The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton grabbed my attention with its beautiful cover and this tag line; A KINGDOM AT RISK, A CROWN DIVIDED, A FAMILY DRENCHED IN BLOOD.
On the island of Innis Lear, the King has turned his back on the earth gods, and seeks prophecy and knowledge in the stars. In doing so the magic of the land is dying, each year less crops are surviving and the subject are losing hope. With his devotion to the stars he has lost the love of his oldest two daughters Gaela wishes to be a warrior King, Reagan who will manipulate anyone to get her way. The only daughter that loves the King is his Star priest youngest daughter Elia, but when Elia doesn’t do what the stars the King names Gaela and Reagan to be both queens of Innis Lear, but not until the longest night of the years when a ritual can be preformed. This decision will break the island apart unless Elia can mend her family and doing so fix her island.
First thing I must say about this book is that it is beautifully written, unfortunately for me the writing style didn’t match with my reading style so I did find it difficult to get into a rhythm. I found that I ended up take a lot of breaks whilst I was reading which is strange for me, as I like to binge read.
I loved the idea of the trees and the earth having their own language that you could learn. It’s an element that I haven’t read before and made the Island of Innis Lear sound even more magical.
I liked Elia as a character she really grows as a character thought out the book, at the beginning she always seems to be over shadows. As the book she comes out of everyone shadow and becomes the person that the Island of Innis Lear needs her to be. I also like that she wasn’t reliant on a man.
Ban the Fox is a character in the book where my opinion changes, sometimes I was on his side and other parts of the story I was disappointed in his actions. After reading the book I still haven’t decided what I truly think of Ban the Fox.
This book is a beautiful and moving re-telling of King Lear, and people who enjoy Shakespeare and books like The Bear and the Nightingale should give this book a read.
I give this book 3 out of 5.
Thank to Netgalley and HarperCollin for giving me the chance to read this book for a fair and honest review.
Thanks
Gem x
