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A review by whatsheread
The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen
3.0
THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS caught my eye for being both a reimagining of the Nutcracker story and a new novel by Erika Johansen, author of The QUEEN OF THE TEARLING series. I loved that series, and the Nutcracker story is so timeless. I wanted to see what she does with it.
I finished the book last week, and I still don't know what I think. When I look at THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS as a sum of its parts, I enjoyed it. The pacing is quick, and the story is familiar enough to enjoy but unfamiliar enough to keep me on my toes. There's a good message about family and revenge.
Yet, when I try to think of the individual elements of THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS, I struggle to find something I like. Neither Clara nor Natasha are great characters. Drosselmeyer could be interesting, but we only see him through Natasha's eyes. The Sugar Plum Fairy could also be interesting, but she is too one-noted.
The story, while intriguing, is a bit of a mess. Honestly, I can't even begin to put into words what happened and why. It all just sort of happens, and you go with the flow while reading. The only part I remember is the end, when we finally get a sense of the historical time period in which the novel is set. There are bargains that are essentially bargains with the devil. We have terrible parents and even worse extended family. Every character is terrible. The whole story is grim. It is all very Russian.
I'm really glad that Ms. Johansen published another novel. It's the first thing she's put out into the world since 2021. Unfortunately, I cannot say I liked THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS. The best part was seeing how Ms. Johansen incorporated the Nutcracker ballet into the actual story. Unfortunately, even that only lasts the first quarter of the book. Engaging but forgettable is how I would describe it, with not a single redeeming character in the entire book, the main character included.
I finished the book last week, and I still don't know what I think. When I look at THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS as a sum of its parts, I enjoyed it. The pacing is quick, and the story is familiar enough to enjoy but unfamiliar enough to keep me on my toes. There's a good message about family and revenge.
Yet, when I try to think of the individual elements of THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS, I struggle to find something I like. Neither Clara nor Natasha are great characters. Drosselmeyer could be interesting, but we only see him through Natasha's eyes. The Sugar Plum Fairy could also be interesting, but she is too one-noted.
The story, while intriguing, is a bit of a mess. Honestly, I can't even begin to put into words what happened and why. It all just sort of happens, and you go with the flow while reading. The only part I remember is the end, when we finally get a sense of the historical time period in which the novel is set. There are bargains that are essentially bargains with the devil. We have terrible parents and even worse extended family. Every character is terrible. The whole story is grim. It is all very Russian.
I'm really glad that Ms. Johansen published another novel. It's the first thing she's put out into the world since 2021. Unfortunately, I cannot say I liked THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS. The best part was seeing how Ms. Johansen incorporated the Nutcracker ballet into the actual story. Unfortunately, even that only lasts the first quarter of the book. Engaging but forgettable is how I would describe it, with not a single redeeming character in the entire book, the main character included.