Take a photo of a barcode or cover
books_n_pickles 's review for:
The Kingdom
by Jess Rothenberg
This one intrigued me in part because I loved the original version of [b:The Unlikely Death|26024116|The Unlikely Death (The Adventures of the Late Sherlock Holmes Book 1)|Niko Ford|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1438491519i/26024116._SY75_.jpg|45886744] and its questions of ethics. Unfortunately this YA book didn't go quite that deep--it was definitely reaching for bigger concepts, but just didn't quite get there. Still, the concept was interesting, the (clearly) Disney-esque park was amazingly described in all its disbelief-defying glory.
This was a fun, quick read, but one that does require a good bit of suspension of disbelief. The logic of the park starts breaking down pretty quickly if you think about it:
If anything, I would have liked even more description of the Kingdom. We have no real sense of how long the fantasists have been around, how fashions in the park might have changed. What does Ana remember? It would have been interesting to know more about their dresses and merchandising, and especially to have a "who's who" so we can tell the sisters apart and know what countries/regions they represent. Nia and Eve had their special performances, but what is Ana's? I was also a little disappointed that it didn't end up being Ana on the cover. I was imagining her kind of like Disney's Mulan and then out of nowhere we're told she has red hair. So then I started thinking of her kind of like, well, Ana from Frozen. Not sure if that's intentional or not.
An enjoyable, what-happens-next read with exciting moments, some things to think about--if not quite philosophize on--and an okay requisite YA romance with, at least, a someone who wasn't white. But also a lot of darkness in the shadows. Like, a LOT of darkness:. But somehow the glossy Disney-esque coating keeps it from hitting too hard. Still. If you're the kind of person who prefers warnings before reading, you'll want them here.
Quote Roundup These haven't been quotes much lately, have they?
p. 106) Not a spoiler. The fantasists say a bedtime *prayer* to the Kingdom. Or themselves, it's not totally clear. This really threw me out of the story, it was just so much above and beyond over the top of ridiculousness. I mean, I'm sure there are corporations that would love to have their employees recite a pledge of allegiance and all, but a prayer just seems too much for a not-too-distant future.
p. 153) Again, not a spoiler, but even with a bit of an explanation eventually, it just seems like the wifi is way spottier throughout the Kingdom than it should be. Especially considering that there are alternatives, like satellite tracking, it's just a little to deus-ex-machina convenient.
This was a fun, quick read, but one that does require a good bit of suspension of disbelief. The logic of the park starts breaking down pretty quickly if you think about it:
Spoiler
how are the animals "evolving" if they're dying young or acting up and getting killed? Why would any Disney-esque corporation risk bad publicity by pushing one of its older models to its limits? Why would there be only seven fantasists spread so thinly across the park, and why would they be allowed to cluster together instead of mingling with guests?If anything, I would have liked even more description of the Kingdom. We have no real sense of how long the fantasists have been around, how fashions in the park might have changed. What does Ana remember? It would have been interesting to know more about their dresses and merchandising, and especially to have a "who's who" so we can tell the sisters apart and know what countries/regions they represent. Nia and Eve had their special performances, but what is Ana's? I was also a little disappointed that it didn't end up being Ana on the cover. I was imagining her kind of like Disney's Mulan and then out of nowhere we're told she has red hair. So then I started thinking of her kind of like, well, Ana from Frozen. Not sure if that's intentional or not.
An enjoyable, what-happens-next read with exciting moments, some things to think about--if not quite philosophize on--and an okay requisite YA romance with, at least, a someone who wasn't white. But also a lot of darkness in the shadows. Like, a LOT of darkness:
Spoiler
implied rape/sexual assault of basically all the fantasists except, somehow, Ana; and overtly there's cutting, suicide, murder, and the attempted murder of a childQuote Roundup These haven't been quotes much lately, have they?
p. 106) Not a spoiler. The fantasists say a bedtime *prayer* to the Kingdom. Or themselves, it's not totally clear. This really threw me out of the story, it was just so much above and beyond over the top of ridiculousness. I mean, I'm sure there are corporations that would love to have their employees recite a pledge of allegiance and all, but a prayer just seems too much for a not-too-distant future.
p. 153) Again, not a spoiler, but even with a bit of an explanation eventually, it just seems like the wifi is way spottier throughout the Kingdom than it should be. Especially considering that there are alternatives, like satellite tracking, it's just a little to deus-ex-machina convenient.