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A review by jessicareadsit
The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae
5.0
Confession - Did I buy Kinder Poison because of the gorgeous cover? Oh yeah........ In my defense, the book cover is quite spectacular and, the choice of colors- royal purple and bright gold scream, "Bookstagrammable".
While my initial intentions were slightly superficial, Kinder Poison simply bewitched me with its splendid cast of characters and its superbly written plotline. It had me guessing right up until the very end, with stunning betrayals, and revelations that expose a web of lies, decades in the making.
Natalie May has masterfully penned the Kingdom of Orkena and the concept of Whisperers- individuals embued with magical gifts. In a YA world chock full of sassy and headstrong female leads, Zahru was a breath of fresh air with her insatiable thirst for adventure. Her slight naivety of the world around here, combined with her sharp sarcastic humor made for quite an enjoyable read. The simplicity of her desire to experience life, for the sake of memories, void of any grand ambitions of world dominance, made her highly relatable and loveable.
In fact, it is this very desire, that provides the catalyst for Kinder Poison, and propels Zahru into the dangerous race of the "Crossing" and smack dab between the royal heirs. I relished the ability of Natalie May to transform a simple sibling rivalry between Jet and Kasta, each fighting for their father's favor and throne, into something darker and quite substantial. Indeed, the very premise of Kinder Poison hangs between the threads of jealousy and unspoken words woven between these rival princes.
Zahru's evolution, throughout Kinder Poison, was exceptionally written, as she soon realizes that the glamor of fairytales, and the stories of adventures she once thrived on, are merely fabrications by those wishing to cover the sad truth of reality. This realization provides the impetus for our young heroine to shed her childish desires of living in a fantasy world and accept that all power must come with a cost. And that perhaps, "You don't need a prince in shining armor to save you, sometimes you have to rescue yourself."
I enjoyed reading the antics of Zahru, and, her best friend, Hen, the purity and sincerity of their friendship were delightful. I loved how despite their differences in upbringing and personality, they still manage to stay true to themselves.
While Kinder Poison can be compared to "Hunger Games", I found the dangerous race of the "Crossing" to be more intense and intimate. The writing style was fast-paced, descriptive but not overly so, and brimming with personality that is a testament to well-developed characters.
I loved the overall sense of upliftment, "No matter what you're born to, you can be more" and the ode to unconventional heroes.
Recommended for lovers of Fantasy| Young Adult| Romance | Magic | High Fantasy
Similar authors: Holly Black, Victoria Schwab, and Adrienne Young.
While my initial intentions were slightly superficial, Kinder Poison simply bewitched me with its splendid cast of characters and its superbly written plotline. It had me guessing right up until the very end, with stunning betrayals, and revelations that expose a web of lies, decades in the making.
Natalie May has masterfully penned the Kingdom of Orkena and the concept of Whisperers- individuals embued with magical gifts. In a YA world chock full of sassy and headstrong female leads, Zahru was a breath of fresh air with her insatiable thirst for adventure. Her slight naivety of the world around here, combined with her sharp sarcastic humor made for quite an enjoyable read. The simplicity of her desire to experience life, for the sake of memories, void of any grand ambitions of world dominance, made her highly relatable and loveable.
In fact, it is this very desire, that provides the catalyst for Kinder Poison, and propels Zahru into the dangerous race of the "Crossing" and smack dab between the royal heirs. I relished the ability of Natalie May to transform a simple sibling rivalry between Jet and Kasta, each fighting for their father's favor and throne, into something darker and quite substantial. Indeed, the very premise of Kinder Poison hangs between the threads of jealousy and unspoken words woven between these rival princes.
Zahru's evolution, throughout Kinder Poison, was exceptionally written, as she soon realizes that the glamor of fairytales, and the stories of adventures she once thrived on, are merely fabrications by those wishing to cover the sad truth of reality. This realization provides the impetus for our young heroine to shed her childish desires of living in a fantasy world and accept that all power must come with a cost. And that perhaps, "You don't need a prince in shining armor to save you, sometimes you have to rescue yourself."
I enjoyed reading the antics of Zahru, and, her best friend, Hen, the purity and sincerity of their friendship were delightful. I loved how despite their differences in upbringing and personality, they still manage to stay true to themselves.
While Kinder Poison can be compared to "Hunger Games", I found the dangerous race of the "Crossing" to be more intense and intimate. The writing style was fast-paced, descriptive but not overly so, and brimming with personality that is a testament to well-developed characters.
I loved the overall sense of upliftment, "No matter what you're born to, you can be more" and the ode to unconventional heroes.
Recommended for lovers of Fantasy| Young Adult| Romance | Magic | High Fantasy
Similar authors: Holly Black, Victoria Schwab, and Adrienne Young.