The Queen of the Tearling

The Queen of the Tearling

Author: Erika Johansen

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: Paperback edition April 2015

Available in: Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle

Like any good book, you hear about it via word of mouth. I'd seen blogs, heard people talking about it, and finally I gave in, though I lacked any substantial reading time. We'd reviewed the book for MuggleNet but I'd yet to pull the trigger on a purchase. 

Luckily, a trip to London gave me plenty of the reading time I'd been lacking, so I hunted for the infamously eye-catching red paperback cover at Barnes and Noble in the airport and began reading before the plane had even taken off.

For the Harry Potter fans, you'll know the novel has already been optioned for a film which will star Emma Watson. For the non-Harry Potter fans, this is the medieval fantasy adventure story you've been waiting for!

"With the arrival of her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn is ascending to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling. Surrounded by enemies, including an evil sorceress possessed of dark magic, the young ruler stands little chance of success. But Kelsea possesses fearsome weapons of her own, including the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic. As an epic war draws near, Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny begins - a wonderous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend...if she can survive." - The Queen of the Tearling

There are so many things that I love about this story. The relationships between each character, the seemingly plain-girl self-awareness that Kelsea has when it's so obvious that she is anything but plain, the mystery surrounding the event referred to as the Crossing...it all adds up to a read that answers questions but leaves more questions looming.

And perhaps my favorite thing - this isn't your run-of-the-mill fairytale Disney princess. The strength of this character and her conviction is refreshing. Yet she, and the reader as we take this journey with her, have yet to fully realize the power she holds.

I feel lucky that I waited so long to have jumped on the Tearling bandwagon, as the release of sequel to the first novel in the series is only DAYS away, and hopefully I'll get some answers to my questions! Who is The Fetch? Why is the evil sorceress so evil, yet written almost sympathetically? What is the secret of the two sapphires? Can Kelsea save her people and bring an end to the horrors they've experienced?

Is it June 9th yet?

Check back for my next review of the sequel, The Invasion of the Tearling!