Kind of a reversal of the hero-rescues-the-maiden story, and also kind of a reversal of the coming of age story that's in Wizard of Earthsea. Wizard of Earthsea was kind of about coming of age by becoming something, while Tombs of Atuan was more about coming of age by rejecting a previous self. Tombs of Atuan was sadder than the other Earthsea stories I've read. Like all the other Earthsea stories I've read so far, it can stand alone & doesn't need to be read before or after any of the others.