THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen 3/5

THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING 

(The Queen of the Tearling #1) 

by Erika Johansen 

3 out of 5 stars

Also published in goodreads here.

BOOK WARNINGS: Triggering. Main character has very strong opinions about fashion, of which she has none.

This book is a clear example of why one should take care in choosing from the "popular" (read: incredibly hyped) YA list. The Queen of the Tearling was promoted as a mash-up of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. Although I  enjoyed neither books, I though QOTT might push me closer to trying them out (again). Besides, Emma Watson has shown her love for this book in producing its movie version. After this very lengthy yet going nowhere book, I've realized that Emma Watson and I do not read much of the same things. Primarily, I don't like books that reads like propaganda. But I'll get into that spoiler bit below.

A review linked to its wikipedia entry (review here) warns that the overwhelming negative review of this book should be ignored because there's more to this book if you "scratch the surface". From personal experience, I needed a backhoe and several tonnes of TNT to get through the surface only to find out that there's really nothing there.

To be fair, this book has its merits. The biggest (maybe it's only one) is it's anti-slavery and human trafficking thrust. In fact, this book did an awesome job of explaining slavery and its effects on the families left behind. Slavery and human trafficking is bad and awful and the book actually did that bit well enough for YA readers who aren't really used to reading about it. If you'd take this as an introductory book on slavery/human trafficking, then it was great. It is also anti-abuse, which also depicted it quite well. It's "anti" a lot of things. That's all very good. Sadly, this book painted slavery and abuse in such a white-washed way that the easy-way-out solutions the main character imposed made sense. In the real world, it wouldn't have made a difference. 

Some sections that are not completely spoiler free. 

Kelsea Raleigh's 19th birthday meant that her life would change forever. Shortly after that day, the Queen's Guard arrived to take her from her foster parent's little hut secluded in the Woods. After a brief introduction to Carlin and Barty, we quickly follow Kelsea as she travels to fulfill her destiny as the Queen of the Tearling. Don't worry, Carlin and Barty snippets are introduced NON-STOP at every chance. It serves to endear us to the two characters. It's so effective that I wished I was reading about Carlin instead, not a good start. The Queen's Guard doesn't immediately warm up to Kelsea, much to her... nothing. She feels that she understands why they aren't really respecting her, etc. That's alright since Kelsea has a lot on her plate before she even gets to the Keep (her seat of power). 

Her travels are met with unfortunate events that pushes more characters into the picture including V for Vendetta-esque guy called The Fetch. Yes, like it's never gonna happen, Fetch. Why?! Inappropriate name aside, The Fetch rescues Kelsea from the Caden, who are the Guild of Assassins-esque mercenaries. There's also some bits about the Black Market. Finally, when Kelsea reaches the Keep, she finds out some very important information about Slavery. She was also introduced to abuse. Basically, as one booktuber pointed out, Kelsea saves everyone abused within her eyesight. Oh my god, what a feminist. 

Uhm, no. Well, I've always thought there's more to it than that. 

And, before I go into the spoilers. There's a bit about the bad uncle who is a pawn of the Red Queen, who is the true villain who lives just across the border into the more powerful country called Mortmesne. There's also another evil called Thorne, who is a sociopath of the highest order. There's the Holy Church that's exactly like our real world church. And, the ever mysterious Crossing. 

Mind that this story happens way into Earth's future. At least, those residing in this world shares the same history as Earth. There was this great mysterious Crossing, which shall remain mysterious because the author has been quoted to reveal that we will know nothing about the Crossing, possibly until the very end. My thought is that it will also open her up to another book deal on The Crossing Trilogy, the Jonathan Tear Saga. 

At the very end, I realize the one thing that I feel that I will see repeatedly throughout all the books: If you replace Kelsea with any other person, including Mace, the story will not make a difference. Let me explain for realsies:

SPOILER ALERT

KELSEA CAN DO NO WRONG. That is absolutely ridiculous. Even royals who have lived their entire lives in the public eye still make mistakes. That's why they hire an entire office floor of PRs and secretaries and maids and handlers. Yet, once Kelsea rides the mare given to her by the Queen's Guard, she is instantly the luckiest queen in the world. She doesn't say or do anything that can be criticized or at least make her seem doubtful. Even the blurbs at the beginning of each chapter relentlessly reminds us that Kelsea is the True Queen and could therefore do no wrong. She's just so perfect in every sense. That's so much of a fairy tale and right in the realms of unrealistic-expectations. Some of it may be the saphire necklace/s fault, thus, if Mace were to harness its powers then he too can do no wrong. I would have really liked to see it on Mace, perhaps it would make for a better story. Unfortunately, the book tells us that only Kelsea can wield its enormous magic. Yes, the sapphire saves everyone. It just so happens Kelsea was able to them. That's not really saying Girl Power, is it? 

KELSEA HAS ISSUES ON HIGH FASHION. Wtf. I have no idea where this is coming from. Apparently, her mother, Queen Elyssa, was a bad queen who just happen to prefer dressing up and looking nice. I do not believe for one second that looking nice or even being vain makes for stupid people or queen. First off, there's no connection. Have they not seen Elle Woods? Can Elle Woods go into this book and bitch-slap Kelsea and Carlin? Sorry, Carlin, but a little girl wanting to dress up in princess clothes (who is rightfully a princess, mind) should be left to playing dress-up as much as she wants. This sending hate messages, when this book is supposed to be feminist. This is probably one of the most confusing messages in this book. Why are you hating on women who like fashion and looking good? That's not being feminist in my book. I thought feminism is supposed to be empowerment. Why all this hate? I'm not saying Elyssa is a good queen. I think she is a weak queen who had not been trained well-enough. For all the hate Elyssa got from her OWN DAUGHTER, she was strong in her own right. AT least, she was strong when she really really needed to be. 

