April 11, 2016sarahylockwood

Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

 

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Rate: 4.5/5

 

Medium: Book

Overview (No Spoilers): What an absolutely delightful sequel to Queen of the Tearling!   Glancing back to my review of the aforementioned novel, many of my complaints or questions were answered in the Invasion of the Tearing. Specifically, Kelsea seemingly easy transition to the role of Queen finally hits several growing pains and ramifications of her initial decisions. These growing pains are the foundation to the main plot point throughout the book. Initially, as the reader I grew impatient with Kelsea’s apparent digress in maturity, however upon some reflection I realized how refreshing it was to see Kelsea grow into her role compared to the last book. Maybe she experienced ‘beginners luck’ with her initial weeks on the throne. While the magic surrounding the sapphires is still shrouded in mystery, their impact on Kelsea is disturbing and worrisome especially when it comes to a climatic execution scene. Her overwhelming flashbacks to the past are fascinating as they offer a glimpse into the past, however initially they seem almost to be an entirely different story line within the novel. The flashbacks begin to shedding light on the mystery surrounding the arrival of the Tearling group to the Better World. Another mystery that has started to unravel, much to the delight of the reader, is the back-story to Mace, which Thorne surprisingly prompts. Overall, I’m impatiently waiting the third book in the series! I’m encouraging all of my friends (you’re included in that group) to start reading the Queen of the Tearling before it becomes mainstream! Especially with Emma Watson set to star and produce Queen of the Tearing.  I was beyond excited to see this book series in such capable hands.

Additional Insight (May Contain Spoilers):

  1. Where did Father Tyler disappear? Now that Kelsea is in the clutches of the Red Queen how will she get her hands on the crown? PS. I did not see the Church being behind the stashed crown! In retrospect it makes perfect sense. Also, my heart will hurt terrible is something dreadful happens to the beautiful library hidden in the Church.
  2. Again, who is Kelsea’s Father? Her father is definitely not the Fetch, as I’d previously speculated, and not the evil, cursed being from the fire. Both of the aforementioned characters will probably prove to have devious and treacherous pasts with regard to Kelsea’s forbearers. This still leaves Kelsea’s father in question. This might sound crazy, what if William Tear is Kelsea’s father? It cannot be someone that is active in the story, and it is speculated that she is a true Tear Queen. Mace had a curious response when he asked Kelsea if she was seeing Tear in her visions. I do find it strange that Kelsea is becoming Lily. I haven’t figured out that loop yet and why she is important to Kelsea other than perhaps being a distant relation to Kelsea. Regardless, I’m intrigued and eagerly waiting to see how this storyline plays out.
  3. The execution of Thorne was brutal and hard to read. I felt as though Kelsea was on the cusp of becoming someone Evil and in some ways worse than her mother. I hope that this evil trend has run its course.
  4. How did Fetch know that the Queen wouldn’t kill Kelsea? How will she escape Mort with her sapphires? What is killing people around the mines contain sapphires? What happened to the miners that Kelsea commissioned?

 

9 comments

      • I did and that blows my mind! I have been dying for the Author to go on a book tour, sign my books please. 🙂. What I am hoping that is finally answered in book 3–who’s her Father?? Got to know. Also hope to see more of The Fetch. Was hoping for a love interest there but don’t think it’s going that way.

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  2. Thank you for your review. I read the first novel and loved it, raced out to get the second one and just couldn’t get into it. It’s been awhile so am not to sure why, maybe it was slower than the first one. However, you make me want to attempt the book again, which is great.

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  3. The thing killing people around the mines is the dark thing, Rowland Finn. He was stuck there until Kelsea released him, and those were his hunting grounds. The question is what is he going to do now that he’s free.

    I want to know who the Fetch is. The regent had said he thought he was dead, so he’s someone from the past, possibly William Tear or Jonathan Tear.

    How did Finn betray the Tears? Was he the one who assassinated William?

    I’m not sure how I feel about time travel in this series. Is Kelsea going to actually go into the past to change things for Evie?

    Mace had said that Kelsea’s father was the best of men, so who would fit that description? Someone who would have been alive when Elyssa was alive. I was thinking it was Carroll, but since no one wants to tell her and Finn said she didn’t want to know and took pity on her, I’m guessing it’s something worse.

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    • Hi Cory! I agree that I would think the thing killing people is Finn but I feel as though there could be more to that aspect of the story. And those are all very good questions. I’m sure it has something to do with the assassination. I wonder if Kelsey’s mother also traveled and perhaps her father was from another time (Maybe William). They insinuated that she is a Tear. How else could she be? And that would explain how her father was the best of men. I love all the potential the next book has!

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