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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
meh? also, giving me some weird vibes re: the whole “what if the french colonized the english???” thing
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Kingdoms is about a man named Joe Tournier who has a really bad case of amnesia - or does he?? The story starts off in 1898 in a French occupied London. Joe is at the train station but he doesn't remember anything about himself or how he got there. Someone helps him get to a hospital where they tell him he has had an epileptic seizure but Joe doesn't know what to think. He finds himself realizing that he can understand the French language but he feels English. He thinks he remembers having a wife named Madeline but can't remember what she looks like. After several days of not remembering anything, people come to claim Joe. They say he's a slave and is married to a woman named Alice. That can't be right.... But she has a picture of the two of them. Joe doesn't remember and can't argue against it, so he goes with them. A little while late a postcard with the picture of Lighthouse is addressed to him. However it's from the early 1800s. Thus, Joe's journey to figure out who is and what happened to him begins.
I can't take say too much without giving away spoilers so I will keep this brief. The book has some interesting time twists and I found it easy to read. It got me out of a major reading slump, in fact! It kept me wondering who Joe was as much as Joe wondered who he was. However, some parts were a little confusing and not really fully explained but I don't think it took away from the story. Overall, I enjoyed the read.
I can't take say too much without giving away spoilers so I will keep this brief. The book has some interesting time twists and I found it easy to read. It got me out of a major reading slump, in fact! It kept me wondering who Joe was as much as Joe wondered who he was. However, some parts were a little confusing and not really fully explained but I don't think it took away from the story. Overall, I enjoyed the read.
This book was everything I wanted it to be when I read the first page in between the shelves of Barnes n Noble during one of my ridiculous book splurges. I do not regret buying it at all. At all. I read it all in its entirety today after trying to get myself to read it a few days ago and just didn't have the motivation. I regret not finishing it sooner. Plot-wise, it is beautifully constructed and is part of the reason why I couldn't put it down and spent my entire day reading it. The thought and time it must've took really shows with how complex it is. The other part of why I couldn't stop reading is because of the characters. I am a lover of dynamic, morally grey characters and Natasha Pulley gave me just that with Kite AND Joe.
The Kingdoms is beautifully written, and I could see everything so vividly in my little brain.
The only thing I struggled with were the slavery and pedigree bits, but I also believe it's meant to disturb the reader and it only lead me to cheer a bit for London in the end.
The end was everything I wanted though, and I'm so glad both Kite and Joe got the ending they got. They deserved it after that shit storm. I usually don't put up with slow burns because authors tend to give unsatisfactory endings in attempts to be unique or unconventional. Fuck that, let your characters be together! Thank you Natasha for giving us this beautiful piece of art.
I wasn't going to give it 5 stars because I personally wish more time was spent at the actual siege. It felt like everything in this book was leading up to that moment and days before, Joe and Kite are taking walks, and then they very conveniently intercept French telegraph communications and then Kite is like "Ride on, Joe! Be free!" ... Are you kidding? The entire future Joe lives in was dependent on this moment. I wanted to see it. Also, I wish there was more time spent with other characters. I wanted more of Wellesley's reaction to finding out Kite literally threw Fred INTO THE OCEAN and then excused it with "oho battle fatigue." Bro. BATTLE FATIGUE? Ok. Nonetheless, these are just my personal feelings and I don't necessarily think it would have made The Kingdoms better or worse. It's still going onto my favorites shelf. I am going to give it five stars because the research that must have gone into this book amazes me and I wish every day that more authors would take such an approach. As an aspiring writer, I am.. well amazed. Bravo, Pulley.
The Kingdoms is beautifully written, and I could see everything so vividly in my little brain.
The only thing I struggled with were the slavery and pedigree bits, but I also believe it's meant to disturb the reader and it only lead me to cheer a bit for London in the end.
The end was everything I wanted though, and I'm so glad both Kite and Joe got the ending they got. They deserved it after that shit storm. I usually don't put up with slow burns because authors tend to give unsatisfactory endings in attempts to be unique or unconventional. Fuck that, let your characters be together! Thank you Natasha for giving us this beautiful piece of art.
I wasn't going to give it 5 stars because I personally wish more time was spent at the actual siege. It felt like everything in this book was leading up to that moment and days before, Joe and Kite are taking walks, and then they very conveniently intercept French telegraph communications and then Kite is like "Ride on, Joe! Be free!" ... Are you kidding? The entire future Joe lives in was dependent on this moment. I wanted to see it. Also, I wish there was more time spent with other characters. I wanted more of Wellesley's reaction to finding out Kite literally threw Fred INTO THE OCEAN and then excused it with "oho battle fatigue." Bro. BATTLE FATIGUE? Ok. Nonetheless, these are just my personal feelings and I don't necessarily think it would have made The Kingdoms better or worse. It's still going onto my favorites shelf. I am going to give it five stars because the research that must have gone into this book amazes me and I wish every day that more authors would take such an approach. As an aspiring writer, I am.. well amazed. Bravo, Pulley.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A slow burner and at times confusing. It felt like it was dragging on too much eventually. However, the overall plot was interesting and the ending was good if maybe abrupt. Left me wanting more but less...