A fairytale theme park gone wrong, an android princess searching for humanity, and the seedy side of making dreams come true? The Kingdom is a brilliant mash up of sci-fi and fantasy that’ll get you thinking for sure.

Trigger warnings: Heavily implied rape/sexual assault. Gaslighting. Some abuse of animals and animal death.

The Kingdom is a place where technology helps dreams come to life. Formerly extinct species roam the park, and twelve beautiful ‘Fantasists’ – half-human, half-android princesses – entertain visitors and make wishes come true. But this fairytale ends in murder, and now Ana, one of the twelve Fantasists, is in the dock after finding herself experiencing emotions and romantic feelings against all her programming…
A fairy tale theme park gone wrong sounded very tempting to me – I’ve long been fascinated by the behind the scenes workings of Disneyland, and The Kingdom takes the hidden tunnels and strict cast member rules of real life to fantastic extremes. At its heart, this is a book about the abuses women suffer at the hands of a patriarchy that sees them as less than human. The Fantasists, including our main character Ana, are part machine, but in the eyes of the people who control them, that takes away the entirety of their humanity. They’re assumed to have no more feelings than a toaster, and to be just as disposable. It’s creepy, and it’s utterly at odds with the very human personality and feelings that Ana demonstrates (uh, remind you of normal sexism much?). The Kingdom is an exciting story in its own right, as Ana plans her escape and we learn more about the murder she is accused of, but the metaphorical undercurrents will be apparent to anyone who’s ever seen the sharp end of sexism.

I really loved that this book had an unconventional narrative, with two parallel time strands: Ana’s story of the events leading up to the murder, and the court transcripts from her subsequent trial. The transcripts are interspersed between Ana’s chapters, which provides some really interesting layers to the plot, and shakes up the faith that readers may have put in Ana’s first-person description of events. At first, it seems as though Ana is naive, but as the transcripts unfold, you also learn that they, and you, may well have been underestimating her. This is a character that knows how to play the part you expect – that’s what she’s been built and trained for. She’s a fascinating character to read – you really come to support her as she teases out the horror of what’s been happening to her and her sisters, but you also become aware of how deeply unreliable she is, and the cuts back to the on-going trial underline this sharply. It’s a great way to show how a woman’s real self can be totally disconnected from the part she plays to be able to move in a society that hates.

Ana’s relationships with her sisters are one of the best bits of the book, and while there is some romance, this is a story that essentially looks at platonic love and how having those links can be what keeps you going. It’s Ana’s determination to protect her sisters that provides her motivation. I thought this was particularly poignant with Kaia, who is an older model of Fantasist with a lot less agency – she mostly repeats the fairy tale catchphrases and aphorisms that she’s been taught, and is perhaps the most child-like of the sisters. Ana’s urge to protect Kaia from a specific employee at the park who takes advantage of her (this is where the above trigger warning for implied rape comes in) is a catalyst for Ana’s realisation about the darker side of the Kingdom.

All the heavy stuff aside, I did also think that this book had a brilliant plot, and it’s utterly page-turning, so don’t worry about getting bogged down in the undertones. It’s smart and enjoyable to read – Jess Rothenberg is great at creating the creep factor and building the suspense. I’d love to see this book taught in schools, because there’s so much to unpack, while still being thoroughly engaging. I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of the glittery ballgown world and the horror lurking beneath. Five out of five cats from me!

My thanks to Pan Macmillan/Macmillan Children’s Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Kingdom’ by Jess Rothenberg in exchange for an honest review.

The Kingdom (tm) is an immersive fantasy theme park where technological advances have created ‘hybrids’, including long extinct species and fantasy creatures such as dragons and winged horses. They also have created seven Fantasists, beautiful part-human, part-android princesses, who entertain visitors and make dreams come true.

However, one fairytale has gone wrong and Ana, one of the Fantasists, is now on trial for murder.

The story is told via court documents, interrogation transcripts and Ana’s fragmented flashbacks.

