Despite being a ballerina for the first decade and a half of my life, I am not actually all that familiar with The Nutcracker, so I couldn’t tell you how closely this adaptation stuck to the original story – my guess is not all that much, which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing. What you have here is an insanely imaginative retelling that is, in my humble opinion, much more horror than fantasy.

This was a fine story, perfectly alright. Interesting enough whenever I picked it up, but I had no real draw to dive back in whenever I put it down. My biggest issue is that there are multiple MASSIVE time jumps throughout the book, which really made all stakes that did exist feel almost null and void – with years going by with nothing of note occurring (which must be true because the author chose to skip over them entirely), how am I supposed to remain invested?
The answer: I didn’t.

The writing was engaging and the creativity with the magic and its underlying meanings was quite fascinating; it just wasn’t enough to make up for what was an overall lackluster reading experience.

The description of the book was a bit off. This a very dark (horror even?) retelling of the Nutcracker. It was interesting in the beginning and then fell off for me. It was imaginative, but also very repetitive. Charming but twisted. It wasn't slow, but I think I just didn't love the characters in general.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen is a mesmerizing dark fantasy retelling of The Nutcracker, centering on twin sisters Clara and Natasha, who are cursed at birth by Drosselmyer—Clara as the Light and Natasha as the Dark.

While I found it painful to witness their growing hatred for one another, this conflict added a compelling layer to the narrative. When a chance for revenge arises, the sisters seize it with fervor, propelling the story into an exhilarating direction.

Johansen’s writing style is a standout element of the book, enriching both the plot and character development. I was captivated from the first page and found it hard to put down. The blend of intricate prose and vivid character personalities truly hits the mark, making The Kingdom of Sweets an unforgettable read.

I think I just overall disagree with the concept of the book. It seems the concept is that sex workers are evil and married women are good. It's almost.. anti-feminist? The whole thing seems super disparaging.

This is a delightful fantasy that transports readers into a whimsical world brimming with magic, adventure, and, of course, an enchanting array of confections. The story follows a young protagonist who finds herself in a vibrant kingdom where sweets hold more than just culinary appeal—they are tied to the very fabric of the realm.

Johansen’s writing is both vivid and imaginative, creating a richly detailed setting that feels alive with color and flavor. The characters are charming and relatable, each with their own quirks and ambitions, making it easy for readers to become invested in their journeys.

I read this back in 2023. Apologies for sending the review now.

I read this along with one of the book club groups I am in. We all enjoyed this dark Nutcracker retelling. Most hadn't seen the movie, so I'm hoping they watched it after reading this book, so as to appreciate the dark elements that Johansen added (that were much darker than the movie).

For those who love horror and dark fantasy, this is a good book to read around the holidays. I think that's why we liked it so much, because there are not a lot of dark stories out there to read during the holidays, except Krampus type stories. A darker Nutcracker retelling was really everything we needed during the holiday season.

I love a good reimagining, especially a holiday one. This was great and I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the story!

The premise of this was great! A dark Nutcracker retelling?! I was so excited for it. It just wasn’t well executed. There were too many plot lines and the story felt rushed.

This was a strange version of the nutcracker one full of magic and unexpected turns. No one is who they seem to be and good and evil isn’t as cut and dry in this book over all I was intrigued and enjoyed listening to this book on audio over all I think I would give it a 4 stars not something I would normally enjoy be still not a new favorite.

I thought this was pretty good. I would even say scary if you’re looking for that. It was cleverly told and the toys fascinated me. I would definitely read another book by this author.
Thanks Penguin Group via NetGalley.

I just did not vibe super well with this book. I felt like it could have been pared down or expanded on, but as-is it felt a bit rushed and confusing.

I thought this was an atmospheric, interesting book. I didn't quite know how it would end and it went some places I didn't expect. I didn't exactly like reading this from the view of only Natasha, I think I might have liked more insight into the other characters, even though our main character didn't seem to like them very much.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read.

