By Abigail R Risser

Staff Writer

Magic, feministic appeal, and a relapse of the medieval times in the 24th century: Erika Johansen’s novel, The Queen of the Tearling, captures all of these amazingly through the story of Tearling’s new queen, Kelsea Glynn. The national best seller is the first book in the series, beginning with the young queen being picked up from her caretakers’ home by the Queen’s Guard to make the daunting journey back to take her rightful place on the throne. Despite facing many difficult decisions, and the deadly threat of the tyrant Red Queen, Kelsea survives the journey. She also begins making changes for the good of her people.Along the way, she discovers the magic of the family jewels has guided her and shown her how to overcome the Red Queen and other foes.

The story changes perspectives various times to give the reader more information in increments,  which creates the constant feeling of suspense.

Johansen’s dystopian novel takes place in the near future, even though Tearling is set in a medieval landscape.

Although The Queen of the Tearling, is a great a book, it can be confusing. Sometimes the changing perspectives can be unclear, or the characters and history aren’t explained until later,making it difficult to understand what characters are talking about that.

That in mind, The Queen of the Tearling is still a good read, claimed as being “just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem” by USA Today.

Already read this novel or are intrigued? There are two more books in the series: The Invasion of the Tearling and The Fate of the Tearling, so don’t stop at the first!