I was completely caught up in this tale from its opening. It explores some of the same futuristic themes as ‘Westworld’ and ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’, including the question of sentience and free will.

There are suggestions of darker activities taking place, including the objectification and exploitation of the Fantasists. It’s fairly easy for the reader’s imagination to fill in the blanks and this absence of any explicit scenes increases the sense of unease and horror.

Ana was a wonderful main character, full of curiosity and warmth. Her devotion to the hybrid animals and especially to her sisters was very moving. The supporting characters all shone. I also enjoyed the idiosyncratic naming of the months such as ‘The September of the Dusky Sparrow’ and ‘The April of the Clouded Leopard’.

Although marketed for a YA audience I feel that it will have appeal to older readers of science fiction.

I loved this novel and have preordered a copy for myself as well as already recommending it enthusiastically to my friends.

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg is a revelation. Its uniqueness and ingenuity absolutely blew me away and I cannot recommend this clever, chilling and stunning novel enough. It’s part YA feminist romance and part dazzling dystopian with an electrifying crime thriller element mixed in. Not only is it 100% original, it’s well-written, plotted incredibly well, and utterly riveting.

Our setting is The Kingdom, a futuristic fantasy theme park that can only be described as a Dark Disneyworld. The Kingdom is “ruled” by seven fantasists—beautiful android princesses who entertain and please guests. The mystique and beauty of The Kingdom was glimmering with a hidden darker side that is explored throughout the book.

I really liked the characters depicted in this novel. Ana was curious and caring, logical, and loving. There is a stark contrast between the Ana we see at the beginning of her story and the Ana we see at the court trial and in interrogation. It was great following her story and seeing how her own and others’ actions affected her and her exploration of her own humanity. We only got to meet a couple of Ana’s fantasist sisters in detail, Nia and Eve, and it was enjoyable how different their personalities were despite the three of them having the same programming.

The Kingdom explores a lot of important topics; perhaps most significantly that of objectification and consent. Ana and her sisters are very beautiful and taught to always say yes and never no, which workers and investors at the park seek to take advantage of, as does the man who runs The Kingdom who uses the fantasists as a kind of bribe to get investors to support the theme park, a disgusting concept really. There aren’t any scenes with direct sexual assault, but it is strongly implied. I thought the way the author used this setting to raise such important topics was incredibly powerful and necessary, which ties in with the discussion in today’s society.

“In the end, it does not matter what a story is about. It only matters who gets to tell it.”

This story was told through flashbacks, court testimonies, emails, interrogation records, and more which are all intricately woven together throughout the plot. We see Ana’s perspective of the past at the same time as we see her and others interviewed at court about what seems to be a twisted version of events. This narrative thrilled and excited me and made The Kingdom impossible to put down. This book was full of suspense and mystery as well as romance and the exploration of important topics such as consent.

As I read, I thought I knew where the story was going, but I was wrong. Jess Rothenberg surprised me at every turn with the development of characters, plot, and the revealing of the dark mysteries hiding between the seemingly perfect facade of The Kingdom.

The Kingdom was a powerful and poignant story that I urge you to read. It is unique and beautiful, witty and surprising. Whether you’re a fan of crime, YA, dystopian, or even fantasy novels, this book will perfectly satisfy your craving for a new kind of story and a fresh exploration of what it is to be human.

3 for neutral. This book just wasn’t for, well at least at this time. I tried on a few occasions to read it; but could never get into it and read it. I only was really able to do a couple chapters. I am a very moody reader though, and will update if able to get into and read it all.

On the surface the kingdom and it’s princesses (or fantasist as they’re called) are perfect but it soon becomes clear all is not well. Sinister things start happening around the park culminating in a murder. What is really going on in The Kingdom?

I really enjoyed The Kingdom! Part mystery, part science fiction, the two genres are blended nicely together to make a really entertaining story. I’m always on the lookout for mystery books with a twist or a combination of genres like this.

