It was a great adventure, and I cannot wait to see what Christo will write next.Īs part of our review of To Kill a Kingdom, we had the opportunity to interview Alexandra Christo, so make sure you look for our interview to be published later this week. Christo’s storytelling forces you to pay attention and be present for the journey alongside Lira and Elian so that you’re ready when that final battle comes. The wordplay in this book is smart and fun, echoing slightly the art of the fairy deal or wishes from a trickster genie. Each supporting character has their own agenda, and everything they do or say is very deliberate, if you truly pay attention to their words and actions. Without spoiling it for you, because you really do need to read this for yourself, there are many colorful and disgusting characters that Lira and Elian interact with, and each one serves an important purpose. I did not feel that piece missing in this story, and it truly felt like it was Lira and Elian’s tale to tell, together in equal measure.Īmong Christo’s other twists are the kingdoms themselves. Perhaps I have been reading the wrong books, but in most stories where there is such a strong female protagonist, the male counterpart is often left a bit lacking. As a fan of the Disney version of The Little Mermaid, I was intrigued at Christo’s twist and impressed with the time and care that was taken in crafting not only the absolute evil that is Lira’s mother but also the depth of character the reader is allowed to see in Prince Elian. I could not put this book down and, in fact, read it all in one sitting. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most – a human. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. Christo has taken the often Disney-fied version of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and completely turned this story on its tentacles. That is NOT the case with Alexandra Christo‘s To Kill a Kingdom.

That being said, just because you twist a well-known tale into a new story doesn’t make it unique, and many times the new version is simply not interesting enough to hold my attention.

New twists on familiar fairy tales are totally in right now. To Kill a Kingdom is not the Little Mermaid story you remember, but it’s a story that you will fall in love with.

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo