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earlieststar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
CW: depictions of drowning
would be 4 but the .25 is bc i wish this book was double the length.
fight at the end felt a little rushed and too magic-y for me. couldnt envision it properly and it lacked explanation on what the magic system was supposed to be.
aside from that i loved the characters, and both elian and lira are developed and lovable and genuinely well thought through.
the worldbuilding is really interesting. again, i wish we saw more of it, but im glad that it was overexplained nor dragged on. its just- the book is good and interesting and i wanted more of it. but its well written within the length and honestly, it might have gone off the rails if we spent a couple hundred more pages in the world so ill take my wins.
i liked the mythical side of the sirens a lot. they truly do feel brutal and otherworldly in this really engaging way.
slow burn in a 300 page standalone is hard to achieve but the tension was delicious. thank you for the food.
the vibes are also immaculate and there was some really good banter.
would be 4 but the .25 is bc i wish this book was double the length.
fight at the end felt a little rushed and too magic-y for me. couldnt envision it properly and it lacked explanation on what the magic system was supposed to be.
aside from that i loved the characters, and both elian and lira are developed and lovable and genuinely well thought through.
the worldbuilding is really interesting. again, i wish we saw more of it, but im glad that it was overexplained nor dragged on. its just- the book is good and interesting and i wanted more of it. but its well written within the length and honestly, it might have gone off the rails if we spent a couple hundred more pages in the world so ill take my wins.
i liked the mythical side of the sirens a lot. they truly do feel brutal and otherworldly in this really engaging way.
slow burn in a 300 page standalone is hard to achieve but the tension was delicious. thank you for the food.
the vibes are also immaculate and there was some really good banter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, and Violence
davianareads's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t realize that this book is a Little Mermaid retelling going into it, but enjoyed it thoroughly. There were a few typos that I was surprised by and it threw me out of the story somewhat. Also, there is a bit of filler along the journey. However, the banter between characters was highly enjoyable and I found all of the characters to be lovable, even if some of the side characters fell a little flat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Violence, Death, and Emotional abuse
vi_holmes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
3.0
I'm disappointed in this one. This was on my tbr for so long and it just missed the mark for me.
Lira is awesome and honestly carries the book. I wish it was only from her perspective. Elian was just annoying in my opinion. I struggled to get through his chapters. Kye is right when he says he's naive. And the romance between Lira and Elian felt forced and rushed. Honestly, the romance the way it played out felt unnecessary and I wished it wasn't included.
Both romances in this book are based on just banter alone. It got old fast with nothing else added to it.
I did enjoy the world building, however, and the mythos around the sirens and the Hundred Kingdoms. I didn't vibe very well with this installment but I will still read the next one in the Hundred Kingdoms series.
Lira is awesome and honestly carries the book. I wish it was only from her perspective. Elian was just annoying in my opinion. I struggled to get through his chapters. Kye is right when he says he's naive. And the romance between Lira and Elian felt forced and rushed. Honestly, the romance the way it played out felt unnecessary and I wished it wasn't included.
Both romances in this book are based on just banter alone. It got old fast with nothing else added to it.
I did enjoy the world building, however, and the mythos around the sirens and the Hundred Kingdoms. I didn't vibe very well with this installment but I will still read the next one in the Hundred Kingdoms series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide and Body horror
thewillowwood's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this in one fell swoop during a long flight. I can’t think of any complaints. Well paced, interesting worldbuilding, loveable and complex characters. A fun, fast paced fantasy read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Body horror, Physical abuse, Murder, War, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Confinement
Minor: Trafficking and Slavery
charlx_otte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Body horror?laurataylor's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Body horror
itsheyfay's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Slavery and Alcohol
tragedies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. The entire time I was reading it, I just wanted to skip to the end, which should never be the case when you're faced with a story full of your all-time favorite tropes. I'm always weak for enemies-to-lovers romance in fantasy, but there's just something about To Kill a Kingdom that was such an absolute pain to read. I was already at my limit during the first half, but I stuck with it because I thought that I was judging too hastily and that I might like it over time. Unfortunately, I didn't. I just ended up being angry, at me for choosing to waste my time over this and at the book for wasting its immense potential.
For one, I was so frustrated with Elian's character. The book made him out to be this typical tortured, brooding main character whose family and duty shackled him from living the life he always dreamed of. And while I have nothing against this (personally, I love the trope), how the story executed it felt shallow and underwhelming. Yes, he's going through shit, but he's nowhere near tortured, brooding, or shackled. His family, though insistent he stayed in Midas, never banned or punished him for his pirate pursuits. They merely expressed concerns for his safety and the future of the kingdom, which is completely understandable given the danger and uncertainty at sea. Otherwise, they supported him through and through. They let him leave after only a few days in the kingdom. They provided him with resources, including his favorite ship. It's also likely that part of the funds used to obtain them were from the people's dime. I find it extremely annoying for him to dismiss this as being "caged" by his princely duties when the only reason he could even go on these quests without any consequences was his privilege. I'm not saying his feelings aren't valid; they are. But there's no denying that he's also entitled, immature, and reckless. I would've forgiven it if there was some form of redemption arc or at the very least an attempt to address it, but there was none. It's a shame because it felt like such an important aspect of his character.
In contrast, I think Lira's character was a much more believable attempt at a tortured protagonist. Though she's royalty like Elian, she did not have the same privilege and support system as him. Her sole parental figure was cruel and abusive. She had no friends except her cousin, with whom she has a complicated relationship with. She was conditioned at a young age that power and cruelty go hand-in-hand and that human ideals like love and empathy were signs of weakness. And yet, as everything unraveled, she began to unlearn these twisted notions and discovered that there is as much strength in them as there are weakness. It was incredibly touching to watch her character grow from a vicious siren princess to a compassionate sea queen. While I do not feel particularly attached to anyone in this book, I find that it was Lira whom I was rooting for the most.