The story is told in an interesting way with a mix of flashbacks, courtroom scenes and post trial interviews.
I was really intrigued by the main character Ana. She’s never questioned her life as a fantasist, obey the rules, doing what she’s told. She thinks she’s safe within the walls of the kingdom. Then things start to happen, her sister and best friend Nia starts acting strangely and accidents happen around the park. Then she meets Owen and starts having feeling that she shouldn't. She begins to question everything, is the world outside as bad a place as she’s been told?

This getting compared to Westworld a lot but as someone who’s never seen the movie and only watched one episode of the show, I don’t like westerns even if they do have robots in them, I preferred the Disney like setting.

I did guess the ending about half way through but I just really enjoyed the characters and the story so it didn’t bother me too much.

My only issue was what the Fantasists actually were. Only now I've re-read the synopsis, I know that they're part human, part robot but for a good chunk of the book I thought they were brain washed humans. I just wanted a bit more clarity there within the story.

I think The Kingdom will appeal to anyone who loves a different kind of mystery.

I picked up a copy of The Kingdom first from Northern YA Lit Fest this year, at the MyKindaBook stand. Why? I took a quick look at the synopsis inside:

‘WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM, A DAZZLING THEME PARK WHERE ‘HAPPILY EVER AFTER’ IS NOT JUST A PROMISE, BUT A RULE…’
And that was it, I knew I had to read it from that alone because at the time I got Caraval vibes from it. For the record though, this book isn’t actually that much like Caraval (aside from that tag line) but if you like sci-fi and stories like Caraval then this is definitely one to check out.

What this book actually is though? A Disneyland set in the future where all the animals (including a Compsognathus – a tiny dinosaur) and Princesses are hybrids – part robot and part animal. It’s kind of like Jurassic Park too which considering that’s my all-time favourite book is probably quite heavily influencing my love for The Kingdom!

If you take into consideration solely the description of the park, full of extinct animals and beautiful Princesses representing many cultures of the world then The Kingdom is a place you’d probably love to go, but of course it’s not all sunshine and roses.

Our main character is Ana, one of the Princesses. And she’s a sweet-natured girl who just thinks that her Supervisors are keeping her safe with everything they do. Three events happen though which start to make her doubt her life, and in the parts of the story set up to the trial of Ana we see her slowly losing her grip as she learns some dark secrets of the park.

Trigger warnings though, this book does get pretty dark. There’s heavily implied sexual assault, animal cruelty, and a scene with self-harm. The author doesn’t just put these in for no reason though, they’re part of an overall question of whether or not its right as these issues affect the hybrids.

HAPPY ENDINGS ARE ONLY STORIES. AND STORIES ARE LIES.
The main story itself is set around the events leading up to a trial for murder which Ana is involved in, and the story is told in part with trial transcripts from the present and press releases in a multi-format way that Illuminae fans will probably enjoy. The main chunk of the story itself is from Ana’s point of view, set in the run up to the trial. The swapping between past and present is done very well by Jess and we get hints from Ana’s perspective as to where the story may be going throughout, it really helps to keep you interested in the story and want to keep on reading.

Most of the past story surrounds Ana’s growing relationship with Owen, one of the Park’s employees. My one slight issue with him as a love interest is that basically he’s just the first person to ever treat Ana as a human instead of an object to use, but it does help with the overall story and his affections did seem more real as the story progressed.

The ending. Honestly I didn’t see it coming and I’m a massive lover of books that surprise me! All I’ll say is that parts of it really set up a next book well and I seriously hope Jess writes more from this world!

So yeah, basically I adored this story! I’ll definitely be getting a finished copy (*cough* or two *cough*) and yeah, I’m just a bit in love with it.

