There were times when I thought this could be read without having read the other Tearling books but I'm still not sure. Yes, this is a prequel to the very first book, but there were many things that weren't explained that only readers of those later books would understand (eg, William Tare and the Crossing).

It was fun dipping back into the world, reading more about how the Mace, the Fetch and Queen Elyssa became the people they are in The Queen of the Tearling. Certainly it explains how the society becomes as messed up as it is, even though the reasons for things like sending people off to Mortmesne are not explained (yet, I assume).

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.