In terms of the romance, it was not as much a slowburn as it was slow paced. When it's a slowburn romance, there are little things happening that gradually build the tension between the two characters. Nothing noteworthy happened in the first half, and even if there were, none of Lira and Elian's interactions oozed romantic chemistry, even the ones that were classically designed to make anyone swoon. They flirted at times, but it was nothing compared to Kye and Madrid. Whatever relationship Lira and Elian had, it seemed platonic at most. Honestly, I wish it went that route because then, it would've made more sense. The romance between them felt so forced and unnatural that I couldn't help but cringe every time they had a scene together.
Perhaps the only thing that excited me about this book was the impressive worldbuilding. I loved reading about the different countries. It's funny how they were far more interesting than the romance itself. I wish we got to see more of them, whether it's Págos, Eidýllio, or even Midas. The writing was vivid, atmospheric, and immersive, but there are times when it was bogged down by too many flowery descriptions and repetitive narrations. This was also true when it came to the characters. Elian constantly went on and on about people always seeing him as "just a prince", and this happened so frequently that almost every other chapter with his point of view featured some paraphrased version of this narrative. I get it, he wants to be viewed as someone more than his birth right, but do I really have to be reminded of it all the time? No. Most of it was unnecessary and did not add any depth to his character.
I know a lot of people love this book, and I wish I did too because I was really looking forward to it when I first heard of the premise. Sadly, it's just not for me.
For one, I was so frustrated with Elian's character. The book made him out to be this typical tortured, brooding main character whose family and duty shackled him from living the life he always dreamed of. And while I have nothing against this (personally, I love the trope), how the story executed it felt shallow and underwhelming. Yes, he's going through shit, but he's nowhere near tortured, brooding, or shackled. His family, though insistent he stayed in Midas, never banned or punished him for his pirate pursuits. They merely expressed concerns for his safety and the future of the kingdom, which is completely understandable given the danger and uncertainty at sea. Otherwise, they supported him through and through. They let him leave after only a few days in the kingdom. They provided him with resources, including his favorite ship. It's also likely that part of the funds used to obtain them were from the people's dime. I find it extremely annoying for him to dismiss this as being "caged" by his princely duties when the only reason he could even go on these quests without any consequences was his privilege. I'm not saying his feelings aren't valid; they are. But there's no denying that he's also entitled, immature, and reckless. I would've forgiven it if there was some form of redemption arc or at the very least an attempt to address it, but there was none. It's a shame because it felt like such an important aspect of his character.
In contrast, I think Lira's character was a much more believable attempt at a tortured protagonist. Though she's royalty like Elian, she did not have the same privilege and support system as him. Her sole parental figure was cruel and abusive. She had no friends except her cousin, with whom she has a complicated relationship with. She was conditioned at a young age that power and cruelty go hand-in-hand and that human ideals like love and empathy were signs of weakness. And yet, as everything unraveled, she began to unlearn these twisted notions and discovered that there is as much strength in them as there are weakness. It was incredibly touching to watch her character grow from a vicious siren princess to a compassionate sea queen. While I do not feel particularly attached to anyone in this book, I find that it was Lira whom I was rooting for the most.
In terms of the romance, it was not as much a slowburn as it was slow paced. When it's a slowburn romance, there are little things happening that gradually build the tension between the two characters. Nothing noteworthy happened in the first half, and even if there were, none of Lira and Elian's interactions oozed romantic chemistry, even the ones that were classically designed to make anyone swoon. They flirted at times, but it was nothing compared to Kye and Madrid. Whatever relationship Lira and Elian had, it seemed platonic at most. Honestly, I wish it went that route because then, it would've made more sense. The romance between them felt so forced and unnatural that I couldn't help but cringe every time they had a scene together.
Perhaps the only thing that excited me about this book was the impressive worldbuilding. I loved reading about the different countries. It's funny how they were far more interesting than the romance itself. I wish we got to see more of them, whether it's Págos, Eidýllio, or even Midas. The writing was vivid, atmospheric, and immersive, but there are times when it was bogged down by too many flowery descriptions and repetitive narrations. This was also true when it came to the characters. Elian constantly went on and on about people always seeing him as "just a prince", and this happened so frequently that almost every other chapter with his point of view featured some paraphrased version of this narrative. I get it, he wants to be viewed as someone more than his birth right, but do I really have to be reminded of it all the time? No. Most of it was unnecessary and did not add any depth to his character.
I know a lot of people love this book, and I wish I did too because I was really looking forward to it when I first heard of the premise. Sadly, it's just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Blood, Body horror, and Death
dorleness's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, and Murder
fujo_cat's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this book and finish, but I decided to value my time and enjoyment of things. If I'm not enjoying it enough to want to see the ending, I'm not forcing it. So, yeah. What bothered me the most was how every paragraph felt like it could come straight out of Tumblr with its edginess and overall felt really juvenile, like it was trying to be dark and cool but just failed to be captivating. The characters felt like archetypes and the main characters felt too one dimensional - especially the prince, who was mostly a brat doing whatever he felt like because he has no consequences in life and thinking that is cool ("oh look at me I'm no prince charming cuz I kill sirens how cool is that"); also him calling himself a pirate is so, so cringe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Minor: Body horror, Torture, Child abuse, and Death of parent