There's no way around it. The Hero and the Crown is a hero's journey. But instead of a male hero, the cast is switched. A woman is the kingdom's salvation. Instead of seeing a beautiful maiden with a sword (like Arthur), Aerin sees a beautiful man, a man whom she later loves. Instead of killing dragons and an evil witch, Aerin slays dragons and an evil warlock. It's a story about how powerful women can be, and how everyone needs to help or else, the situation becomes hopeless. Every character is important.
The story seems to be a rejection of the idea that the hero's myth is necessarily male centric. By showing that gender is not nearly as important as valor or humility, the novel redeems the death of the mother, showing her hopelessness was in vain, that her daughter was the salvation of the kingdom, even though know one believed it.
Aerin is a Christ character, because she is the sacrificial servant for her kingdom, and because she defeats the forces of evil, over and over again. Her royal 'magic' is a statement of her power as a human, her limitless potential as a human who says yes to risks and adventures, and who grows and learns on those journeys. She's not a male, exactly, and she does end the novel by marrying, but it's clear that she has earned her place as a real authority figure in the kingdom, not just a 'helpless girl.' She is the bane of her kingdom, regarded as a freak and a traitor, and then, through her persistent efforts, she is redeemed and saves the kingdom.
