The Magicians’ Guild

I have just read this trilogy and I have to say that, while Canavan is an engaging author, her work is decidedly non-feminist. The protagonist is the *only* major female character in the entire series. Almost every other female character is primarily defined as a mother, lover, or servant. And the protagonist almost never drives the story; she is constantly reacting to the decisions of the swarm of powerful male characters she is surrounded by. She is constantly unsure of herself, a wilting flower next to the pillars of confidence that are nearly every male character. And to add the final insult, near the end she falls head-over-heels in love with not only the single most powerful male character (of course), but one who is also nearly twice her age. Canavan should be applauded for including a LGBT-friendly arc, but from a feminist perspective she fails spectacularly.