Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - The Queen of the Tearling

I could not put this book down! It gripped me right away. The first few chapters paint a beautiful backstory, and the action begins right away and doesn't stop. I love the complicated backstories that all characters have; my favorite character trait is Kelsea's perceived plainness. Do not underestimate the True Queen!

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kelsi_r's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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thesenovelnotions's review against another edition

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adventurous dark inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

Erika Johansen's "The Queen of the Tearling" weaves a tale of political intrigue, magic, and a young queen's journey to reclaim her kingdom. Set in a dystopian future where society has regressed to a medieval-like state, the novel introduces us to Kelsea Glynn, a young woman raised in seclusion who suddenly finds herself thrust onto the throne of the Tearling.

At the heart of the narrative is Kelsea herself, a refreshing departure from the typical fantasy heroine. Strong-willed, intelligent, and unapologetically flawed, Kelsea defies the traditional princess archetype. Her struggle to reconcile her sense of duty with her desire for justice forms the emotional core of the story. Johansen skillfully develops Kelsea's character, allowing her to grow and evolve throughout the novel.

Supporting characters such as the enigmatic Fetch and the formidable Queen's Guard Lazarus add depth to the narrative, each bringing their own motivations and secrets. The complex relationships between characters, rife with tension and hidden agendas, keep the reader engaged and guessing until the very end.

Johansen's world-building is another highlight of the novel. The kingdom of the Tearling is a harsh and unforgiving landscape, plagued by poverty, oppression, and the looming threat of invasion from the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne. Yet, amidst the darkness, there are glimpses of hope and magic, hinting at a deeper mythology waiting to be uncovered.

One of the most intriguing aspects of "The Queen of the Tearling" is its exploration of power and morality. Johansen poses thought-provoking questions about the nature of leadership and the sacrifices necessary to effect real change. As Kelsea grapples with the consequences of her decisions, the novel forces the reader to consider the true cost of revolution.

Overall, I found "The Queen of the Tearling" to be a compelling and immersive read. While the pacing can be slow at times, particularly in the early chapters, the payoff is well worth it. Johansen's richly imagined world and complex characters kept me eagerly turning pages until the very end.

As I reach the conclusion of this first installment, I find myself eager to delve deeper into the world of the Tearling. Johansen has laid the groundwork for an epic saga, and I look forward to seeing where Kelsea's journey takes her next. If you're a fan of fantasy novels that defy conventions and challenge your assumptions, I highly recommend giving "The Queen of the Tearling" a read.

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jo_cbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

First of all, this definitely shouldn’t be YA lol it is a bit too explicit and graphic, much better suited as New Adult or Adult but💁🏻‍♀️

I really enjoyed this book. I expected it to be 100% high fantasy but I liked the more dystopian aspect to it since I love history and we get to see a lot of that explored throughout the book. I did find that it was unclear for most of the book why exactly the crossing happened outside of the desire for a utopia but then I wondered how William Tear could’ve convinced people to come with me? I think answering that question should have happened earlier in the book rather than 3/4 of the way through.

Kelsea (I found the name a bit distracting cuz it was the only super modern sounding one out of all the characters) is a great MC. I appreciated being able to watch her grow into the queen and being able to see her internal processing of balancing who she is a person and how she as a queen needs to be. I loved seeing the relationship between her and Mace develop; it may not be friendship but I think it is far more important than that

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thebookvincicode's review against another edition

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5.0

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italapas's review against another edition

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Just wasn't for me. I was put off by overly enthusiastic descriptions of war crimes. On further investigation, I saw the book being touted as a mix of Game of Thrones and Hunger Games, neither of which is anything I enjoy. So I put it down to move on to lighter books.

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alixcallender's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

For me, this book ticked all the fantasy boxes that I need to enjoy it. I didn’t find the story slow the way some others seem to, and all the mysterious backstory intrigue has worked on me as intended. I want to know more! However, I do take issue with a few things:

There’s a petty disdain for beauty (particularly feminine beauty) that is hard to ignore. It seems NOT to be an important fixture of the actual story, but rather a personal hangup for the author. Beautiful women are either Very Evil (Red Queen) or Very Stupid (Elyssa) or Very Sad (Andalie and Marguerite). The only beautiful women who are “good” and earn any respect from Kelsea have been horribly punished by the world because of their beauty (either as beaten wives or beaten sex slaves). It’s an old fashioned, deeply flawed take on feminism that current thinking has outgrown, and having it at the forefront of this book leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It’s demonstrated in Kelsea’s disgust for fluffy throw pillows and gold vanity mirrors - “girlie things??? Not for me, I’m nOt LiKe tHe oThEr GiRLs.” And I don’t even know HOW to address the problematic way Kelsea treats that *old and ugly* noblewoman who dares to think of herself as beautiful.

For someone who was isolated for literally her entire life, Kelsea is surprisingly well adjusted and ready to just, like, take charge of a whole ass country. And as for the country, I certainly hope this whole Crossing thing is cleared up in the next two books, because currently there are some major holes. Where is this magically unoccupied landmass that modern America and England can run to and colonize? Was it a space voyage? Why are there only TWO doctors in the whole country?? They really couldn’t have figured any of that out in all those centuries? The gunpowder “went bad”(????) and they couldn’t figure out how to make more?

None of these things offend me enough to put me off the series entirely, of course. What I’m hoping is that a complicated groundwork has been laid, that will be expertly resolved within the next two books. Do I expect that? Well, not really. But I’ll happily give it a shot.

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