The Queens of Innis Lear | 
pick“There must be a king of Innis Lear. It longs for a
head beneath a crown.”
I enjoyed this one! But I get why this has a certain James Joyce Ulysses vibe. It is somewhat unapproachable and requires a strong curiosity to carry you to the ending!
pick“The island is silent even as it screams.”
BUT! Everything about this is brilliant. Like watching a pearl form in the shell of an oyster, your life, your time, your tbr will be invaded by this tiny grain of sand that when fully formed feels like an undiscovered trinket as rarely beautifully as it is perfectly flawed.
pickA rare find where the story‘s flaws create a flawless world!
“A pearl of the earth for a star of the sky.”
There have been many things said about The Queens of Innis Lear - this clunky, bloody, birthgiving beast of burden. One adjective yet be added to the heap - unforgiving. Everything about the world, characters, prophecy, stars, and the trees is unforgiving. There is no room for light if you‘re constantly interpreting the darkness.
pickThis book was fantastic! It was well crafted and full of rich characters. The references to the original King Lear were wonderful, and it was so beautifully written. As always, I was craving more details from the history and mythology of this magical island. The pacing was great and it was very dramatic at all the right moments. The characters were so dynamic and full of unique and layered personalities. Fully recommend!
Some evening reading! So happy the sun is out for so long!
pickA slow, fantastical retelling of King Lear - but with focus on the daughters. Told through multiple perspectives, Tessa Gratton weaves a beautiful world with her magical writing.
But the book had some issues, including pacing. Nevertheless, I really liked the writing style. It's definitely one of the better retellings I recently read.
pickA retelling if King Lear focused on his daughters. It had a lot of game of thrones vibes which I loved but also kept me comparing the writing which did harm the reading a bit. It was a slow start but eventually the story sucked me in, I feel like it was one I would‘ve enjoyed more if I had read King Lear but I also liked the surprise of going in blind. Definitely suggest if looking for a nice, one-off fantasy novel.
Somehow I manage to resist and only check out two books at a time from the library...
bailedMy first DNF of 2019. The fantastic writing couldn't save the watching paint dry feel of this.
I woke up early enough to catch this beautiful sunrise and have a coffee before the chaos of the day begins.
On Part Four and this Lear retelling is dragging a bit. Desire to move from this spot: none detected.
Christmas night reading with my partner in crime. #mojiemoje My hubs got the Christmas plague and has been in bed all day so we had to postpone our celebrations.
Enjoying a little quiet time with my book and fuzzy blanket this morning. 😍
Saturday nights in December be like...
I‘ve been too busy and now have a Saturday morning to chill out and drink coffee and read. I should be absorbed and instead I‘m faintly restless because I want to read like five books at the same time. Does anyone else feel this way?
I can‘t seem to get started today. It‘s glorious that my parents have taken the Monster Squad for the day so I can rest up.
1. Surprise mid-week wine! 2. Not a holiday weekend in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving, American friends! 3. I‘m heading out of town for a conference - solo hotel room!!!! 4. May #catsofLitsy 5. #chunkster fantasy retelling of King Lear
I haven‘t read in two days. Grrrrrrrrrr.
Is it wise to start this Shakespeare inspired fantasy at nearly midnight?
pickNice writing but very slow pace. Shakespeare inspired fantasy with rival sisters fighting for a crown. I liked that the sisters weren‘t simpering maidens, but were portrayed as being as intelligent, ruthless, cunning, bloodthirsty, and ambitious as any man. No spoilers, but I‘m glad it ended as it did, chosen queen and all.
so-soWhilst full of mystique and lush descriptions of the wild country, the pace of the story is agonisingly slow, with characters that are very difficult to warm to. By sticking so closely to the tale of Lear, there are many interesting characters that simply get abandoned or under utilised. For all the effort it took to read it, disappointed with the ending and the underwhelming character development.
Went to see King Lear at Shakespeare in the Park tonight! Shakespeare in the Park is one of my favorite things about summer; my city does a tragedy for the first few weeks and then a comedy for the end of the summer. It wasn't my favorite Shakespeare play, but I did enjoy it, and now that I've seen the play I can read the tagged book, which is supposed to be a feminist fantasy retelling of King Lear 👑
So I gave up on the audio book. 26 hours just wasn't going to happen. But I'm reading it in print now, and I'm so excited!
I did not realize when I borrowed this from the library that it was so long. Now I have to figure out how to make time for it! Most of the books I listen to are max 12 hours!
pickThe writing is truly remarkable; I think possibly the most beautiful writing I have read in years, maybe EVER. Just amazing. The magic system is interesting, the characters fabulously fleshed out and with great character arcs, and the two things that I usually dislike — multiple POV and flashbacks — so well-executed that the story takes shape organically and (seemingly) effortlessly. Heartbreaking but also empowering, and incredibly beautiful.
Today‘s #bookmail 📚📬
It‘s totally @Elisa ‘s fault that I bought the tagged book (😊), and I‘m pretty sure I got the idea for the Lindstein book from another Litten‘s feed. #blameitonLitsy
Starting this beauty, and I‘m so excited! This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year 😍
Look what I just received!!! 😍 it‘s so gorgeous 😍😍😍😍
I‘m really excited because hardcover books are so expensive here, but because I pre-ordered it, I got it at exactly cover price, which is CHEAP for imported books!! This would have normally costed me 50-70% more if I had bought it in house after the publishing date!! LOVE it.
Now I‘m just wondering if I should maybe read King Lear first, before tackling this... what say you?
bailed#Audiobook #Review: The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton. This audiobook is a monster at nearly 26.5 hours, and I couldn't make it to hour 12.⠀
⠀
https://bambi-unbridled.blogspot.com/2018/05/audiobook-review-queens-of-innis-le...
#bookbloggers #reading #fantasy #bookreview
pickWhat a book.... I was 3/4 in before realizing it was a retelling of 👑 Lear ... that's how good this was - I didn't even think for one moment that it could have been anything else but an amazing world where this POC cast of characters must thrive in a bleak world
Kudos Gratton! Kudos!!
I got this book in my @beaconbookbox and I can't wait to read it!
A BIG CONGRATS to @BookaholicNatty on your MASSIVE milestone of 25K Litfluence! 🙀👏👏👏👏
Thank you for the #Nattys25KGiveaway - here are (just) 3 books sitting high at the top of my TBR, only a bit coincidencentally color-coordinated:
📚 The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
📚 Blood Week
📚 The Queens of Innis Lear
And I‘m going to tag @crazycatlady @Alicia and @Gissy 😻❤️
Thanks, Natalie! ❤️❤️❤️😽
These sisters are badass and I‘m so happy for the weekend and being able to sink into this book completely. #ARC #NetGalley
Look, I understand that I have no bookshelves yet and I really have no place to put these right now. But, I mean...books. #moving
I'm gonna have to put this book aside and wait for its release (and for the audiobook to become available).
It's not bad! Please don't think it is! It's just 700 pages with 5+ POVs going over the same events in meticulous detail. I'm gonna need some help. My body feels physically exhausted as soon as I sit to down to read it.
Came back to work to find this beauty waiting for me! I LOVE MY JOB! 📚📚📚📚 And omg this book is massive! 700 pages!
Preview excerpt is the perfect size for my flights
