Reviews

Beneath the Keep: A Novel of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

wordnerdy's review

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3.0

https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2021/01/2021-book-11.html

I had hoped Johansen would revisit her Tearling world; she ended her trilogy in such an interesting place! But this is a prequel, about the protagonist's mother and Mace and their compatriots. It just feels . . . unnecessary? Like we had gotten pretty much all the relevant backstory already, did we need a whole novel of gory details? Did we need to see how the villains of the trilogy gained power? The only new thread is a plotline about a teen girl leading a rebellion of tenant farmers. This book almost wallows in the misery of the poor and downtrodden (and it is also VERY rapey, like there are not enough content warnings in the world). I mean, it’s trying to deliver a timely political message, which I appreciate, but it is also mainly a giant bummer. An author’s note at the end does hint at more stories in the world—maybe in the better world, in which case I will read them happily. Johansen has great characters, I just am not in an emotional place to enjoy a book this dark. B.



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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on February 2nd.

lea_rosalynd's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

jdebari's review

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4.0

Well written. It made me want to read the trilogy again, which I did.
Although there are a few inconsistencies now with the trilogy. Small, but I noticed them.

crystalroses68's review against another edition

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adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

oracle_of_madness's review

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5.0

Although I haven't read the rest of The Tearling books, I do not believe it is necessary to enjoy this fabulous prequel. This story is steeped in interesting culture and political intrigue and I found it absolutely fascinating. I could barely put it down to sleep last night. I recommend this for fans of fantasy, particularly in a unique world with dynamic characters.

elle12's review

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mccarthygirl25's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad

4.0

kirstenlaurencs's review against another edition

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2.0

I wanted to love this book. I was dying to hear more about the Tearling after finishing the series and was so anticipating this prequel. I have to say I'm pretty disappointed the writing isn't anywhere near as good and I felt like this was almost forced writing, like writing for the sake of writing without much point to it. It's a shame, but I would not recommend it.

_yumitsang_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

casras's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Loved this book and how it ties into the Tearling series.