Ultimately, this book was quite good. I was unable to finish it the first time I started, and still feel like that was justified, but powering through it I came to appreciate it. I think it is well written, and a compelling story. Furthermore, I think the worldbuilding was excellent, the characters were abnormally well fleshed out (for the most part, though characters like Rovigo's middle daughter seemed random and gratuitous), and the writing techniques used (particularly the perspective changes) were effective. I liked that Kay clearly showed the minds of the various players in the political game through their thoughts without ruining the story by over-saturating the reader with knowledge of everyone's objectives. The pacing was also excellent.

That being said, I think the premise is terrible, and that Kay hits you over the head with it for far too long. The afterword on my version makes it clear that this is the point of the novel (the novel itself also makes this clear..), but that doesn't excuse it. Basically, I as a reader don't care about Tigana. I don't care about it more as the book progresses, and I most of all don't feel like the name itself is the defining attribute of the place. There is an important question of identity that is being asked here, certainly, but it is asked with too little finesse, and carries too much weight. When first told about Tigana, Devin's reaction is unreasonable (I remember I initially stopped reading after this scene the first time I picked this book up - I felt too strongly that I was being handed an idea that the author presumptuously thought was deep and that I should show my acceptance of it by watching Devin burst into tears for his long lost homeland for multiple pages). The support given to the resistance by people like Rovigo (or, more absurdly, Alais), is simply unrealistic. If the story had been about a group of people saving the memory of Tigana in spite of widespread ambivalence, that would make more sense, but the fact that they somehow manage to draw a bunch of people to their cause in spite of not being able to explain what they're fighting for is confusing. Furthermore, this book features at least one too many deus-ex-machina "riselka moments," none of which are explained in anywhere close to enough detail to justify their playing such a major role in the plot. Finally, Dianora was frustrating. Her story was interesting, but I thought ended poorly (and also quite unrealistically).

I think this book had promise, but that I disliked the premise and some of the ways in which that translated to the execution of the tale. As a result, I'm interested in reading more of Kay going forward, with the strong hope that I am happier with his other ideas. ( )

Esmapilgul võib jääda mulje, et tegemist on täiesti klassikalise keskajal põhineva fantaasialooga, kuhu on põimitud nii seiklusi, armastust kui maagiat. Ja esmapilk ei eksi – nii ongi. Ometi on “Tiganal” oma pealtnäha lihtsa ja ladusa loo, meeldejäävate tegelaste ja nende suhete ning vapustavalt hästi joonistatud maailma taga niivõrd palju sügavamaid kihte, et raske on isegi kusagilt alustada.
Kindlasti ja eelkõige on üks kõige olulisemaid neist mälu ja mäletamise idée, mis paljude võõrvõimude all virelenud eestlastele tuttav. Üheksast sõltumatust provinitsist koosneva Laba poolsaarest poole vallutavad samaaegselt kahe naabruses asuva suurrriigi kaks võimast võlurit. Neist ühe – Brandini – poeg hukkub lahingutes Tigana maakonna vallutamisel ning karistuseks kustutab raevunud võlur maakonna ja tema pealinna – valgete tornide Avalle – Laba elanike mälust. Seda jäävad mäletama vaid need, kes on Tiganas sündinud. Maakonna hing on hävitatud ja sellest on jäänud vaid valutav haav aastate möödudes aina vähemate inimeste mälus.
Kui lugeja kohtub järjest raamatu peategelastega – rändmuusikuted, kaupmehed, võlurid, ülikud, röövlid – ja hargnevad lahti nende lood, on võib lausa füüsiliselt tajuda inimeste ängi, mis lõpuks defineerib nende saatused. Ja ka nende omad, kes on end nendega sidunud.
Lisaks mälule räägib lugu valikutest ja saatusest: nii sellest, et saatus on meie enda teha, kui ka sellest, et tee võib olla ette määratud. Üht sellistest liinidest esindab ilmselt kõige tugevamalt legendaarsete vee-elanike riselkade ja Brandini liignaise Dianora traagiline liin. Dianora on langenud Tigana kuninga skulptori tütar, kes oma päritolu varjates on kättemaksu nimel suutnud pääseda võluri saišani – haaremisse – ja saanud tema lemmiknaiseks. Kuid naine armub türanni, leiab vastuarmastuse ja tema elu on rebitud kaheks kohustuse ja armastuse vahel. Ehk veidi kunstlikult, aga igati loosse sobivalt leiab ta nõu riselkalt, kes näitab talle tema saatust. Kuid valikud, kuidas sinnamaale jõuda, peab ta tegema ise.
Siiski on maagial raamatus teisejärguline roll, mis ei tõuse kordagi – isegi võtmeolukordades, domineerima tegelaste valikute, otsuste ja valikute üle, mis ilmselt ongi see, mis muudab loo nii paeluvaks. Kay meisterlikkus inimeste kujutamisel, nende ambivalentsus ja must-valgete toonide puudumine domineerib nii süžee kohatise takerdumise kui mõningate üsna põhjendamatult sissetoodud tegelaste osas (Alienor).
Kindlasti on “Tigana” üks neist ramaatutest, mida võib lugeda terve elu – lapsena nautides seiklusi, kangelaste vaprust ja romantilisi line, vanemana haarates teose sügavamaid kihte ja traagikat. “Tigana” on “fantaasia”kirjandus selle sõna kõige tõelisemas mõttes – hea kirjandus, millest sageli võib vaid fantaseerida.
( )

Why is this my favourite book? Well, it's hard to put into words. I love the characters - each of the characters is richly drawn and full of emotion and passion. It is easy to like each one of them whether flawed, angelic, or 'evil' (except for Alberico, of course).

Kay does a fantastic job of weaving many strands of the story along their own path, but bringing them together in the end in a way you don't really see coming. I always love how he has some surprises in his novels.

I've read this book 5 or 6 times, and each time I become emotionally involved in the characters and the story. I know what is coming, and I know how the book ends, but I still stay up until midnight reading so I don't have to leave the world and the people. ( )

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my favourite authors, but this book just didn't do it for me. I really struggled to get through it, probably because I couldn't connect with the central premise: that people were willing to go to such lengths to bring back a name no one remembered. I also had other problems with the story, such as using sex as a plot device. It was unnecessary at best and downright icky at worst.

I also found Kay's writing - usually so lyrical and engaging - dull and monotonous. I adored The Lions of Al-Rassan and A Song for Arbonne. I had such high hopes for Tigana. Hopefully, the next book I pick up by Kay will be better. ( )

Very fun book, tough to put down. Some complex themes and clearly ambitious. Thoroughly enjoyed it but didn't think it was brilliant. Its inspirations and intents were just a little too transparent, even before i read about his indebtedness to Campbell. It may not be great literature but it sure was fun (and my scoring may be unreasonably low) ( )