Orson Scott Card is a polarizing figure, particularly with regards to all works that aren't Ender-related. Due to his highly conservative Mormon background, there are a few items in this book that others might not find especially palatable.
- Alternate Character Interpretation:
- Asineth/Beauty is hailed as an Evil Overlord who uses her own children as magic fuel to spread a reign of terror across the world and cast down the gods who run the world, and wreak immortal vengeance on those who have angered her. On paper, that's pretty standard evil queen territory... until you remember that the child was hers by rape (while she was a teenager), which didn't exactly elicit your typical parent-child bonding for several basic reasons. Her rule - while corrupt and elitist - is pretty standard feudalism enforced by magic (and downright rosy by Evil Overlord standards). The gods she cast down are enigmas, with The Gods Must Be Lazy as the best possible outcome and Jerkass Gods at worst. And the allegedly biggest victim of her wrath? The one she ESPECIALLY wants to hurt? Why, the man who raped her to legitimize his claim to the throne (and killed her father, though not even Asineth thought he was much of a loss). She punishes him by keeping him under magical watch and playing childish pranks, such as giving him the runs at inconvenient times. Is she a hero? No. Was killing her baby the right thing? No, understandable circumstances or not. Should she be removed from power? Yep. But is she really Big Bad material?
- Palicroval: entered the garden of an eleven-year-old while she was naked to propose to her. Married and raped a (different) 12-year-old girl to legitimize his claim to the throne (and as a sort of revenge-by-proxy to her deceased Evil Overlord father). Later decides to kill the boy who fixed everything, and may go through with it. Our Big Good, ladies and gentlemen.
- Designated Hero: All over the place. Praises are sung for several characters regarding their heroism; while several of them are genuinely brave, few of them actually deserve the title of good.