I found this retelling of The Nutcracker very enjoyable and at times chilling/dark. It was a very engaging read that was hard to put down once I'd started.

I absolutely loved the first 1/4 of this book! This author is so gifted at setting a richly dark and beautifully gothic world!

But after an excursion into a magical realm, and the shocking events that happened therein, the novel kind of dragged on, became repetitive (yes, we know Clara was unfairly advantaged!) and became less of a fairytale amd more of a truncated Russian history lesson.

A major theme of this book is vengeance, and the lasting effects on not only the victim, but also the person who exacts the revenge. I do feel that none of the characters were worth rooting for, they all either had major chatacter flaws or were so one-dimensional that I couldn't really understand their motivations. Unfortunately, this kept me from becoming emotionally invested in the outcome of the story.

I was a little jarred when real-life happenings from the turn of the 20th century were incorporated, as I thought I was reading a fairytale up until that point. But the ending is a mix of the two, so definitely not the usual fairytale ending.

In all, it was was a unique read, not quite dark fairytale, not quite historical fiction. The author's descriptive writing style was definitely the highlight, so I will definitely be reading her other books! 3.5 stars!

As much as I love the Nutcracker (it is literally the best thing about Christmas) I just didn't realize that this was actually horror rather than a historical fantasy retelling, etc. Lots of triggers and dark moments that I didn't expect would be included. Just not my cup of tea.

This book was just not for me. I expected more since I enjoyed Erika Johansen other books but this one did not work for me. I did not enjoy the story.

I wanted to love this since I really enjoy nutcracker folklore and collected nutcrackers growing up. But I did not. Instead of being fantastical, this book just seemed nonsensical. I couldn't understand the motivations or actions of the characters because I couldn't even keep the basic plot straight. The ending where the author talked about what happened to the twins as it related to the war seemed the most interesting. I've heard great things about the Queen of Tearling trilogy and would definitely give it a try, but unfortunately The Kingdom of Sweets was not a win for me.

This was a dark horror fantasy, but also stayed surface level enough where I couldn’t envision the fantasy aspect at all. I think the author had a good idea, a fantastic foundation of writing and prose, but the execution was a bit all over the place. It didn’t read fluidly which was probably my biggest struggle. I do think it was unique for a retelling!

*the ending chapter was sooooo unnecessary. Definitely took the story down 1/2 a ⭐️

I am really torn on how to rate this. I liked it, I didn't hate it, but it was nothing like what I expected. Which I think I should have seen coming from Erika Johansen given the Tearling series (which I loved). I think Guillermo del Toro would have field day making a film adaptation if that says anything about the tone and content. It is DARK.

This book is described as a darkly magical take on The Nutcracker, and I couldn't resist.

I expected The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen to be your basic good vs. evil dark fantasy adventure, but the story took so many turns I did not see coming. From the very beginning, I was hooked by the Stahlbaums’ troubled family dynamic and garish lifestyle, the questionable intentions of Drosselmeyer, and the sisters’ precarious relationship. But, it's the deceptions of the sweet and the horrors of the magical that truly make this book stand out. Visions of sugar plums will turn into nightmares of murderous toys and rotting confections.

There are no innocent characters in The Kingdom of Sweets. Most all of them do things that are despicable or just plain evil, including the main character. I think, at some point in our lives, a lot of us could relate to Natasha. The outcast. Giving all of yourself to someone who carelessly casts you aside. Feeling powerless. And, I really appreciated her disregard for the upper class. But, do these things make her character redeemable? I liked that this book gave me so many themes and moral dilemmas to contemplate. Also, I think the excerpts from T. S. Eliot’s Waste Land included throughout the book enhanced the overall experience and gave the reader even more to consider. I feel like some unnecessary repetition should have been left out and replaced with more of the magic’s backstory and how it worked. Still, The Kingdom of Sweets is a dark and delectable dance between fantasy and reality, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read and review this book.