The Queens of Innis Lear
In Tessa Gratton’s The Queens of Innis Lear, the erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.
I was impressed by Gratton’s ability to weave together this incredible story through multiple perspectives and flashbacks. She led the reader along with her talented writing skills and managed to make everything come together beautifully by the end. I can only imagine how much time and effort she put into making sure the flashbacks she included were meaningful to the story and fleshed out the main characters’ motives.
Out of the three daughters, Elia was my favourite, but I sympathized with all of them. Gaela and Reagan deserved better fates, and I think if there had been a way for all three to live happily together, that’s what Elia would have wanted. Sadly, Gaela and Reagan were too set in their ways to deviate from their paths, and in the end the island of Innis Lear got the queen it needed, even if Elia didn’t initially want the crown.
I also enjoyed reading Elia’s complicated relationships with Ban, her childhood friend, and Mars, the king of a nearby kingdom. Like her sisters, Ban was too focused on revenge to listen to Elia and her desire to save everyone on the island, including him. I believe Elia loved him until his death, but that love didn’t counteract what she felt for Mars. Although the ending of the book left their relationship somewhat ambiguous, I’m excited to see if the companion novel explores that relationship further. There was great potential there.
Gratton’s incredible worldbuilding and writing style weaved together a story that fantasy lovers won’t be able to resist.
The Queens of Innis Lear Rating: ★★★★
I was impressed by Gratton’s ability to weave together this incredible story through multiple perspectives and flashbacks. She led the reader along with her talented writing skills and managed to make everything come together beautifully by the end. I can only imagine how much time and effort she put into making sure the flashbacks she included were meaningful to the story and fleshed out the main characters’ motives.
Out of the three daughters, Elia was my favourite, but I sympathized with all of them. Gaela and Reagan deserved better fates, and I think if there had been a way for all three to live happily together, that’s what Elia would have wanted. Sadly, Gaela and Reagan were too set in their ways to deviate from their paths, and in the end the island of Innis Lear got the queen it needed, even if Elia didn’t initially want the crown.
I also enjoyed reading Elia’s complicated relationships with Ban, her childhood friend, and Mars, the king of a nearby kingdom. Like her sisters, Ban was too focused on revenge to listen to Elia and her desire to save everyone on the island, including him. I believe Elia loved him until his death, but that love didn’t counteract what she felt for Mars. Although the ending of the book left their relationship somewhat ambiguous, I’m excited to see if the companion novel explores that relationship further. There was great potential there.
Gratton’s incredible worldbuilding and writing style weaved together a story that fantasy lovers won’t be able to resist.
The Queens of Innis Lear Rating: ★★★★