"With well-crafted fight scenes and vivid descriptions, Christo has created a world of beauty and monstrosity that will draw readers in."- Publishers Weekly The world building is deft, and the spectacular ending is a happy one for Lira and Elian, but it will leave readers blissfully wanting more." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books As narrators, Lira and Elian have distinct voices, but for all their swagger, both characters are struggling under the expectations of their parents and in their role in war that started long before they were even born. "Arrogant and often merciless, Lira and Elian are not totally likable, especially in their careless disregard for life, human or otherwise, but there's an appealing prickliness to their confidence, magnified by their quippy dialogue. But can he trust her? "A world of beauty and monstrosity" Publishers Weekly She promises to help him find the key to destroying the sirens for good. But when he rescues a drowning woman, it becomes clear that there's more to her than there first appeared. His calling? Ridding the world of the menace of the sirens. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian's heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most - a human. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. "Stellar world building and nonstop action will keep readers hooked on this twisted reimagining of 'The Little Mermaid'." - Booklist Online Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. 3.A TIKTOK sensation! An unforgettable dark romantic fantasy novel about the siren with a taste for royal blood and the prince who has sworn to destroy her. I’ll even forgive the immature characters on account of them actually having great chemistry (despite the terrible repartee □). The mythology of the book contains so many special and intriguing details that it’s delightful to imagine living in the universe of To Kill A Kingdom. But it barely ends up being anything at all, as we are rushed into the Longest Fight Scene of all time (which then lasts for tens of pages?!)ĭespite its flaws, the story kept me absorbed from beginning to end. The moment of revelation – when Elian realises that Lira is really the cruel siren known as the Princes’ Bane – should have been an emotional gut punch. And finally, the ending was unnecessarily convoluted and extended, serving only to show that Elian and Lira will repeatedly choose each other over all else (as if they haven’t already kind of been doing that for the entire book.) The dialogue is also stilted and immature, using contemporary slang that interrupts the immersive effect of a fantasy book. They’re really not that complicated!! is what I want to scream. Unfortunately, the book meanders over hundreds of pages, trying to get past the first layer and show us the second. They are twin souls, bound by reluctant royalty and (allegedly) reluctant murder. Or rather, exactly two layers to their personalities. A prince is a prince and his name is as inconsequential as his life.Įlian and Lira have… layered personalities. “I’m Elian,” he says, though I didn’t ask. Any time a character so much as sneezes, we are informed that their sneeze was of a royal, or diplomatic, or protective, or murderous nature. And then these facts about them are repeated everywhere. Everybody is reduced to a few key points – killer, pirate, royalty, assassin, former slave, bodyguard, diplomat. However, that information is extremely repetitive. Pages on pages are given over to the internal musings of Elian and Lira, and even descriptions of every other character. That’s not to say that there isn’t enough information about the characters given to us. However, the writing is unnecessarily convoluted, and the characters not very fleshed out. To Kill A Kingdom provides an interesting and engaging story, with enough references to the original tale to keep things familiar. They are the next generation of rulers, and by killing them, I kill the future. But Elian is determined to find and kill the Sea Witch and her daughter, the infamous Princes’ Bane, before he becomes king. His parents, the king and queen of Midas, are waiting for him to tire of his shenanigans and settle down as crown prince. In following with siren tradition, she kills a prince for her birthday every year, and takes his heart.Įlian is a merciless killer of sirens, leading a pirate ship across the seas to hunt down the vicious predators. Lira is a merciless killer of princes, known across the seas as the Princes’ Bane. Cover Art for To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
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