READING. RANTING. RAVING.
“I have lived a thousand lives and I’ve loved a thousand loves. I’ve walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time. Because I read.”
- George R.R. Martin
- George R.R. Martin
Kelsea is a princess that everyone knows but no one has seen. After the death of her Queen Mother, she has been whisked away to be taken care of by two loyal subjects deep in the forest. Here she grew up with the guidance of a strict Carlin to give her guidance while Barty would fill her life wit light and love. Although she believes she have everything she needed, she wished to meet other people. And when Kelsea actually met with other people, it was the day she leaves her sanctum to step into her role as the queen. From the start, Kelsea's reign was in trouble. She is hunted by her Regent Uncle who is reluctant to give up the power. Choices made from her mother's reign has come to make trouble for her and her reign. Kelsea inherited a pair of necklaces along with her title. Aside from being a family heirloom, it was also a source of power for their family as she soon learned. With the help of the necklace, Kelsea learns from the past but could it be enough to save the future... I read this series as a buddy-read with my friends. The experience of buddy-reading a book, for me, gives the book a more special place in my book heart. It elevates the experience of reading to a different level which makes the story more vivid in my memory.
Kelsea's character as a whole is likable. There are spots in the story that makes you think why is she the protagonist of the story but her strong will and "girl-power" attitude makes up for it. There were also other characters that I would have loved to see more, such as Marguerite. Her character has so much potential as shown on the little scene at the end of Queen of Tearling, but Marguerite was not included on the next books in the series. The pacing of the story was good and did not tend to go too slow to the point you want to give up the book. The jumping timeline was not confusing and actually helped in building a more solid storyline. The first book was a real catcher. It sets the tone of the whole series. The unfolding of Kelsea's character and her development from a teenager to a powerful queen. Kelsea's connecting to other people and building relationships with them. It made me as a reader want to read the next book in the series. This series also have action and mystery that is brought on by the war with the neighbor country and its leader, the Red Queen. This is more highlighted on the second book. Kelsea has established herself as Queen and is taking responsibilities for her kingdom. The Invasion of Tearling focused more on the issues of current Tearling and also the issues of the past. Kelsea's power grows and she is physically affected by the past. It was a great build up for the last book on the series. The last book was like an over inflated balloon. It was really good... so good to the point it burst and just became a disappointment. the conclusion felt hurried and not thought through. The Fate of Tearling started out good and interesting. The kingdom of Tearling felt relief from the Invasion of Mort yet there is turmoil within. The loss of Kelsea created a power vacuum that made a whole new set of of problems. Mace is torn from his original position as a Queen's Guard and the responsibilities of being Regent. Following the story of how he manages Tearling and how he executes the plan to save Kelsea from the Red Queen was amazing. It showed how effective he is as a guard and how far his reach is. The story telling of this part of the book was ingenious and beautifully detailed. Overall, I liked the whole series except for the ending. Don't get me wrong - I like plot twist and endings that I couldn't have predicted - but this ending was not organic. It seemed forced, like the writer was on the deadline and just picked out of a hat how the story should end (PERSONAL NOTE: Should try that out as writing exercise). The flow of the story towards the end of the series was choppy and disjointed. It seemed to go against the flow of where the story was leading. The attention to detail that was previously used on fight scenes were missing. The diligent story telling of a character's death that was applied to the other parts of the book was gone. Whatever my opinion may be about the ending of this series, I still strongly suggest that for other read this. Others may find the ending fitting or may agree with me that it is unusual, but that does not remove the fact that the most of the series is beautifully written. Plus there is a underlying message that is told subtly but could be heard loud and clear. P.S. I heard that a movie adaption of this seriesis being starred and produced by Emma Watson. Although Kelsea's persona fit her perfectly, what I am really keen to see is how she makes the ending of the series. Would she remain true to the story or re-tell it differently?
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January 2017
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