Rating: 5 Stars
Publication: May 28th, 2019
Genre: Scifi Thriller
Format: ARC
Diversity: Asian American SC
Quick Summary:
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 is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and formerly extinct species are bioengineered. Ana is one of seven 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, cruelty, and what it truly means to be human.
My Thoughts:
Being inside a hybrid androids mind was a compelling experience. I enjoyed seeing the similarities and differences between Ana and most humans. Shes more human than her owners give her credit for. Her compassion for animals and the love she had for her sisters was very sweet. I did get some of the princesses mixed up but that didnt diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. I found myself relating to Anas curious and protective nature. As Ana uncovers some truths The Kingdom corporation has been hiding from her, she starts to become more aware of her situation and realizing how unfair it is. She meets a maintenance worker who she feels she can confide in and starts to develop romantic feelings for the first time. I thought the romance had an interesting dynamic with her being part android and him working for the Kingdom.
I loved how the plot was divided into two time lines with the past leading up to the maintenance workers murder and the present being told in court case files and interviews. I thought the mixed format added an immersive layer to the story. The murder mystery was very suspenseful and exciting. Its one of the most captivating books Ive read it a while. The pace made it very difficult to put down. There were a couple things that didnt completely add up, but I loved everything else so much I didnt mind. Dont know why she never brought up Nias bracelet or why he would let her keep a weapon. Why would the Kingdom keep pushing her when they know the hybrids have been malfunctioning. It seemed like Ana forgot to turn the cameras in her eyes off a few times, but it never came up as an issue. Besides that I thought the story was excuted brilliantly.
This was such a dark and twisted story with a fascinating world. I loved the whole fairytale amusement park setting. It has some interesting futuristic technology, but it was all very easy to understand. Theres definitely some trigger warnings for suicide, assault, and animal cruelty. I appreciated the important themes that were explored. One of the more notable ones was the way the appearance of diversity was used to target a bigger consumer base. The princesses all have different skin tones and facial features, but dont have any of the culture or history to go with it. The writing was super gripping and did a good job capturing the way an android might process thoughts and emotions. I love scifi thrillers and this is one of the best Ive read. I seriously need many more books in this world. With the way things ended I see a lot of potential for an even more high stakes sequel.
*This book was received for an honest review
*My summaries are often a shortened version of the goodreads summary
No comments:
Post a Comment