Book Review: To Kill a Kingdom

To Kill a kingdom is a retelling of the well-known fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Alexandro Christo. Far from the mushy Disney movie and fairy tale, this book delivers a dark fantasy trope involving the rivalry of two worlds.

PROTAGONIST & DEUTERAGONIST

Prince Elian is the heir to one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world and yet it does not stop him from hunting the ocean for that is what he truly loves. Princess Lira is a royal siren and distinguished for her cruelty and bloodthirst for the royal hearts, I mean in literal flesh…the Prince’s Bane. Elian and Lira are different in so many ways yet appears similar somehow. Having the weight of an entire kingdom bestowed upon them from a young age had influenced them to always view things with an agenda.

Two kingdoms that come with responsibilities we each have trouble bearing. Him, the shackles of being pinned to one land and one life. Me, trapped in the confines of my mother’s murderous legacy. And the ocean, calling out to us both. A song of freedom and longing.

~Lira

SCENARIO

“I’ve made a mistake. It started with a prince, as most stories do. Once I felt the thrum of his heart beneath my fingers, I couldn’t forget it.”

Prince Elian had enough of the queen's reign when he is informed about the death of one of his close acquaintances. He sets out on a quest for finding the key to destroy the Sea Queen and her reign. Meanwhile,Lira is punished by The Sea Queen for her disobedience and turned into a human deprived her of her song and siren abilities. Lira has till the winter solstice to deliver the princes heart to The Sea Queen. When the Prince rescues the red-haired girl from the sea he takes her in for the quest as he realises that she knows much more about sirens than he ever had. And she discerns this might be the only means by which she could get freed of her mother and her reign

LOVE INTEREST

It is a slow burn romance. As the quest moves on both of them find themselves questioning their decisions and insights. Besides being on each other's throats they also lose themselves in the mushy aura and takes things a bit too far. Lira ponders on the impact the betrayal would have on Elian.

How strange is that instead of taking his heart I hope he takes mine.

CONCLUSION

This book tackles what it means to be human and how mercy and loyalty are part of a family. Parents often forget that their children are individuals and are not something that is moulded according to their wishes. As Khalil Gibran said “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.”

It also looks into how several things we grew up hearing from elders aren't always true. That there is always two sides to a coin and the world necessarily isn't black and white. It is extremely necessary to keep an open mind and be ready to hear both sides of a story before acting upon it.

How can the Sea Queen see it as a weakness when it’s the very thing that binds them together, ensuring their strength as a unit? A family

~Lira

The side characters, Madrid, Kye, Torik, Kahlia were also very charming. Kye being my favourite. The writing style was so fine. The sarcasm-laced banter between Lira and Elian was an added bonus.

”What would you be losing?” he asks.

“If I married you?” I stand to tower above him, pushing away the unravelling thing inside me. “I suppose it would be my mind.”

~ Originally published on May 25, 2021

~ My other works