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A review by megsbookishtwins
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Lira is a princess and in line to take the Sea Queen’s throne. She is a siren, and every year a siren takes a heart on her birthday. Lira has a taste for royal blood. So every year, she takes the heart of a prince. In a twist of fate, she is forced to kill a mermaid, protecting the heart of a prince. Her punishment? she is turned into something that Sirens hate above all - a human. Prince Elain, heir to the most powerful and most golden kingdom in the world, but also a siren hunter. He saves a drowning woman in the middle of the sea, unknowing her true heritage. She bargains her life for information, the key to destroying the Sea Queen and the sirens who hunt them. But, can he trust her?
One of my favourite things in a good fantasy is a good opening, and To Kill a Kingdom did not disappoint. The first chapter showed how vicious and brutal sirens can be, clawing hearts out with their bare hands. But, To Kill a Kingdom kept delivering. Pirates! Adventure! Sirens! Mermaids! Chapter after chapter we got more action, more magic, more swashbuckling adventure, more deadly sea creatures, more slow-burn romance. Simply put, To Kill a Kingdom was delightful.
As most of you who regularly read my reviews probably know, I love a good, complex, and morally grey female character. Lira was vicious, ruthless, and fearless but I liked how she showed that the siren’s brutality was not born but was taught into them. I loved Lira discovering humanity but also craving the ocean still. I loved that she was figuring out what kind of Queen she wanted to be and that she, eventually, learnt that it is peace between humans and sirens that she should strive for. But I loved that throughout this she still kept her rage and her fire. Also, I really loved Prince Elain. How he couldn’t stand still on land for too long. I loved how he, like Lira, also craved the ocean. Their romance was brilliantly done. It was a slow burn hate-to-love romance and it was adorable. They had some really great chemistry and banter, so it was a joy to read.
I also have high praise for the worldbuilding and lush and beautiful writing. It was impeccably done, impressive more so as a debut so I do really look forward to more by Alexandra Christo. To Kill a Kingdom was a dark and unpredictable book that kept me engrossed, turning page after page.
I’ve seen a few things floating about how this is a Little Mermaid retelling, I’m not sure if that is how it is being pitched by the publisher but yes, I would also describe this as a bloodthirsty and dark Little Mermaid retelling. So if that is your thing, then you need this book.
2018 YA Fantasy keeps delivering. First The Cruel Prince, now this. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring in terms of Fantasy, but I’m excited nonetheless.
Lira is a princess and in line to take the Sea Queen’s throne. She is a siren, and every year a siren takes a heart on her birthday. Lira has a taste for royal blood. So every year, she takes the heart of a prince. In a twist of fate, she is forced to kill a mermaid, protecting the heart of a prince. Her punishment? she is turned into something that Sirens hate above all - a human. Prince Elain, heir to the most powerful and most golden kingdom in the world, but also a siren hunter. He saves a drowning woman in the middle of the sea, unknowing her true heritage. She bargains her life for information, the key to destroying the Sea Queen and the sirens who hunt them. But, can he trust her?
One of my favourite things in a good fantasy is a good opening, and To Kill a Kingdom did not disappoint. The first chapter showed how vicious and brutal sirens can be, clawing hearts out with their bare hands. But, To Kill a Kingdom kept delivering. Pirates! Adventure! Sirens! Mermaids! Chapter after chapter we got more action, more magic, more swashbuckling adventure, more deadly sea creatures, more slow-burn romance. Simply put, To Kill a Kingdom was delightful.
As most of you who regularly read my reviews probably know, I love a good, complex, and morally grey female character. Lira was vicious, ruthless, and fearless but I liked how she showed that the siren’s brutality was not born but was taught into them. I loved Lira discovering humanity but also craving the ocean still. I loved that she was figuring out what kind of Queen she wanted to be and that she, eventually, learnt that it is peace between humans and sirens that she should strive for. But I loved that throughout this she still kept her rage and her fire. Also, I really loved Prince Elain. How he couldn’t stand still on land for too long. I loved how he, like Lira, also craved the ocean. Their romance was brilliantly done. It was a slow burn hate-to-love romance and it was adorable. They had some really great chemistry and banter, so it was a joy to read.
I also have high praise for the worldbuilding and lush and beautiful writing. It was impeccably done, impressive more so as a debut so I do really look forward to more by Alexandra Christo. To Kill a Kingdom was a dark and unpredictable book that kept me engrossed, turning page after page.
I’ve seen a few things floating about how this is a Little Mermaid retelling, I’m not sure if that is how it is being pitched by the publisher but yes, I would also describe this as a bloodthirsty and dark Little Mermaid retelling. So if that is your thing, then you need this book.
2018 YA Fantasy keeps delivering. First The Cruel Prince, now this. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring in terms of Fantasy, but I’m excited nonetheless.