and yet it's one of the best books I read this year. Did I read it because I trusted Ursula K. Le Guin to tell this story in a way that would catch me by surprise? Yes. Will I continue reading the Earthsea books, and then her short stories, then the Hainish Cycle and so forth? Yes. There's something incredibly special about authors who are capable of examining trauma, grief and resilience in such a way that the experiences seem abstract enough to be symbolic, but clear enough to feel universal.