AUDIOBOOKING WITH LEAH: The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

๏ ๏ ๏ Highlights ๏ ๏ ๏

Perfected Series Mixed With a YA-ish Westworld

With a Dash of Dollhouse

Fantasy-Themed Amusement Park

Science Fiction/Dystopian Future
What It Means To Be Human Themes

Told In Courtroom Testimonies, Interviews
& Flashbacks To Memories
Stand-Alone

With Audio Performed by Amy Landon

๏ ๏ ๏ MY RATING ๏ ๏ ๏

☆4☆STARS - GRADE=B+

๏ ๏ ๏ My Thoughts ๏ ๏ ๏

The Kingdom™ is a fantastical-themed park and that is as far as the fantasy goes in this story. At its heart, this is more a science fiction meshed with mystery. Very similar to the Perfected Series by Kate Jarvik Birch. If you've read that series then you know that it's about the production of man-made human/robotic girls made for the pleasure of other humans. Essentially human, but made to believe that they are not because they were made in a lab. Both that series and this have this sleazy undertone that left me feeling sort of icked out. Ultimately, I believe that is the intention, though, bringing to mind thoughts on what it means to be human and the like. Despite my comparing it to Perfected, Westworld and Dollhouse, it still manages to be unique in its own way.

This story has the added element of a murder-mystery, and I found myself pulled into this element of the story more so than the science fiction one. It also made it stand apart from the mentioned series above. The twist at the end took me completely by surprise...more or less but I'm not sure how I feel about it because this could be turned into a second book with the way things ended. Amy Landon was perfect for the voice of Ana, and overall, she did an excellent job of bringing the story to life.