I didn't realize this was a Nutcracker retelling when requesting this book. It was an okay book, but I didn't vibe with the writing style.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen was a mesmerizing experience. This novel offers a dark, gothic retelling of The Nutcracker, delving deep into themes of envy, magic, and the complex bond between sisters.

The story centers on twins Clara and Natasha, cursed from birth by their enigmatic godfather, Drosselmeyer. Clara, embodying light, leads a life of beauty and privilege, while Natasha, representing darkness, exists in her sister’s shadow, grappling with jealousy and resentment. Their journey to the Kingdom of Sweets—a realm both enchanting and sinister—forces them to confront their intertwined destinies and the true nature of their desires.

Johansen’s prose is both lyrical and haunting, painting vivid imagery that brings the decaying yet alluring Kingdom of Sweets to life. The characters are intricately developed, each flawed and morally complex, making their struggles and transformations deeply compelling. The novel masterfully balances elements of fantasy, horror, and historical fiction, set against the backdrop of pre-revolutionary Russia, adding depth and realism to the narrative.

What I found particularly engaging was the exploration of the sisters’ relationship—their rivalry, love, and the impact of societal expectations on their choices. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and dark bargains, keeping me engrossed until the very end.

If you’re a fan of dark fairy tale retellings that delve into the complexities of human emotions and relationships, The Kingdom of Sweets is a must-read. It’s a thought-provoking and atmospheric novel that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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 ⭐️