Let's put it this way: Elyssa knew that she wasn't up for it. She signed the treaty coz they couldn't come up with anything better and her entire government was peeing their pants and was too scared to think. Being someone who knows there wasn't anything else she could do, she signs it. Elyssa knows what she did and goes into her own world of nice dresses and parties to forget. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. She attempted to get pregnant a few times before chickening out (my own opinion of events), until she finally musters enough courage to give birth to Kelsea. She probably made a deal with Carlin, who promised to take the baby, and went ahead with the pregnancy. It makes sense. Yet, we see it in Thomas' view and he knew nothing. This brings me to, KELSEA is unappreciative of her mother. She could not forgive her own mother. In the end, Kelsea changes her name to Glynn to effectively erase all of Elyssa from her. She doesn't even bother to defend her mother's memories. Only Carlin shows compassion for Elyssa. Poor Elyssa, I say. I have more sympathy for the mother. Why is this book so hard on women when it's supposed to be feminist?

ALL MEN ARE GREAT AND AWESOME. That's right. Isn't this a feminist book? Exactly. Kelsea is surrounded by awesome men. They have faults like Mace can't read, Pen is love-struck, Javel is an alcoholic, Thorne is a sociopath, Thomas is addicted to everything, etc. But all great deeds are done by men. The Fetch is a guy, all Queen's Guards are guys, the masterful Cadens are all guys. Where the awesome girls? Except for Carlin, only one other girl is awesome, and that is Kelsea. Really? Also, all girls are objectified. All female characters are there to be mothers, and that's the only way they can be awesome. We only see Carlin as a guardian, a mother-figure. Elyssa was a bad queen but the book tells us she did one good thing and that's to be a mom and send Kelsea away. So, girls, if you weren't going to be mothers, you aren't going to be awesome. Because all other girls in this book are bad. Take Marguerite. She's a good person in spite of being a whore, because she wanted to be a mom. Take that feminist book.

There was a scene with the Red Queen of Mortmesne where a male slave was objectified. I am immediately in love with the Red Queen. Because she's the only one who appears to be a true feminist. She is a woman in a position usually reserved for males. She knew what she wanted and got it. She didn't let anyone get in her way. She wanted slaves, yes, and that's bad. At least, she is consistent in being a feminist. There's a scene where she reacts to harassment of her staff. 

SLAVES. In that note, it would be unfair to blame slave trading to the Red Queen. She sees slaves as a business. Rightly so, because if no one bought slaves, there's be no slave trading. Slaving is an old trade. I fully support everything Kelsea has done to stop it. Maybe a more effective way to solve slave trading is to attack Mortmesne and topple the current government to instill a new one that would eradicate slaving. Kelsea doesn't see the big picture because if she did, she'd say something about the Cadare and other countries' slaves. But the narrative only shows Kelsea reacting to her own slave. She mad coz it's happening to them. If it happened to Cadare or other neighboring kingdom, I highly doubt she'd feel as strongly. If she truly were going on a rampage against slavery, she would save every slave from any country. It's not enough to just save Tear. But she doesn't really care about her neighbors. In fact, we don't hear anyone saying anything or communication with other countries, except for Mortmesne. Really? Mortmesne is one country. Cut off its trade to other countries and you'd have it surrounded. Plus, it's landlocked! Kelsea needs strong political advisers. 

BOOKS and the HOLY CHURCH. I love that she rescues books. But, as other reviews have already mentioned, you don't have time for that Kelsea. It may be her way of getting close to Father Tyler, and, in turn, the Holy Church. Has she even thought of an audience with the Holy Father. Plus, there's a new Holy Father. She actually has the upper hand here because if they were invaded by the Red Queen, the Holy Church would be burned to the ground with every priest in it. The Holy Church and the Tear Queen should be allies since they wouldn't survive without each other. Again, this is a feminist book, which has shown no tolerance for anything whatsoever. There are people who genuinely enjoy being religious and Kelsea just spat on their faces. She could easily have been blessed by the Holy Church for an easy peace, and then encourage other religions and be blessed by them in turn. By then, Kelsea would have had absolute power as the True Queen and become untouchable. Besides, Kelsea cannot afford to be choosy with friends. 

Unfortunately, the book didn't delve much into Kelsea's reign because it ended somewhat in an anti-climactic event of trying to stop Thorne. Really??? You're worried about Thorne, who is what again? Exactly. He's a sociopath with ties to the black market. Have someone murder him in a dark alley and we're all good. Instead, Thorne goes into his own slavery deal and needs thwarting. In the end, this event was used to close the Caden mini-arc. Disappointing.

END OF SPOILERS

I stuck with this book until the very end and I wished that it had more to offer than this. It's really unfortunate because the PR people  did their jobs really well and even got Emma Watson to read it. Unfortunately, this book didn't meet any of my simple expectations. It didn't even have the decency for a plot twist in the end to blow my mind a smidgen. Sigh.