The queens of Innis Lear

Title:

Author:

Gratton, Tessa, author.

Personal Author:

Gratton, Tessa, author.

ISBN:

9780765392466

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

574 pages ; 25 cm

Abstract:

Dynasties battle for the crown ... Three daughters, one crown, all out war; Gaela is a ruthless commander, Regan is a master manipulator and Elia is a star-blessed priest. The island is at risk and an empire is poised for ruin; the line of Lear will be soaked in blood.

Gaela is a ruthless commander who considers herself the rightful heir of Innis Lear; she seeks revenge for her mother's murder. Regan is a master manipulator, who must produce an heir to secure her place on the throne; she desires magic to further her aims. Elia is a star-blessed priest, determined to protect their father; even if it means marrying a stranger. Three Queens. One crown. The island is at risk and an empire is poised for ruin; the line of Lear will be soaked in blood.

Subject Term:

Inheritance and succession -- Fiction.

Kings and rulers -- Fiction.

Magic -- Fiction.

Genre:

Fantasy fiction.

Science fiction.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Main Library	Book	FICTION GRATTON	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Westover Hills	Book	FICTION GRATTON	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Dynasties battle for the crown in Tessa Gratton's debut adult epic fantasy, The Queens of Innis Lear.

Three Queens. One crown. All out war.

Gaela. Ruthless Commander.
I am the rightful heir of Innis Lear. No more will I wait in the shadows and watch my mother's murderer bleed my island dry.

The King's hold on the crown must end--willingly or at the edge of my sword.

Regan. Master Manipulator.
To secure my place on the throne, I must produce an heir. Countless times I have fed the island's forests my blood. Yet, my ambition is cursed.

No matter what or whom I must destroy, I will wield the magic of Innis Lear.

Elia. Star-blessed Priest.
My sisters hide in the shadows like serpents, waiting to strike our ailing king. I must protect my father, even if it means marrying a stranger.

We all have to make sacrifices. Love and freedom will be mine.

"Amazing. Just Amazing."--Robin McKinley

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

Three very different sisters vie for their father's crown in this fantasy inspired by King Lear.It's a setup familiar to anyone who knows their Shakespeare: An aging king gathers his three daughters and asks them each to describe their love for him and prove they are deserving of inheriting his crown. The two eldest, here called Gaela and Regan, are happy to comply. The youngest, and his favoritehere called Eliarefuses and is disinherited. As the king descends into madness, Gaela and Regan, along with their respective husbands, scheme to ensure that the crown passes to the person they've agreed should have it: Gaela, with Regan beside her. But Elia, who lacks her sisters' bloodthirsty ambition, fears she may have to take a stand to save her home before her sisters tear it apart. Gratton, making her adult debut, stays true to much of the play while building past it to create an inventive universe full of ancient magic and prophetic stars. Her writing is atmospheric, staying just shy of florid. The racial diversity is a welcome sight in the genre, as is an epic tale full of such dynamic women. And yet, as the page count pushes past 500, it's hard not to feel that the action drags. Scenes of political intrigue become repetitious, and the final plot points feel mired in lyrical imagery by the time they finally arrive.Gratton achieves the rare feat of a Shakespeare adaptation that earns the right to exist, but it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.