The Queen of the Tearling: A Novel

Category: Book
By (author): Johansen, Erika
Series: Harper Perennial Olive Editions
Subject:  FICTION / Coming of Age
  FICTION / Fantasy / Epic
  FICTION / Fantasy / General
  FICTION / Literary
Audience: general/trade
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: October 2020
Format: Book-paperback
Pages: 480
Size: 7.12in x 4.50in x 1.20in
Availability:
Unavailable

Additional Notes

From The Publisher*

"Call it The Hunger Games of Thrones. Erika Johansen's debut novel is a genre mashup: medieval fantasy meets dystopian future. . . . An addictive and enjoyable adventure. . . . The Tear is just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem." -USA Today

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother's throne, learn to be a ruler-and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen's Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon-from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic-to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea's kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun-a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.

Review Quote*"Johansen's dark, dizzying time machine is what made this book impossible to put down. You're in the twenty-fourth century, but also the Middle Ages? The implications made us see our world today--particularly technology and education--in a new light."
Review Quote*"Quite possibly the highlight of one's vacation. . . . This spectacular debut is the first novel in a trilogy that is sure to entertain readers everywhere."
Review Quote*"Call it The Hunger Games of Thrones. Erika Johansen's debut novel is a genre mashup: medieval fantasy meets dystopian future. . . . The setting, combined with Johansen's deft hand with character and plotting, really does work. . . . An addictive and enjoyable adventure. . . . The Tear is just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem."
Review Quote*"The Queen of the Tearling tells the mesmerizing and enveloping story of an exiled princess who has to reclaim her throne while fighting back against the neighboring kingdom's menacing Red Queen."
Review Quote*"Queen Kelsea is the most compelling badass heroine since Katniss Everdeen in this fantasy epic set in a neo-feudal future."
Review Quote*"Forget The Hunger Games (sorry!): The Queen of Tearling is the best YA novel I've read in ages."
Review Quote*"This book absolutely kept me turning the pages at maximum speed, while also soaking up all of the fun character bits. . . . Kelsea has a lot of emotional and psychological complexity along with her extreme competence. . . . A superfast, ridiculously fun read."
Review Quote*"A gripping read. . . . Johansen spins an engaging story with plenty of action . . . and intriguing characters."
Review Quote*"Johansen's strong, efficient prose convincingly conveys the pressures and inevitabilities facing a determined young woman confronting the dangers of a violent era."