For some reason I am finding this review quite difficult to write, it’s a strange feeling to not have the words that you want.

I was exceptionally interested in the concept for this one, it sounded very much like Westworld meets Disney and that was something that definitely caught my attention. It is a mash-up that worked brilliantly, there is something very satisfying to having the contrast of the “perfect world” and seeing behind the curtain as things start to unravel.

The story unfolds in a kind of dual timeline, it jumps between Ana’s version of events and trial transcripts and interviews, I enjoyed the back and forth getting snippets of the future to create that extra layer of mystery. It was also interesting having that outside world element because it gave you a different perspective on a lot of things, I don’t want to spoil things by being too specific.

There are a lot of great characters in this book, Ana was fascinating, how she changes and evolves and starts to question her surroundings and those in a superior position. I also loved her relationship with her sisters, especially as they become more complex. Especially with Nia, as it becomes clear that Ana has some choices that will affect their relationship deeply.

I think the one thing that has made this review hard to write is that whilst I really enjoyed the book and felt that the storyline was clever and engaging, I felt like there was something missing. The action starts a little late in the book and whilst once it picked up I felt like I didn’t want to put the book down, I also didn’t feel the rush that I was expecting that I would feel. It is hard to pinpoint what it is that makes me feel this way, perhaps that it was maybe a little rushed because it was at the later stages of the book.

Having said that I still very much enjoyed The Kingdom and I am interested to see what the author comes up with next.

Not as good as I had hoped it would be from the blurb, but still an entertaining and interesting read.

(I’ve seen it compared to/inspired by “Westworld”, but not having seen it, I honestly can’t tell, so that won’t play a part in my review.)

I definitely liked the premise: “the Kingdom”, an amusement park of the Disney World variety, with seven princesses, a.k.a the Fantasists (Ana and her sisters), and various themed areas, such as Mermaid Land, where customers can spend the day, have fun and live mini-adventures, far away from their bleak everyday life (the world outside seems in a constant financial, housing and environmental crisis). Moreover, the visitors can interact with the perfect-Disney-like princesses—always smiling, kind, helpful and aiming to please—and see “hybrids”, animals that used to be extinct, but have been re-created through a combination of genengeering and cybernetics (yes, including dinosaurs).

Of course, this immediately raised controversial questions as to the nature and role of the hybrids, whether the princesses or the animals, and the way they were seen and treated by people in general, and by their creators more specifically. The veneer of a dream-like life for the princesses is very early shattered when Ana describes how they are tied in their beds for the night, how firewalls prevent them from accessing the whole of Internet and communicate with the outside world, and how sometimes, some of them seem to lose their memories of the previous day or evening.

The story is seen through Ana’s eyes, as well as through snippets of interviews and articles, most of which are related to a trial following Owen’s death at Ana’s hands. I usually tend to like this kind of format, for several reasons (varied points of views that are easy to separate from each other, short “chapters” that are really convenient when I can’t read for long stints…), but some of those weren’t too relevant, or at least, only became relevant long after, which gave me enough time to dismiss them. These different narratives offer more and more information as to the “dark fairy tale” that unfolds throughout the novel, with Ana and her sisters developing more and more of a personality and feelings of their own, in spite of their creators claiming they cannot do more than what their programming allows them to. While we don’t get to see through her sisters’ eyes, Ana’s recounting of the story lets us see what a slippery slope it is, when AIs in human-looking bodies are meant to act like human beings, but at the same time constricted into prisoners’ roles that deny them any claim at even a scrap of humanity.

Why I didn’t give more than 3-3.5 stars to this book was, first, how the romance itself unfurled. I get what happened, I get what the characters did, but I never really got a strong feeling for their relationship, nor did I feel strong chemistry between them that would justify, well, an actual romance. I also found Ana’s narrative style somewhat dry and bland, which in a way fits well with her nature as an artificial intelligence, but didn’t do much in terms of gripping writing. And the last third of the book lacked coherence at times, as if everything collided together at the same time without tight reasons in the background—so in the end, it felt rushed, and poised on the edge of unfinished (“was that a standalone or will there be a sequel?”).

Conclusion: Not as gripping as I had hoped, although it does lend itself to interesting discussions about AI, artificially created beings that are nevertheless sentient, and how they should be treated.

Took me a little while to get around to reading this (sorry) but im glad i read it.

Completely unique story, never read anything like it. Its like Disney vs Irobot. It is very dark and twisty and has lots of thriller elements which i really enjoyed.

Firstly, it was a YA so I'm not the target demographic but I ended up quite enjoying it. It's definitely suited to the imagination of youth! Perhaps a bit sinister in places and wouldn't be surprised if places like this appear in the future - but just because you can doesn't mean you should!

3 stars

Fairly dark and sinister tale where hybrids are there to entertain the humans. However Ana, has been accused of murder and he book recounts the story via court transcripts and interviews.
I was captivated by the description, it is fast paced and a totally unique type of read. It has a Westworld type of feel and leaves you with plenty of thought provoking angles.

