The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

It is fairly well-known that throughout many people's lives one company has had influence in many childhoods is Disney. Disney is a company which owns so many franchises throughout the world and the best of it is showcased at their resorts. This is one of the many childhood dreams to go to such a place like this for any child or adult for that matter, but what if things are not what they seem?

Rothenberg creates a fictional version of a resort, similar in kind to all the theme park resorts that we have all come to love throughout our lives, but it holds a massive difference, robots. Not just ordinary robots either. Robots that act in a way that makes them just as human as the actors that perform alongside them. In particular it focuses on seven particular robots, known as the princesses, which have been designed in a way that satisfies every dream that a visitor asks for as soon as they enter through their doors.

But trouble is brewing. Things are changing. Memories are coming to the surface for the princess known as Ana and begins to question moralities of not only herself, but those who she believes that look after her. After all, as long as she stays in the kingdom, all is safe right? The outside is broken and her best chance is doing as she is told. But one thing leads to another and she is fighting between what she knows is true within herself and what she is perceived to be, simply a program that can be shut down.

I'm glad Rothenberg took the direction of giving the reader the image of what we perceive ourselves as humans to be and what morality means to each individual person. Especially when the princesses come to terms with what they actually are. Real sentient beings. This could have been expanded even more than having a love story. As much as I found Owen to help Ana on her journey of self-discovery, I hate to say this but I didn't mind that he wasn't there for a period of time. I didn't miss him or want to see what happened to him.

Ana's relationship with another princess known as Nia, is also an interesting one. I feel like there are so many unanswered questions to how it alters within the storyline. Ana, how did you not see that coming? It was almost like she was somewhat sleepwalking throughout a part of her relationship with not only Nia, but also Eve. I wanted to know more about these specific relationships rather than Owen.

The people who I did want to know more about after finishing the book is the remaining princesses. Why the cliff-hanger? I'm not sure whether Rothenberg has decided to continue the story, but there was no hint of what will happen next. If there isn't a next instalment I really do feel like it was pointless to try and convey a message which clearly is left in the dark at the end. But hey, I'm not the writer. For this reason, I gave it a four star rating on Goodreads.

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