The Queen Of The Tearling by Erika Johansen

Before this book was even on the shelves of our local bookstores it was already snapped up by the movie industry. Emma Watson is said to be set to play protagonist Kelsea Raleigh Glynn. Who if I'm honest is the most fascinating heroine I've come across since Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games.

Kelsea is not depicted in the usually way we are accustomed. She is no renowned beauty instead she is plain, round faced, intelligent and temperamental. She is in all honesty a breath of fresh air and far more identifiable in my opinion.

You would be forgiven for believing that the story is set in the past but in actual fact it seems to be set in the future. The reason you may be given this impression is that there seems to be very few modern conveniences and people wield swords , ride horses and dress in medieval attire. There are also very few books as when the people of the Tear made the crossing from America they were only allowed bring a four books each. Kelsea's foster mother Carlin Glynn had an extensive library which contained many classics such as The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings as well as Rowling's seven works this if I had been in any doubt before made it clear that this book is actually set in the future.

The Queen Of The Tearling is Erika Johansen's debut novel and having finished reading it I am very glad that it is book one of a trilogy. I very much look forward to reading the rest of this tale. With characters like The Mace, The Fetch, the Red Queen and Kelsea I find it hard to believe that anyone would dislike this book but I have read a few negative reviews and the main issue seems to be based on the following line:

"And for all the anguish that Kelsea's own reflection had caused her lately, she saw now that there was something far worse than being ugly: being ugly and thinking you were beautiful."

I did not become enraged like many other readers have by this statement maybe I don't really see what is wrong with this particular viewpoint. The lady Kelsea is thinking about is an ugly person and by an ugly person I don't mean just aesthetically she is ugly on the inside. So maybe that is why I didn't find myself outraged by this particular thought. 

All that aside I liked the plot. It appealed to me. Kelsea is raised in a cottage from infancy by her foster parents Barty and Carlin. The best way I can think to describe Kelsea's foster parents is that Barty is good cop and Carlin is bad cop. Barty is soft and loving towards Kelsea and Carlin is stern and the enforcer of lessons and punishments. Throw the two together and they are a super parent designed to help Kelsea become a good person and a good ruler. Kelsea's mother was not a good Queen and her kingdom has suffered greatly for her mistakes as a result. Kelsea will have a great task ahead of her if she is to fix her kingdom and right all the wrongs of her mothers and her uncle The Regents rule. That is if she survives the trip to the Keep to be crowned and stays alive long enough to rule.

I will now have to patiently await book twos publication and I can hardly wait. I also really hope that the Movie does the book justice.