literatureaesthetic's Reviews (540)

“If we could be better people,” she would say, “if we could care about each other as much as we do about ourselves, think about it, Lily! Think what the world would be!” 

Kelsea is the Queen of the Tearling. After defying the Red Queen by stopping the shipment of slaves, nothing will stop the invasion. But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and a women named Lily, who is fighting for her life in a world where being a female can feel a crime. The fate of Lily entertwines with Kelsea's destiny, and with invasion drawing closer and closer, Kelsea can't afford to take any chances. 

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It was extremely thrilling as we are placed in Kelsea's position, as Queen, to deal with the oncoming invasion. I absolutely adore Kelsea, I think she might be might my favourite literary female character ever, simply because she feels so humane and is completely fleshed out. In The Invasion of the Tearling, Kelsea is no longer the young female thrown into a position of immense power, instead she is a strong women paving her way into history. 

Lily is a character that we are introduced to, who is an image of female strength as we follow her through am abusive relationship. She is an inspirational character that I think every female could draw strength from. I feel like Erika Johansen successfully battles and speaks out about extremely controversial but necessary themes, e.g. rape and domestic abuse, that aren't usually incorporated in common fantasy books. Although slightly unnerving and uncomfortable to read, these scenes are essential to show how far the world has come and how much has changed since the past. 

The plot itself was engaging and I even screamed out loud at parts