4.5 stars rounded up.
This is a bit Disneyland meets Westworld! I've never been to Disneyland and I gave up with Westworld as it got way too convoluted for me but I actually really enjoyed this book. We start with Ana, a highly engineered human-cyborg, working as a Fantasist in The Kingdom, a theme park. When we first meet he, she is on trial for the murder of Owen, one of the park's employees. The story unfolds through trial transcripts, interviews with Ana, and flashbacks to the time leading up to the event. How she starts to develop "feelings" and starts to display other more "human" behaviour, which should be outside her programming. The flitting about in time and media is carefully executed and the flashbacks injected perfectly to illustrate the present day trial. It was relatively easy for me to follow and I sometimes struggle with this method of storytelling.
It's billed as a YA book and I haven't been one of them in many, many years but I thoroughly loved it. Probably helped by the fact that I am still relatively new to the genre but I found the explanations of the technology so easy to understand rather than having to just accept everything which is what I tend to have to do in mainstream sci-fi/fantasy books more often than not.
I was fascinated by Ana's origins and her daily routine. How she started to develop more "human" traits as her ongoing learning started to go "off script". Having a non-human on trial for murder was also a very interesting concept and one that I found fascinating. Was there something corrupt in her programming, was she hacked, did someone control her? Or did she just turn bad? And if so, why?
I also found The Kingdom to be a very interesting place, especially with regard to the animals. And then the true meaning of The Kingdom is revealed as all the pieces finally fall into place... Oh My! And that's not all... but you'll have to read to find out. And there has to be a follow-up. Please let there be one - I feel this story has much more to give and I want to be first in the queue if there is.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

"how do you define real anyway?"

This tale is told through Ana’s POV, as well as trial testimony and her interview with Dr. Foster. Obviously, she’s been accused of murdering a staff member, which shouldn’t be part of her programming as a half-human, half-android, but it quickly becomes evident that Ana may be more than her programming. The style of the chapter arrangement reminded me a bit of Sadie solely for the way it was constructed. The plots are obviously very different. I loved the alternation between story telling styles because you got details to fill in some gaps and then a bit of intrigue to create more from each bit, which only made your compulsion to keep reading grow by the chapter!

"i can control my own ocular lenses. i can control a feature on my own body."

It was very different to books I’ve read this year, but still had some similar themes exploring how we treat other people and women as a commodity rather than being treated as people. Now, in this story, due to the Fantasists being created by The Kingdom(TM)’s scientists, they are considered things rather than proper beings. There is a lot wrong with the Investor’s, guards, and some other staff’s morals regarding how the Fantasists are treated (massive trigger warning for anyone who needs it regarding the mention and allusion to rape). Several of the situations and a lot of the dialogue is basically a discussion on locker room culture and the boys club. Meaning, guards and staff are allowed use the Fantasists whichever way they like and and say terrible, abusive things. Remember that quote, where happily ever after is not just a promise, but a rule? Yeah, they’re programmed to go along with things, even if they don’t like it or agree because your happiness is my happiness… I found myself struggling with some of the more difficult situations Ana faces and her conflict within herself to decide what is right, even when it goes against her programming and how The Kingdom(TM) has told her to behave. There is a lot to break down, but I’m not going to go that far into the analysis. Feel free to message me if you want to discuss, though!

"that’s just how guards behave. it has always been this way."

The characters and world were extremely well developed! I loved learning more about this futuristic theme park/fantasy land. The world is rich in detail and I could clearly picture the different scenes in my mind. It is definitely the characters that bring this story to life, though! Their interaction with the world and each other is beautifully written. Jess Rothenberg has worked in YA fantasy for awhile and it shows through very clearly in her own story. This has been one of the most compelling stories I’ve read in a long time and I urge you to give it a try.

"sometimes it is hard, not quite knowing what i am."

Ana is a Fantasist, a programmed Disney-style Princess who lives with her 7 sisters in The Kingdom – a theme park where all of your dreams come true. But what darkness is lurking under the surface of paradise?

