**I received an ARC from Netgalley. I was in no way compensated for this review, and these are my honest opinions.**
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton
Release Date: March 27, 2018
My Rating: 3.75 stars
Summary: A kingdom at risk, a crown divided, a family drenched in blood.
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. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.
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. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.
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 so excited for The Queens of Innis Lear. Now, I've never read King Lear, so I'm not sure how accurate it is as a Shakespeare retelling. I'll tell you this: the world building is intense, the characters are so complex, and the plot is dark.
So overall, I enjoyed the novel. One of my favorite things was the fact that the sisters are black, and that their dark skin is never forgotten, which probably doesn't make sense lol. You know how there's been a whole string of novels claiming to be "diverse" just because one of the more important characters is ethnically ambiguous or is a POC but it's only mentioned once. Yeah, so that's why I liked that we're constantly reminded of the sisters and their heritage.
While the characters are complex, I did think they were difficult to understand. Like, I know that some of the characters are morally gray, but they would say they were going to do something in one chapter and then just do the complete opposite the next chapter. With no indication of having planned it. So yeah, I got confused a lot.
Also, this book is long. Now, I knew that going in, but reading it on my phone was definitely a mistake. The only real reason I finished this book is because I forced myself to because I was bored in the car. If you pick up this book, I totally recommend getting a print copy if you're able to.
Here are some graphics I made for Gaela, Regan, and Elia!
About the Author: Tessa Gratton has wanted to be a paleontologist or a wizard since she was seven. Alas, she turned out too impatient to hunt dinosaurs, but is still searching for a someone to teach her magic. After traveling the world with her military family, she acquired a BA (and the important parts of an MA) in Gender Studies, then settled down in Kansas with her partner, her cats, and her mutant dog. She now spends her days staring at the sky and telling lots of stories about magic.
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