Squire, by Tamora Pierce, is the third book in the Protector of the Small Quartet. It is set in the kingdom of Tortall and its neighbors, like many others of Tamora Pierce’s books. Tortall is an archaic land of knights, magic, and nobles, and this quartet follows the journey of Keladry of Mindelan, the first girl to take advantage of the newly reinstated law that women can try for knighthood. This book tells the tale of her struggling to prove herself while being squired to Lord Raoul, one of the most respected knights of Tortall, and working with The King’s Own, the force her new knight-master commands. Squire on Keladry’s character and knowledge as she prepares for her final test before she is knighted: The Ordeal of Knighthood, in which she is tested by a sentient magical force that will try its very best to break here solve while simultaneously testing of his worthy for task that it needs done, for the good of the realm. This book is my personal favorite of the Protector of the Small Quartet, and one of my favorites of all of Tamora Pierce’s works. One of the greatest strengths in her stories, and this one in particular is her characters. They are lovable, dynamic, real and come from all walks of life, ranging from a tired but dedicated and honorable training master to a snarky young noble who started his knighthood training five years later than usual to a maid-turned-dressmaker that teaches the city girls ways to defend themselves. Pierce expertly weaves this unforgettable cast of characters into a complex story filled with relationships that feel wonderfully genuine, dialogue that flows as though characters are speaking directly at you, and truly human moments of fear, doubt, love joy and countless other emotions. These characters are just part of the story – they help to fill out the many-layered and dimensioned world of Tortall and its surroundings. This book does the same as the rest of Tamora Pierce’s works, keeping the world feeling very real with use of a more ancient dialect (such as mage) and phrases that fit the status of the characters -“I make allowance for your grief” (281) from a noble and “Anyways, her folks is charcoal burners, caught in the woods by them bandits. They took a bunch of lone folk, them that on’y come into the walls for winter. Cowardly pukes” (92) from a shepherd’s boy. Pierce also defines this world expertly using politics, settings and situations that all seem very appropriate for an ancient monarchy. Squire contains themes of growth as Keladry develops and learns about the realm, how it is run, and how she can help it with her emerging talents. It also presents a theme of resilience, and belief in yourself, as Kel continues to be tested by conservatives who are determined to see her fail and she hold her head high and forges on. Finally, the book culminates with a profound lesson that Kel has learned through her journey thus far: what the realm truly is and what her duty to it means. All in all, Squire a delightful story fueled by characters that will make you laugh, cry and grin like mad. It enfolds you in a land of magic and kings that feels genuine and real. And, in the end, it gathers up all its characters and side-plots, and the four years that it covers and leaves with a message of growth, self-confidence and duty.