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A review by kaelielily
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
To Kill a Kingdom has been sitting on my shelf for a few years and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
It's a fantasy retelling of The little mermaid about a siren hunter and the siren princess both trying to protect their people in the midst of a centuries old feud while inevitably falling in love.
There were some pacing issues, the first half of the book is very slow and very little is actually happening, while the ending feels a bit rushed.
The characters and especially Lira's character growth were what kept me engaged, at first I couldn't imagine how I could ever root for her, but slowly she starts to question her upbringing and adjust her morals.
The relationship between Elian and Lira is supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance, and while I thought their relationship and growth from enemies to friends was very relatable and well written, I did not feel a lot of romantic tension and chemistry between them. This would've needed some more time to develop.
I liked the fact that this is a standalone novel, very refreshing since the trend right now is definitely multi book series. It was nice to have a happy end without waiting for months to find out what happens next.
It's a fantasy retelling of The little mermaid about a siren hunter and the siren princess both trying to protect their people in the midst of a centuries old feud while inevitably falling in love.
There were some pacing issues, the first half of the book is very slow and very little is actually happening, while the ending feels a bit rushed.
The characters and especially Lira's character growth were what kept me engaged, at first I couldn't imagine how I could ever root for her, but slowly she starts to question her upbringing and adjust her morals.
The relationship between Elian and Lira is supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance, and while I thought their relationship and growth from enemies to friends was very relatable and well written, I did not feel a lot of romantic tension and chemistry between them. This would've needed some more time to develop.
I liked the fact that this is a standalone novel, very refreshing since the trend right now is definitely multi book series. It was nice to have a happy end without waiting for months to find out what happens next.