A really unique idea for a story, reasonably well executed but at times didn't quite hit the mark. Liked the beginning but if I'm honest felt it a slog towards the end.

I don't know if it was the first person narrative but I didn't really connect to this in the way that I wanted. Really strong, interesting concept that did remind me of Cinder, but I wasn't spirited away.

I received with thanks an ARC copy of Stepsister from Pan Macmillan and Netgalley.

This is my review of The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg. This was published on 11th July 2019

This is a unique mixed format that takes place in a place that is meant to be happy place.
The story goes back and forth between various timelines. We follow a trial of a robot who works in a Disney type kingdom. The story is told as the trial takes place. What an interesting tale that steps away from the fairy tale ideals as we are taken through a gripping murder mystery.

Would recommend if you love a good fantasy and fairy tale retellings.

What I actually like most about The Kingdom is the very obvious parallels it draws with Disney and the happy ever after hard sell. Set in the future, Ana, one of seven “fantasists” a hybrid/human princess is on trial for murder. This is an easy read, possibly a lesson in reality for YA’s, that although things may appear shiny and beautiful, the truth is often not that way.

An unusual futursitic YA thriller, set in the Kingdom. This is a pleasure park set in Washington around 2096 that is driven by the Fantasist Programme of hybrid animals and humanoids which allows people's dreams to come true. It's full of thrilling performances from previously extinct creatures, magical rides, and vivid fantasy simulation, but unlike Disney this is a very sinister place.

As such we are made aware that a murder has been commited and therefore a trial is being held. With partial trial transcripts and an account by the main Fantasist, Ana, we are steadily given an account of what happened leading up to the fateful incident.

Ana is one of 7 princesses created to work at the Kingdom to greet and entertain guests. Everything they do is monitored and they undergo blood tests and checks each day for any anomalies.However the hybrids are all developing emotions; they are starting to question and at times break the rules, which is highly irregular. Ana has to be careful how she communicates with her sisters to avoid detection of irregular dialogues that might suggest they are 'malfunctioning', but it is clear they are becoming aware of information they are not intended to know about. As Ana starts to develop emotional responses, she becomes attracted to one of the maintenance workers called Chen. Her communication with this man is robotic and naive and not something you would think would be naturally attractive to a human. In this sense it did at times feel less realisitic and a bit clunky, but I guess she does need to evolve. However there was a missed opportunity to do this in a more sophisticated and realisitc way.

In all it is a very unique read. Simple in its style so would suit a broader/younger YA audience. It doesn't get heavy or in-depth about the conflicting issues of being extremely logical with programmes that are in placed to be followed against the complexity of emotional development that requires operating outwith these. As such this I think will make it less captivating for adult YA readers. I didn't really feel any particular tension, nor did I feel strongly connected to the characters, probably a result of the robotic background. The denouement is quite good, although was reached quite hastily and possibly an area particularly surrounding Chen and her relationship that should have been fleshed out a little more, but all told a decent, quick, and refreshingly different read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The kingdom follows the story of Ana, an android princess created by a park to be one of the seven princesses of the park. Think Disney meets Westworld. At least that’s what I thought when requesting this book.

Ana really caught my attention, I loved her as a character, dealing with the changes that happen at the park behind the scenes with the princesses, staff and animals.

I felt as if the end was almost rushed, the love story was very slow, then all at once, same with the big climax. It just felt very, very quick.

All in al, I enjoyed the book, I just wish it had been longer.

3/5 stars

Absolutely obsessed with this book, more probably with the concept.
I've seen it described as Disney World meets WestWorld and that's so true!
Sinister, creepy and topical, I rate this as one of the best YA books I've read in the long time.
Love it!

A hybrid of Westworld and Disney World.
This was a good story with the trail transcripts and the past and present combined, but I felt it was very predictable and slightly boring in places .

I loved this! Totally in my wheelhouse! The story was gripping, imaginative and full of suspence; a thouroughly enjoyable read.

The Kingdom™ is a magical place where your dreams can come true, with species brought back from extinction and the most perfect princesses to see to your needs during your stay. Ana is one of seven Fantasists, androids designed to be beautiful and to obey. But when Ana is accused of murdering a park employee, she must go to court to prove she's incapable of moral judgement.

I devoured The Kingdom, this Westworld/Disneyland mash-up was just what I needed. It could so easily be twee but Jess Rothenberg has shown the darker side of an entertainment industry, in a page-turning tale.

The narrative switches between the trial transcripts and Ana's life in the park. The trial's purpose is to decide if Owen's murder was the result of a malfunction or if Ana had evolved beyond her programming and committed murder with intent.

Ana is one of the later models, with more advanced AI compared to some of the other Fantasists, who regurgitate on-brand lines, and are less likely to think for themselves. Even under times of stress, Ana's programming returns her to this more simple state, removing her ability to act upon her feelings.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clearer that the Fantasists are controlled through more than just their programming. They are fed lies about the world outside, believing the visitors are there to escape a ravaged land. It's inferred that the investors are using the Fantasists for sex, then their minds are wiped, so they can never speak out.

