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cmbohn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I wanted to love this book. I love Shakespeare retellings. I love magic. It seemed like a perfect combination.
Instead I am conflicted. The characters were well done. But the story was SO SLOW. Elia dithered for hundreds of pages. The writing was beautiful, but sometimes too much. So many descriptions! And then so many POVs. I mostly enjoyed that part.
This one is hard to rate. I feel like it will really stick with me, but it had too many flaws for 5 stars. And the ending made me mad. So I'm going to leave it at 3.5 for now.
Instead I am conflicted. The characters were well done. But the story was SO SLOW. Elia dithered for hundreds of pages. The writing was beautiful, but sometimes too much. So many descriptions! And then so many POVs. I mostly enjoyed that part.
This one is hard to rate. I feel like it will really stick with me, but it had too many flaws for 5 stars. And the ending made me mad. So I'm going to leave it at 3.5 for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
feidlemid's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The book has amazing writing! However it is very slow. It took me four months to read it... The characters though are so well fleshed out that I knew who was exactly even when I had to pick up the books for days!
Morimaros is AMAZING. I cannot believe that Elia said no to marriage when they are so cute together. He would offer everything for her and he would be the perfect match for an independent queen. Well it is an open end book so in my head they are together..
Gaela was a strong character that I did not like but her ending was out of character.
Regan is amazing, dark and a little crazy. I loved her ending so much and the way it was described.
Gaela was a strong character that I did not like but her ending was out of character.
Regan is amazing, dark and a little crazy. I loved her ending so much and the way it was described.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Miscarriage
Moderate: Infertility, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
the_bees_books's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
An adaptation of King Lear that is a deep dive into the relationship between a father and three sisters divided, even if the pacing, the convoluted plot, and the ending might be sticking points for some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, and War
maidofbees's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I like lots about this book- it's ambition, some of the characters, the magic. But I think it was just a bit too slow-paced for me!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility
imds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Acephobia/Arophobia
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Infertility, Miscarriage, Transphobia, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
chalkletters's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Queens of Innis Lear is the second retelling of King Lear that I've read, and because I still haven't read the original play, I enjoyed trying to reverse engineer the plot from the similarities between this and A Thousand Acres. It's particularly interesting to see which of Lear's three daughters are treated most sympathetically. While Tessa Gratton really made me feel for Regan, The Queens of Innis Lear was definitely the story of Elia (our Cordelia stand-in).
Caroline warned us that The Queens of Innis Lear was long, but I was glad it was, because it allowed the political and emotional situation to spin out slowly, details piling up one after the other so that I always felt I understood what was at stake without long passages of exposition. The only place this didn't entirely work was in the relationship between Elia and Ban, which I felt quite impatient with at first — though I forgot that as soon as they could actually speak to one another rather than being in separate countries.
Given the tensions that mount up throughout the story, Tessa Gratton pulled off an impressive feat by making me feel for almost every character — with the notable exception of Ullo, whose perspective we are never given. I particularly loved Aefa, whose power to manipulate the plot is far more limited and who therefore has to think very differently from everyone else. Character motives were always understandable, without the reader being hit over the head with them. The one exception was Rory's realisation and return to Innis Lear, which seemed to come out of nowhere.
Elia's journey and philosophy were definitely the most absorbing, and I wanted to see her succeed. Without spoilers, I can say I was a little disappointed in the ending. From certain things Elia said, as well as Regan and Conley's relationship with Ban, I thought she was hinting at a way The Queens of Lear could end to (nearly) everyone's satisfaction. Maybe it was naive of me to think that would happen in a book based on a tragedy, but nonetheless, I felt as if the actual ending was one of relief rather than satisfaction.
Despite the ending, I want to read the rest of the Innis Lear series, and have added Tessa Gratton to my list of authors to follow.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wanted to really love this, but I didn't. I liked a lot of elements. The magic system is metal as hell, and I love it. Rory is a wonderful charismatic bi slut; Gaela is a wildly brave, intimidating aroace; Regan is a tragic beauty; Ban,,, sure is a character; and poor Elia with socially brilliant Aefa. But something about the story or writing style just didn't vibe with me. I can see other people loving it, but I just didn't.
Maybe I would like it more if I had actually read King Lear?? I'm not sure.
Maybe I would like it more if I had actually read King Lear?? I'm not sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Medical content
emmeline's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am now obsessed with this book. I really enjoyed Gratton's writing style, it made the book engaging throughout despite the plot being pretty slow-paced. I enjoy morally gray characters and pretty much all of the characters in this book are. Also while I haven't read King Lear this novel had the vibes of reading a Shakespearian tragedy which was great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
maiagaia's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow wow wow wow wow. From the first page, I knew I was in for a ride. First of all, the writing style here is perfection. The structure of the story is wonderful. The characters are beautifully realized, and I loved every single one for very different reasons. Every POV was interesting and unique, and I honestly wish we could have had a whole series with them.
I don't think enough people are talking about the "love triangle" in this. I don't ship poly relationships generally. It's not my thing, but this book made me desperately wish for a happy ending where all of them could be together because they clearly all loved each other.In the fight between Mars and Ban, every piece of dialogue wrecked me
The thing that dropped this down half a star for me was the final scene. I don't think it made sense for the characters without at least a little bit more explanation or time.
I don't think enough people are talking about the "love triangle" in this. I don't ship poly relationships generally. It's not my thing, but this book made me desperately wish for a happy ending where all of them could be together because they clearly all loved each other.
The thing that dropped this down half a star for me was the final scene. I don't think it made sense for the characters without at least a little bit more explanation or time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Dementia, and Death of parent