BooksadventureThe Queen of the Tearling

№ 1 · The Queen of the Tearling

The Queen of the Tearling,

Name: The Queen of the Tearling
Rating: 3.7683823529411766 (136 reviews)
ISBN: 9780062290380

by Erika Johansen

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Rating3.8/ 5

Ratings136

Pages512

Reading Hours11h

Published2014

LanguageEnglish

§Synopsis

"On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen's Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon--from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic--to prevent her from wearing the crown."--

§Our take

The Queen of the Tearling got buried under its own hype. A film deal landed before the book did, and the marketing parked it next to A Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games. Neither comparison helps. What's actually here is a fairy-tale heir story with a twist: the setting is the future of the real world, regressed to feudalism, with settlers who lost their knowledge. Reviewers wanted that explained sooner and in more detail.

The best part is the supporting cast. Readers single out Lazarus and the Queen's Guard for praise. The weak part is the start, a long ride before anything happens, and a heroine who calls herself plain while the book keeps fussing over looks. It reads like YA but carries slavery, rape and abuse, and that mismatch is real.

§Themes

The fairy-tale heir: A hidden princess returns to claim a throne from a corrupt regent, in the shape of a Sleeping Beauty story.
A future that forgot itself: The world is a post-crossing society that slid back into feudalism, with only hints of where it came from.
Power and rot: The kingdom she inherits comes with slavery, a corrupt church and a predatory regent.
The plain heroine: Kelsea insists she's plain and practical, though reviewers say the book keeps circling back to appearance.

§How it was received

The buzz promised a lot, and the reviews that followed were lukewarm: a slow first stretch, uneven characters and a fuzzy world. LitReactor called it competent but underwhelming and said it deserves to be judged on its own terms. Readers who enjoyed it point to the fairy-tale premise, the readable style and the side characters.

§Read it if

You like fairy-tale premises with a darker, harsher kingdom underneath
You'll put up with a slow start for a strong supporting cast
You enjoy genre blends where fantasy turns out to be something else

§Skip it if

You want the scale and plotting the Game of Thrones comparison promised
Sexual violence and abuse, even referenced, are a dealbreaker

§Before you start

Reading experience: A long ride to the capital comes before the political drama starts, and several mysteries are left open for later books.
Reading order: Book 1 of the Queen of the Tearling trilogy, followed by The Invasion of the Tearling (2015) and The Fate of the Tearling (2016). Start here.
Content notes: Graphic violence, including stabbing, throat-slashing and battle scenes; a demon drinks a child's blood; Sexual slavery, prostitution, rape and child sexual abuse are referenced; a regent keeps women for sexual purposes; Frequent strong profanity; Alcohol use and opiate addiction, including a mercy killing of an addicted guard.

§Common questions

Is The Queen of the Tearling YA or adult?: The voice reads YA, but the content is adult, including sexual violence and graphic scenes. Plugged In suggests 14 and up, for mature teens.
Is it part of a series?: It's the first book of a trilogy, followed by The Invasion of the Tearling and The Fate of the Tearling.
Is there a movie?: Warner Bros. began developing one in June 2013 and Emma Watson was cast as Kelsea. The project looks stalled, with no recent progress.

§If you liked this

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin — The marketing comparison, and LitReactor says it set up unrealistic expectations.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins — Also invoked by the marketing for its young woman in a harsh world, though LitReactor found the comparison unhelpful.
Harry Potter and Tolkien's works by J. K. Rowling and J. R. R. Tolkien — One reviewer spotted in-text nods to Harry Potter, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in this post-crossing world.

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Fusing speculative world-building with political intrigue and coming-of-age narratives, modern high fantasy frequently explores the heavy burdens of leadership and moral compromise. Erika Johansen established a prominent presence in the genre with her debut fantasy novel, The Queen of the Tearling, which introduces a future-bound society grappling with tyranny, corruption, and historical secrets.

Career & Background

Erika Johansen was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She pursued her undergraduate education at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania before earning a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Although she subsequently attended law school and practiced as an attorney, she maintained a persistent writing practice throughout her legal career.

Johansen made her published debut in 2014 when HarperCollins released The Queen of the Tearling. Following the success of her debut, she completed her flagship trilogy and expanded the universe with additional works, later relocating to England to continue writing full-time.

Writing Style & Themes

Johansen's narrative approach combines dark fantasy elements with post-apocalyptic dystopian concepts, placing feudal social structures within a world shaped by a mysterious past migration. Her writing places heavy emphasis on moral ambiguity, political maneuverings, and the personal sacrifices required to enact systemic reform.

Across her body of work, Johansen investigates themes of justice, slavery, economic inequality, and the cycle of historical mistakes. Her characters often face high-stakes ethical dilemmas, forcing them to navigate factional intrigue and oppressive regimes while attempting to preserve human dignity.

Major Works

The Queen of the Tearling — Published in 2014, this debut novel launched The Tearling Trilogy, following nineteen-year-old Princess Kelsea Glynn as she reclaims her throne and challenges a corrupt political arrangement with a tyrannical neighboring realm.
The Invasion of the Tearling — Published in 2015, this second installment expands the political and military conflict facing the kingdom while introducing visions that reveal the tragic history of the original crossing.
The Fate of the Tearling — Published in 2016, this concluding volume brings Kelsea's journey to a climax and exposes the full truth behind her world's historical foundation.
Beneath the Keep — A prequel to The Tearling Trilogy that explores the socio-political instability and underground resistance in the kingdom decades prior to Kelsea's ascension.
The Kingdom of Sweets — A standalone dark fantasy novel that reimagines the classic Nutcracker story through a lens of sibling rivalry, dark magic, and psychological suspense.