The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg is a YA Fantasy story of a fantasy-inspired amusement park that you will surely get lost in!

“Welcome to the Kingdom… where ‘Happily Ever After’ isn’t just a promise, but a rule.

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom(TM) is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species–formerly extinct–roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty–and what it truly means to be human.”

This was such a unique story.

We follow the main character who is a Fantasist, one of the many female robots used to create the perfect experience. But when she begins to question the park’s tactics, a whole new light is shined down.

The story is told in two parts. The past POV includes the main character’s rendition on what took place in the park, while the present POV includes interviews and documents featuring how the park’s reputation plummeted.

I think with this story, it’s best to not know too much going into it. It allows the reader to really be surprised with how the events take place.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. The setting is completely unique from any book I’ve read in YA. It’s full of enticing twists, fun exhibits, and creative world-building. I highly recommend this one to any YA Fantasy-lover who wants a story they’ve never read before.

Published: 28 May 2019

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 352

How I Read It: eARC from NetGalley

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All of my reviews contain my honest opinions only and are not influenced in any way.*

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