The Kingdom is easily one of my ‘Kindig Gems’ for this year. Think of it as Westworld meets The Belles – two of my favourite universes and you can see that I had little choice but to love it! I devoured it in a day over two sittings, the writing style flows nicely and Ana makes for a great narrator even for someone (objectively!) not human. I really enjoyed how the flashbacks and retelling of the events leading up to the crime were interspersed with courtroom interrogations, recorded interviews and CCTV footage description. It was paced so well as to keep you guessing but you never felt tired or wanted to jump back into the main storyline too quickly.

I loved the world that was created, although we never get to have too much of an insight into the world beyond the gates of The Kingdom deliberately. The actual theme park though is well constructed and believable, with a hint of Disneyland but also newer technology such as VR which is used in a realistic way. I liked the fact that menace and darkness run through the book but some of the more triggering events are just alluded to rather than explicitly stating what is happening as it goes right over Ana’s head. I also liked that although the story is left open for a possible sequel there is a satisfying ending to Ana’s story as well – that said if there is a sequel announced I will definitely be picking it up!

Overall The Kingdom is one of my favourite reads for 2019, it's a fast paced thriller set in a menacing fantasy. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Kingdom is a place where dreams come true. A futuristic fantasy theme park where extinct animals are brought back to life and the park's Fantasists, seven beautiful, lifelike, android princesses, are programmed with only one goal in mind: to ensure the happiness of the park's guests. Ana and her Fantasist sisters know all about how terrible the world outside The Kingdom is, so they understand how important their role is in brightening the lives of those who visit them in the safety of The Kingdom, but things are starting to go wrong. Some of Ana's sisters are starting to malfunction, and before long Ana begins to wonder if she is too. Ana starts to feel things she hasn't been programmed to feel. In particular, she thinks she may be falling in love with Owen, one of the park's human employees.

So how is it that Ana comes to be accused of Owen's murder? As the trial unfolds, Ana is not the only person being judged. Can Ana be guilty of murder if she is only able to do what she is programmed to do? How much responsibility does The Kingdom hold if it has created girls who can murder of their own free will? Were Ana's sisters malfunctioning at all, or did they simply understand something that Ana didn't? And can dreams really come true in a place that hides so many dark secrets?

The Kingdom tells Ana's story non-chronologically, skipping between transcripts from Ana's trial, news reports, and Ana's memories of the events leading to her alleged killing of Owen. At times, this method can be a little confusing. As Rothenberg saves all of the important details to be unfolded and revealed at precise moments, it does mean that it takes a while for enough of the details to fall into place so that the reader can actually figure out what's going on. However, it also means that details can be saved until the exact moment when they will have the most impact, and in that regard Rothenberg absolutely nails it. More than once I found myself wide-eyed as another piece of Ana's puzzle slotted into place.

The layers of this story perfectly match the layers of mystery and deceit at the heart of The Kingdom, and Rothenberg definitely takes the reader on a theme-park-worthy journey through Ana's story. As Ana starts to peel back the layers of lies and cruelty that she and her sisters have been exposed to, often without their knowledge, it is almost impossible not to feel those betrayals as a reader too. Ana is an interesting protagonist, not least because her very existence raises the question of what it means to be human. This is the story of Ana discovering the world and not only the darkness hidden from her, but the light too. First, she falls in love with Owen, even against her programming, as he helps her to understand the truth around her. Then, as she uncovers these truths, Ana must face the idea that Owen has been hiding things from her too. In the end the question is, did betrayal make Ana a killer or did The Kingdom make her everything that she is, whatever that may be?

I don’t actually know how I feel about those book…. The thing that caught my attention was the cover, that cover is incredible. The book description? It offered so much…

Great start for a review hey!! I just can’t pinpoint one opinion on it. I feel like it’s excelled in some places, then fell completely flat in others….

Things I liked: I loved the world building, the idea behind the story, the setting, the idea of being able to recreate extinct animals and the layout of the story.

Things I didn’t like: Ana, Owen, the interactions between them both and the end of the story.

Where I think it could have had more: the sisters. I don’t feel we got enough from them. They were made to sound like a huge part of the story at times but I didn’t get enough from them. Especially Nia and Eve.

