Hi there, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!
Before I get into today’s review, though, I have a little something to say.
I was devastated yesterday afternoon when I heard that Stan Lee had passed on. Marvel has and will always be a big and meaningul part of my life, so thank you, Mr. Lee, for all of your wonderful contributions to this world. Excelsior. 💔
Now for the review.
I recently checked this book out at the library, convinced by many months of seemingly endless praise. (It’s already been nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award, so awesome job, Mrs. Christo!) And though it didn’t quite live up to the massive amount of hype, it was definitely a thrilling novel. To Kill a Kingdom is a rich and dark retelling of “The Little Mermaid”, where the main character still wants the prince’s heart, but…in a different sort of way. Let’s leave it at that for now. 😏
Enjoy this week’s review!
To Kill a Kingdom
Lira, princess of the Sirens, is a formidable foe, with a collection of many human hearts and a bloody appetite to match. On a quest for another heart, she accidentally kills a fellow siren instead of the human prince she’s after, and her mother, the infamous Sea Queen, gives her a punishment and a task. By the time the Winter Solstice comes, she must kill the human Prince Elian and take his heart. But it’s easier said than done-she’s trapped in the form of a human until she can complete her mission.
With her new human body, she tricks her way into the ranks of the prince’s siren-hunting crew. Elian takes Lira in as one of his own, but is still suspicious of her origins and intentions. As the Winter Solstice draws nearer, Lira becomes entangled in the affairs of the human world, but is still determined to complete her task. Will Elian’s heart be hers before time runs out?
I’ll admit, I’ve never read the original version of “The Little Mermaid”, nor seen the 1989 Disney version in full (I have hazy memories of seeing a few clips when I was a little kid), but I know the basic gist of the story. And I must say, this an incredibly well-done retelling! Alexandra Christo does an excellent job of simultaneously staying true to the original tale and giving it a twist all her own. A truly enchanting, dark, and action-packed novel. Even if you aren’t familiar with the original works, I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves a well-crafted fantasy novel.
I know I’ve been saying this for at least a month now, but I PROMISE that I have more than just book reviews coming in the next few days (or weeks) or so. I’ve been a little bit busier, but Thanksgiving break is coming up, so I’ll probably have some time this week and next week for some new content. I PROMISE, GUYS! SORRY!!!
Well, I hope you have a great rest of your day, and stay warm! (Or, just…maintain a decent body temperature, depending on what the weather is where you are. Sound good?)
The Bookish Mutant 