I felt a bit sad for the hybrid animals, as one might a sociable creature kept alone in a zoo. I'm not entirely sure why they were part android, part genetically engineered though. Were clones just too unpredictable and android not realistic enough? That doesn't seem right if the Fantasists were as real as humans...

Anyway, I really enjoyed it. It's not anything particularly new but I liked how it was done.

This book was a new one for me it had a law&order meets Disney land feel to it which made it very interesting and pulled you into the story a lot more than I would have expected I also like the way it switched between the day in question and the current point of time during the trial...The story is told via court documents and ana the princess currently on trial for murder, broke memory flashbacks The way the trial is laid out is really well done and made the book feel more authentic to a criminal trial, the author has done an amazing job of making you feel the magic that one would feel in a place like the kingdom when reading along with the utter horror as the darker parts of this story come to light .
The characters there self are written so well and really helped make this story, I was left mesmerized throughout this book and couldnt put it down it is definitely one of the best stories iv read this year and that ending really gave me hope for more stories to come from this magical if slightly dark world.

Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, suicide, animal and child abuse, self harm, murder and emotional manipulation.

Well, let's start off by saying that The Kingdom truly both surprised and captivated me. When I first heard of it, I was instantly sold on the fact that it was being marketed as 'Disneyland with a twist', and after hearing that I knew I had to get my hands on it. And well, I was taken on one hell of a journey!

The use of multi media within the book through transcripts, interviews, emails, photos etc made the whole reading experience a lot more exciting! Multi media is becoming more popular within YA crime/mystery/thrillers and I feel that it immerses you more in wanting to solve the problem at hand happening within the story. This sort of storytelling made reading The Kingdom so much more appealing and if it hadn't been put in I don't think the story would have made the same impact on the reader.

Moving on from that, the plot overall was really thrilling, with lots of twists and turns to keep you hooked. The further on you got within the story the more shocks are revealed and this, in turn, makes you want to continue reading and not put it down..well that's what happened with me. Also, the world-building in The Kingdom was so well executed and you could tell that a LOT of thought had been put behind it. It was beautifully written and explained and you could just immerse yourself into this alluring, yet somewhat dark dystopian world.

Ana, as a character was one that I took to straight away and her character development was next to none. The difference in her at the start of the book to the end was almost unrecognisable. The only thing I wasn't entirely keen on was her romance with Owen. It felt almost insta-lovey and I just couldn't take to it. What I did like though was Ana's relationships with her sisters, especially Nia, whose actions ultimately took her down her destined path.

The Kingdom does feature some dark content, but it is handled in a very sensitive manner. The sexual assault is featured off the page and is only implied, but still does cause an impact on you, as the reader. Other topics such as suicide, animal abuse and child abuse are all seen on the page but are all dealt with in a thoughtful way.

The Kingdom is an alluring, captivating read that will leave you in shock and guessing right up until the very last page..which is perfect.

Post-apocalyptic Disney World anyone? To be fair, we get very little information about the world outside of the park, as it’s supposed to be this ultimate fantasy getaway where you can forget about your troubles for a while, so can’t say for sure that there has been some sort of apocalypse, but from the small glimpses we get it looks like a pretty bleak place. The Kingdom is Disney amped up, with some technological upgrades – from amazing VR and immersive experiences to genetically engineered extinct animal species. You would think they’d learned from Jurassic Park, but alas. Our main protagonist is Anna, one of the seven (?) Princesses who were also artificially created to be helpful, friendl and obliging – the ultimate fairytale princesses. Except behind the glorious facade we see these girls locked up during the night, monitored and controlled, and slowly start to rebel against what their programming is telling them to do. Anna starts to evolve and experience new feelings, and starts to doubt her purpose in life. A very enjoyable read with a nice writing style. A very quick read, and while I did predict some of the plot twists I still had a good time reading this.

This is a YA mix of Westworld and Disney. The less you know about the book before you go into it the better, as the mystery and suspense throughout the book will keep you guessing right up until the last page. In a time in the future a theme park exists called the kingdom and our main character Ana works there as a fantasist but what secrets are hidden underneath the perfectly manicured façade of the kingdom?

"Where Happily Ever After Is Not A Promise, But A Rule.."

The Kingdom is like a dystopian Disney where the princesses are never allowed to leave and all of the cute animal costumed people are actually just animal hybrids, bred in a lab to bring all of your magical fantasies to life.

But there seems to be a glitch in the system. The princesses or fantasists as they're known, no longer seem content with keeping everyone happy. They're thinking for themselves and the word "escape" has been floating around a bit too much. Some of the animals seem to be malfunctioning too and there has been an increase in incidents, the biggest being a murder.. surely the fantasists couldn't be capable of murder, it's not in their programme, and yet here we have Ana on trial. But was it really her fault or the fault of her creators?

This was a nice quick read of the fantastical variety with a dash of murder mystery and some courtroom drama. Perfect if you like Disney and dystopians then you're sure to enjoy it, I sure did!