So. The things I liked. The idea of the story was a great idea, and the world building along with it makes for an intense story. Add in the idea of recreating extinct animals and it should be an amazing idea! However, it all just doesn’t live up to the huge potential. It all just fizzles out in the first couple of chapters and becomes… Nothing. The layout of the story does help it along though. I loved the way we get the trial transcripts and the interviews involving Ana.

Why didn’t I like Ana, Owen and their interactions? It just felt forced, and dare I say it robotic. No pun intended…. There was no spark, or chemistry. We had to take Ana’s word for it and I just didn’t believe any of it.

The end of the story…. After the trial ended and we got a couple of answers from other parts of the story involving Nia, I think that was the perfect time to end the story… But no. We had to have a shock,and it just felt unrealistic. I just didn’t think it needed it.

As for the actual story? I think it would have worked great if it was done well. The idea of a hybrid evolving to be able to feel love, to commit a crime, to be able to do things that Ana did… It should have been a great story.

So… Overall thoughts. The world building, the ideas, and the layout of the story make up for a lot. But other things make it not such a perfect story….

Never judge a book by its cover. Don’t let the pink fairytale castle on the cover fool you as this book is a unique and dark story that is part sci-fi thriller part courtroom drama.

Disneyland and Westworld collide in this clever, deliciously dark story that explores our perception of what makes something human. The Kingdom is a theme park where guests can get anything and everything they want from fantasy worlds, to extinct animal species to 7 perfect fairytale princesses who, created in a lab, conform to the ideal of perfection and disturbingly entertain guests every need.

The narrator of our story is one of these princesses Ana, who we find out through court testimony, interrogation records and flashbacks has allegedly broken the restraints of her programming and committed a murder. The use of these different narrative styles switching between past and present does require you to pay attention, but it’s a great storytelling device to slowly peel back the layers of Ana’s story.

At face value this is a sci-fi thriller, however it tackles some really dark issues, albeit in a really digestible format that encourages debate -What is perfection? Can science cross the line, Humanity vs creation, Abuse and power and much more.

An original summer read ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️out of five stars

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a bizarre but wonderful mix of dystopian, theme park, mystery, feminism and evil corporation. (And we all know I love an evil corporation - I feel I’ve mentioned this a lot recently!)

The dystopia and mystery worked really well for me. I actually love that we never really find out about the real world. And the mystery is an odd one in that your sort of told what happened but you don’t believe it. But it’s also one where you know the end (or most of it) before you know anything about what happened. You get the story of the events, the trials and everyone in between or beyond as the book goes. This can go wrong easily, but was cleverly done here and made me want to keep reading.

The Fantasists were sort of odd as characters - in that you’re not supposed to be able to get to know them. And certainly Ana was the only one I really connected with. But the concept is fantastic - sort of a cyborg Disney Princess. I could definitely see it! And even though I love Disney, I could sort of see them in the evil corporation lol. Not in the bad ways, but in things about the theme park and how the princesses are programmed. It makes the story more realistic.

The feminism was good but not strong - especially as we never learn what exactly happens. I’d definitely have liked to have seen more.

I did not like the format that this book was written in. I found it hard to follow. Interesting premise though. Just not for me.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out where this is set....but with a very sinister twist.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters are likeable, well thought through, and the plot kept me guessing all the way to the end.

This is a great, sinister, almost believable story..

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley

When I requested this book on Netgalley I was on a bit of a request binge. It's the kind of book that I would have lapped up ten or so years ago but these days I've grown out of this type of story, perhaps having read so many variations (Jenna Fox, Cinders and a multitude of others). Or so I thought. Because I loved every single moment of reading this book. Genuinely. 

It's tough to describe this book succinctly without comparisons. So it's sort of Westworld set in Disneyland. With a pinch of Jurassic Park. As told from the perspective of an AI humanoid the author manages to clue the reader in to events that seem to go over the hear of the hero. Told through a combination of witness testimony and memory this book had potential to be confusing or irritating but it has been very well put together, making the slightly unusual format work. 

I would recommend this book - it is a quick and easy read, which is exactly what I was looking for! I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through netgalley. 

**Set to autopublish on publication date**

4.5/5

Don't let the pretty cover fool you, this is a dark and sinister story about murder, humanity, love and loss.

The Kingdom is a theme park that uses innovative technology to create a magical experience for the visitors. With something for everyone, from fantasy simulations to the chance to see previously extinct animals that have been brought back with technology, the park promises to inspire hope and wonder in people and to give them the happily ever after the visitors want and deserve. One of the most important and distinguished attractions are the Fantasists, these seven android princesses made to delight and inspire the guests and visitors in the park.

This book is told in flashbacks and multimedia chapters, which peice together the story of Ana (one of the Fantasists), who had been accused of murdering a maintenance worker, who was employed at the park.
The plot of this story is so captivating and the story being told in past and present formats really helped to fully immerse me into the story and have me on the edge of my seat as some of the revelations within the story came to light.

This is a very unique story and it is a book that will stay with me for a long time!

Trigger Warnings for suicide, sexual assault (off-page and implied), animal abuse and self harm.

Okay, I loved this book.
This is the perfect YA book to read if you're interested in fantasy or sci-fi but you think you would be put off by confusing world building and extravagant fantastical plot twists. This book is real. It's emotional heartfelt and tackles issue relevant today by showing us the future.

The setting of The Kingdom is an obvious parody of Disney World and other amusement parks like it, which along with the excellent prose of Jess Rothenberg creates a real and terrifying world with augmented hybrid women created to serve men.

The feminist undertones of this book are not derailed by the romantic subplot as the book is more centred around Ana's family and her relationship with her sisters and how this translates to their actions in the world they live in. Themes of abuse and recovery inspire a dialogue between the characters that must be read to be believed (and you need to read this).

The retrospective prose and interview style of some sections of the novel keeps you on your toes and eager to turn the next page.

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this book but I'll finish this review by saying. Read the book. Want the Sequel. Gratitude.

(Trigger Warning for Self Harm and slight Body Horror)

This book was so good!!! I loved the twists. Set in a highly imaginative and creative world, Kingdom, which has the vibes of a Disney/Westworld combination, where there are android princesses in this theme park called Kingdom, that interact with visitors and make their experience more special. The story is about Ana, who starts to develop her own emotions. At the beginning I struggled a bit to keep up with what's going on and who is who, but once I got what's going on I was hooked. the ending was a killer!! highly recommended for YA Sci/Fi fans.

The Kingdom is a place where little girls can meet their Princess idols and little boys can see dinosaurs fight to the death, a magical place where technology has made anything possible. Creatures that have been extinct for millions of years recreated perfectly while others are modified to bring the wildest of dreams into the real world to entertain a never waning public. The impossible has happened and now an android Princess is on trial for murder.
The story begins with the discovery of a murder victim and subsequent questioning of Ana, one of the Princesses of the Kingdom. Present day and how the events in the past came together are done as the trial takes place.
The androids and other creatures were programmed to perform certain routines while others were more advanced in their interaction with the clients and visitors of The Kingdom. Even backstage there was a hierarchy amongst the Princesses of age and popularity. There was an innocence about them all but could they think independently? Could an android plan a murder?
Ana is a brilliant character that I couldn’t help but love. She was sweet and beautiful but also had a bit of sassiness about her and an inquisitive mind. There was so much going on backstage where most of the story takes place, although a few of the chapters give an insight into what happens centre stage in different sections of The Kingdom.
The story began in the perfect place so that as I got to know Ana I could draw my own conclusions to her guilt of innocence. I knew what she had been accused of but did I think it was possible?
A brilliant YA novel, which I am sure will be a huge hit!
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book which I have honestly reviewed